Sensor Of One Feed Controls Another Feed Patents (Class 431/90)
  • Patent number: 5277134
    Abstract: The temperatures of the primary carrier gas supplied to a coal pulverizer and the fuel stream discharged from the pulverizer are controlled to keep the fuel stream temperature within a predetermined safe and efficient operating range regardless of the rate at which coal is fed to the pulverizer. A carrier gas temperature versus coal feed schedule is established and used for temperature control. If fuel stream temperature departs from the predetermined operating range, the established schedule is automatically corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 11, 1994
    Assignee: EVT Energie- und Verfahrenstechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Johann Schlessing, Gunter Klotz
  • Patent number: 5190452
    Abstract: A heat exchanger control system, an electrically operated control valve device therefor and methods of making the same are provided, the heat exchanger control system comprising an electrically operated control valve device having a housing and a differential pressure operated electrical switch unit being operatively interconnected to structure of the system for supplying combustion air to a burner unit of the system and being adapted to be operated thereby to permit the electrically operated control valve device to be operating only when the pressure value of the air being supplied to the burner unit is at or above a predetermined value so that sufficient combustion air will be supplied to the burner unit before the electrically operated control valve device causes fuel to issue from the burner unit, the differential pressure operated switch unit being carried by the housing so as to be self-contained with the electrically operated control valve device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1993
    Assignee: Robertshaw Controls Company
    Inventors: Jay R. Katchka, Nabil M. Haddad
  • Patent number: 5158261
    Abstract: A proportional combustion control device for supplying fuel to a combustor for a boiler, a hot water maker, etc., comprising an opening and closing valve for controlling a supply of fuel provided in the midst of a fuel supply pipe, and a control valve having a spindle whose needle portion at the extreme end is moved in and out of a nozzle and an exciting coil to generate a drive force for intermittently and axially moving said spindle against the restoring force by being supplied with a drive pulse, wherein even if fuel is either oil or gas, proportional control of combustion can be made, and the spindle is intermittently moved in the range capable of continuously carrying out combustion to open and close the nozzle whereby jetting of fuel is subjected to proportional control at the turndown ratio of 1/5 to 1/10 to always render the stabilized combustion possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1992
    Assignee: Yamatake-Honeywell Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yukuo Morohoshi
  • Patent number: 5145355
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling pressure instabilities in a combustion chamber. The apparatus includes a detector which detects combustion chamber pressure and outputs a signal indicative of that pressure. A controller then receives the output signal, delays it by a selectable amount of time, and outputs the resultant delayed signal to a pressure chamber device. The pressure chamber device controls the fuel pressure in a fuel line which supplies the combustion chamber. In one embodiment, this pressure chamber device is a cylindrical chamber with closed ends. The pressure chamber has inlet openings and outlet openings which are connected to the fuel line. In some embodiments the bottom of the pressure chamber device includes an elastic diaphragm activated by an electric signal from the controller. In some embodiments the controller involves a delay line for delaying the output signal from the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1992
    Assignee: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
    Inventors: Thierry Poinsot, Francois Lacas, Jean Chambon, Denis Veynante, Arnaud-Christophe Trouve
  • Patent number: 5122053
    Abstract: With the constantly varying atmospheric conditions, in order nevertheless to achieve constantly a perfect, near stoichiometric combustion with extremely low power consumption and virtually without noise, one supplies solely the instantaneous quantity of air, which is absolutely necessary for combustion, depending on the quantity of fuel supplied, regulated in an exactly metered manner, to the atomization region of an ultrasound fuel atomizer. The air supplied in this way is mixed in the fuel outlet region of the fuel atomizer with the fuel atomized in this way and this mixture is burnt in an adjoining combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1992
    Inventor: Gert Basten
  • Patent number: 5106294
    Abstract: A method for reducing the effect of disturbances, affecting the combustion of a fan burner system, including an arrangement for measuring the relative change of density of a gas as a function of its pressure and of its temperature and/or measuring a relative mass flow change of the gas as the function, at an at least nearly constant volume flow of the gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1992
    Assignee: Conel AG
    Inventor: Paul Profos
