Importance

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Abstract

Embodiments of this invention relate generally to furnaces, particularly to furnaces with combustors utilizing fuel and oxidizer jets, more particularly to furnaces used for glass production, and further to glass container production. In one embodiment, a furnace comprises first and second opposing walls, the first wall including a fuel nozzle having a fuel nozzle centerline extending toward the second wall, and an oxidizer nozzle having an oxidizer nozzle centerline extending toward the second wall and an oxidizer jet boundary. The first and second opposing walls are separated by a wall separation distance L. In this embodiment, the fuel nozzle centerline intersects the oxidizer jet boundary at a crossing distance x_c, whereby x_c is at least L/20 and at most L/2. In further embodiments, x_c is at least L/9 and at most L/6. In certain embodiments, the oxidizer jet centerline is inclined at an angle φ from a line perpendicular to the first wall, whereby the oxidizer jet boundary intersects with the fuel jet centerline at crossing distance x_c at a dilution ratio Δ, defined as Δ=0.119 (x_c I do) (cos 9.7°/cos (φ+9.7°)). In some embodiments, the dilution ratio Δ is greater than 2.5 and less than (4+(4+0.125*L²)/P^0.5), wherein L is measured in meters and P is the power contributed to the furnace by the burner measured in megawatts. In further embodiments, the dilution ratio Δ is less than (3+(1.3+0.042*L²)/P^0.5).

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First Claim