Flame Detection Using Pulsed Voltage and Discharge Probability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flame detection systems using electron tubes require time for integration to determine the presence or absence of a flame, and monitoring voltage waveforms for signal processing is complex and difficult to implement.
Innovation Solution
A flame detecting system comprising a flame sensor, an applied voltage generating portion, a voltage detecting portion, and a central processing unit that calculates the quantity of received light using sensitivity parameters, pulse width, and discharge probability, allowing for rapid digital computation of flame presence or absence without requiring integration time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electric current flowing between electrodes is integrated to determine flame presence, then measurement reliability is improved, but detection speed deteriorates due to required integration time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by using pulsed voltage instead of continuous voltage to drive the flame sensor. The voltage is applied in periodic pulses, and the discharge probability is calculated based on the response to these periodic excitations. This allows rapid detection without requiring long integration times, as each pulse provides a discrete measurement opportunity that can be quickly processed to determine flame presence or absence.
2Measurement precision
If voltage waveform monitoring and analog signal processing are used to detect flame, then detection precision is improved, but device complexity increases making implementation difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/analog signal processing system with a digital computation system. Instead of monitoring voltage waveforms and performing analog signal processing to find rises and falls, the invention uses a microcomputer to digitally calculate discharge probability based on simple voltage presence/absence detection during pulse periods. This substitution of digital computation for analog processing maintains detection precision while dramatically reducing device complexity and ease of implementation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter being measured from continuous voltage waveform characteristics to discrete discharge probability based on voltage presence during specific time windows. By transforming the measurement parameter from analog waveform analysis to digital probability calculation, the system achieves comparable detection precision with much simpler implementation using standard digital computing components.
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
Enables easy and rapid determination of flame presence or absence through digital calculation using stored parameters and actual measurements, simplifying the detection process.
Implementation Method 1
an electron tube which is used for detecting the presence or absence of a flame on the basis of ultraviolet rays emitted from a flame
Implementation Method 2
electrons are emitted from the one electrode due to the photoelectric effect and excited in succession one after another to cause an electron avalanche between the one electrode and the other electrode
Data Source
AI summary
To easily obtain a quantity of received light with computation by only measuring pulses of an electric signal related to a flame sensor, a flame detecting system is disclosed comprising: a flame sensor to detect light and a calculating device, in which the calculating device includes an applied voltage generating portion configured to generate a pulse to drive the flame sensor, a voltage detecting portion configured to measure an electric signal flowing in the flame sensor, a storing portion configured to store sensitivity parameters of the flame sensor in advance, and a central processing unit configured to obtain a quantity of received light of a flame using parameters of a known quantity of received light, a pulse width, and a discharge probability of the sensitivity parameters, and a discharge probability obtained from an actual pulse width and the measured number of discharge times.