  • Patent number: 5088916
    Abstract: A gas-air ratio control valve for gas burners has a reciprocally movable operating rod (7) which is provided with a primary air flow rate control valve portion (A), a secondary air flow rate control valve portion (B) and a raw gas flow rate control valve portion (G), the opening degree of these valve portions being increased and decreased according to the reciprocal movement of the operating rod (7). In these valve portions, the inner wall surface of a valve body or valve chest can be tapered. The operating rod (7) can also be moved back and forth in the vertical direction. In case a raw gas is converged with a primary air, it may be also be faced with the flow of the primary air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1992
    Assignee: EIKEN Kougyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshio Furuhashi, Mokoto Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 5015172
    Abstract: A method and apparatus detect a faulty air switch in a heating system which has an operation cycle comprising a plurality of operating periods. The air switch senses air flow in the heating system and causes air flow limit contacts to open when the air flow is outside a predetermined limit. The air flow is outside the predetermined limit during a first operating period of the operation cycle. A series circuit comprises the air flow limit contacts, coupled in series with other limit contacts between a limit sense terminal and an energized input terminal. The other limit contacts should be closed during the first operating period of the operation cycle. The limit sense terminal is sampled during the first operating period to determine whether the limit sense terminal is energized. Based on whether the limit sense terminal is energized, the air switch is determined to be faulty or operating properly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1991
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventor: William R. Landis
  • Patent number: 4998878
    Abstract: A burner assembly includes a burner housing having a combustion chamber defined therein and a fuel injection nozzle secured to the burner housing and communicating with the combustion chamber. A fuel control device is provided for controlling the amount of fuel flowing through the nozzle. The fuel control device includes a valve chamber including a bore and a valve seat and a needle valve adapted to reciprocate in the valve chamber. An adjusting device is provided for adjusting a range of motion of the needle valve in the valve chamber. The adjusting device includes a control rod secured at one end to the needle valve and a bimetallic assembly for regulating the motion of the control rod. The bimetallic assembly includes a pair of legs which are operably connected to the control rod and are exposed to the heat produced by the burner assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1991
    Assignee: Hunter Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Thomas J. Gruber
  • Patent number: 4992040
    Abstract: A burner system has a control system which operates to prevent startup of the burner if an airflow switch indicates presence of combustion air flow before startup of a blower which provides the air flow. If the airflow switch later indicates absence of air flow before startup, then startup can proceed normally without operator intervention. Power for startup is supplied through the normally closed contacts of a safety relay. The winding of the safety relay receives power through the airflow switch. When the airflow switch is closed the safety relay winding is energized, opening the normally closed safety relay contacts and thereby blocking burner system startup, but only unit the airflow switch opens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1991
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventor: James S. Warren
  • Patent number: 4982721
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method of compensating for a restricted intake in a two stage furnace. The furnace includes low and high pressure switches for determining if sufficient air is present to support low and high combustion. When the furnace operates at high combustion, the state of the high pressure switch is monitored to determine if the high pressure switch has changed state for a predetermined amount of time such as 15 seconds. The inducer fan is switched to low when insufficient air for high combustion has been indicated for such a predetermined time. If the state of the low pressure switch indicates that insufficient air is available for low combustion, then the inducer is turned on high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 8, 1991
    Assignee: Inter-City Products Corp. (USA)
    Inventor: Gregory A. Lynch
  • Patent number: 4973451
    Abstract: A flame arresting method, conduit section and apparatus for the safe disposal of combustible waste gases from a source such as a reactor. The invention involves providing a waste gas conduit section with a flame-detecting chamber and one or more upstream snuffing chambers divided by flame arresting grid members, and automatically introducing snuffing gases to the snuffing chamber(s) whenever a flame is detected in the flame-detecting chamber. The outlet from the waste gas conduit section opens to a combustion chamber, for incineration purposes, or to a scrubber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 27, 1990
