Burner Operating Power Determination via Ionization Current Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing combustion devices, such as hot water makers, struggle to efficiently determine and maintain minimal operating performance, leading to unstable combustion, increased emissions, and reduced efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The procedure involves measuring the ionization current of a flame using a sensor unit, evaluating the stability of the ionization current to assess combustion stability, and adjusting the gas flow to match a setpoint based on the normalized variance of the ionization current.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the gas flow is reduced to achieve minimal operating performance, then energy consumption is reduced, but combustion stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system where the ionization current is continuously measured and used to adjust the gas flow rate. The control unit modifies the gas flow based on the ionization signal to maintain stable combustion, resolving the contradiction between reduced energy consumption and maintained combustion stability at minimal operating performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical combustion control methods with an electrical measurement and control system. By using ionization current measurement (an electrical phenomenon) to monitor and control combustion, the system achieves precise control of minimal operating performance while maintaining stability, overcoming the limitations of purely mechanical adjustment methods.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the gas flow is reduced to minimize operating performance, then emissions are reduced, but combustion reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The feedback control system continuously monitors ionization current and adjusts gas flow accordingly. This ensures that even at minimal operating performance where emissions are reduced, the combustion remains reliable by automatically correcting any instability detected through the ionization signal, thus resolving the contradiction between emission reduction and reliability maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The combustion system performs self-diagnosis and self-adjustment through ionization current measurement. The system automatically maintains reliable combustion at minimal performance levels by using its own ionization signal as a control parameter, eliminating the need for external monitoring and intervention to ensure both low emissions and high reliability.
3Device complexity
If traditional combustion control methods are used, then device complexity is low, but measurement precision of combustion parameters is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces imprecise mechanical or empirical combustion control methods with electrical ionization measurement. The ionization current provides a precise, real-time electrical signal that accurately reflects combustion state, achieving high measurement precision while keeping the device complexity manageable through the use of standard sensor and control electronics.
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 allows for the determination of minimal operating performance that ensures stable and efficient combustion, reducing emissions and maintaining operational safety across a wider range of operating conditions.
Implementation Method 1
an ion parameter of a flame generated by the combustion unit is measured as an ionization signal by means of a sensor unit
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for determining and/or applying the operating performance of a combustion device (10), in particular a water heater device, which has at least one combustion unit (12), at least one gas supply unit (14) and at least one control and regulation unit (16), with at least one operating step (18) in which a gaseous medium is supplied to the combustion unit (12) via the gas supply unit (14), with at least one measuring step (28) in which an ion parameter of a flame generated by the combustion unit (12) is measured as an ionization signal by means of a sensor unit (22) of the combustion device (10), which allows a conclusion to be drawn about an ion current,wherein in at least one operating step (18) a gas flow into the combustion device (10) is regulated by means of a valve unit (24) of the gas supply unit (14) and wherein in at least one operating step (18) the control and regulation unit (16) of the combustion device (10) actuates the valve unit (24) and/or performs at least one evaluation step (26). It is proposed that in at least one evaluation step (26) the operating power is determined via the stability of the electrical ionization current, wherein the sensor unit is configured to determine an ionization current that is at least substantially proportional to a flame intensity of the flame, in particular an ion formation rate in the flame.