Flame Rod Measuring Arrangement for Dual-Impedance Gas Burner Calibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas burner technologies require separate rods and methods to measure flame ionization current and thermionic voltage, which complicates the calibration of the gas/air mixture and is inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A measuring arrangement that switches between low and high impedance circuits using the same flame rod, allowing for simultaneous measurement of flame ionization current and thermionic voltage, enabling a dual-purpose measurement setup with a microcontroller and electronic switch.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate rods are used to measure flame ionization current and thermionic voltage, then measurement reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flame rod is designed to perform multiple functions: it serves as both an ignition rod for generating thermionic voltage and as a flame rod for measuring flame ionization current. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate rods, reducing device complexity while maintaining measurement reliability through a single integrated sensor element.
2Device complexity
If the same flame rod is used for both flame ionization current and thermionic voltage measurement, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The measuring arrangement dynamically switches between different impedance states (high impedance for thermionic voltage measurement and low impedance for flame ionization current measurement) using an electronic switch. This dynamic switching allows the same flame rod to accurately measure both parameters at different times without cross-interference, maintaining measurement precision while using a single rod.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic switching between measurement modes, alternating between measuring thermionic voltage and flame ionization current. This periodic action ensures that each measurement is taken under optimal impedance conditions, preventing signal interference and maintaining precision for both measurement types using the same flame rod.
3Measurement precision
If separate measurement circuits are used for flame ionization current and thermionic voltage, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines separate measurement circuits into a single integrated measuring arrangement that includes an electronic switch. This switch merges the high-impedance circuit for thermionic voltage measurement and the low-impedance circuit for flame ionization current measurement into one unified system, reducing device complexity while maintaining precision through proper circuit switching.
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 simplifies the measurement process, allowing for accurate calibration of the gas/air mixture across different gas qualities through a two-step calibration method, ensuring reliable operation of the gas burner.
Implementation Method 1
a flame rod (13), a power supply device (26) for applying a supply voltage to the flame rod (13), wherein the power supply device (26) can be switched on and off thereby switching on and off the supply voltage to the flame rod (13). The supply voltage can also be called measuring voltage. The measuring arrangement (43) further comprises a measuring device (27) for measuring a flame ionization current at the flame rod (13) with the aid of the supply voltage applied to the flame rod (13)
Implementation Method 2
The ignition rod is used to measure a voltage resulting from Edison-Richardson effect which is also often called thermionic effect
Data Source
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AI summary
A measuring arrangement (43) for a gas burner, comprising: a flame rod (13); a first power supply device (26) configured to apply a supply voltage to the flame rod (13), wherein the first power supply device (26) is configured to be switched on and off thereby switching on and off the supply voltage to the flame rod (13); a measuring device (27) configured to measure a flame ionization current at the flame rod (13) with the aid of the supply voltage applied to the flame rod (13), wherein the flame ionization current is measurable with the supply voltage being switched on and with the supply voltage being switched off; a microcontroller (44) for receiving the flame ionization current from the flame rod (13). The measuring arrangement (43) further comprises an input definition circuit (34) configured to switch the measuring arrangement (43) between a relative low impedance measuring circuit and a relative high impedance measuring circuit, wherein the measuring arrangement (43) is configured to measure the flame ionization current at the flame rod (13) when the measuring arrangement (43) is switched by the input definition circuit (34) to a relative low measuring impedance circuit, and wherein the measuring arrangement (43) is adapted to measure a thermionic voltage at the flame rod (13) when the measuring arrangement (43) is switched by the input definition circuit (34) to a relative high impedance measuring circuit.