Device for controlling fuel combustion in a burner

• US 4,915,615 A
• Filed: 11/16/1987
• Issued: 04/10/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Isuzu Motors Limited
• Original Assignee: Isuzu Motors Limited
• Inventors: Yamashita, Keiichi, Kawamura, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): Price, Carl D.
• Application Number:
  US07/121,274
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• Field of Search: 431/11, 431/41, 431/80, 431/78, 431/89, 431/247, 431/254, 431/262, 431/328, 431/36, 431/259, 123/145 A, 123/179 H, 123/552, 123/550, 123/551, 237/2 A, 237/12.3 C
• US Class Current: 431/41
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/2206 controlling the operation of burners control of burners in general F23N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/2256 related to the operation of the heater itself, e.g. flame detection or overheating
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/2265 related to the quantity of heat produced by the heater
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 11/448 heated by electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 1/022 using electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2225/08 temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2225/16 burner temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2225/20 entrant temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2227/38 Electrical resistance ignition
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2229/00 Flame sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2233/10 forcing air through heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2237/14 burners with gasification or vaporizer elements
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2241/14 Vehicle heating, the heat being derived otherwise than from the propulsion plant

Abstract

A device for controlling fuel combustion in a burner detects the temperature in the burner and controls, based on the detected temperature, electric power supplied to an atmozing glow plug of a fuel atomizer which heats and atomizes fuel.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling fuel combustion in a burner comprising:

a combustion tube including an ignition chamber for igniting fuel and a combustion chamber for combusting fuel ignited by the ignition chamber;

a fuel atomizer disposed in said combustion chamber and including an atomizing glow plug for heating and atomizing fuel, and a nozzle for ejecting atomized fuel into said ignition chamber;

an igniting glow plug disposed in said ignition chamber for igniting the fuel atomized by the fuel atomizer;

burner temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature in the burner;

an ambient temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of air introduced into the burner; and

control means for controlling electric power supplied to the atomizing glow plug based on a signal from said burner temperature detecting means and a signal from said ambient temperature sensor.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said temperature detecting means comprises means for detecting a current passed through said igniting glow plug which has a positive temperature coefficient or resistance.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said atomizing glow plug includes a resistive body having a positive temperature coefficient of resistance.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said atomizing glow plug comprises a body made of a ceramic material and a resistance wire embedded in said body.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said burner temperature detecting means includes a flame sensor disposed in said combustion chamber.