    Assignee: Hoechst Celanese Corporation
    Inventor: Earl Vickery
  • Patent number: 4958765
    Abstract: A device is divulged for controlling and regulating the gas supply to the burner of a boiler or similar, which device comprises a piloted regulator (R) with a leak valve (8) for the gas flow. The burner is also fed with pressurized air and opening of the leak valve is slaved to the flow of this pressurized air so that the ratio between the two air and gas flows permanently has a value providing excellent combustion of the air-gas mixture in the burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 25, 1990
    Assignee: Chaffoteaux et Maury
    Inventors: Joseph Le Mer, Bernard Martel
  • Patent number: 4927351
    Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for providing fuel and air to a furnace. The furnace includes a plurality of burner assemblies, each with its own air valve for controlling the flow of combustion air therethrough. A sensing instrument for each burner assembly senses a condition reflecting the individual performance of that particular, separate burner assembly. A controller is coupled with the sensing instruments and with the air valves of the burner assemblies for controlling each individual air valve in response to the performance reflecting condition sensed by each sensing instrument. This results in individual control of the performance of each burner assembly of the set of burner assemblies feeding fuel and air to the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1990
    Assignees: Eagleair, Inc., Robert W. McIntyre
    Inventors: Donald K. Hagar, Robert W. McIntyre
  • Patent number: 4913128
    Abstract: A burner apparatus comprising: a burner plate, a proportional directional valve through which fuel gas flows into said burner plate, a blower which supplies air to said burner plate, a thermal sensor which detects the burning condition of said burner plate, a heat determining means which determines the heat generation of said burner plate, a blower control circuit which controls said blower in response to the condition of said heat determining means, a proportional directional valve control circuit which controls the opening degree of said proportional directional valve in response to the output of said thermal sensor and the amount of air flow from said blower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 3, 1990
    Assignee: Rinnai Corporation
    Inventor: Ikuro Adachi
  • Patent number: 4903684
    Abstract: An air control assembly for a fuel burner having a combustion chamber and a nozzle includes a control device which controls the amount of air that flows into the burner and an assembly dependent on fuel pressure which actuates the control device. A fuel inlet path is provided for communicating fuel to the nozzle and a fuel return path is provided for communicating excess fuel away from the nozzle. The assembly dependent on fuel pressure includes a piston and rod device adapted for reciprocation in a piston chamber. A nozzle block is provided in which the piston chamber is defined and the nozzle is supported.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1990
    Assignee: Hunter Manufacturing Co.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Gruber, Dale G. Putnat, Ernest J. Zajaczkowski
  • Patent number: 4872832
    Abstract: Air flow to a burner as controlled by the rotatable movement of an apertured plate relative to a fixed aperture plate, the rotation thereof being controlled as a function of the quantity, pressure, and/or flow of the fuel to the burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1989
    Inventor: Jack L. Alexander
  • Patent number: 4850853
    Abstract: An air control assembly for a fuel burner having a combustion chamber and a nozzle includes a control device which controls the amount of air that flows into the burner and an assembly dependent on fuel pressure which actuates the control device. A fuel inlet path is provided for communicating fuel to the nozzle and a fuel return path is provided for communicating excess fuel away from the nozzle. The assembly dependent on fuel pressure includes a piston and rod device adapted for reciprocation in a piston chamber. A nozzle block is provided in which the piston chamber is defined and the nozzle is supported.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1989
    Assignee: Hunter Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Thomas J. Gruber, Dale G. Putnat, Ernest J. Zajaczkowski
  • Patent number: 4842510
    Abstract: An integrated electronic control arrangement is disclosed in the illustrative environment of burner such as in a gas-fired furnace. The control incorporates a self-test feature which shuts down the furnace in the event of any one of a number of possible sensed faults. Self-testing occurs automatically before an attempt at ignition and during furnace operation. Proper functioning of the sensor which senses for induced air flow through the burner combustion chamber is tested prior to enabling a fan which causes that induced air flow. Air flow is confirmed by sending to and receiving back from the sensor a sequence of pulses. Should air flow not be sensed during a combustion period, combustion is terminated. A flame sensor is provided for determining the presence of a flame in the combustion chamber. During times when a flame should be present, pulse sequences are sent to and received back from the flame sensor to confirm that a flame is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1989
