Burner control system

• US 9,234,661 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2012
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Young, Gregory, Kucera, David, Kasprzyk, Donald J., Super, Willem, Praat, Jos, Thiewes, Roelof, Zabel, Brian, Mitchell, John D., van der Mei, Hans
• Primary Examiner(s): Huson, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): NAMAY, DANIEL ELLIOT
• Application Number:
  US13/621,175
• Publication Number:
  US 20140080075A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,214 Days
• Field of Search: 431/12, 431/18
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 1/022 using electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2225/06 for determining flow
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2900/05181 Controlling air to fuel ratio by using a single differential pressure detector

Abstract

A burner control system for improving burner performance and efficiency. The system may determine fuel and air channel or manifold parameters. Determination of parameters may be performed with a sensor connected across the air and fuel channels. A signal from the sensor may control the parameters which in turn affect the amounts of fuel and air to the burner via a controller. Parameter control of the fuel and air in their respective channels may result in more accurate fuel and air ratio control. One or more flow restrictors in fuel and/or air bypass channels may further improve accuracy of the fuel and air ratio. The channels may be interconnected with a pressure or flow divider. Byproducts of combustion in the exhaust, temperatures of gas and air, flame quality and/or other items may be monitored and adjusted with control of the fuel and air ratio for optimum combustion in the burner.

Claims

1. A burner control system for heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) comprising:

an air channel having an output coupled to a combustion chamber;

a fuel channel having an output coupled to the combustion chamber;

an air mover coupled to the air channel;

a fuel valve coupled to an input of the fuel channel;

a first bypass channel having a first end coupled to the air channel and having a second end coupled to the combustion chamber;

a second bypass channel having a first end coupled to the fuel channel and a second end coupled to the first bypass channel or the combustion chamber;

a sensor having a first port connected to the first bypass channel and having a second port connected to the second bypass channel; and

a controller connected to the sensor; and

wherein;

the sensor detects a parameter between the first port of the sensor and the second port of the sensor;

the sensor provides a signal, indicating a magnitude of the parameter, to the controller; and

the controller sends a signal to a control mechanism to adjust an amount of fuel to the fuel channel and/or to adjust a quantity of air to the air channel, so as to cause the parameter to approach a predetermined magnitude for achieving a certain fuel air ratio of a fuel air mixture to the combustion chamber.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the parameter is selected from a group consisting of a flow rate, differential pressure and gauge pressures.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a first restrictor orifice situated in the second bypass channel between the first end of the second bypass channel and the second port of the sensor; and

a second restrictor orifice situated in the second bypass channel between the second port of the sensor and the second end of the second bypass channel.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising:

a third restrictor orifice situated in the first bypass channel between the first end of the first bypass channel and the first port of the sensor; and

a fourth restrictor orifice situated in the first bypass channel between the first port of the sensor and second end of the second bypass channel coupled to the first bypass channel or the combustion chamber.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein:

one or more restrictor orifices have a variable orifice size; and

the variable orifice size is varied to make the parameter approach the predetermined magnitude.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the control mechanism is the fuel valve that adjusts the amount of fuel to the fuel channel so as to cause the parameter to approach the predetermined magnitude.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the control mechanism is an air mover that adjusts the quantity of air to the air channel so as to cause the parameter to approach the predetermined magnitude.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a variable damper/louver situated in the air channel; and

wherein the control mechanism is the variable damper/louver that adjusts the quantity of air to the air channel so as to cause the parameter to approach the predetermined magnitude.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is an item consisting of one or more sensors and is selected from a group consisting of one or more pressure sensors, differential pressure sensors, and flow sensors.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a combustion sensor situated at an exhaust port of the combustion chamber; and

wherein;

the combustion sensor provides a signal, indicative of a concentration of one or more combustion byproducts, to the controller;

the controller calculates a predetermined magnitude of the parameter based on the concentration and desired concentration of the one or more combustion byproducts; and

the controller sends a signal to the control mechanism to adjust the amount of fuel to the fuel channel and/or to adjust the quantity of air to the air channel so as to drive the parameter to a new predetermined magnitude.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a temperature sensor situated in a fuel channel and/or air channel; and

wherein;

the temperature sensor provides a signal, indicative of a temperature of fuel and/or air, to the controller;

the controller calculates a predetermined magnitude of the parameter based on the temperature of the fuel and/or air; and

the controller sends a signal to the control mechanism to adjust the amount of fuel to the fuel channel and/or to adjust the quantity of air to the air channel so as to drive the parameter to a new predetermined magnitude.

