Method and apparatus for cleaning the electrodes of a fuel-fired burner of an emission abatement assembly

• US 20050150216A1
• Filed: 08/31/2004
• Published: 07/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ET US Holdings LLC (Forvia SE)
• Original Assignee: ET US Holdings LLC (Forvia SE)
• Inventors: Kinnaird, Edward C., Johnson, Randall J., Crawley, Wilbur H., Goldschmidt, Stephen P.
• Application Number:
  US10/931,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20050150216A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/295
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/009 having two or more separate purifying devices arranged in series
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/011 having two or more purifying devices arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2240/14 a fuel burner
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2240/20 a flow director or deflector
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2330/06 Ceramic, e.g. monoliths
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2330/10 Fibrous material, e.g. mineral or metallic wool
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2330/12 Metallic wire mesh fabric or knitting
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2510/065 for reducing soot ignition temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/023 using means for regenerating the filters, e.g. by burning trapped particles by electrically controlling the supply of combustible mixture or its constituents only F02D41/0235
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/025 using fuel burner or by adding fuel to exhaust
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/0256 the fuel being ignited by electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2892 Exhaust flow directors or the like, e.g. upstream of catalytic device
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/30 Arrangements for supply of additional air control, e.g. using by-passes or variable air pump drives, F01N3/22
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/303 Filtering additional air
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/323 Electrically driven air pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/36 Arrangements for supply of additional fuel
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 9/002 of filter regeneration, e.g. detection of clogging
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

A method of operating an emission abatement assembly includes energizing an electrode assembly of fuel-fired burner for a period of time prior to the introduction of fuel to clean any fouled surfaces of the electrode assembly. An emission abatement assembly is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of operating a fuel-fired burner of an emission abatement assembly, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting a burner startup request,

energizing an electrode assembly of the fuel-fired burner assembly for a predetermined period of time in response to detection of the burner startup request, and

supplying fuel to the fuel-fired burner after the predetermined period of time has elapsed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the energizing step comprises energizing the electrode assembly to combust matter accumulated thereon.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the electrode assembly comprises a first electrode and a second electrode spaced apart from one another to define a gap, and

the energizing step comprises applying power to at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode to generate a spark in the gap.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the supplying step comprises advancing fuel into the gap.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the energizing step comprises energizing the electrode assembly in the absence of fuel.

6. An emission abatement assembly, comprising:

a particulate filter,

a fuel-fired burner positioned upstream of the particulate filter, the fuel-fired burner having an electrode assembly,

an electronically-controlled fuel delivery assembly operable to deliver fuel to the fuel fired burner, and

a controller electrically coupled to both the electrode assembly and the fuel delivery assembly, the controller comprising (i) a processor, and (ii) a memory device electrically coupled to the processor, the memory device having stored therein a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

detect a burner startup request,

energize the electrode assembly of the fuel-fired burner assembly for a predetermined period of time in response to detection of the burner startup request, and

operate the fuel delivery assembly to supply fuel to the fuel-fired burner after the predetermined period of time has elapsed.

7. The emission abatement assembly of claim 6, wherein:

the electrode assembly comprises a first electrode and a second electrode spaced apart from one another to define a gap, and

the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to apply power to at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode to generate a spark in the gap for a predetermined period of time in response to detection of the burner startup request.

8. The emission abatement assembly of claim 7, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to operate the fuel delivery assembly to advance fuel into the gap after the predetermined period of time has elapsed.

9. The emission abatement assembly of claim 6, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to idle the fuel delivery assembly during the predetermined period of time thereby preventing fuel from being delivered to the fuel-fired burner.

10. A method of cleaning fouled surfaces of an electrode assembly of a fuel-fired burner of an emission abatement assembly, the method comprising the step of energizing the electrode assembly for a predetermined period of time prior to introduction of fuel into the fuel-burner.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the electrode assembly comprises a first electrode and a second electrode spaced apart from one another to define a gap, and

the energizing step comprises applying power to at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode to generate a spark in the gap.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the energizing step comprises energizing the electrode assembly in the absence of fuel being supplied to the fuel-fired burner.