Combustion Product Composition Sensor Patents (Class 431/76)
  • Patent number: 11784593
    Abstract: A power supply controller works to control electrical power supplied to a surroundings monitor including an in-vehicle camera and an image processor which monitors surroundings of a vehicle using an output from the in-vehicle camera. The power supply controller includes a voltage monitor which determines whether an operating voltage for the image processor lies in a normal voltage range and an abnormal voltage range. Until a given threshold changing condition is met after start of power supply to the surroundings monitor, the voltage monitor alters at least one of an upper limit threshold and a lower limit threshold of the normal voltage range to decrease a difference between the upper and lower limit thresholds to be lower than that after the given threshold changing condition is satisfied. This ensures the stability in supplying electrical power to the surroundings monitor without restricting an operation of the surroundings monitor more than required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masao Kimura
  • Patent number: 11175039
    Abstract: The present disclosure deals with the regulation of fluid flows in the presence of turbulence. The teachings thereof may be embodied in regulating a fluid in a combustion device. For example, a method for regulating a burner device may include: requesting a flow of a fluid through a feed duct; assigning the requested flow to a setting of a first actuator; transmitting a first signal to set the first actuator; generating a mass flow signal representing an actual flow through the side duct; correlating the second signal to an actual value of the flow through the side duct; correlating the requested flow through the feed duct to a required flow through the side duct; generating a regulation signal with the regulator for the second actuator as a function of the actual value of the flow through the side duct and the requested value of the flow through the side duct; and transmitting the generated regulation signal to the second actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Rainer Lochschmied, Mike Schmanau, Bernd Schmiederer
  • Patent number: 11105512
    Abstract: A cooking appliance includes, a gas cooking element; an electromechanical valve fluidly coupled with the gas cooking element to regulate a flow of gas to the cooking element; a manually-actuated user control movable over a range of positions; and a controller coupled to the user control and the electromechanical valve, the controller configured to determine a position of the manually-actuated user control within the range of positions and to control the electromechanical valve based at least in part upon the determined position to provide a controlled flow curve for the gas cooking element over the range of positions of the user control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD
    Inventor: Richard W. Cowan
  • Patent number: 10577270
    Abstract: A method for controlled operation of a heated industrial furnace having a furnace chamber is provided. Fuel is conducted into the furnace chamber virtually without combustion air and a gaseous oxygen carrier is also conducted. The supply of fuel and the gaseous oxygen carrier is controlled by a control loop. A first adjustable manipulated variable in the form of a flow of fuel and/or a second adjustable manipulated variable in the form of a flow of the gaseous oxygen carrier is set by a final controlling element. In the control loop, an energy requirement is determined and fed to a quantitative control and to a quantitative fuel control for the fuel. The flow of the gaseous oxygen carrier is determined as a process value of a flow of the gaseous oxygen carrier and the flow of fuel is determined as a process value of a volumetric flow of fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: STG COMBUSTION CONTROL GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Peter Hemmann, Andreas Birle, Norwid Hemmann, Jürgen Kortt
  • Patent number: 10458651
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for determining in a heating appliance whether ignition of the mixture of fluid fuel and air has taken place, comprising the following steps of: applying an electrical ignition signal to a measuring circuit; filtering a combustion signal from the ignition signal; comparing the detected combustion signal to a predetermined pattern; and establishing that the anticipated combustion signal took place during a predetermined period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: INTERGAS HEATING ASSETS B.V.
