Apparatus and method for providing electrical combustion control to a burner

Abstract

Technologies are provided for a method and an adaptor for introducing electricity into a combustion chamber, for the purpose of electrical flame or combustion control. The adaptor may be placed between a conventional burner assembly and a conventional combustion chamber wall. The adaptor includes an aperture for admitting electricity into the combustion chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 providing a combustion chamber wall defining a combustion chamber;   providing a burner assembly configured to operatively couple to an exterior of the combustion chamber wall and configured to support a combustion reaction inside the combustion chamber;   providing an adaptor configured to couple between the burner assembly and the combustion chamber wall, wherein the adaptor further comprises an adaptor body defining an aperture configured to pass an electrical conductor therethrough; and   coupling the burner assembly to the combustion chamber wall via the adaptor.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 passing the electrical conductor through the aperture.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 providing an electrical bushing, between the adaptor and the electrical conductor, in the aperture.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the electrical bushing further comprises ceramic. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing a power supply disposed outside the combustion chamber and operatively coupled to the electrical conductor; and   providing at least one electrode disposed inside the combustion chamber and operatively coupled to the power supply via the electrical conductor.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 configuring the power supply and the at least one electrode to cooperate to apply electrical energy in proximity to the combustion reaction.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 configuring the power supply to output a high voltage electrical signal through the electrical conductor to the at least one electrode.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 configuring the power supply to output a high voltage electrical signal greater than about 20 kilovolts through the electrical conductor to the at least one electrode.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 configuring the at least one electrode to apply an electrical field near the combustion reaction.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 configuring the at least one electrode to output charged particles to the combustion reaction.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 configuring the at least one electrode to not form an electrical spark.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 configuring the power supply and the at least one electrode to generate a plasma within the combustion chamber.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the plasma is a low temperature plasma. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the low temperature plasma has a temperature too low to ignite a fuel and oxidant mixture. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the low temperature plasma has sufficient energy to maintain an ignition of the fuel and oxidant mixture. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the plasma is a high temperature plasma. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the high temperature plasma has a temperature sufficient to ignite the fuel and oxidant mixture. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the power source comprises a pulsed power source. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the pulsed power source is operable to output nanosecond electrical pulses having a duration of between 100 picoseconds and 300 nanoseconds. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the pulsed power source is operable to output at least 10 kilovolt nanosecond electrical pulses. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the pulsed power source is operable to output about 30 kilovolt nanosecond electrical pulses. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the pulsed power source is operable to output nanosecond electrical pulses at a duty cycle of between 1% and 50%. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the pulsed power source is operable to output pulses at a rate of 10 kilohertz to 100 kilohertz. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one electrode is a corona electrode. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one electrode is a dielectric barrier discharge electrode. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the burner assembly includes a flange configured to couple to the combustion chamber wall; and
 wherein the adaptor comprises:   a proximal coupling surface configured to couple to the burner assembly flange;   an adaptor wall projecting away from the proximal coupling surface; and   a distal coupling surface coupled to a distal end of the adaptor wall and configured to couple to the combustion chamber wall.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the adaptor further comprises a proximal adaptor flange on which the proximal coupling surface is formed;
 wherein the adaptor further comprises a distal adaptor flange on which the distal coupling surface is formed; and   wherein the adaptor wall extends from the proximal adaptor flange to the distal adaptor flange.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the aperture is formed in the adaptor wall. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aperture defined by the adaptor body has a shape configured to receive an electrical bushing. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the aperture defined by the adaptor body is threaded. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising fastening, with fasteners, the adaptor to the burner assembly and to the combustion chamber wall.