Combustion system and method for operating the same

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing combustion systems with multiple gas burners require individual exhaust sensors for combustion adaptation, which are expensive and increase costs.

Innovation Solution

A combustion system utilizing a common exhaust sensor for combustion adaptation, where the signal from the sensor is only used when a single gas burner is active, reducing the need for multiple sensors and lowering costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If individual exhaust sensors are assigned to each gas burner for combustion adaptation, then combustion control precision is improved, but system cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecombustion control precisionVSAvoidsystem cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the exhaust sensing function into a single common sensor that serves multiple burners, eliminating the need for individual sensors at each burner. This consolidation reduces system cost while maintaining combustion control precision through centralized monitoring and adaptation of the common exhaust gas composition.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The common exhaust sensor performs multiple functions: monitoring exhaust gas composition from multiple burners, providing combustion adaptation data for the entire system, and enabling cost-effective scaling. This universal sensor replaces multiple specialized sensors, reducing overall system complexity and cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Device complexity

If a common exhaust sensor is used for multiple gas burners, then system cost is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates due to interference from multiple burners

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem costVSAvoidcombustion adaptation accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements periodic single-burner operation cycles where each burner is activated individually while others remain off. During these periodic intervals, the common exhaust sensor measures exhaust gas composition from a single burner source, ensuring high measurement precision for combustion adaptation without interference from multiple simultaneous burners.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the measurement function from the operational phase and performs it during dedicated single-burner intervals. By separating the measurement action from continuous multi-burner operation, the system ensures that the common sensor receives uncontaminated exhaust signals from individual burners, maintaining precision while using cost-effective single sensor architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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

The solution allows for cost-effective combustion adaptation by using a single exhaust sensor for systems with multiple gas burners, optimizing gas quality compensation during single-burner operation while minimizing interference from other burners.

Implementation Method 1

an exhaust gas sensor (16) assigned to a common exhaust pipe (14) of the gas burners (11a, 11b, 11c)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectExhaust gas detection:

Implementation Method 2

The gas becomes combusted by the respective gas burner (11a, 11b, 11c) resulting in exhaust gas

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCombustion: Combustion

Data Source

PatentEP2985529B1Combustion system and method for operating the same
Publication Date: 2020.01.01 HONEYWELL TECHNOLOGIES SARL
  • EP2985529B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2985529B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2985529B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Combustion system (10) comprising a plurality of gas burners (11 a, 11 b, 11c) and a common exhaust pipe (14) for the plurality of gas burners, wherein during burner-on phases of a respective gas burner (11a, 11 b, 11c) gas is combusted by the same resulting in exhaust gas that flows into the common exhaust pipe (14), and wherein during burner-off phases of a respective gas burner (11 a, 11 b, 11c;) no gas is combusted by the same, wherein a common exhaust gas sensor (16) is assigned to the common exhaust pipe (14), and wherein in an operating status of the combustion system (10;) in which only a single gas burner of the plurality gas burners (11 a, 11 b, 11 c) is in a burner-on phase while all other gas burners are in a burner-off phase the signal provided by the common exhaust gas sensor (16) is used for a combustion adaption at least at the gas burner being in the burner-on phase.