    Inventor: Peter Jan Cool
  • Patent number: 9086068
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of detecting water heater safety, wherein the water heater includes a blower and a combustor. The method includes starting the blower and detecting blower speed after a certain amount of time; comparing the blower speed with a first speed range, and then supplying gas to the combustor when the speed of the blower is within the first speed range, or providing an alarm when the blower speed is beyond the first speed range; detecting the speed of the blower again after the combustor heats water for a time; comparing blower speed with a second first speed range, and then supplying gas to the combustor when the blower speed is within the second speed range, or stopping gas when the blower speed is beyond the second speed range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: GRAND MATE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chung-Chin Huang, Chin-Ying Huang, Hsin-Ming Huang, Hsing-Hsiung Huang, Kuan-Chou Lin, Yen-Jen Yen
  • Patent number: 9062882
    Abstract: A grounded burner, actuators adjusting the supply of fuel and air to the burner, an ionization electrode in the flame region, a flame amplifier at the ionization electrode generating an ionization signal, and a final control device are included in a burner system. During air ratio control mode, the final control device sets a first actuator and adjusts a second actuator. During voltage control mode a voltage regulator controls the AC voltage source using the AC voltage measured by the voltmeter, in conjunction with an ionization current amplifier. The voltmeter is connected in parallel with a sequence of the ionization electrode, the flame region, the burner and the input of the ionization current amplifier. The voltage regulator is connected to the voltmeter such that, during voltage control mode, the time-averaged current caused by the voltmeter through the connection is less than 5% of the time-averaged current through the ionization electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wilfried Hangauer, Rainer Lochschmied, Volker Schmid
  • Patent number: 9028247
    Abstract: A combustion chamber is provided and includes a combustion device and a supply circuit arranged to feed fuel at a plurality of locations of the combustion device. The supply circuit includes manifolds collecting fuel to be distributed among at least some of the locations, ducts extending from the manifolds and feeding the locations. Some of the ducts carry valves having a plurality of predetermined working positions, each working position corresponding to a different fuel flow through the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Piotr Siewert, Rudolf Lachner
  • Patent number: 9028245
    Abstract: A method is provided for the automated setup of a metered combustion control system for controlling operation of a boiler combustion system. The automated setup process includes both commissioning and controller tuning, rather than tuning the carbon monoxide and/or oxygen trim controller after the commissioning process has been completed. The oxygen trim controller or the carbon monoxide trim controller is used to identify the air/fuel ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: UTC Fire & Security Corporation
    Inventors: Junqiang Fan, Muhidin A. Lelic
  • Patent number: 8967996
    Abstract: The combustion controller controls the fuel and air that are supplied to the combustion furnace for burning substances, and addresses the aforementioned object by including: fuel supply unit for supplying fuel and air into the combustion furnace; air supply unit for supplying air into the combustion furnace, the air supply unit being disposed downstream of the fuel supply unit in the direction of flow of combustion air; concentration measuring unit for measuring the concentration of hydrogen sulfide of the combustion air by passing a measurement beam of light through the combustion air at a measurement position downstream of the fuel supply unit in the direction of flow of the combustion air; and control unit for controlling the amount of air supplied from the fuel supply unit based on a measurement result provided by the concentration measuring unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masazumi Tanoura, Kenji Muta, Shinichiro Asami, Eiji Kato, Tadashi Aoki, Koutaro Fujimura, Tetsuya Sawatsubashi, Chisato Tsukahara, Shinsaku Dobashi
  • Patent number: 8757872
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments relates to an optical measurement that determines the temperature in a flame and determines the particle size of the fuel present in the flame. The optical measurement device includes a color camera that measures light information in the flame and outputs measurement results and an evaluation unit that evaluates the measurement results. Further, a coal burning power plant is provided with a multitude of burners that burn milled coal each in a flame and a multitude of optical measurement devices described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd
    Inventors: Julio Danin Lobo, Mehmet Mercangoez, Ken Yves Haffner
  • Patent number: 8721325
    Abstract: A method for starting a combustion device, in particular after a first ignition failure, in particular for starting a gas burner under unknown basic conditions, wherein a characteristic diagram of a start air ratio depending on the burner temperature known from empirical analysis is stored for the combustion device in a memory, wherein a calibration of the starting process is performed, wherein the ratio of opening of the gas valve (w) to air volume mL necessary for ignition is iteratively determined by variation of the gas and/or air volume; and in case of ignition, the combustion device is started and the applicable air ratio (?)IGNITION is stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: ebm-papst Landshut GmbH
