Burner Ignition Electrode Flame Detection and Mixture Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing burner technologies face challenges in achieving efficient ignition with high success rates while minimizing undesirable combustion products like soot and carbon monoxide, due to unknown factors influencing the air-fuel mixture and geometric dimensions of burners, leading to increased emission rates and maintenance efforts.
Innovation Solution
A procedure for controlling the ignition phase of a burner that uses an ignition electrode to generate an electrical ignition voltage, detects the burner flame based on electrode current measurements, and adapts the air-fuel mixture ratio dynamically to ensure efficient ignition with reduced emissions, eliminating the need for a separate ionization electrode and optimizing the mixing ratio based on detection results.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rich air-fuel mixture is introduced during the ignition phase to increase ignitability, then the success rate of ignition is improved, but the emission rate of undesirable combustion products (soot, carbon monoxide) increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamic adaptation of the air-fuel mixture ratio during the ignition phase based on real-time flame detection. The control device continuously monitors the presence of a burner flame and adjusts the mixture ratio dynamically: using a rich mixture only when flame detection fails (to ensure ignition success), and switching to a leaner mixture when flame presence is confirmed (to reduce emissions). This dynamic approach resolves the contradiction by making the mixture ratio adaptive rather than static.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback control mechanism where the detection device (ionization electrode) provides real-time information about flame presence to the control device. Based on this feedback, the control device adjusts the air-fuel mixture ratio accordingly. When the detection device signals flame presence, the system reduces fuel quantity to minimize emissions; when flame detection fails, the system increases fuel quantity to ensure successful ignition. This feedback loop resolves the technical contradiction by enabling conditional optimization of both ignition reliability and emission reduction.
2Measurement precision
If a separate ionization electrode is added to detect the burner flame, then the measurement precision of flame presence is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the ignition electrode multi-functional by enabling it to perform both ignition (generating electrical sparks) and flame detection (measuring ionization current) functions. The control device distinguishes between these functions based on the operational phase: during the ignition phase, the electrode generates sparks; after ignition, it measures ionization current to detect flame presence. This eliminates the need for a separate ionization electrode while maintaining flame detection capability, thus resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the ignition electrode and ionization electrode into a single multi-functional electrode. Instead of having two separate electrodes, the system combines their functions into one component that can operate in different modes. The same electrode that generates ignition sparks also measures the ionization current to detect flame presence, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining the necessary measurement precision for flame detection.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances the success rate of ignition while minimizing undesirable combustion products, reducing maintenance and installation costs, and providing a more efficient and cleaner ignition process.
Implementation Method 1
generating an electrical ignition voltage at the ignition electrode, in particular for igniting an air-fuel mixture
Implementation Method 2
the burner typically includes an ionization electrode subjected to an electrical voltage. This electrode utilizes an ionization effect to measure an ionization current caused by the presence of the burner flame
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention provides a method for controlling a burner 10a of a heat generator 100, particularly for use in a heating system, during an ignition phase to ignite a burner flame, wherein the burner 10a comprises an ignition electrode 13 configured to ignite an air-fuel mixture that can be introduced into a combustion chamber of the burner 10a, and the method includes generating an electrical ignition voltage at the ignition electrode 13, introducing an air-fuel mixture into the combustion chamber of the burner 10a, detecting a burner flame in the combustion chamber, comprising measuring an electrode current IE present at the ignition electrode 13, and controlling the burner 10a during the ignition phase by adjusting a mixing ratio α of the air-fuel mixture introduced into the combustion chamber, which describes a ratio of fuel quantity to air quantity, depending on a detection result.