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US 5,211,820 AGranted
Gas analysis system for furnaces and the like
AssigneeSurface Combustion, Inc.
InventorsRalph P. Poor, Michael J. Huber, Garry W. Barbee
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AssigneeSurface Combustion, Inc.
InventorsRalph P. Poor, Michael J. Huber, Garry W. Barbee
Estimating the term…
A system for use in sensing the oxygen content of an industrial furnace gas typically containing hydrocarbons or hydrogen is disclosed. The system utilizes a conventional automotive EGR oxygen sensor probe positioned in an especially configured housing employing downstream flow regulating means in combination with an orificing plate in the housing to provide uniform distribution of the endothermic gas at a low temperature about the sensor to insure accurate sensor readings with minimal carbon deposition. The electrical contacts at the oxygen sensor's inner and outer electrolyte surfaces are periodically switched to an electrical power supply to cause current to flow through and heat the electrolyte to elevated temperatures while air is flowed over the electrolyte's surfaces to achieve burn out of any carbon deposits and restore the life of the oxygen sensor probe. In addition, a portion of the sensor is thermally shielded to maintain somewhat equal reference air and furnace gas temperatures to produce consistent and reliable output signals from the oxygen sensor probe.
A method for generating and controlling a neutral furnace atmosphere in an industrial furnace throughout the entire furnace cycle by an oxygen sensing probe having a sensing media with sealed interior and exterior surfaces and contact leads extending from each surface and generating an electrical signal in response to a reference gas flowing over one of said surfaces and furnace gas flowing over the other surface comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.