    Inventors: Ulrich Geiger, Martin Geiger, Rudolph Tungl
  • Publication number: 20140083078
    Abstract: A system, including a turbine fluid supply system, including a fuel supply assembly, including a first fuel supply configured to supply a first fuel to a gas turbine engine; and a second fuel supply configured to supply a second fuel to the gas turbine engine, wherein the first fuel has a greater carbon content than the second fuel, and a diluent supply assembly comprising at least one diluent supply configured to supply at least one diluent to the gas turbine engine; and a controller having instructions to control the first fuel supply, the second fuel supply, or the at least one diluent supply to adjust a percentage of carbon in a combustor of the gas turbine engine to maintain a ratio of carbonaceous emissions in an exhaust gas per unit of energy produced by the gas turbine engine at or below a threshold ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Constantin Dinu, Daniel Aaron Kessler
  • Publication number: 20140080075
    Abstract: A burner control system for improving burner performance and efficiency. The system may determine fuel and air channel or manifold parameters. Determination of parameters may be performed with a sensor connected across the air and fuel channels. A signal from the sensor may control the parameters which in turn affect the amounts of fuel and air to the burner via a controller. Parameter control of the fuel and air in their respective channels may result in more accurate fuel and air ratio control. One or more flow restrictors in fuel and/or air bypass channels may further improve accuracy of the fuel and air ratio. The channels may be interconnected with a pressure or flow divider. Byproducts of combustion in the exhaust, temperatures of gas and air, flame quality and/or other items may be monitored and adjusted with control of the fuel and air ratio for optimum combustion in the burner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2012
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Gregory Young, David Kucera, Donald J. Kasprzyk, Willem Super, Jos Praat, Roelof Thiewes, Hans van der Mei, Brian Zabel, John D. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 8662885
    Abstract: A furnace system that generates heat by combustion is provided. The furnace system includes a sensor (100) that detects a gas concentration. The sensor is in communication with the flue gas (15). A controller is in communication with the sensor. The controller monitors the gas concentration and acts to control or deactivate the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Marc W. Roland, Hall Virgil
  • Publication number: 20130280412
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for controlling flame treatment of a substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.
    Inventor: Anders Sandstrom
  • Patent number: 8500442
    Abstract: A chemical analysis method for determining the concentration of carbon monoxide, gaseous water and gaseous hydrocarbon in a combustion gas. The method includes the following steps: (a) directing wavelength modulated light from a single tunable diode laser at a wavelength in the range of from 2 to 2.5 micrometers through the combustion gas to a light detector to produce an absorption profile of the combustion gas (b) digitizing the adsorption profile of the combustion gas; (c) storing the digitized adsorption profile in a digital computer; (d) processing the digitized adsorption profile in the digital computer to produce an output from the computer indicative of the concentration of carbon monoxide, gaseous water and gaseous hydrocarbon in the combustion gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Yokogawa Corp. of America
    Inventors: Trevor S. Knittel, Jie Zhu, Alan I. Cowie, Donald L. Wyatt
  • Patent number: 8453585
    Abstract: A new and unique boiler and method of transition between air and Oxy-combustion in a coal fired combustion process wherein near pure oxygen may be introduced to the boiler furnace in several locations including directly into the flame through the burner and/or directly into the furnace as nearly pure oxygen, and/or into the recycle flue gas streams to the burners, including both primary and secondary streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignees: Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc., American Air Liquide, Inc.
    Inventors: Bryan B. Stone, Denny K. McDonald, Allan J. Zadiraka, Rajani K. Varagani
  • Patent number: 8403661
    Abstract: A heater having first and second oxygen depletion sensors and a main burner injector and configurable for the delivery of at least first and second types of fuels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Coprecitec, S.L.
    Inventor: Ruben Mateos Martin
  • Patent number: 8317511
    Abstract: A dual fuel heating apparatus can include a safety control system having a shutoff valve, a thermocouple solenoid assembly, a first nozzle, and a second nozzle. The first nozzle can be positioned to direct heat from combustion of a first gas, liquid, or combination thereof towards the thermocouple solenoid assembly when the first gas, liquid, or combination thereof is being combusted. The second nozzle can be positioned to direct heat from combustion of a second gas, liquid, or combination thereof towards the thermocouple solenoid assembly when the second gas, liquid, or combination thereof is being combusted. The thermocouple solenoid assembly can be configured to maintain the shutoff valve in an open position based on heat from combustion directed to the thermocouple solenoid assembly or in a closed position based on an absence of heat from combustion directed to the thermocouple solenoid assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Continental Appliances, Inc.
