Pilot Flame Control System for Combustible Gas Devices
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing combustible gas devices with pilot burners consume excessive gas as the pilot flame is typically kept lit continuously, leading to increased gas consumption and requiring complex, expensive temperature sensors for regulation.
Innovation Solution
A control system with a valve assembly that includes a pilot valve and a main valve, actuated by respective mechanisms, allowing for states like OFF, PILOT, and ON, where the pilot flame is extinguished when not needed, and the main flame is controlled based on operating conditions using a thermopile and magnetic assembly, reducing gas consumption by disabling the main valve when not in use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the pilot flame is kept lit continuously, then the device is ready for immediate operation, but gas consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action by controlling the pilot valve to open and close based on operational needs. The pilot flame is maintained only when required (during standby mode or when main burner needs ignition) and extinguished during normal operation or shutdown, converting continuous action into periodic action to reduce gas consumption while maintaining operational readiness
2Measurement precision
If a temperature sensor is positioned near the main flame to detect flame presence, then flame detection is accurate, but the device complexity and cost increase due to high-temperature resistant sensor requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an intermediary approach by placing the temperature sensor in the pilot flame zone rather than directly in the main flame. The pilot flame acts as an intermediary that provides sufficient thermal signal for detection without requiring the sensor to withstand extreme main flame temperatures, thereby simplifying the sensor system while maintaining detection accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent effectively creates a copy of the flame detection function by using the pilot flame as a proxy for main flame detection. Since the pilot flame and main flame are thermally coupled, detecting the pilot flame temperature provides indirect but accurate information about the main flame state, avoiding the need for direct high-temperature sensing
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 system effectively reduces gas consumption by extinguishing the pilot flame when not in use and optimizing main flame operation, simplifying the device structure and reducing costs by eliminating the need for high-temperature sensors.
Implementation Method 1
a thermopile arranged at the pilot burner so as to be energized by the pilot flame
Implementation Method 2
The pilot valve (3) is associated with a magnetic assembly (11) with a start-up system
Data Source
AI summary
Control system for controlling the pilot flame of a combustible gas device, which includes a pilot burner, a main burner, and a valve assembly, which includes a pilot valve that allows/intercepts a flow of gas directed towards the pilot burner, and a main valve that allows/intercepts a gas flow to the main burner, the valve assembly moveable between a closed OFF state, a PILOT state, and an ON state, where gas flows to the main burner. The control system includes a detection device that generates a state signal, and a control unit including a timer, the control unit is operatively connected to the detection device to receive a state signal and to an actuator to close the valve. The control unit starts the timer when the state signal represents the PILOT state, and actuates the actuator for the pilot valve to close it when the timer reaches a preset limit.