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US 10,648,739 B2Granted
Controller with clinker agitator control for biofuel-fired furnace
AssigneesJeffrey R. Hallowell, Biomass Controls PBC
InventorsJeffrey R. Hallowell, Jessica M. Peterson, Kelli A. O'Brien
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A microprocessor-based controller manages combustion within a biofuel furnace. A clinker agitator controller generates signals for controlling operation of a motorized clinker agitator of the biofuel furnace. The microprocessor-based controller may additionally control any of fuel feed rate, air supply rate and ash removal rate.
Claims27
A controller system for a biofuel-fired furnace, the system comprising:
- a fuel feed controller connectable to a motorized fuel feed device of the biofuel furnace and configured to generate first signals for controlling operation of the fuel feed device;
- a clinker agitator controller connectable to a motorized clinker agitator of the biofuel furnace and configured to generate signals for controlling operation of the clinker agitator;
- a demand for heat calculator connectable to a sensor coupled to the biofuel furnace, so as to repeatedly receive signals from the sensor, the demand for heat calculator being configured to repeatedly calculate, based at least in part on the signals from the sensor, a demand for heat;
- and
- a heat production adjuster coupled to the demand for heat calculator and to the clinker agitator controller, the heat production adjuster being configured to:
- repeatedly monitor the demand for heat;
- repeatedly recalculate a fuel feed rate for the fuel feed device to deliver fuel to the biofuel furnace;
- repeatedly recalculate times at which to operate the clinker agitator;
- cause the clinker agitator controller to operate the clinker agitator, according to the recalculated times;
- and
- cause the fuel feed controller to operate the fuel feed device according to a most recently recalculated fuel feed rate.
8 more elements
A controller system for a biofuel-fired furnace, the system comprising:
- an ash removal controller connectable to a motorized ash removal device of the biofuel furnace and configured to generate signals for controlling operation of the ash removal device;
- a clinker agitator controller connectable to a motorized clinker agitator of the biofuel furnace and configured to generate signals for controlling operation of the clinker agitator;
- a demand for heat calculator connectable to a sensor coupled to the biofuel furnace, so as to repeatedly receive signals from the sensor, the calculator being configured to repeatedly calculate a demand for heat, based at least in part on the signals from the sensor;
- and
- a heat production adjuster coupled to the demand for heat calculator, to the ash removal controller and to the clinker agitator controller, the heat production adjuster being configured to:
- repeatedly recalculate times at which to operate the clinker agitator;
- repeatedly recalculate an ash removal rate for the ash removal device to remove ash from the biofuel furnace;
- cause the ash removal controller to operate the ash removal device according to a most recently recalculated ash removal rate;
- and
- cause the clinker agitator controller to operate the clinker agitator, according to the recalculated times.
7 more elements
A controller system for a biofuel-fired furnace, the system comprising:
- a fuel feed controller connectable to a motorized fuel feed device of the biofuel furnace and configured to generate signals for controlling operation of the fuel feed device;
- a clinker agitator controller connectable to a motorized clinker agitator of the biofuel furnace and configured to generate signals for controlling operation of the clinker agitator;
- an oxygen level calculator connectable to an oxygen sensor coupled to the biofuel furnace, so as to repeatedly receive signals from the oxygen sensor, the oxygen level calculator being configured to repeatedly calculate, based on the signals from the oxygen sensor, a current oxygen level within the biofuel furnace;
- a demand for heat calculator connectable to a sensor coupled to the biofuel furnace, so as to repeatedly receive signals from the sensor, the demand for heat calculator being configured to repeatedly calculate a demand for heat, based at least in part on the signals from the sensor;
- and
- a heat production adjuster coupled to the demand for heat calculator, to the fuel feed controller, to the clinker agitator controller and to the oxygen level calculator, the heat production adjuster being configured to:
- repeatedly recalculate times at which to operate the clinker agitator;
- repeatedly recalculate a fuel feed rate for the fuel feed device to deliver fuel to the biofuel furnace, based at least in part on the demand for heat and the current oxygen level;
- cause the fuel feed controller to operate the fuel feed device, according to a most recently recalculated fuel feed rate;
- and
- cause the clinker agitator controller to operate the clinker agitator, according to the recalculated times.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.