When an OEM manufacturer asks a burner supplier to recommend or customize a burner, the quality of the recommendation depends heavily on the information provided at the beginning of the project.
A request such as:
“We need a 500 kW natural gas burner for our drying machine.”
is usually not enough.
The same 500 kW burner can behave very differently depending on the furnace geometry, operating temperature, fuel pressure, combustion-air conditions, exhaust system, product characteristics, and control requirements.
For OEM applications, the burner supplier needs to understand the complete operating environment, not just the required burner capacity.
A practical way to organize the information is:
Equipment → Process → Thermal Load → Furnace Geometry → Fuel → Air → Exhaust → Control → Safety → Installation
The more accurately these parameters are defined, the easier it is to select the right burner and integrate it into the OEM equipment.
An industrial burner is not an independent heat source.
Its performance is influenced by the equipment around it.
For example:
Furnace geometry affects flame development.
Fuel pressure affects burner output.
Combustion-air conditions affect combustion stability.
Exhaust conditions affect furnace pressure.
Product characteristics affect thermal demand.
PLC requirements affect burner control.
Safety requirements affect the combustion sequence.
If these factors are unknown, burner selection may rely on assumptions.
That can result in problems such as:
Incorrect burner capacity
Excessively long or short flames
Poor temperature uniformity
Insufficient turndown
Difficult ignition
Unstable combustion
Excessive furnace pressure
Difficult PLC integration
Mechanical installation problems
For OEM equipment, providing complete technical information at the beginning can prevent expensive redesign later.
A useful OEM burner specification should normally cover ten areas:
Equipment information
Process information
Thermal requirements
Furnace geometry
Fuel information
Combustion-air information
Exhaust information
Control requirements
Safety requirements
Mechanical installation requirements
Not every project requires the same level of detail, but these categories provide a practical starting point.
Start by explaining what the burner will be installed in.
Provide:
Equipment type
Equipment function
New equipment or retrofit
Continuous or batch operation
Number of heating zones
Production capacity
Expected operating hours
Existing combustion system, if applicable
For example, the equipment could be:
Industrial dryer
Drying oven
Heat-treatment furnace
Preheating furnace
Hot-air generator
Thermal oxidizer
RTO
Industrial kiln
Melting furnace
Air-heating system
The equipment type gives the burner supplier an initial understanding of the expected combustion environment.
The burner supplier needs to understand what the equipment is supposed to accomplish.
Important information includes:
Product type
Product dimensions
Product weight
Product throughput
Inlet product temperature
Required outlet temperature
Heating time
Residence time
Moisture content
Required moisture reduction
Required heating rate
Required temperature uniformity
This is particularly important for drying and heat-treatment equipment.
For example, a drying system cannot be evaluated only by the furnace temperature.
The amount of water that must be evaporated and the production rate can have a major influence on the required thermal input.
Thermal information is one of the most important parts of a burner inquiry.
Ideally, provide:
Required operating temperature
Maximum operating temperature
Minimum operating temperature
Required heat input
Maximum heat input
Minimum heat input
Heating rate
Heat-up time
Product heat load
Moisture evaporation load
Furnace heat loss
Exhaust heat loss
If the OEM has already completed a heat-balance calculation, providing the calculated thermal load is extremely useful.
If the exact burner capacity has not yet been determined, the burner supplier can work from the process parameters.
Many OEM manufacturers focus only on maximum heat demand.
However, minimum heat demand is equally important for burner selection.
For example, if the equipment requires:
Maximum load: 800 kW
but normally operates between:
150–800 kW
the burner needs to maintain stable combustion across this operating range.
This is where turndown ratio becomes important.
Furnace geometry directly affects flame selection.
Provide:
Furnace length
Furnace width
Furnace height
Internal volume
Chamber shape
Burner opening dimensions
Refractory thickness
Product position
Internal structures
Burner mounting position
Exhaust position
A simple furnace drawing is often extremely valuable.
