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US 6,472,669 B1Granted
Silicon carbide photodiode based flame scanner
AssigneeABB Research Ltd.
InventorsPaul H. Chase, Terry M. Grayson, Donald J. Kwapien, James M. Niziolek
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flame scanner for effecting therewith individual burner flame discrimination in multi-fossil fuel fired steam generators. The subject flame scanner is based on the use therein of a silicon carbide photodiode that is operative for converting into a photocurrent ultraviolet light, which impinges upon the silicon carbide photodiode after passing through a focusing lens.
Claims10
A fossil fuel-fired steam generator comprising:
- a first burner and one or more adjacent burners;
- a first flame scanner operative for distinguishing and monitoring flame in said first burner from background flame generated from said one or more adjacent burners comprising:
- a.) a housing having a first end and a second end and a silicon carbide photodiode therein for distinguishing and monitoring flame in said first burner, said photodiode converting light from flare in said first burner impinging thereon into a photocurrent;
- b) lens means secured in mounted relation within said first end of said housing;
- and
- c) a circuit in mounted relation within said housing, said circuit operative to provide a signal representative of the condition of said distinguished and monitored first burner flame based on the distinguishing and monitoring with said silicon carbide photodiode of said distinguished and monitored first burner flame in said fossil fuel-fired steam generator, said circuit comprising a log amplifier responsive to a voltage representative of said photocurrent for producing from said voltage a further voltage related to the amount of light impinging on said photodiode.
3 more elements
A fossil fuel-fired steam generator comprising:
- a first burner and one or more adjacent burners;
- a first flame scanner operative for distinguishing and monitoring flame in said first burner from background flame generated in said one or more adjacent burners comprising:
- a.) a photodiode for distinguishing and monitoring said flame in said first burner, said photodiode converting light from said first burner flame impinging thereon into a photocurrent;
- b.) an amplifier for converting said photocurrent to a voltage with an offset so that said voltage does not go to zero when no light from said first burner flame is impinging on said photodiode;
- and
- c.) a log amplifier responsive to said voltage with said offset in its entirety for producing from said voltage with offset a further voltage related to the amount of light impinging on said photodiode.
3 more elements
A fossil fuel fired steam generator comprising:
- a multiplicity of burners located adjacent to each other;
- a multiplicity of flame scanners each associated with a respective one of said multiplicity of adjacent burners operative for distinguishing and monitoring flame in said associated one of said multiplicity of adjacent burners from background flame generated from any other of said multiplicity of adjacent burners, each of said multiplicity of flame scanners comprising:
- a.) a housing having a first end and a second end and a silicon carbide photodiode therein for distinguishing and monitoring flame in only said associated one of said multiplicity of adjacent burners, said photodiode converting light from only said associated one of said adjacent burners flame impinging thereon into a photocurrent;
- b.) lens means secured in mounted relation within said first end of said housing;
- and
- c.) a circuit in mounted relation within said housing, said circuit operative to provide a signal representative of the condition of said distinguished and monitored associated one of said multiplicity of adjacent burner flames based on the distinguishing and monitoring with said silicon carbide photodiode of said distinguished and monitored adjacent burner flame in said fossil fuel-fired steam generator, said circuit comprising a log amplifier responsive to a voltage representative of said photocurrent for producing from said voltage a further voltage related to the amount of light impinging on said photodiode.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.