# US 10,313,767 B2 · Fuel submetering using firing rate signals > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,313,767 B2 - Document ID: US10313767B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/093,498 - Filed: 2016-04-07 - Published: 2017-10-12 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2016-04-07 - Assignees: Honeywell International Inc. - Applicants: Honeywell International Inc. - Inventors: Petr Endel; Ondrej Holub; Karel Marik - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10313767B2 ## CPC - H04Q 9/14: Calling by using pulses - F23N 1/002: {using electronic means (F23N1/04 - F23N1/10 take precedence)} - F23N 5/184: {using electronic means} - G01F 13/006: {measuring volume in function of time} - G05B 19/416: characterised by control of velocity, acceleration or deceleration (G05B19/19 takes precedence) - F23N 2223/42: Function generator - F23N 2227/20: Calibrating devices - F23N 2237/02: two or more burners - G05B 2219/37371: Flow - H04Q: SELECTING (switches, relays, selectors H01H; wireless communication networks H04W) - F23N: REGULATING OR CONTROLLING COMBUSTION (control devices specially adapted for combustion apparatus in which combustion takes place in a fluidised bed of fuel or other particles F23C10/28; condition responsive controls for regulating combustion in domestic stoves with open fires for solid fuel F24B1/187) - G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract A fuel sub-metering mechanism for appliances that consume fuel. Each appliance may have a firing rate indicator. An individual fuel line may be connected to each appliance. A main fuel line may be connected to individual fuel lines. A meter may be connected to the main fuel line. A processor may be connected to the firing rate indicators and to the meter. The meter may measure total fuel consumption by the appliances. The processor may provide a sub-meter estimate of fuel consumed by each appliance. The sub-meter estimate may be based at least in part on a firing rate of the respective appliance and the total fuel consumption as indicated by the meter. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for sub-metering fuel consumption by appliances, comprising: two or more appliances that can consume fuel; two or more individual fuel lines connected individually to each of the two or more appliances, respectively; a main fuel line having an output connected to the individual fuel lines; a fuel meter connected in series with the main fuel line; and a processor connected to the two or more appliances; and wherein: each appliance has a controller that controls an amount of fuel in an individual fuel line connected to an appliance via a firing rate signal; the controller provides to the processor a series of firing rate signals each of which individually commands an amount of fuel to the appliance by controlling the amount of fuel in the individual fuel line connected to the appliance via the firing rate signal; the fuel meter provides signals indicating total fuel consumption by the plurality of appliances; and the processor provides an estimate of an amount of fuel consumed by each appliance derived from the series of firing rate signals from the controller of each appliance of the two or more appliances and signals from the fuel meter indicating total fuel consumption by the two or more appliances using an approach, comprising: selecting one or more input variables; selecting a model type to determine a structure of a model; initializing parameters of the model with data; updating the parameters of the model with input variables and the total fuel consumption data; using updated parameters of the model and input variables data to disaggregate total fuel consumption; and normalizing the disaggregation having a total sum of disaggregated consumptions equal to overall fuel consumption to obtain a disaggregated consumption in a sub-metering estimate of fuel consumed by each appliance. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a logging device that records the estimates over time of an amount of fuel consumed by each appliance. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, further comprising a diagnostics instrument that detects one or more anomalies of the estimates over time of an amount of fuel consumed by each appliance and indicates a need for investigation of a cause of the one or more anomalies. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the logging device that records the estimates over time of an amount of fuel consumed by each appliance enables one or more items of a group comprising consumption accounting for business units, production progress reports, emission documentation, degradation monitoring of one or more appliances, appliance fault detection, optimization of appliance operation, appliance maintenance, water heating, steam production, and circulation water mass flow estimates. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein communication between controllers of appliances and the processor, and communication between the fuel meter and the processor results in information about total fuel consumption and firing rates of the appliances for the processor. ### Claim 6 A method for determining disaggregated consumption, comprising: connecting individual lines respectively to a plurality of appliances, each appliance of the plurality of appliances having a firing rate indicator; connecting a main fuel line to the individual fuel lines; connecting a meter to the main fuel line; and connecting a processor to the meter and to the firing rate indicator of each appliance of the plurality of appliances; and wherein: the meter provides a measurement signal to the processor indicating total fuel consumption by the plurality of appliances; and the firing rate indicator of each appliance of the plurality of appliances provides a firing rate signal to the processor; a firing signal commands an amount of fuel in a connecting individual line; and the processor provides a sub-metering estimate of fuel consumed by each appliance, the sub-metering estimate of fuel consumed by each appliance by the processor incorporates an approach comprising: selecting one or more input variables; selecting a model type to determine a structure of a model; initializing parameters of the model with data; updating the parameters of the model with input variables and the total fuel consumption data; using updated parameters of the model and input variables data to disaggregate total fuel consumption; and normalizing the disaggregation having a total sum of disaggregated consumptions equal to overall fuel consumption to obtain a disaggregated consumption in a sub-metering estimate of fuel consumed by each appliance. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more input variables are selected from a group comprising a firing rate of an appliance, an excess air ratio of an appliance, and a fuel pressure and a fuel temperature. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the model type is selected from a group comprising linear models and local non-parametric models. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the data for initializing parameters of the model are values obtained from available datasheets of the appliances, from another installation, or from an engineering estimate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein data for updating the parameters of the model are values of input variables and total fuel consumption. ### Claim 11 A fuel sub-metering mechanism for two or more appliances, each appliance of the two or more appliances having a firing rate indicator and an individual fuel line, each individual fuel line is connected to a main fuel line having a meter configured to provide signals indicating total fuel consumption by the two or more appliances, the mechanism comprising: a processor connected to the firing rate indicators and to the meter; a controller at each appliance that is configured to: control an amount of fuel in the individual fuel line connected to the appliance via a firing rate signal; provide to the processor a series of firing rate signals that commands the amount of fuel to the appliance by controlling the amount of fuel in the individual fuel line connected to the appliance via the firing rate signal; and wherein the processor is configured to provide an estimate of an amount of fuel consumed by each of the two or more appliances derived from the series of firing rate signals from and the signals from the meter indicating total fuel consumption by the two or more appliances, the estimate of the amount of fuel consumed by each of the two or more appliances incorporates an approach comprising: selecting one or more input variables; selecting a model type to determine a structure of a model; initializing parameters of the model with data; updating the parameters of the model with input variables and the total fuel consumption data; using updated parameters of the model and input variables data to disaggregate total fuel consumption; and normalizing the disaggregation having a total sum of disaggregated consumptions equal to overall fuel consumption to obtain a disaggregated consumption in a sub-metering estimate of fuel consumed by each appliance. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The mechanism of claim 11, wherein an output from the firing rate indicator at each appliance of the two or more appliances provides an individual firing rate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The mechanism of claim 12, wherein the firing rate is a signal that commands an amount of fuel in an appliance. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The mechanism of claim 12, wherein the estimate of fuel consumption for each appliance of the two or more appliances is derived from a firing rate of the two or more appliances, and a measurement of the overall fuel supply through the main line to the two or more appliances. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The mechanism of claim 11, wherein the processor contains an estimator that can be programmed with a selection of a model type and input variables. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The mechanism of claim 15, wherein: a model depends on the selection of the model type; model parameters are initialized with an estimate of dependency between fuel consumption and firing rates; and model parameters are updated based on input variables data and total fuel consumption data. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The mechanism of claim 16, wherein: a model with updated parameters is used to disaggregate the total fuel consumption based on input variables data; and disaggregated fuel consumptions are normalized so that the sum of the disaggregated fuel consumptions equals the total fuel consumption.