The characteristics of a heat-recirculating ceramic burner

An experimental burner of the heat-recirculating-type was constructed and i ts thermal characteristics were investigated for methane-air fuel-lean comb ustion. Temperature distributions of air and burned gas flowing in the pass es of the burner were determined by means of both experimental measurements and numerical simulations. Using the fractional heat recirculation rate as a criterion for thermal performance, the optimal design of the burner was examined in terms of a chemical parameter (the equivalence ratio), a fluid- mechanical parameter (the Reynolds number) and two geometrical parameters ( the aspect ratio and the number of passes). (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.