    Assignee: Hamilton Standard Controls, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael T. Grunden, Stephen E. Youtz, Eugene P. Mierzwinski
  • Patent number: 4798531
    Abstract: A plurality of burners, e.g., steam boiler burners, are provided with air and fuel through separate conduits. A separate air volume regulator is provided for each burner, but only a single fuel volume regulator is provided for all burners. After one burner has been ignited, a signal representative of the air volume associated therewith is supplied to an additional burner, whereby substantially the same volume of air is supplied to the additional burner. To ignite the additional burner, it is then only necessary to double the volume of fuel being supplied, and divide that fuel volume equally among the burners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1989
    Assignee: Eckardt AG
    Inventor: Kurt Breckner
  • Patent number: 4793798
    Abstract: An improved nozzle-mixing burner apparatus is disclosed. Combustion air pressure is sensed at a control which is connected to a drive rod. Movement of the drive rod opens or closes fuel and air nozzle valves to maintain the ratio of combustion air and fuel over a wide range of flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1988
    Inventor: Darrel B. Sabin
  • Patent number: 4781575
    Abstract: A compensator for a pressure operated fuel regulator comprises a housing having an opening for bleeding air therethrough. There is a tapered plug in the opening fastened to a thermostatic metal within the housing. When the thermostatic metal is heated by incoming air, the clearance around the plug in the opening increases, and the amount of air bleeding out of the opening increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1983
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1988
    Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
    Inventors: John L. Ferri, William C. Fulkerson, Ray L. Newman, Jeffrey M. Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 4770627
    Abstract: A combustion control system for an oil burner capable of precisely and positively carrying out adjustment of combustion to accomplish complete combustion during combustion operation when a variation in combustion has been carried out. The combustion control system is constructed to detect the rotation speed of the air fan 34 to detect an actual air feed rate and then determine an appropriate fuel feed rate depending upon the actual air feed rate, so that combustion may be stably and efficiently accomplished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1988
    Assignee: Toyotomi Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toru Yoshino
  • Patent number: 4768947
    Abstract: A burner apparatus comprising: a burner plate on which fuel gas is ignited, a thermal sensor which generates an output voltage in response to the combustion of the fuel gas so as to detect an air component of the fuel gas, means for causing the output from the thermal sensor to correspond to the quantity of combustion on said burner plate, and a safety circuit which stops combustion on said burner plate when the output of the thermal sensor displaces from a magnitude within a certain range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1988
    Assignee: Rinnai Corporation
    Inventor: Ikuro Adachi
  • Patent number: 4752211
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for maintaining the flow rate of one or more secondary fluids proportional to the flow rate of a primary fluid is disclosed. A valve is located in a primary fluid line and a valve is located in a secondary fluid line. An actuator drives linkage to operate the valves in approximate proportion to one another. A sensor senses the fluid pressure in the primary line and the sensed pressure is delivered to each regulator in the secondary lines. The regulators adjust the static pressures of the secondary fluids downstream of the valves to the desired proportional level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1988
    Inventor: Darrel B. Sabin
  • Patent number: 4739714
    Abstract: The flow rate of multiple fuel streams supplied to an incinerator are controlled so as to provide maximum temperature and heat release conditions in the incinerator that will allow complete combustion of hazardous waste fuel. In addition, a minimum temperature for the incinerator is maintained by manipulating the flow rate of an auxiliary fuel such as natural gas, that is also supplied to the incinerator. In use, a control signal for manipulating a waste fuel flow is selected as the lowest signal of signals representative of a maximum temperature for the incinerator, a maximum heat release rate for the incinerator, a maximum heat release rate for a particular waste fuel, a maximum pressure for the incinerator, and the combustion air available.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1988
    Assignee: Incinatrol
    Inventors: Ronald J. LaSpisa, Thomas J. Hubbard
  • Patent number: 4721458
