How can flashback on small port burners usually be eliminated?

Flashback on small port burners is often a result of improper air-to-fuel ratios, where flames can travel back into the burner ports rather than being stabilized at the burner tip. One effective way to address this issue is by reducing the primary air.

Primary air is the air mixed with fuel before combustion occurs. If there is too much primary air, it can lead to a situation where the flame loses stability, allowing it to be drawn back towards the burner when the air velocity is high enough. By reducing the amount of primary air, you allow the flame to stabilize at the burner tip, preventing flashback and ensuring that combustion occurs in a controlled manner. This creates better efficiency and safety in the combustion process.

In contrast, increasing secondary air or minimizing the combustion chamber size does not directly address the imbalance that causes flashback and may lead to other combustion issues. Reducing excessive air as a general concept may also not be sufficient to target the primary source of the problem, which is the balance of primary air. Thus, focusing on primary air is key to effectively eliminating flashback in small port burners.