Burner control

A burner monitor comprising variator means for producing periodic fluctuations of the flow of a reactant to a burner, electrical periodic modulation generator means coupled to said variator means for controlling said variator and forming a reference signal, phase-sensitive comparator, detector means for detecting radiation from the flame of said burner and feeding said comparator means with a signal corresponding to said radiation, said comparator incorporating means for assessing the polarity of any correlation between said reference signal and said signal from said detector means, and an adjustable delay circuit connecting said modulation means to said comparator for delaying said reference signal and applying the reference signal to said comparator.

A burner monitor comprising variator means for producing a determined fluctuation of the flow of a reactant to a burner, detector means for detecting radiation from the flame from said burner and for emitting a signal corresponding to said radiation, comparator means coupled to the variator means and said detector means for assessing the polarity of any correlation between said applied fluctuations and said signal from said detector, integrator means coupled to said comparator for integrating said comparator output, and a visual quantative assessment indicator coupled to said integrator means and having means to display an integrated output.

In a multiburner installation incorporating a monitor for monitoring the reactant ratio at an individual burner, the improved burner monitor which comprises valve means for controlling flow of the reactant to said burner, variator means coupled to the valve for producing a periodic fluctuation of the setting of said valve and hence the corresponding fluctuation of said burner reactant flow, electrical modulation generator means coupled to said variator means for controlling said variator means and producing a reference signal, phase-sensitive comparator, detector means incorporating an optical system sighted on a flame of said burner for feeding to said comparator a signal corresponding to radiation from said burner flame, adjustable delay circuit means coupled between said modulation generator means and said comparator for delaying said reference signal, said comparator including means for assessing the polarity of any correlation between said reference signal and said signal from said detector means and producing a comparator output, integrator means coupled to said comparator for integrating said comparator output, and humanly visible quantative assessment indicator means coupled to said comparator for displaying an integrated assessed polarity.