Device for the calibration of a gas burner regulating system

Abstract

Method for the calibration of a gas burner regulating system using a sensor ( 28 ) which is associated with the exhaust gas ( 29 ) discharged from the gas burner ( 10 ) and measures the concentration of at least one combustible or oxidizable constituent in the exhaust gas, wherein for calibration, starting from a relatively lean gas-combustion-air mixture ( 12 ) which is fed to the gas burner ( 10 ) for combustion, the gas-combustion-air mixture ( 12 ) may be enriched, specifically until the measurement signal which is provided by the sensor ( 28 ) first increases and then reduces to approximately zero, wherein the gas-combustion-air mixture ( 12 ), in which the measurement signal which is provided by the sensor ( 28 ) amounts to approximately zero, is defined as a gas-combustion-air mixture ( 12 ) with a stoichiometric combustion air ratio of λ=1, and wherein starting from this gas-combustion-air mixture ( 12 ) the gas-combustion-air mixture may be enleaned to a desired combustion air ratio of λ>1.

1 . A method for calibrating a gas burner regulating system using a sensor which is associated with an exhaust gas discharged from a gas burner and measures a measurement signal that is related to a concentration of at least one combustible or oxidizable constituent in the exhaust gas, the method comprising:
 starting from a relatively lean gas-combustion-air mixture which is fed to the gas burner for combustion, the gas-combustion-air mixture is enriched until the measurement signal which is provided by the sensor first increases and then reduces to approximately zero, wherein the gas-combustion-air mixture, in which the measurement signal which is provided by the sensor amounts to approximately zero, is defined as a gas-combustion-air mixture with a stoichiometric combustion air ratio of λ=1, and in that starting from this gas-combustion-air mixture the gas-combustion-air mixture is enleaned to a desired combustion air ratio of λ>1.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a carbon monoxide sensor that measures the concentration of carbon monoxide in the exhaust gas. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein during the calibration of the gas burner regulating system, a gas flow rate adjusting device is adjusted for the enriching and subsequent enleaning of the gas-combustion-air mixture in order to thereby adjust a quantity of gas which is to be intermixed with a combustion air flow and to thereby adjust the composition of the combustion-air mixture which is to be fed to the gas burner for combustion. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein starting from an open position of the gas flow rate adjusting device in which the gas-combustion-air mixture is defined with the stoichiometric combustion air ratio of λ=1, the gas flow rate adjusting device, for providing a combustion air ratio of λ>1, is closed further by a defined degree which is determined in dependence upon characteristics of the gas flow rate adjusting device. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the calibration of the gas burner regulating system is carried out automatically after there being an event which triggers the calibration. 
     
     
         6 . A method for gas burner regulation, wherein a gas-combustion-air mixture, which is provided as a result of intermixing a gas flow and an air flow, is fed to a gas burner for combustion, wherein the quantity of gas-combustion-air mixture which is fed to the gas burner, and therefore a burner load, is adjusted by means of a blower which is associated with the air flow or with the gas-combustion-air mixture flow, wherein the gas flow, by means of a gas valve which is associated with the gas flow, is adjusted in dependence upon the air flow in such a way that a prespecified, defined composition of the gas-combustion-air mixture is maintained independently of the air flow, and wherein for calibration of the gas burner regulating system, specifically for calibration of the composition of the gas-combustion-air mixture, use is made of a sensor which is associated with an exhaust gas discharged from the gas burner and measures a concentration of at least one combustible or oxidizable constituent in the exhaust gas, wherein the calibration of the gas burner regulating system includes:
 starting from a relatively lean gas-combustion-air mixture which is fed to the gas burner for combustion, the gas-combustion-air mixture is enriched until the measurement signal which is provided by the sensor first increases and then reduces to approximately zero, wherein the gas-combustion-air mixture, in which the measurement signal which is provided by the sensor amounts to approximately zero, is defined as a gas-combustion-air mixture with a stoichiometric combustion air ratio of λ=1, and in that starting from this gas-combustion-air mixture the gas-combustion-air mixture is enleaned to a desired combustion air ratio of λ>1.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the gas flow rate adjusting device includes a gas nozzle that is associated with the gas flow. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein during the calibration of the gas burner regulating system, a gas flow rate adjusting device is adjusted for the enriching and subsequent enleaning of the gas-combustion-air mixture in order to thereby adjust a quantity of gas which is to be intermixed with a combustion air flow and to thereby adjust the composition of the combustion-air mixture which is to be fed to the gas burner for combustion. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein the calibration of the gas burner regulating system is carried out automatically after there being an event which triggers the calibration. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein the calibration of the gas burner regulating system is carried out automatically after there being an event which triggers the calibration. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein the calibration of the gas burner regulating system is carried out automatically after there being an event which triggers the calibration. 
     
     
         12 . A gas burner regulating system for regulating a gas-combustion-air mixture that is provided to a gas burner, comprising:
 a control unit configured to control a gas flow rate adjusting device, the control unit enriching the gas-combustion-air mixture that is provided to a gas burner by moving the gas flow rate adjusting device to a more open position, and enleaning the gas-combustion-air mixture that is provided to a gas burner by moving the gas flow rate adjusting device to a more closed position;   a sensor associated with an exhaust gas discharged from the gas burner, the sensor configured to provide a measurement signal that is related to a concentration of at least one combustible or oxidizable constituent in the exhaust gas;   during a calibration process, and starting from a relatively lean gas-combustion-air mixture which is fed to the gas burner for combustion, the control unit moves the gas flow rate adjusting device to a more open position to enrich the gas-combustion-air mixture until the measurement signal of the sensor first increases and then reduces to approximately zero, wherein the gas-combustion-air mixture which corresponds to the measurement signal being approximately zero is defined as a gas-combustion-air mixture with a stoichiometric combustion air ratio of λ=1; and   the control unit then moves the gas flow rate adjusting device to a more closed position to enlean the gas-combustion-air mixture to a desired combustion air ratio of λ>1.   
     
     
         13 . The gas burner regulating system of  claim 12 , wherein the sensor is a carbon monoxide sensor. 
     
     
         14 . The gas burner regulating system of  claim 12 , wherein the control unit repeats the calibration process automatically after there is a triggering event detected. 
     
     
         15 . The gas burner regulating system of  claim 12 , wherein the triggering event is reception of a signal that occurs at regular time intervals. 
     
     
         16 . The gas burner regulating system of  claim 12 , wherein the triggering event is manually initiated. 
     
     
         17 . The gas burner regulating system of  claim 12 , wherein the triggering event is detection of the measurement signal exceeding a threshold value. 
     
     
         18 . The gas burner regulating system of  claim 12  further comprising a multiple speed blower for providing combuation air to form the gas-combustion-air mixture, the speed of the blower is adjustable to support different burner loads. 
     
     
         19 . The gas burner regulating system of  claim 12 , wherein the gas flow rate adjusting device include a gas nozzle. 
     
     
         20 . The gas burner regulating system of  claim 12 , wherein the gas flow rate adjusting device include a gas valve.