A cross-sectional drawing can show:
Burner → Flame → Product → Exhaust
and immediately reveal potential problems.
For example, if the available flame-development distance is only 1.5 meters, selecting a burner designed to produce a much longer flame could create flame impingement.
The burner supplier needs to know exactly where the burner can be installed.
Provide:
Burner mounting location
Mounting flange dimensions
Bolt pattern
Available installation space
Burner insertion depth
Burner angle
Available access space
Distance to furnace wall
Distance to product
Distance to internal components
Photos are also useful for existing equipment.
For new OEM equipment, CAD drawings or mechanical drawings are preferable.
The earlier this information is provided, the easier it is to optimize the burner interface.
Fuel information should be as specific as possible.
At minimum, provide:
Fuel type
Fuel composition
Fuel pressure
Minimum fuel pressure
Maximum fuel pressure
Available fuel flow
Fuel temperature
Expected pressure fluctuations
Common industrial fuels may include:
Natural gas
LPG
Hydrogen
Low-calorific-value gas
Industrial off-gas
Other process gases
Simply stating “natural gas” may not always be sufficient if the gas composition or pressure varies significantly.
For special fuels, providing the gas composition is particularly important.
The burner supplier needs to know where combustion air comes from and under what conditions it is supplied.
Provide:
Combustion-air source
Air pressure
Airflow
Air temperature
Blower model
Blower capacity
Blower pressure
Variable-speed control, if applicable
Air-pressure fluctuations
If a dedicated blower is already selected, provide its performance curve when possible.
The burner and blower must operate within a compatible pressure and flow range.
The exhaust system can significantly influence burner performance.
Provide:
Exhaust location
Exhaust flow
Exhaust temperature
Exhaust pressure
Expected furnace backpressure
Exhaust fan information
Exhaust-control method
Recirculation ratio, if applicable
This information is particularly important for enclosed combustion chambers.
The burner should be selected based on the actual expected combustion-chamber pressure rather than assuming atmospheric conditions.
Furnace pressure is often overlooked during the early stages of burner selection.
The OEM should indicate whether the equipment operates under:
Positive pressure
Negative pressure
Near atmospheric pressure
Controlled pressure
If pressure changes during operation, provide the expected pressure range.
For example:
Minimum furnace pressure
Normal furnace pressure
Maximum furnace pressure
This information helps determine whether the selected burner can maintain stable combustion under the expected operating conditions.
The burner supplier should understand how the OEM equipment controls temperature.
Provide:
Temperature setpoint
Temperature sensor type
Sensor location
Number of temperature zones
PID control strategy
Burner modulation method
Required response speed
Temperature tolerance
For example:
Setpoint: 250°C
Operating range: 100–250°C
Required stability: ±2°C
This information can affect the required burner turndown and control method.
The burner needs to communicate with the OEM control system.
Provide:
PLC manufacturer
PLC model
Control architecture
Required input signals
Required output signals
Analog signals
Digital signals
Communication protocol, if applicable
Typical burner signals include:
Burner enable
Start
Stop
Reset
Heat demand
Ready
Running
Flame established
Fault
Flame failure
Safety shutdown
The exact interface should be agreed upon before manufacturing.
Safety requirements should be defined early.
Provide information about:
Emergency stop
Door interlocks
High-temperature protection
Gas-pressure monitoring
Combustion-air monitoring
Flame detection
Exhaust interlocks
Equipment safety circuits
The burner safety sequence should be coordinated with the overall OEM machine safety architecture.
For example, if the equipment exhaust system stops, the burner may need to shut down depending on the system design.
If emissions are important to the project, specify the required limits before burner selection.
Provide:
NOx requirement
CO requirement
Local regulatory requirements
Measurement conditions
Reference oxygen concentration, if applicable
Required operating load for measurement
This is particularly important when selecting:
Low-NOx burners
Premixed burners
Staged-combustion burners
Flue-gas-recirculation systems
Oxygen combustion systems
A burner should not be selected for low emissions based only on a product name.
