Patent ID: 7074033
Filing Date: 2006-07-11
Classification: F02C

Abstract:
1. A partially-open heat regenerative oxygen-fuel fired heater cycle system with low fugitive heater flue gas exhaust emissions for use in heating a process fluid or gas exclusively using liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon fuel, the system comprising: (a) a single burner assembly for mixing and combusting controlled streams of a liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon fuel, a pressurized predominate oxygen mixture, and a first recirculated flue gas, the burner assembly including, (b) a flow transition, having two ends, one end in communication with and downstream of the burner assembly and the other end connected to a heat exchanger; (c) a heat exchanger connected to and downstream of the flow transition, the heat exchanger configured to accept the flue gas exhausted from the tertiary blending zone and transfer heat energy of the flue gas to a process fluid or gas passed through the heat exchanger; (d) a first conduit in communication with the heat exchanger for transporting and recirculating the flue gas exiting the heat exchanger; (e) at least one compressor or blower, connected to the first conduit and downstream of the heat exchanger, for repressurizing and recirculating the flue gas; (f) a second conduit, downstream of and connected to the compressor or blower, the second conduit having three branches, (g) a third conduit in communication with a source of the liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon fuel configured to supply the stream of liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon fuel to an inlet supply connection connected to the partial premixer of the burner assembly; (h) a fourth conduit in communication with a source of the predominate oxygen mixture configured to supply the predominate oxygen mixture to an inlet supply connection connected to the partial premixer of the burner assembly; and (i) a means for control configured to maintain the flue gases in a cycle-continuous superheated state.