    Inventor: David Deng
  • Publication number: 20120210998
    Abstract: A liquid hydrocarbon or bioethanol heating appliance (10), typically and non critically shaped as a movable fireplace with parallelepiped configuration, comprises a base (16), opposite side bands (12) with vertical development and a top connection panel (14) extended crosswise. The base is provided with an opening (20) on the exposed top front, which can be screened with movable separators (32) and incorporates a tank (22) and a combustion chamber or burner (24) connected to the tank by a conduit (26). The appliance comprises a valve or solenoid valve (30) or (42) provided with or combined to means that detect the fuel level in the burner (24) and temporarily activate the same valves for allowing the passage of the amount of fuel required for restoring a given level in said burner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Inventor: Federico MONTINI
  • Publication number: 20120137692
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine is provided. The gas turbine engine includes an air inlet, a combustor, an exhaust and first and second measurement devices. A plurality of fuel supply lines is provided to the at least one combustor. The first measurement device measures an amount of a gas in the air inlet. The second measurement device measures an amount of the gas in the exhaust. A control unit varies the fuel supply in the plurality of fuel supply lines so as to control the amount of the gas in the exhaust. The variation is made in dependence upon both the measured amount of the gas in the air inlet and the measured amount of the gas in the exhaust.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2009
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Inventor: Robert Pearce
  • Publication number: 20120122040
    Abstract: Systems and methods for analyzing combustion system operation are provided. According to one embodiment, a method can include receiving multiple CO measurements from respective CO sensors distributed within a combustion system; receiving multiple O2 measurements from respective O2 sensors distributed within the combustion system; and determining at least one operating condition of the combustion system based at least in part on CO indicated by the CO measurements relative to O2 indicated by the O2 measurements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Guang Xu, David Moyeda, Neil Widmer, Wei Zhou
  • Publication number: 20120122043
    Abstract: A combustion chamber is provided and includes a combustion device and a supply circuit arranged to feed fuel at a plurality of locations of the combustion device. The supply circuit includes manifolds collecting fuel to be distributed among at least some of the locations, ducts extending from the manifolds and feeding the locations. Some of the ducts carry valves having a plurality of predetermined working positions, each working position corresponding to a different fuel flow through the valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: ALSTOM TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventors: Piotr SIEWERT, Rudolf LACHNER
  • Publication number: 20120107753
    Abstract: Burner control systems and methods of operating a burner are for a large boiler such as might be used in hospitals, hotels, offices or other large commercial or domestic premises.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: Autoflame Engineering Limited
    Inventor: Brendan KEMP
  • Publication number: 20120100493
    Abstract: A combustion system is operated with reference to compliant values of a governmentally regulated exhaust emission parameter. If an alarm condition is detected during an ordinary mode of operation, the combustion system is shifted into an assured compliance mode of operation. The shift to the assured compliance mode is made while continuing to operate the combustion system without a shut-down interruption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Inventors: Thomas F. Robertson, Thomas B. Neville, Charles E. Kilfoyle, John J. Nowakowski
  • Patent number: 8153952
    Abstract: A flame scanning device is provided for monitoring a flame. The device includes a radiation collection and transmission element for collecting flame radiation and transmitting it to detection elements, a flame sensor element for the detection of radiation and conversion of the detected radiation into electrical signals, and an evaluation unit for the conversion of the electrical signals into flame parameters. The flame sensor element can include at least two individual detectors each with an individual central detection wavelength and a width of observation window, respectively. The individual central detection wavelength and the width of observation window are not overlapping and are covering individual regions of interest of the spectrum of radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventor: Ken Yves Haffner
  • Publication number: 20120079969
    Abstract: The combustion controller controls the fuel and air that are supplied to the combustion furnace for burning substances, and addresses the aforementioned object by including: fuel supply unit for supplying fuel and air into the combustion furnace; air supply unit for supplying air into the combustion furnace, the air supply unit being disposed downstream of the fuel supply unit in the direction of flow of combustion air; concentration measuring unit for measuring the concentration of hydrogen sulfide of the combustion air by passing a measurement beam of light through the combustion air at a measurement position downstream of the fuel supply unit in the direction of flow of the combustion air; and control unit for controlling the amount of air supplied from the fuel supply unit based on a measurement result provided by the concentration measuring unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Masazumi Tanoura, Kenji Muta, Shinichiro Asami, Eiji Kato, Tadashi Aoki, Koutaro Fujimura, Tetsuya Sawatsubashi, Chisato Tsukahara, Shinsaku Dobashi
  • Publication number: 20120058439