The expected furnace operating conditions must also be considered.
Drying equipment requires particularly detailed product information.
Useful parameters include:
Material type
Initial moisture content
Final moisture content
Product throughput
Product temperature limit
Drying temperature
Inlet air temperature
Outlet air temperature
Recirculation ratio
Fresh-air volume
Exhaust-air volume
For example, drying a heat-sensitive material at 120°C is fundamentally different from heating a metal component to 600°C.
The burner technology and heat-transfer method may therefore be completely different.
For heat-treatment furnaces, provide:
Material type
Product dimensions
Product weight
Heating temperature
Soaking temperature
Heating rate
Soaking time
Cooling requirements
Required temperature uniformity
Atmosphere requirements
Temperature uniformity can be particularly important.
A burner that produces a very concentrated flame may be unsuitable for a process requiring a highly uniform thermal field.
For hot-air systems, provide:
Required air temperature
Airflow
Inlet air temperature
Maximum air temperature
Required heating capacity
Air pressure
Recirculation ratio
Exhaust flow
Duct dimensions
The relationship can be expressed as:
Burner → Heat Release → Air Mixing → Heated Air → Process
For these systems, burner selection cannot be separated from airflow design.
A strong technical inquiry can include:
Showing:
Chamber dimensions
Burner position
Product position
Exhaust position
Showing:
Material flow
Airflow
Exhaust flow
Heating zones
Showing:
Fuel system
Air system
Valves
Sensors
Safety devices
Showing:
PLC
Burner controller
Sensors
Interlocks
If an existing burner interface is being replaced.
These documents can significantly reduce ambiguity during burner selection.
An OEM does not always need to have a complete engineering package before contacting a burner manufacturer.
For an initial technical evaluation, the following information is usually a useful starting point:
Equipment type
Required operating temperature
Required thermal capacity or production capacity
Product information
Furnace dimensions
Fuel type and pressure
Combustion-air conditions
Exhaust conditions
Burner installation location
Control requirements
The remaining parameters can then be refined during technical discussions.
This is common, especially during early equipment development.
The OEM does not necessarily need to guess the burner size.
Instead, provide:
Equipment dimensions
Product information
Production capacity
Heating temperature
Heating time
Fuel information
Airflow
Exhaust conditions
The thermal requirement can then be evaluated from the process.
This is often more reliable than selecting a burner based on a rough estimate.
For burner replacement or equipment upgrades, provide information about the existing system.
Useful information includes:
Existing burner model
Burner capacity
Fuel type
Fuel pressure
Air pressure
Burner quantity
Burner location
Existing control system
Existing problems
Operating temperature
Current emissions
Photos of the installation
Also explain why the existing burner is being replaced.
For example:
Insufficient capacity
Poor temperature uniformity
High emissions
Difficult ignition
Poor turndown
High maintenance requirements
Fuel consumption concerns
The replacement burner should solve the actual problem rather than simply reproduce the existing configuration.
A useful approach is to prepare a standardized OEM Burner Technical Data Sheet.
Equipment type:
New / Retrofit:
Number of zones:
Production capacity:
Operating temperature:
Maximum temperature:
Required heat input:
Minimum heat input:
Heating rate:
Temperature uniformity:
Length:
Width:
Height:
Burner opening:
Burner location:
Exhaust location:
Fuel type:
Composition:
Pressure:
Flow range:
Air source:
Pressure:
Flow:
Temperature:
Exhaust flow:
Exhaust temperature:
Backpressure:
PLC:
Temperature sensor:
Burner modulation:
Required signals:
Flame detection:
Gas-pressure monitoring:
Air-pressure monitoring:
Emergency stop:
High-temperature protection:
Mounting dimensions:
Available space:
Maintenance access:
Burner angle:
This format makes communication between the OEM manufacturer and burner supplier much more efficient.
Customized burners require more than a capacity specification.
