Patent ID: 7632090

Claim:
A method of operating a burner, the burner having at least one fuel staging lance and a flame stabilizer, the method comprising: monitoring a furnace temperature; introducing an oxidant gas into a furnace through or around the flame stabilizer; introducing a first volume of a first fuel, V 1 , into the furnace through or around the flame stabilizer during a first time period when the furnace temperature is less than a predetermined temperature; introducing a second volume of the first fuel, V 2 , into the furnace through at least one of a fuel start-up lance and the at least one fuel staging lance during the first time period; introducing the first fuel into the furnace through or around the flame stabilizer at a first flow rate of the first fuel, F 1 , during a second time period when at a first furnace production rate, R 1 , and responsive to the furnace temperature exceeding the predetermined temperature; and introducing the first fuel through the at least one fuel staging lance at a second flow rate of the first fuel, F 2 , during the second time period; wherein ⁢ ⁢ 0 < F 1 F 2 < V 1 V 2 .