IP Library Granted Patent US 10,156,356
Granted Patent B2
US 10,156,356 · App. 15/132,807 · Granted Dec 18, 2018

Flame visualization control for a burner including a perforated flame holder

Inventors: Joseph Colannino (Bellevue, WA); Douglas W. Karkow (Des Moines, WA); Robert Geiger (Seattle, WA); Christopher A. Wiklof (Everett, WA)
Assignee: CLEARSIGN COMBUSTION CORPORATION
F23N1/022F23C99/001F23N5/08F23N5/082F23D2203/102F23D2208/10F23N2029/04F23N2029/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,156,356
App. No.
15/132,807
Granted
Dec 18, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A combustion system includes a perforated flame holder, a camera, and a control circuit. The perforated flame holder sustains a combustion reaction within the perforated flame holder. The image capture device takes a plurality of images of the combustion reaction. The control circuit produces from the images an averaged image and adjusts the combustion reaction based on the adjusted image.

Claims (32)

1. A system, comprising:

a fuel and oxidant source configured to output fuel and oxidant;

a perforated flame holder including:

a first face;

a second face; and

a plurality of perforations extending between the first face and the second face, the first face being positioned to receive the fuel and oxidant from the fuel and oxidant source, wherein the perforated flame holder is disposed to receive the fuel and oxidant and configured to sustain combustion of the fuel and oxidant primarily within the plurality of perforations of the perforated flame holder;

an image capture device configured to capture a plurality of images of the combustion; and

a control circuit configured to produce from the plurality of images an averaged image of the combustion, for adjusting the combustion reaction based on the averaged image.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the image capture device is a camera.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the image capture device is configured to capture images in a visible spectrum.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the image capture device is configured to capture images in an infrared spectrum.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the image capture device is configured to capture images in an ultraviolet spectrum.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the image capture device is a flame scanner.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to adjust the combustion based on the averaged image.

8. The system of claim 1 , comprising a memory coupled to the control circuit and configured to store reference data.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the control circuit is configured to compare the averaged image to the reference data stored in the memory.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the control circuit is configured to adjust the combustion based on the comparison between the averaged image and the reference data.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the reference data is generated by one or more flame averages collected by the system.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the reference data includes a combustion reaction reference image.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the control circuit is configured to adjust the combustion to conform to the combustion reaction reference image.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the reference data includes a plurality of combustion reaction reference images illustrative of a plurality of operating conditions stored in the memory.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the reference data corresponds to a reference image best matched to the averaged image.

16. The system of claim 9 , further comprising an image display apparatus configured to display the averaged image, wherein the control circuit is configured to store the averaged image in the memory.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is configured to adjust the combustion by stopping the output of fuel from the fuel and oxidant source.

18. A method comprising:

outputting fuel and oxidant from a fuel and oxidant source onto a perforated flame holder;

supporting combustion of the fuel and oxidant primarily within the plurality of perforations of the perforated flame holder, wherein the perforated flame holder includes a first face, a second face, and a plurality of perforations extending between the first face and the second face, the first face being positioned to receive the fuel and oxidant from the fuel and oxidant source;

capturing an image of the combustion reaction with an image capture device; and

adjusting the combustion reaction based on the image.

19. The method of claim 18 , comprising:

passing the image to a control circuit; and

adjusting the combustion by altering, with the control circuit, the output of fuel and oxidant from the fuel and oxidant source.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE NAME CHANGE FROM CLEARSIGN COMBUSTION CORPORATION, SEATTLE, WA TO CLEARSIGN TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION, TULSA, OK.. PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 052268 FRAME: 0365. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded Jul 27, 2022
From: CLEARSIGN COMBUSTION CORPORATION
To: CLEARSIGN TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 061176/0107 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 30, 2020
From: CLEARSIGN COMBUSTION CORPORATION
To: CLEARSIGN TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 052268/0365 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 5, 2016
From: COLANNINO, JOSEPH; KARKOW, DOUGLAS W.; GEIGER, ROBERT; WIKLOF, CHRISTOPHER A.
To: CLEARSIGN COMBUSTION CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 039073/0804 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation In Part PCTUS2014060534 · Oct 14, 2014
Provisional Application 61890668 · Oct 14, 2013
Related Publication 20160305660A1 · Oct 20, 2016