    Abstract: A gas feeding device is suggested which is used for feeding a combustible gas mixture consisting of at least two components into a combustion chamber of a thermic deburring installation for treating work pieces (3) by means of temperature and pressure shocked formed by igniting the gas mixture. The device includes a control circuit used as a dosaging device which is adjustable to different mixing ratios. The central circuit includes a through flow amount meter in each of the gas feeding lines, a measuring value comparator (31) and a dosaging valve controlled by the measuring value comparator in one of the feeding lines. Shut-off valves are provided in the feeding lines between the flow amount meters and the combustion chamber which react to a signal issued by a storage or counting device connected to one of the flow amount meters (24 or 29) in response to the flow of a preselectable amount of gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1988
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Hans-Jurgen Conrad
  • Patent number: 4717333
    Abstract: An electronic ignition system for a gas burner is battery operated. The battery voltage is applied through a DC-DC chopper to a step-up transformer to charge a capacitor which provides the ignition spark. The step-up transformer has a significant leakage reactance in order to limit current flow from the battery during initial charging of the capacitor. A tank circuit at the input of the transformer returns magnetizing current resulting from the leakage reactance to the primary in succeeding cycles. An SCR in the output circuit is gated through a voltage divider which senses current flow through a flame. Once the flame is sensed, further sparks are precluded. The same flame sensor enables a thermopile driven main valve actuating circuit. A safety valve in series with the main gas valve responds to a control pressure thermostatically applied through a diaphragm. The valve closes after a predetermined delay determined by a time delay orifice if the pilot gas is not ignited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1988
    Assignee: Advanced Mechanical Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Forest J. Carignan
  • Patent number: 4645450
    Abstract: A flow controller system for optimally controlling the flow of air and fuel to a burner in a plurality of operating modes throughout the firing range of the burner is disclosed herein. The system includes a pair of differential pressure sensors connected across the air conduit and the burner, and the fuel conduit and the burner, as well as a pair of electrically operated air and fuel valves for controlling the pressure of the air and fuel destined for the burner. The system further includes a microprocessor control means electrically connected to both the pressure sensors and the air and fuel pressure regulating valves. Optimal air-to-fuel pressure ratios are empirically derived at each point along the firing range of the burner by means of detachably connectable flowmeters, oxygen sensors and thermocouples, and this information is stored within the memory of the microprocessor control means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1987
    Assignee: Control Techtronics, Inc.
    Inventor: John S. West
  • Patent number: 4640678
    Abstract: A dual-valve controller having a single rotary control element for concurrently adjusting both an air-control valve and a gas-control valve to supply an air/gas combustible mixture to a gas-fired burner. Applied to the inputs of the controller valves are pressurized streams of air and a gaseous fuel. These streams are conducted through the respective valves into a common mixing chamber to provide an output air-gas mixture in a predetermined ratio which is fed into the burner to produce a heating flame. When the control element is manually turned by an operator or automatically by a control motor, it acts to more or less open the valves to corresponding degrees to concurrently adjust the volumetric flow rate of the air and gas, thereby changing the intensity of the flame without, however, altering the air-gas ratio which is set for optimum combustion efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1987
    Inventor: Joseph Fraioli
  • Patent number: 4631022
    Abstract: A temperature compensator for a pressure operated fuel regulator is used in combination with a heat recuperator to regulate fuel flow. In the recuperator, air to be used for combustion of the fuel is heated. Some of the heated air is supplied to the compensator, which comprises a housing having an opening for bleeding air therethrough. The rate of bleeding through of the air, and consequently the pressure drop across the compensator, is dependent on the temperature of the air supplied to the compensator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1983
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1986
    Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
    Inventors: John L. Ferri, William C. Fulkerson, Ray L. Newman, Jeffrey M. Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 4626194
    Abstract: Means for supplying liquid or gaseous fuel to a burner includes a flow regulating device having three coaxial diaphragms, between each adjacent pair of which there is defined a chamber, these chambers being connected with respective sensing stations in an air flow path to the burner. Outer faces of the outer diaphragms are subjected respectively to pressures derived from sensing stations in the fuel flow path and the diaphragms are connected with one another and with a valve for controlling the rate of flow of fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1983