12. A burner control system comprising:

a chamber;

an air channel having an output coupled to the chamber;

a fuel channel having an output coupled to the chamber;

an air mover coupled to the air channel;

a fuel valve coupled to an input of the fuel channel;

a bypass channel having a first end coupled to the fuel channel and having a second end coupled to the chamber;

a pressure divider circuit disposed within the bypass channel;

a sensor having a first port coupled to the air channel and having a second port coupled to the bypass channel; and

a controller connected to the sensor and to the valve or the air mover.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein a difference between a first parameter at the first port of the sensor and a second parameter at the second port of the sensor is detected by the sensor.

14. The system of claim 13,

wherein the pressure divider circuit comprises at least two restrictors, and

wherein at least one of the restrictors has a variable flow restriction.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein:

a first one of the at least two restrictors is disposed between a first end of the bypass channel and the second port of the sensor;

a second one of the at least two restrictors is disposed between the second port of the sensors and the second end of the bypass channel; and

the bypass channel is tuned so that a difference of magnitudes of the first parameter and the second parameter approaches a magnitude to obtain a predetermined fuel air mixture during operation of the burner system.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein if the difference of magnitudes of the first and second parameters is greater or less than a predetermined magnitude by a given delta of magnitude, a signal from the sensor to the controller indicates the difference of the first and second parameters, and the controller provides a signal to the valve to close or open the valve to decrease or increase fuel flow in the fuel channel or to the air mover to decrease or increase air flow and change the difference between the first and second parameters to approach the predetermined magnitude.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein:

a predetermined magnitude of the difference between the first and second parameters is needed to obtain a correct fuel air mixture;

if the first parameter needs to be greater than the second parameter to approach the predetermined magnitude of the difference between the first and second parameters, then the controller provides a signal to adjust the valve to change an amount of fuel entering the fuel channel or to adjust the air mover to change an amount of air entering the air channel which decreases the second parameter or increases the first parameter; and

if the second parameter needs to be greater than the first parameter to approach the predetermined magnitude of the difference between the first and second parameters, then the controller provides a signal to the valve to change an amount of fuel entering the fuel channel or to adjust the air mover to change an amount of air entering the air channel which increases the second parameter or decreases the first parameter.

18. A burner system comprising:

an air channel having an output coupled to a combustion chamber;

a fuel channel having an output coupled to the chamber;

an air flow control mechanism coupled to the air channel;

a fuel valve coupled to an input of the fuel channel;

a variable passage comprising;

a bypass channel having a first end coupled to the air channel and having a second end coupled to the chamber; and

one or more restrictors; and

a sensor having a first port coupled to the bypass channel and measuring a first parameter and a second port coupled to the fuel channel and measuring a second parameter,

wherein the variable passage is tuned so that a difference of magnitudes of the first parameter and the second parameter approaches a magnitude to obtain a predetermined fuel air mixture during operation of the burner system.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

a controller having an input connected to an output of the sensor; and

wherein;

a difference between the first parameter at the first port of the sensor and the second parameter at the second port of the sensor is detected by the sensor and indicated by the sensor on a signal to the controller.

20. The system of claim 19,

wherein:

at least one restrictor of the one or more restrictors has a variable flow restriction.

21. The system of claim 19, further wherein:

a predetermined magnitude of the difference between the first and second parameters is needed to obtain a correct fuel air mixture;

if the second parameter needs to be more than the first parameter to approach the predetermined magnitude of the difference between the first and second parameters, then the controller provides a signal to the air flow control mechanism to adjust an amount of air going through the air channel or to the valve to adjust an amount of fuel going through the fuel channel which decreases the first parameter or increases the second parameter; and

if the first parameter needs to be greater than the second parameter to approach the predetermined magnitude of the difference between the first and second parameters, then the controller provides a signal to the air flow control mechanism to adjust the amount of air going through the air channel or to the valve to adjust the amount of fuel going through the fuel channel which increases the first parameter or decreases the second parameter.

22. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a second sensor connected to the controller and situated in the chamber; and

wherein;

the second sensor detects a quality of a flame in the chamber;

the quality of the flame is conveyed via a signal to the controller for calculating a fuel air mixture for optimizing the quality of the flame in the chamber;

the fuel air mixture is attained by signals from the controller to the air flow control mechanism and/or to the fuel valve; and

optimizing the quality of the flame comprises reducing or increasing the byproducts in an exhaust of the chamber, increasing or decreasing an amount of heat per unit of fuel used, and/or achieving other beneficial results relative to energy, environment, efficiency and/or the like.