    Abstract: Method for the calibration of a gas burner regulating system using a sensor (28) which is associated with the exhaust gas (29) discharged from the gas burner (10) and measures the concentration of at least one combustible or oxidizable constituent in the exhaust gas, wherein for calibration, starting from a relatively lean gas-combustion-air mixture (12) which is fed to the gas burner (10) for combustion, the gas-combustion-air mixture (12) may be enriched, specifically until the measurement signal which is provided by the sensor (28) first increases and then reduces to approximately zero, wherein the gas-combustion-air mixture (12), in which the measurement signal which is provided by the sensor (28) amounts to approximately zero, is defined as a gas-combustion-air mixture (12) with a stoichiometric combustion air ratio of ?=1, and wherein starting from this gas-combustion-air mixture (12) the gas-combustion-air mixture may be enleaned to a desired combustion air ratio of ?>1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: HONEYWELL TECHNOLOGIES SARL
    Inventors: Wim Munsterhuis, Gerwin Langius
  • Patent number: 8113822
    Abstract: First, to decrease an amount of emitted nitrogen oxides to zero as much as possible and also decrease an amount of emitted carbon monoxide to a permissible level. Second, to save energy on combustion at a low air ratio close to 1.0. Third, to attain a stable air ratio control in a low air ratio combustion region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Miura Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Tanaka, Yukihiro Tokunaga, Yusuke Okamoto, Kenji Yasui
  • Publication number: 20120034569
    Abstract: A sensor controller for a particulate matter detection sensor includes a heater configured to heat an attachment portion so as to burn and remove particulate matter attached to the attachment portion, a learning portion for obtaining a sensor detection value immediately after burning and removing the particulate matter due to heating of the heater. The leaning portion calculates a sensor standard value based on the obtained sensor detection value in a state where the particulate matter is removed, and stores the sensor standard value as a learning value. Furthermore, a correcting portion corrects the sensor detection value based on the sensor standard value stored by the learning portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuuki Sakamoto, Mikiyasu Matsuoka, Yuuzou Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8109759
    Abstract: A combustion system is operated with reference to compliant values of a governmentally regulated exhaust emission parameter. If an alarm condition is detected during an ordinary mode of operation, the combustion system is shifted into an assured compliance mode of operation. The shift to the assured compliance mode is made while continuing to operate the combustion system without a shut-down interruption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Fives North America Combustion, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas F. Robertson, Thomas B. Neville, Charles E. Kilfoyle, John J. Nowakowski
  • Patent number: 8083518
    Abstract: A combustion method applied to a water-tube boiler and a regenerator of an absorption-type refrigerator includes a concentration ratio adjusting step of adjusting a concentration ratio of nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and oxygen in a gas from a gas generation source to a predetermined reference concentration ratio, and a hazardous-substance decreasing step of decreasing nitrogen oxides, using an oxidation catalyst having characteristics of decreasing the concentrations of nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide on a secondary side to substantially zero when the concentration ratio on a primary side is set to be a reference concentration ratio, in which the concentration ratio adjusting step detects the concentration of oxygen on the secondary side of the oxidation catalyst to control the concentration ratio so that a detected oxygen concentration becomes a set oxygen concentration substantially close to zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Miura Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Tanaka, Yukihiro Tokunaga, Yusuke Okamoto, Kenji Yasui
  • Patent number: 8070482
    Abstract: A system of detection and analysis of gas or fuel oil flames using optical devices, consisting of a sensor that targets the flame's reaction zone through an optical access, a processing and control module, and an actuator, responsible for controlling the damper. The system optimizes combustion equipment operation by controlling the damper, obtaining better performance and reducing polluting emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignees: Universidad de Concepción, Universidad de la Frontera, ANWO S.A
    Inventors: Oscar Francisco Farias Fuentes, Daniel Gerónimo Sbarbaro Hofer, Robinson Eugenio Betancourt Astete
  • Patent number: 8066508
    Abstract: A signal generation system for flame ignition and sensing. The ignition signal generation is adaptive for improving flame ignition while eliminating excess energy usage. High voltage signals for flame sensing may also be provided. If more energy or speed is needed for ignition signal generation, then the flame sensing signal generation portion may be disabled to increase the amount of available energy. Adaptation for ignition signal generation may be guided by the results of flame sensing. The flame sensing voltage may be regulated based on the flame current strength. The flame current may be controlled within an optimum range to reduce rod contamination rate and yet provide reliable flame sensing when the rod contamination built up. The adaptation may be algorithmic-based with the facilitation of a microcontroller. The system may provide the high voltage signals from a low voltage power supply, such as that of 24 VAC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy J. Nordberg, Brent Chian
  • Patent number: 8057219
    Abstract: A dual fuel vent free gas heater having at least one gas burner with a plurality of gas outlet ports. The gas outlet ports are in flow communication with at least one pilot flame burner. At least one fuel injector feeds fuel to the burner providing for introduction of more than one fuel to the burner. Optionally, an oxygen detection system, manual control valve, linkage, and/or shut off control system may be incorporated into the dual fuel vent free heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Coprecitec, S.L.