The supplier needs to understand the relationship between:
Equipment
→ Process
→ Thermal Load
→ Flame
→ Fuel
→ Air
→ Exhaust
→ Control
→ Safety
DYDTEC Combustion has 98%+ self-developed system products, supporting customized combustion-system development when standard burner configurations do not fully match the OEM equipment.
This is particularly relevant when an OEM machine has non-standard dimensions, unusual fuels, special temperature requirements, or specific control interfaces.
OEM manufacturers often develop several equipment models for different production capacities or processes.
Having a broader burner portfolio can provide more flexibility when matching different machines.
DYDTEC Combustion offers 100+ burner models covering different industrial heating requirements and application scenarios.
The goal is not to use as many burner models as possible, but to select the configuration that best matches each equipment design.
Incomplete information can lead to an unsuitable preliminary recommendation.
For example, if an OEM provides only:
Natural gas + 1 MW + 800°C
the supplier still does not know:
Furnace dimensions
Flame-development space
Fuel pressure
Air pressure
Exhaust conditions
Product position
Required turndown
Temperature uniformity
Burner installation location
Control requirements
The result may be a burner that meets the nominal capacity but does not perform properly after installation.
If the OEM cannot provide everything initially, prioritize these parameters:
Dryer, furnace, oven, thermal oxidizer, kiln, hot-air system, etc.
Product type and throughput.
Operating and maximum temperature.
Maximum and minimum thermal load, if known.
Fuel type, pressure, and composition.
Length, width, height, burner position, product position, exhaust location.
Sensor, PLC, zones, and modulation requirements.
Especially for low-NOx applications.
These eight areas provide a strong foundation for initial burner selection.
At minimum, provide the equipment type, operating temperature, thermal load, furnace dimensions, fuel type and pressure, combustion-air conditions, exhaust conditions, and burner installation location.
No. If the thermal load is not known, provide the equipment and process parameters so the required heat input can be evaluated.
Furnace geometry determines how the flame develops and how heat is distributed. It can affect burner type, flame length, burner quantity, and installation position.
Usually not. Fuel pressure, fuel composition, and available flow are also important.
The burner needs to operate within a suitable air-flow and pressure range. Incorrect air conditions can affect combustion stability and heat output.
Yes. Exhaust flow and chamber backpressure can directly influence combustion conditions.
When available, CAD drawings or chamber cross-sections are highly useful, especially for customized burner projects.
Provide product throughput, moisture content, drying temperature, inlet and outlet conditions, airflow, recirculation, exhaust flow, and required heating capacity.
Provide material type, product dimensions, heating temperature, heating rate, soaking requirements, temperature uniformity, and furnace atmosphere requirements.
That is not a problem. The OEM should describe the equipment, process, fuel, thermal requirements, and installation environment. The appropriate burner technology can then be evaluated.
Ideally, yes. Finalizing the burner interface early reduces mechanical redesign and integration problems.
There is no single answer, but furnace geometry, minimum thermal load, fuel pressure, combustion-air conditions, and exhaust backpressure are frequently important when moving from a basic inquiry to detailed burner selection.
Yes, when sufficient process and equipment information is available. The quality of the calculation depends on the completeness and accuracy of the input data.
The quality of burner selection depends heavily on the quality of the information provided by the OEM manufacturer.
A burner inquiry should ideally describe the complete operating environment:
Equipment
→ Process
→ Thermal Load
→ Furnace Geometry
→ Fuel
→ Combustion Air
→ Exhaust
→ Control
→ Safety
→ Mechanical Interface
The OEM does not need to know every burner specification in advance.
What matters is providing enough information for the burner supplier to understand what the machine needs to do, where the burner will operate, and how the combustion system must interact with the equipment.
For OEM projects, the most useful principle is simple:
Don't just tell the burner manufacturer how much heat you need. Tell them what the equipment needs to accomplish.
That information provides the foundation for selecting the right burner, designing the right combustion system, and integrating it successfully into the final machine.
