Burner Control System of or for a Heating System and Method for Controlling a Burner Control System

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a burner control system, comprising a controller, a burner connectable to a combustible gas supply and comprising a controllable valve coupled to the controller, an optical sensor arranged at the burner and coupled to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to determine a use state of the burner, from a group of use states comprising at least an ignition state, based on a measurement signal of the optical sensor that is indicative for a light level corresponding to said use state, and to selectively control the controllable valve in dependency of said use state of the burner.

1 . A burner control system, comprising:
 a controller;   a burner connectable to a combustible gas supply and comprising a controllable valve coupled to the controller; and   an optical sensor arranged at the burner and coupled to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to determine a use state of the burner, from a group of use states comprising at least an ignition state, based on a measurement signal of the optical sensor that is indicative for a light level corresponding to said use state, and to selectively control the controllable valve in dependency of said use state of the burner.   
     
     
         2 . The burner control system according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine a load of the burner based on the measurement signal of the optical sensor and a known combustible gas-air ratio of the combustible gas emitted by the burner. 
     
     
         3 . The burner control system according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine a load of the burner based on the measurement signal of the optical sensor and a known combustible gas-air ratio of the combustible gas emitted by the burner. 
     
     
         4 . The burner control system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a UV sensor, and wherein the controller is configured to determine if the measurement signal indicative for the UV light level is above a pre-determined threshold indicative for a presence of a hydrogen flame. 
     
     
         5 . The burner control system according to  claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to perform a safety procedure if the measurement signal indicative for the UV light level is below the pre-determined threshold indicative for the presence of the hydrogen flame in the combustion state. 
     
     
         6 . The burner control system according to  claim 1 , wherein the group of use states further comprises a combustion state, and the controller is configured to determine if the measurement signal indicative for the light level is above a pre-determined threshold indicative for a presence of a flame. 
     
     
         7 . The burner control system according to  claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to perform a safety procedure if the measurement signal indicative for a light level is below the pre-determined threshold indicative for the presence of a flame in the combustion state. 
     
     
         8 . The burner control system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a spark plug coupled to the controller and configured to selectively emit sparks to ignite combustible gas emitted by the burner;   a spark detection sensor coupled to the controller; and   wherein the group of use states further comprises a pre-ignition state, and the controller is configured to:   control the spark plug to selectively emit sparks to thereby ignite combustible gas;   receive a spark detection signal from the spark detection sensor indicative for the pre-ignition state; and   control the controllable valve of the burner to emit combustible gas based on the spark detection signal.   
     
     
         9 . The burner control system according to  claim 8 , wherein the spark detection signal indicative for the pre-ignition state comprises a fluctuating spark detection signal. 
     
     
         10 . The burner control system according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 the spark detection sensor is the optical sensor; and   the spark detection signal obtained through the spark detection sensor is indicative for light from sparks emitted by the spark plug.   
     
     
         11 . The burner control system according to  claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to determine if the spark detection signal indicative for the pre-ignition state is above a pre-determined threshold indicative for the pre-ignition state and below the pre-determined threshold indicative for the presence of the flame. 
     
     
         12 . The burner control system according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 perform a zero-level signal measurement indicative for a background level of light using the optical sensor when the burner is an inactive state; and   determine the use state of the burner based on the zero-level signal.   
     
     
         13 . The burner control system according to  claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to perform the safety procedure based on the measurement signal of the optical sensor by performing one or more than one of:
 closing the controllable valve of the burner;   stopping an operation of a fan comprised by the burner control system; and   performing a safety shutdown of the burner control system.   
     
     
         14 . The burner control system according to  claim 4 , wherein the optical sensor is the UV sensor. 
     
     
         15 . A method for controlling a burner control system of or for a heating system, the method comprising:
 obtaining a measurement signal of an optical sensor that is indicative for a light level;   determining a use state of a burner, from a group of use states comprising at least an ignition state, based on the obtained measurement signal corresponding to said use state, wherein the burner is connectable to a combustible gas supply and comprised by the burner control system; and   selectively controlling a controllable valve of the burner control system in dependency of said use state of the burner.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 controlling a spark plug of the burner control system to selectively emit sparks to thereby ignite combustible gas;   receiving a spark detection signal from a spark detection sensor of the burner control system;   controlling the controllable valve of the burner to emit combustible gas based on the spark detection signal; and   determining if the spark detection signal indicative for the pre-ignition state is above a pre-determined threshold indicative for the ignition state and below the pre-determined threshold indicative for the combustion state.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15 , the method further comprising determining a load of the burner based on the measurement signal of a UV sensor and a known hydrogen gas-air ratio of the hydrogen gas emitted by the burner. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to determine a load of the burner based on the measurement signal of the optical sensor and a known combustible gas-air ratio of the combustible gas emitted by the burner. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the group of use states further comprises a combustion state, the method further comprising: determining if the measurement signal indicative for the light level is above a pre-determined threshold indicative for the presence of a flame in the combustion state. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , the method further comprising performing a safety procedure if the measurement signal indicative for the light level is below a pre-determined threshold indicative for the presence of a flame. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein method further comprising:
 performing a zero-level signal indicative for a background level of light using the optical sensor; and   determining the use state of the burner based moreover on the zero-level signal.   
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein performing the safety procedure comprises one or more of:
 closing the controllable valve of the burner;   stopping an operation of a fan comprised by the burner control system; and   performing a safety shutdown of the burner control system.