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US 7,289,032 B2Granted
Intelligent flame scanner
AssigneeALSTOM Technology Ltd
InventorsMichel J. Seguin, James P. Sutton, Rebecca L. Tobiasz, Matthew D. Odinotski
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Techniques for determining a characteristic of a flame are provided by the present invention. Provided are methods as well as devices. A flame is monitored across a contiguous spectral range to detect light emitted by the monitored flame. The contiguous spectral range is segmented into a plurality of discrete ranges, and detected light across each of the one or more of the plurality of discrete ranges is respectively processed to determine at least one characteristic of the flame.
Claims20
A method for determining a characteristic of a flame, comprising:
- monitoring a flame to detect light emitted by the flame in each of a plurality of discrete spectral ranges forming a contiguous spectral range;
- generating a respective voltage corresponding to an intensity of the detected light in each of the discrete spectral ranges;
- recording raw flame signature data for the monitored flame representing the generated voltages for each of the discrete spectral ranges over a period of time;
- converting the recorded raw flame signature data into refined flame signature data;
- and
- determining at least one characteristic of the flame based on the refined flame signature data;
- wherein the refined flame signature data includes one of (i) DC intensity data, for each of the discrete spectral ranges, representing a maximum recorded raw DC voltage, a minimum recorded raw DC voltage and an average recorded raw DC voltage, (ii) flicker intensity data, for each of the discrete spectral ranges, representing a maximum difference between amplitudes of each peak and of the immediately preceding trough in the recorded raw DC voltage, a minimum difference between amplitudes of each peak and of the immediately preceding trough in the recorded raw DC voltage and an average difference between amplitudes of each peak and of the immediately preceding trough in the recorded raw DC voltage, and (iii) flicker freguency data, for each of the discrete spectral ranges, representing a maximum freguency of flickers in the recorded raw DC voltage, a minimum freguency of flickers in the recorded raw DC voltage and an average freguency of flickers in the recorded raw DC voltage.
4 more elements
A flame scanner for monitoring a flame, comprising:
- a flame sensor configured to monitor a flame to detect light emitted by the flame in each of a plurality of discrete spectral ranges forming a contiguous spectral range and to generate a respective voltage corresponding to an intensity of the detected light in each of the discrete spectral ranges;
- memory configured to record raw flame signature data for the monitored flame representing the generated voltages for each of the discrete spectral ranges over a period of time;
- and
- a processor configured to convert the recorded raw flame signature data into refined flame signature data, and to determine at least one characteristic of the flame based on the refined flame signature data;
- wherein the refined flame signature data includes one of (i) DC intensity data, for each of the discrete spectral ranges, representing a maximum recorded raw DC voltage, a minimum recorded raw DC voltage and an average recorded raw DC voltage, (ii) flicker intensity data, for each of the discrete spectral ranges, representing a maximum difference between amplitudes of each peak and of the immediately preceding trough in the recorded raw DC voltage, a minimum difference between amplitudes of each peak and of the immediately preceding trough in the recorded raw DC voltage and an average difference between amplitudes of each peak and of the immediately preceding trough in the recorded raw DC voltage, and (iii) flicker frequency data, for each of the discrete spectral ranges, representing a maximum frequency of flickers in the recorded raw DC voltage, a minimum frequency of flickers in the recorded raw DC voltage and an average frequency of flickers in the recorded raw DC voltage.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.