Heating Burner Ignition Detection Using Air-Fuel Flow Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for detecting irregular ignition processes in heating devices are unreliable, complex, or require significant structural changes, failing to accurately distinguish between regular and irregular ignition processes and posing safety risks due to potential damage and noise.
Innovation Solution
A method that monitors the flow rate of the combustion air-fuel mixture during ignition, detecting irregularities by analyzing deviations from a target flow rate and the time required to return to that rate, allowing for automated detection and prevention of further ignition attempts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If flow rate monitoring is used to detect irregular ignition, then detection precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional sensors and control logic
Solution Approach 1:
The flow sensor serves multiple functions: it monitors combustion air flow during normal operation and detects irregular ignition events. By making the flow sensor multi-functional, the patent avoids adding dedicated detection hardware while improving detection precision through flow rate analysis during ignition events.
Solution Approach 2:
The control logic uses existing flow sensor data to automatically detect irregular ignition events and trigger appropriate responses. The system self-diagnoses ignition problems using its own operational data without requiring external detection devices, thereby improving detection precision while maintaining simplicity.
2Reliability
If automated irregular ignition detection is implemented, then safety is improved, but manufacturing cost increases due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes existing components multi-functional, particularly the flow sensor and control logic, to perform both normal operation monitoring and irregular ignition detection. This approach improves safety without requiring additional hardware components, thereby avoiding increased manufacturing costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own existing sensors and control systems to detect and respond to irregular ignition events, rather than requiring separate dedicated safety systems. This self-service approach enhances safety while minimizing additional manufacturing costs.
3Extent of automation
If blower speed comparison method is used, then irregular ignition detection is enabled, but reliability deteriorates due to influence from speed control system
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the detection function from the speed control system by using raw flow sensor data independent of the speed controller's influence. This separation allows automated detection while improving reliability by eliminating the confounding factor of speed control interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces flow rate analysis as an intermediary measurement that correlates with ignition events without being directly controlled by the speed control system. This intermediary approach enables automated detection while maintaining reliability by using a parameter that reflects ignition status independently of speed control variations.
4Extent of automation
If flow detector signal change is used for detection, then automated detection is enabled, but measurement precision deteriorates due to other causing effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality analysis by examining flow rate changes specifically during the ignition phase rather than during the entire operating cycle. This focused analysis improves measurement precision by concentrating on the critical moment when irregular ignition occurs, while maintaining automated detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary analysis of flow rate patterns during the ignition phase before making detection decisions. By pre-processing and analyzing flow data specifically during ignition events, the system achieves both automated detection and high measurement precision by isolating the relevant temporal window for analysis.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method is proposed for detecting an irregular ignition process of a heating appliance (1), designed to supply a burner (3) of the heating appliance with a flow rate (10) of a mixture of fuel and combustion air, wherein during the commissioning of the heating appliance (1) the flow rate (10) supplied to the burner (3) is recorded and an irregular ignition process is detected by evaluating the recorded flow rate (10), wherein a target flow rate (12) is set during commissioning of the heating appliance (1) and a time period (15) is used to detect an irregular ignition process until a renewed attainment (14) of the target flow rate (12) can be recognized based on the recorded flow rate (10).