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1986
    Assignee: Stordy Combustion Engineering Limited
    Inventor: Paul Mills
  • Patent number: 4613303
    Abstract: Mounted on the entrance end of a firetube, the two screen elememts of an in-line flame arrestor are linearly spaced along a tubular core. A common aperture through the core wall is formed between the two screens. Combustion air directed through either, or both, screen elements enters the core through the aperture in the core wall to supply a fluid-fuel burner mounted within the core both primary and secondary portions of the combustion air. The effective size of the aperture is adjusted by a movable, internal sleeve within the core with linkage to the fuel supply system of the burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1986
    Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: William R. Willis, James D. Hunter, Max L. Lewis
  • Patent number: 4588372
    Abstract: A gas burning furnace has a burner in which the premixed fuel/air ratio of the burned gas in the burner flame is measured by a flame rod sensing the ionization current. The flame rod is connected to a fuel/air controller which controls the gas and primary air to the burner to maintain the maximum flame ionization current which results in an excessive amount of gas to the burner. The secondary air to the combustion chamber is proportionally controlled to add sufficient oxidant to the gas combustion in the combustion chamber to ensure complete combustion. Other properties of the flame or combustion products can also be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1986
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventor: Ralph H. Torborg
  • Patent number: 4585021
    Abstract: The improved gas flow rate control regulator valve of the present invention maintains an optimum precombustion air to gas mass ratio for a wide range of air and gas flows within the combustion chamber of a furnace for efficient burning. The regulator valve of the present invention includes at least one piston diaphragm chamber containing a control piston for equalizing the pressure of the gas effluent with that of the precombustion air in a first preferred embodiment. In a second preferred embodiment, a bottom control piston chamber containing a piston of a size greater than the size of the top control piston is provided such that amplifier means for increasing the gas pressure are provided for application where the gas pressure to the combustion chamber must be greater than the pressure of the available precombustion air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1986
    Assignee: Maxon Corporation
    Inventor: James L. Belknap
  • Patent number: 4571172
    Abstract: A flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer burner apparatus for burning a fuel such as acetylene as one essential gas in the oxidant such as nitrous oxide as another essential gas includes a system for safely changing oxidants between air and nitrous oxide during start up. The system has a pressure sensor for sensing the pressure of at least one of the essential gasses, and a valve selectively operable in response to the pressure sensor for effecting the supplying of air as the oxidant and continuing to supply air as the oxidant when the pressure of the essential gas is low and for selectively switching to nitrous oxide as the oxidant only when the pressure of the essential gas is high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1986
    Assignee: The Perkin-Elmer Corporation
    Inventor: Michael W. Kendall-Tobias
  • Patent number: 4568268
    Abstract: A housing having an atmospheric air inlet with a baffle separating the housing into a primary air inlet chamber and a combustion chamber. A main burner and a pilot burner extend through the baffle with their metering devices positioned in the primary air chamber and their burner tips positioned in the combustion chamber. A variable air controller for controlling secondary air includes a valve positioned between ambient air and the combustion chamber and controls the amount of secondary air in response to the fuel pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1986
    Assignee: RADOR Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Charles R. Gerlach, Rodney T. Heath, Alvin Dean
  • Patent number: 4568267
    Abstract: An automatic gas flow safety device or system is provided for use with an atomic absorption spectrophotometer burner. Generally speaking, a dual function pneumatic and electrical safety device is described which provides for a cut-off of the (acetylene) gas to the burner, upon monitoring an unacceptable air flow or electrical condition, to avert possible flash-backs at the burner. The invention basically comprises a pneumatic and electrical actuated means to control the on/off flow of gas to the burner determinative on the status of the air pressure and electrical power to the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1986
    Assignee: The Perkin-Elmer Corporation
    Inventor: Michael W. Kendall-Tobias
  • Patent number: 4557686
