Combustion system with flame location actuation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10066835-B2
Application number	US-201415035465-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 10, 2014
Priority date	Nov 8, 2013
Publication date	Sep 4, 2018
Grant date	Sep 4, 2018

Abstract

A combustion system includes an electrically actuated flame location control mechanism.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A combustion system with flame location control, comprising:
a fuel nozzle configured to output a fuel stream;
an igniter configured to selectably support an igniter flame proximate to a path corresponding to the fuel stream to cause the fuel stream to support a combustion reaction at a first flame location corresponding to the igniter flame during a first time interval; and
a distal flame holder configured to hold the combustion reaction at a second flame location defined by the distal flame holder during a second time interval, different than the first time interval, during which the igniter does not support the igniter flame.

2. The combustion system with flame location control of claim 1 , wherein the first location is selected to cause the combustion reaction to apply heat to the distal flame holder; and
wherein the combustion system is configured to cause the combustion reaction to be held at the first location during a first time interval corresponding to system start-up.

3. The combustion system with flame location control of claim 1 , wherein the first flame location is selected to correspond to a stable flame that is relatively rich compared to a lean flame corresponding to the second flame location.

4. The combustion system with flame location control of claim 1 , wherein the second flame location is selected to correspond to a low NOx flame that is relatively lean compared to the first flame location.

5. The combustion system with flame location control of claim 1 , further comprising:
a proximal physical flame holder disposed adjacent to the path of the fuel stream and configured to cooperate with the igniter to cause the combustion reaction to be held at the first flame location.

6. The combustion system with flame location control of claim 5 , wherein the proximal flame holder comprises a flame holding electrode held at a voltage different than a voltage applied to the combustion reaction during the first time interval.

7. The combustion system with flame location control of claim 1 , further comprising, a combustion reaction charge assembly configured to apply a voltage to the combustion reaction during at least the first time interval.

8. The combustion system with flame location control of claim 7 , wherein the combustion reaction charge assembly includes a corona electrode or ionizer, configured to output charged particles at a location selected to cause the charged particles to exist in the combustion reaction during at least the first time interval.

9. The combustion system with flame location control of claim 7 , wherein the combustion reaction charge assembly includes a charge rod configured to carry the voltage to the combustion reaction during at least the first time interval.

10. The combustion system with flame location control of claim 1 , wherein the combustion system does not include a proximal flame holder disposed adjacent to the fuel stream; and
wherein the igniter is configured to cooperate with the fuel nozzle to cause the combustion reaction to be held in the fuel stream at the first flame location.

11. The combustion system with flame location control of claim 1 , wherein the igniter includes an array of igniters configured to selectably cause the combustion reaction to be held at respective locations.

12. The combustion system with flame location control of claim 1 , wherein the igniter comprises a cascaded igniter, the cascaded igniter including a primary igniter configured to selectively ignite a secondary igniter, and the secondary igniter being configured to selectively ignite the fuel stream to cause the combustion reaction to be held at the first location.

13. The combustion system with flame location control of claim 1 , wherein the igniter further comprises:
an igniter fuel nozzle configured to support an ignition flame;
a high voltage power supply configured to output a high voltage on at least one electrical node;
a ignition flame charging mechanism operatively coupled to the high voltage power supply and configured to apply an electric charge having a first polarity to the ignition flame;
at least one ignition flame deflection electrode disposed to selectively apply an electric field across the ignition flame; and
at least one switch configured to selectively cause a high voltage from the at least one electrical node to be placed on the at least one ignition flame deflection electrode.

14. The combustion system with flame location control of claim 13 , wherein the ignition flame is configured for a non-deflected trajectory such that the combustion reaction is not ignited by the ignition flame when the ignition flame is not deflected.

15. The combustion system with flame location control of claim 13 , wherein the ignition flame is configured for a non-deflected trajectory such that the combustion reaction is ignited at the first location, when the ignition flame is not deflected.

16. The combustion system with flame location control of claim 1 , further comprising:
a combustion reaction charger operatively coupled to the fuel nozzle, configured to apply a charge to the combustion reaction or the fuel stream;
wherein the igniter further comprises:
an igniter fuel nozzle configured to support an ignition flame;
a high voltage power supply configured to output a high voltage on at least one electrical node; and
an ignition flame charging mechanism operatively coupled to the high voltage power supply and configured to selectively apply an electric charge having a first polarity to the ignition flame;
wherein the high voltage power supply is also operatively coupled to the combustion reaction charger;
wherein the igniter further comprises:
at least one switch configured to selectively cause a high voltage from at least one electrical node to be placed on the at least one of the ignition flame charging mechanism or the combustion reaction charger.

17. The combustion system with flame location control of claim 1 , wherein the igniter includes a flow deflector configured to protect the igniter flame from a fuel flow associated with the fuel nozzle.

18. A combustion system, comprising:
a fuel nozzle configured to emit a main fuel stream along a fuel stream path;
a distal flame holder positioned to subtend the fuel stream path a second distance from the fuel nozzle and configured to hold a main combustion reaction supported by the main fuel stream emitted from the fuel nozzle when the distal flame holder is heated to an operating temperature; and
an igniter configured to selectively support an igniter flame positioned to ignite the main fuel stream to maintain ignition of a preheat flame between the nozzle and the distal flame holder at a first distance less than the second distance from the nozzle.

19. The combustion system of claim 18 , comprising a control mechanism configured to control the igniter to support the igniter flame for a time period sufficient for the preheat flame to heat the distal flame holder to the operating temperature.

20. The combustion system of claim 19 , wherein the control mechanism further comprises an electronic controller including a computer processor operatively coupled to an igniter actuator; and
a sensor operatively coupled to the electronic controller, configured to detect a characteristic of the distal flame holder corresponding to distal flame holder temperature, and to produce a corresponding temperature signal;
wherein the electronic controller is configured to receive the temperature signal

Assignees

• Clearsign Comb Corp

Inventors

• Karkow Douglas W
• Colannino Joseph
• Krichtafovitch Igor A
• Breidenthal Robert E
• Wiklof Christopher A

Classifications

• F23N2237/00

  Controlling · CPC title

• F23N2223/00

  Signal processing; Details thereof · CPC title

• F23N2229/00

  Flame sensors · CPC title

• F23C99/001

  Applying electric means or magnetism to combustion (for combustion engines F02B51/04, F02M27/04) · CPC title

• F23D14/72

  Safety devices, e.g. operative in case of failure of gas supply · CPC title