Patent ID: 7594811

Claim:
A method for combustion of a fuel with an oxidant in a heating furnace, wherein the fuel and the oxidant are delivered to a burner head, said method comprising: a first step of emitting fuel and oxidant from the burner head in close proximity to each other, so that combustion occurs adjacent to the burner head and for a time until a temperature that exceeds a spontaneous combustion temperature of the fuel is reached within the furnace; and a second step of thereafter emitting the fuel and the oxidant from the burner head at a mutual distance apart, so that combustion occurs at a point spaced from and outwardly of the burner head at a distance of at least a diameter of the burner head, wherein the fuel is emitted from a fuel nozzle in the burner head, and wherein the oxidant is a gaseous oxidant that has an oxygen content of at least about 80% and is delivered at an overpressure of at least 2 bar and is only emitted through oxidant outlet openings located on a side of and spaced from the fuel nozzle at a distance that exceeds half the diameter of the burner head.