    Abstract: The flow of offgas from a common source as a fuel for multiple boilers is controlled so as to maintain a desired minimum pressure for the offgas supply unless the maintenance of such a desired minimum pressure would result in so much offgas being supplied to a boiler that a maximum offgas to fuel gas ratio is exceeded which impairs combustion. If the primary control would cause too much offgas to be supplied to a boiler, then the flow of offgas to such boiler is manipulated so as to prevent the maximum offgas to fuel gas ratio from being exceeded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1984
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1985
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventor: Ronald J. LaSpisa
  • Patent number: 4544349
    Abstract: An oil burner comprising a safeguard mechanism against a power stoppage is disclosed which is capable of carrying out a fire extinguishing operation in a complete combustion state upon a power stoppage, to thereby prevent any soot and smelly and toxic combustion product from being produced. The oil burner includes a solenoid valve mechanism having a wiring of allowing the supply of a fuel oil to an oil supply pipe to be stopped upon a power stoppage, an air damper actuated in cooperation with a mechanism for changing the flow rate of a fuel oil supplied to the oil supply pipe, a solenoid connected to the air damper which has a wiring of allowing the air damper to be opened upon a power stoppage, and an air fan rotated due to inertia force upon a power stoppage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1985
    Assignee: Toyotomi Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuharu Nakamura, Motoki Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 4533315
    Abstract: An integrated, closed loop system for controlling the fuel to air ratio in an induced draft combustion chamber which has a control pilot through which a draft is induced so that the fuel to air ratio in the control pilot chamber has a predetermined ratio to the fuel to air ratio in the primary combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1985
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventor: Lorne W. Nelson
  • Patent number: 4509913
    Abstract: A burner having an air intake at atmospheric pressure, a gas (fuel) supply line and a combustion chamber in which gas from the latter line burns in the presence of atmospheric air drawn in from the intake, is provided with a swingable or rotatable flap-type valve member which controls the volume rate of flow of the air to the combustion site. According to the invention, the position of the valve member is controlled by a parameter generated by the air stream and in response to the pressure in the gas supply line to maintain the air factor (ratio of air to gas) substantially constant. To this end a membrane type pressure detector responds to the pressure in the gas supply line and is connected by a mechanical force transmission mechanism to the flap or other valve element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1985
    Assignees: Gaswarme-Institut e.V., Ruhrgas AG
    Inventors: Werner Lorenz, Heinz Bathke, Hans Sommers
  • Patent number: 4504214
    Abstract: A control valve for a resonant burner having a burner space for receiving active substance through a conduit with an atomizing nozzle discharging into the space is disclosed. When the valve is shut off to terminate flow of the active substance through the valve to the burner conduit, a spring action in the valve tends to withdraw the active substance from the conduit by creating a suction effect therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1981
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1985
    Assignee: Karl Heinz Stahl
    Inventors: Karl-Heinz Stahl, Fritz Fend
  • Patent number: 4498863
    Abstract: A feed forward control system maximizes combustion efficiency in a combustion system, by controlling the amount of excess air supplied to the burner. The feed forward control system includes flow sensors for sensing the flow of air and fuel to the burner. Based upon the fuel flow measurement, a digital computer determines the correct stoichiometric amount of combustion air required and the firing rate of the burner. Based upon the firing rate, the digital computer determines, from stored data in a look-up table, the necessary excess air required. Based upon the stoichiometric combustion air and the excess air, the computer determines the actual air that is required. This air required is then compared with the air flow measurement received by the digital computer. Based upon this comparison, an air trim actuator is driven by the computer until the required air flow is attained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1983
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1985
    Assignee: Hays-Republic Corporation
    Inventors: Robert C. Hanson, Leon C. Hanson
  • Patent number: 4498861
    Abstract: A method for controlling combustion of atomized fuel in industrial furnaces, in which flame radiation and temperature distributions in a furnace are controlled into optimum conditions in terms of heat efficiency by adjusting a feed rate of an atomizing medium and/or a distal end position of a burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1980
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1985
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Limited
    Inventors: Tomio Suzuki, Kotaro Morimoto
  • Patent number: 4493635
