IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO BURNER ASSEMBLIES

1299928 Fluid fuel burners DAVID ETCHELLS (FURNACES) Ltd 19 April 1971 [20 March 1970] 13561/70 Heading F4T A burner assembly comprises means for supplying liquid (13) and/or gaseous (20) fuel, a passage 15 containing a plurality of vanes 16 to swirl the combustion air, and a ceramic heating element 11 having a central passage 21 with one end 27 adjacent to but spaced from the fuel supply means for receiving the fuel and air mixture, the element also having auxiliary passages 22 which surround the central passage 21 and extend from adjacent one end 23 of the element to the other end where they open into a diverging surface 26. The liquid and gaseous fuel supply means are a nozzle 13, and a ring of apertures 20 surrounding the nozzle respectively, control means, not shown, being operable to supply liquid and gaseous fuel alternatively. The auxiliary passages 22 improve combustion due to flow therealong, however it is not certain whether this flow is from ends 28 to ends 26 and comprises a fuel/air mixture which is consequently preheated or whether it is from ends 26 to ends 28 and comprises hot air and combustion gases which preheat the mixture of combustion air, leaving the passage 15, and oil or gas leaving the nozzle 13 or apertures 20 respectively.