Patent ID: 8864491

Claim:
A method for low NOx combustion comprising: a) injecting a flow of fuel into a reaction zone of a fuel-rich combustor via an eductor; wherein the eductor comprises at least one reaction air flow tube positioned inside a fuel distribution plenum bounded by a fuel distribution plate, the fuel distribution plate comprising at least one passage therethrough from an inlet at the plenum to an outlet into a fuel conversion region; each reaction air flow tube passing into a corresponding passage in the fuel distribution plate and terminating at a point recessed from the outlet of the passage, thereby producing a corresponding gap within the fuel distribution plate; the eductor functioning such that fuel flows through the fuel distribution plenum and through the gap(s) in the fuel distribution plate thereby drawing air and inducing an air flow through the at least one reaction air flow tube so as to inject fuel and air in parallel flow into an inlet of the fuel-rich combustor, so as to produce a fuel-rich mixture of fuel and air in situ in the reaction zone of the fuel-rich combustor; b) reacting the fuel-rich mixture of fuel and air in the reaction zone of the fuel-rich combustor and producing partial reaction products plus heat; c) transferring a portion of the heat to a cooling air stream thereby cooling the partial reaction products and heating the cooling air stream; d) contacting the cooled partial reaction products with the heated cooling air stream in a fuel-lean combustor.