    Inventors: John Stephen (Steve) Manning, José Joaquín Antxia Uribetxebarria, Ruben Mateos Martin
  • Patent number: 7952064
    Abstract: A method for processing and/or analyzing image information representing radiation in a spatially resolved manner using an optical system coupled to at least one detector includes the step of collecting said image information with said optical system using at least one micromechanical mirror moved such that the image information is scanned and coupled sequentially into the at least one detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd
    Inventor: Ken Yves Haffner
  • Publication number: 20110056416
    Abstract: A system with a boiler and a turbine, and an associated control method. The method includes sensing a plurality of operating conditions at a first common boiler location. At least one of the plurality of operating conditions sensed at the first common location is indicative of a combustion anomaly occurring during operation. The combustion anomaly indicated by the plurality of operating conditions at the first common location is traced back to an offending burner that is at least partially responsible for the combustion anomaly based on a model that takes into consideration at least two of the plurality of operating conditions sensed at the first common location. At least one of a process input and a boiler configuration is adjusted to establish a desired value of the operating conditions at the first common location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2009
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Neil Colin Widmer, David Moyeda, William Randall Seeker, Michelle Simpson
  • Publication number: 20110045422
    Abstract: A plurality of optical monitoring systems 220,320 sense the concentration of at least one constituent in flue gasses of a furnace 1 and its emission control devices. The monitoring devices 220,320 includes at least one optical source 221 for providing beams 223 through a sampling zone 18 to create a combined signal indicating the amount of various constituents within the sampling zone 18. The combined signal may be fed forward to emission control devices to prepare them for oncoming emissions. The combined signals may also feed backward to adjust the emission control devices. They may also be provided to a control unit 230 to control stoicheometry of the burners of furnace 1. This results in a more efficient system that reduces the amount of emissions released.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2009
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: ALSTOM TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventor: Michael C. Tanca
  • Patent number: 7878795
    Abstract: A fuel burner controller and associated method is configured to establish fuel combustion in a fuel burner and to recycle a fuel combustion initiation process when a loss of combustion is detected and a call for heat is asserted. The controller is further configured to limit a number of recycles of the fuel combustion initiation process based on a time budget.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: R.W. Beckett Corporation
    Inventor: John E. Bohan, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20110008737
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems and methods for providing optical sensors for combustion control. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method for controlling combustion parameters associated with a gas turbine combustor is provided. The method can include providing at least one optical path adjacent to a flame region in the combustor, detecting at least a portion of the light emission from the flame region within the at least one optical path, and controlling at least one of the combustion parameters based in part on the detected light emission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2009
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Keith Robert McManus, Lewis Berkley Davis, JR.
  • Patent number: 7854607
    Abstract: A control for controlling the operation of a fuel-fired heating appliance is provided that include a sensor capable of sensing the presence of carbon monoxide gas and providing an output indicative of the level of carbon monoxide gas. The control further includes a microprocessor that periodically reads the CO sensor output and stores at least one sensor output value in a memory, wherein the microprocessor responsively discontinues the operation of the appliance when the microprocessor detects a sensor output that has increased by more than a predetermined amount over at least one previously stored sensor output value. In one embodiment, the control is preferably configured to periodically read the sensor output value, and responsive discontinue operation of an appliance upon sensing a predetermined increase of at least a 50 percent increase over the previously monitored sensor output value over a period of about 15 to 90 minutes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: Donald E. Donnelly, Thomas J. Fredricks
  • Publication number: 20100112500
    Abstract: This invention describes a modulating burner controller device for varying burner combustion over a wide range and has an output that integrates the control of all functions required to operate the burner. Specifically, the controller uses measured feedback from a fuel flow sensor to attain the proper mixture of fuel and air for optimum combustion performance for both individual and multiple the burner applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventors: Dennis R. Maiello, Dennis S. Gambiana, Bradford L. Blankenship
  • Publication number: 20100101462