    Abstract: A control device controls the air ratio in a combustion apparatus constructed so that combustion fuel supplied via a combustion fuel supplying pipe is burned with oxygen-enriched air obtained by drawing air through an oxygen permeable selective membrane by means of a vacuum pump provided at the downstream side of the oxygen permeable selective membrane and supplied via an air supplying pipe. The control device has an air flow meter and an oxygen concentration analyzer, both provided at the air supplying pipe, and a fuel flow meter provided at the combustion fuel supplying pipe. The air ratio is calculated from the values of the flow rate of of air, the oxygen concentration and flow rate of the combustion fuel. The amount of air drawn by the vacuum pump is controlled so that the actual air ratio is equal to an predetermined air ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1983
    Date of Patent: January 15, 1985
    Assignee: Osaka Gas Company Limited
    Inventors: Hirosato Ito, Daizo Takada
  • Patent number: 4492560
    Abstract: Apparatus for controlling the combustion of natural gas in a natural gas fired appliance is described. Exhaust gases are sampled and maintained at a predetermined constant temperature between the dew point and the steam point. The relative humity of the constant temperature gas is monitored by a hygrometer. Relative humidity deviations from a predetermined value result in output signals from the hygrometer to a control circuit. The control circuit is connected to regulators in the air intake or chimney of the appliance which regulate air intake to keep the relative humidity substantially constant and hence control combustion of the gas. In another embodiment the relative humidity of the exhaust gases and the combustion air intake are monitored by separate hygrometers which are linked to each other so that a change in the relative humidity of a gas affecting one hygrometer will compensate the other hygrometer and control combustion as before.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1983
    Date of Patent: January 8, 1985
    Inventor: Hardy Sundberg
  • Patent number: 4490106
    Abstract: Safety device for igniting fuel gas discharged by the orifice of a flare stack, incorporating a pilot light whose nozzle issues into the vicinity of the orifice of the flare, said pilot light which is equipped with an ignition device is connected by a supply pipe to an auxiliary fuel gas source, said supply pipe being provided with a valve having an opening position and a closing position which are controlled by a mechanism connected by a first servo-system to the detector detecting the admission of the gas to be burned into the flare stack such that the detection of a flow of gas into said stack controls the opening position of the valve and the detection of the stoppage of this flow controls the closing position of the valve, wherein the ignition means of the pilot light comprises a refractory body located in the extension of the nozzle of the pilot light, said solid body being provided with heating means for raising it and maintaining it at a temperature of at least 800.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1984
    Assignee: Societe Nationale Elf Aquitaine (Production)
    Inventors: Flavien Lazarre, Jean Bruneau
  • Patent number: 4490156
    Abstract: A control system for a partial oxidation process for continuously producing synthesis gas, fuel gas or reducing gas in which process one fuel is replaced by a different fuel without shutting down or depressurizing the gas generator. This multifuel process is not tied to one particular fuel and reacts slurries of solid carbonaceous fuel and/or liquid or gaseous hydrocarbonaceous fuels. Problems of fuel availability are reduced due to the wide selection of fuels that are suitable for the subject process. A two-section burner having a high turndown feature is employed that comprises a central conduit; a central bunch of tubes positioned in said central conduit; an outer conduit coaxial with said central conduit and forming an annular passage therewith; and an annular bunch of tubes positioned in said annular passage. The downstream ends of said central and/or annular bunches of tubes are respectively retracted upstream from the burner face a distance of about 0 to 12 i.e.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1982
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1984
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Charles P. Marion, William B. Crouch, Albert Brent, George N. Richter, Edward T. Child, Blake Reynolds
  • Patent number: 4486166
    Abstract: An improved combustion control system for a jackshaft controlled boiler or the like utilizes a second power actuator, a linkage biasing mechanism and a function generator which provides a position control signal as a function of the boiler load in order to position the linkage biasing mechanism to obtain an automatically calibrated, near optimum relationship between fuel and air. An alternative embodiment of this invention includes a flue gas analysis system where the position control signal is modified to further enhance combustion efficiency. This invention also includes a method for programming a programmable combustion control system according to this invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1982
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1984
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Robert L. Nelson, Donald M. Stough