Patent ID: 7467942

Claim:
A burner comprising: a burner housing; a burner volume at least partially enclosed by the burner housing into which burner volume fuel can be introduced via at least one fuel line, and into which burner volume air can be introduced via at least one air feed means, the fuel and air forming an air/fuel mixture spreading in a preferred flow direction; a combustion chamber connected downstream of the burner housing in fluid communication with the burner volume, configured and arranged to form a stationary flame of the air/fuel mixture; and a flame stabilization device comprising a catalyst arrangement positioned upstream of the flame configured and arranged for an air/pilot fuel mixture, separate from said air/fuel mixture, to flow through, said catalyst arrangement including at least two catalyst stages which are located one behind the other in a though-flow direction, the at least two catalyst stages including an upstream catalyst stage comprising a POX-catalyst which is flow-washable by an air/pilot fuel mixture having an air/pilot fuel mixture ratio λ<1, by which upstream catalyst stage the air/pilot fuel mixture is partially oxidized when flowing therethough, and a downstream catalyst stage comprising a FOX-catalyst which is flow-washable by a leaned air/pilot fuel mixture with a mixture ratio λ>1, by which downstream catalyst stage the leaned air/pilot fuel mixture is completely oxidized when flowing therethough, forming an inert hot gas flow; wherein the air/pilot fuel mixture fed to the catalyst arrangement can be fed separately from the air/fuel mixture developing inside the burner volume, which air/fuel mixture inside the burner volume is to be ignited in the combustion chamber.