    Abstract: An oxyfuel boiler 1 is equipped with an oxygen separation apparatus 23 to produce oxygen by separating oxygen from the air, a recirculation fan 26 to supply a portion of combustion flue gas branched from the combustion flue gas discharged from the boiler to the oxyfuel boiler 1, a temperature sensor 14a to detect gas temperature at a boiler outlet 1d in the oxyfuel boiler 1, and a control apparatus 150 to calculate gas temperature at a furnace outlet 1c in the boiler from the gas temperature at the boiler outlet 1d detected by the temperature sensor 14a and control the operating condition of the recirculation fan 26 so that the calculated gas temperature at the furnace outlet 1c becomes a desired preset gas temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiharu Hayashi, Akihiro Yamada, Tsuyoshi Shibata
  • Patent number: 7695273
    Abstract: A furnace system responsive to a thermostat includes a pollutant sensor for sensing a pollutant concentration in the furnace system. The pollutant sensor is configured to open when the pollutant concentration reaches a pollutant threshold and close when the pollutant concentration falls below the pollutant threshold. When the thermostat is calling for heat, a furnace controller monitors the pollutant sensor and disables the furnace system for a lockout period if a lockout criterion related to the pollutant sensor is met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Daniel J. Dempsey
  • Patent number: 7677236
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of a nozzle are configured to dispense a first gas, liquid, or combination thereof at a first pressure in a first mode of operation and dispense a second gas, liquid, or combination thereof at a second pressure in a second mode of operation. In some embodiments, the nozzle is integrated in a heat-producing device, such as, for example, a heater, a fireplace, or a stove. In some embodiments, the heat-producing device including the nozzle can operate with a first combustible fuel at a first pressure, or alternatively, can operate with a second combustible fuel at a second pressure. In some embodiments, the nozzle is used in applications other than heat-producing devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Inventor: David Deng
  • Publication number: 20100050912
    Abstract: In order, for operating the lance burner of a rotary tubular furnace for the production of cement clinker from calcined raw cement meal, to provide an automated regulation method which is optimized in terms of the configuration of the burner flame for all types and quantities of fuels used, according to the invention a regulation method is proposed in which the characteristics of the burner flame are used as measurement variables, and the measurement variables are delivered to a controller which can vary at least three different manipulated variables of the burner, such as the spatial outflow angle and the swirl momentum of the swirled primary-airstream and/or the angle of divergence of the primary-air/jet-air jets emerging from individual nozzles and/or the velocity of emergence and/or swirl component of a stream of fragmentary alternative fuels or secondary fuels which is blown through the burner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: KHD HUMBOLDT WEDAG GMBH
    Inventors: Matthias Mersmann, Gernot Jäger, Alexander Knoch
  • Publication number: 20100028819
    Abstract: A chemical analysis method for determining the concentration of carbon monoxide, gaseous water and gaseous hydrocarbon in a combustion gas. The method includes the following steps: (a) directing wavelength modulated light from a single tunable diode laser at a wavelength in the range of from 2 to 2.5 micrometers through the combustion gas to a light detector to produce an absorption profile of the combustion gas (b) digitizing the adsorption profile of the combustion gas; (c) storing the digitized adsorption profile in a digital computer; (d) processing the digitized adsorption profile in the digital computer to produce an output from the computer indicative of the concentration of carbon monoxide, gaseous water and gaseous hydrocarbon in the combustion gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Inventors: Trevor S. Knittel, Jie Zhu, Alan I. Cowie, Donald L. Wyatt
  • Patent number: 7654820
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, a control valve assembly for gas heaters and gas fireplace devices includes a housing. The housing can define an inlet for accepting fuel from a fuel source, a first outlet for delivering fuel to an oxygen depletion sensor, and a second outlet for delivering fuel to a burner. The assembly can include a valve body configured to selectively provide fluid communication between the inlet and one or more of the first outlet and the second outlet, and can include an actuator configured to move the valve body relative to the housing. The actuator can be configured to transition between a resting state and a displaced state. The assembly can include an igniter that includes a sensor, the igniter electrically coupled with an electrode and configured to repeatedly activate the electrode when the sensor senses that the actuator is in the displaced state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Inventor: David Deng
  • Publication number: 20100009304
    Abstract: A furnace system that generates heat by combustion is provided. The furnace system includes a sensor (100) that detects a gas concentration. The sensor is in communication with the flue gas (15). A controller is in communication with the sensor. The controller monitors the gas concentration and acts to control or deactivate the furnace.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2006
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Applicant: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Marc W. Roland, Hall Virgil