Intelligent flame scanner

• US 20060199123A1
• Filed: 02/24/2005
• Published: 09/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Technology GmbH (GE Aerospace)
• Original Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd. (Alstom SA)
• Inventors: Seguin, Michel J., Odinotski, Matthew D., Sutton, James P., Tobiasz, Rebecca L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,289,032 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 431/75
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2229/08 detecting flame flicker
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 5/082 using electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/72 using flame burners

Abstract

Techniques for determining a characteristic of a flame are provided by the present invention. Provided are methods as well as devices. A flame is monitored across a contiguous spectral range to detect light emitted by the monitored flame. The contiguous spectral range is segmented into a plurality of discrete ranges, and detected light across each of the one or more of the plurality of discrete ranges is respectively processed to determine at least one characteristic of the flame.

Claims

1. A method for determining a characteristic of a flame, comprising:

monitoring a flame across a contiguous spectral range to detect light emitted by the flame;

segmenting the contiguous spectral range into a plurality of discrete ranges; and

respectively processing the detected light across each of one or more of the plurality of discrete ranges to determine at least one characteristic of the flame.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitored contiguous spectral range is 350 to 1100 nanometers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of discrete ranges is at least seven discrete ranges.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing at least one flame signature, each stored flame signature associated with burning a type of fuel;

wherein the processing to determine the at least one characteristic includes processing the detected light across each of one or more of the plurality of discrete ranges with one stored flame signature.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein each stored flame signature includes at least one of DC intensity data, flicker intensity data, flicker frequency data, and spectral shape data.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the flame is a first flame associated with a first type fuel, and further comprising:

monitoring a second flame across the contiguous spectral range to detect light emitted by the second flame while monitoring the first flame, the second flame associated with a second type fuel being different than the first type fuel; and

respectively processing the detected light emitted by the second flame across each of one or more of the plurality of discrete ranges with another stored flame signature different than the one stored flame signature to determine at least one characteristic of the second flame.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

detected light across at least a first one of the plurality of discrete ranges is processed in determining the at least one characteristic of the first flame; and

detected light across the first one of the plurality of discrete ranges is not processed in determining the at least one characteristic of the second flame.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one characteristic is one of flame presence, flame quality, flame type, and fuel/air mixture ratio.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring, segmenting, and processing are performed by a first one of a plurality of flame scanners, and further comprising:

transmitting information associated with the determination from the first flame scanner to a remote location;

wherein the information is transmitted to the remote location via at least another one of the plurality of flame scanners.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring, segmenting, and processing are performed by a flame scanner, and further comprising:

displaying information associated with the determination on the flame scanner.

11. A flame scanner for monitoring a flame, comprising:

a flame sensor configured to monitor a flame across a contiguous spectral range to detect light emitted by the flame;

a splitter configured to segment the contiguous spectral range into a plurality of discrete ranges; and

a processor configured to determine at least one characteristic of the flame based upon the detected light across each of one or more of the plurality of discrete ranges.

12. The flame scanner of claim 11, wherein the monitored contiguous spectral range is 350 to 1100 nanometers.

13. The flame scanner of claim 11, wherein the plurality of discrete ranges is at least seven discrete ranges.

14. The flame scanner of claim 11, further comprising:

a memory configured to store at least one flame signature, each stored flame signature associated with burning a type of fuel;

wherein the processor is further configured to determine the at least one characteristic of the flame based upon the detected light across each of the one or more discrete ranges and one stored flame signature.

15. The flame scanner of claim 14, wherein each stored flame signature includes at least one of DC intensity data, flicker intensity data, flicker frequency data, and spectral shape data.

16. The flame scanner of claim 15, wherein:

the flame is a first flame associated with a first type fuel;

the flame sensor is further configured to monitor a second flame across the contiguous spectral range to detect light emitted by the second flame while monitoring the first flame, the second flame associated with a second type of fuel being different than the first type fuel;

the processor is further configured to determine at least one characteristic of the second flame based upon detected light emitted by the second flame across each of one or more of the plurality of discrete ranges and another stored flame signature being different than the one stored flame signature.

17. The flame scanner of claim 16, wherein:

the at least one characteristic of the first flame is determined based upon detected light across at least a first one of the plurality of discrete ranges and the one stored flame signature; and

the determined at least one characteristic of the second flame is not based upon detected light across the first one of the plurality of discrete ranges.

18. The flame scanner of claim 11, wherein each of the at least one characteristic is one of flame presence, flame quality, flame type, and fuel/air mixture ration.

19. The flame scanner of claim 11, further comprising:

a housing; and

a display configured to display information associated with the determination;

wherein the flame sensor, the splitter, and the processor are disposed within the housing; and

wherein the display is disposed upon the housing and is viewable by a human operator.

20. The flame scanner of claim 11, wherein:

the flame scanner is one of a plurality of flame scanners;

the processor is further configured to transmit information associated with the determination to a remote location; and

the information is transmitted to the remote location via at least another one of the plurality of flame scanners.