Premix Burner Pyramidal Flow Guide for Ionization Signal Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Fully premixing burners face challenges in maintaining sufficient flame detection at ionization electrodes during low surface loads, leading to unreliable flame monitoring and control, especially during large modulation ranges.

Innovation Solution

A pyramidal flow guide is integrated upstream of the burner surface to deflect a defined portion of the fuel gas-air mixture towards a smaller outlet area, increasing local surface load and ionization current, ensuring stable measurement signals across varying load conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the burner operates at low surface loads to achieve wide modulation range, then energy efficiency is improved, but the ionization current signal becomes too weak for reliable flame detection

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemodulation rangeVSAvoidionization current signal
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating a concentrated flow region with enhanced properties directly at the ionization electrode location. The guide device redirects fuel gas-air mixture to form a localized high-velocity jet that concentrates combustion energy in a specific area, ensuring strong ionization current signal exactly where the electrode measures it, while the rest of the burner can operate at low overall load.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Measurement precision

If more fuel gas-air mixture is supplied to increase flame size for better detection, then measurement signal is improved, but the overall load increases reducing modulation capability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveionization current signalVSAvoidmodulation range
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the burner flow into two functional zones: a concentrated high-velocity jet region directed at the ionization electrode for reliable signal detection, and the remaining burner area operating at reduced load. This segmentation allows the detection-critical zone to have sufficient fuel flow while the overall burner maintains wide modulation capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Measurement precision

If the ionization electrode protrudes deeper into the flame to improve detection, then measurement signal is improved, but the risk of electrode damage and soot deposition increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveionization current signalVSAvoidelectrode durability
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a flow guide device as an intermediary element that mediates between the fuel gas-air mixture and the ionization electrode. This guide device shapes and directs the flow to create optimal combustion conditions in the measurement zone, ensuring sufficient ionization current without requiring the electrode to protrude deeply into harsh combustion environments, thus protecting electrode durability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 solution enhances burner surface loading and ionization current measurements, enabling reliable flame detection and control even at low surface loads, supporting a modulation range of 1:20 (e.g., 1kW to 20kW) with a stable ionization current-based control signal.

Implementation Method 1

Fully premixing gas burners are supplied with an ignitable fuel gas-air mixture, which burns on the burner surface

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCombustion: Combustion

Implementation Method 2

When a flame is present, an electric current can be measured through it

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectIonization: Ionisation

Data Source

PatentEP3495735B1Fully premixing gas burner
Publication Date: 2020.08.19 VAILLANT GMBH(DE)
  • EP3495735B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2

AI summary

The invention relates to a premix burner (1) for a fuel gas-air mixture, with a feed (2) for the fuel gas-air mixture and a burner surface (3), wherein a guide device (4) is arranged in the feed (2), which is located in a partial area of ​​the feed (2) and has surfaces (41, 42) which lead from the feed (2) to a partial area of ​​the burner surface (3).