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US 2016/0109118 A1Published application
Current gated electrode for applying an electric field to a flame
AssigneeClearsign Combustion Corporation
InventorsIGOR A. KRICHTAFOVITCH, CHRISTOPHER A. WIKLOF
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Abstract
A system and method for electrically controlling a position of a combustion reaction and/or for protecting a flame controller by decoupling an ionizer from a power supply.
Claims40
A system for electrically controlling a combustion reaction, comprising:
- a burner configured to support a combustion reaction,
- wherein the combustion reaction is characterized by a resistance and a capacitance;
- a flame holder positioned proximate to the burner to at least partially carry the combustion reaction,
- wherein the flame holder is electrically conductive or semiconductive;
- and
- a flame controller operable to electrically charge the capacitance of the combustion reaction and to apply a flame holder voltage to the flame holder to attract the combustion reaction to the flame holder,
- wherein the flame controller includes:
- an electrode positioned proximate to the flame holder to enable the electrode to supply the combustion reaction with charged particles;
- a power supply operably coupled to the electrode to excite the electrode to generate the charged particles;
- and
- a voltage divider operably coupled to the flame holder to provide the flame holder voltage.
8 more elements
A combustion reaction control system with protection for a power supply, comprising:
- a first electrode coupled to the power supply to receive a first voltage,
- wherein the first electrode generates charged particles to charge a capacitance in a combustion reaction, in response to receipt of the first voltage;
- a second electrode carried by the first electrode,
- wherein the second electrode is electrically insulated from the first electrode,
- wherein the second electrode is configured to detect a proximity of the combustion reaction to the first electrode;
- and
- a switch coupled to the power supply to selectively enable the power supply to provide the first voltage to the first electrode,
- wherein the switch includes a control terminal coupled to a resistive network to receive a switch voltage,
- wherein the resistive network is operably coupled to the second electrode to generate the switch voltage in response to receipt of a current through the resistive network or a second voltage by the second electrode,
- wherein the switch voltage is proportional to the current through the resistive network or the second voltage,
- wherein the switch decouples the first electrode from receipt of the first voltage, if the switch voltage exceeds a pre-determined threshold, to reduce potential short-circuit damage to the power supply when the combustion reaction contacts the first electrode.
8 more elements
A method for electrically controlling a combustion reaction, comprising:
- applying a voltage to an ionizer to cause the ionizer to supply charged particles to a combustion reaction to charge the combustion reaction to a first potential;
- applying a second potential to a flame holder that is configured to at least partially carry the combustion reaction;
- and
- adjusting the second potential at the flame holder to maintain the second potential within a range that attracts the combustion reaction to the flame holder.
1 more element
A method for protecting an electrodynamic flame controller, comprising:
- applying a first voltage to a first electrode to cause the first electrode to supply charged particles to a combustion reaction to charge the combustion reaction to a first potential;
- receiving a second voltage at a second electrode, wherein the second electrode is carried by the first electrode;
- generating a switch voltage based at least partially on the second voltage;
- and
- selectively operating a switch to decouple the first electrode from the first voltage, if the switch voltage exceeds a threshold.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.