Controlling an air flow rate provided to a burner based on a concentration of gas provided to the burner

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling an air flow rate provided to a burner based on the concentration of one or more gases provided to the burner are disclosed. A method for controlling a burner including receiving a gas concentration value indicating a concentration of one or more gases in a gas mixture provided to a burner; determining, using the gas concentration value, an air flow rate to input to the burner; and controlling the air flow rate provided to the burner based on the determined air flow rate.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving a gas concentration value indicating a concentration of one or more gases in a gas mixture provided to a burner;   determining, using the gas concentration value, an air flow rate to input to the burner; and   controlling the air flow rate provided to the burner based on the determined air flow rate.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining is by a control loop, the control loop comprising a proportional-integral-derivative control loop. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining is by a control loop, the control loop comprising a proportional-integral control loop. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 receiving a flame signal reading;   determining, based on the flame signal reading, whether a flame exists in the burner;   maintaining a safety valve in an open position when the flame is present; and   closing the safety valve when the flame is not present.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 receiving an indication of an exhaust gas concentration in an exhaust from the burner, wherein the determining the air flow rate to input to the burner uses the received indication of the exhaust gas concentration in the exhaust from the burner.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein determining the air flow rate to input to the burner is by a control loop, the control loop, the control loop using the gas concentration value and the received indication of the exhaust gas concentration in the exhaust from the burner. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 receiving an ambient air temperature reading;   receiving a temperature setpoint value;   determining a difference between the ambient air temperature reading and the temperature setpoint value; and   generating a burner signal to control a flame in the burner.   
     
     
         8 . An apparatus comprising:
 a control circuit to:
 receive a gas concentration value indicating a concentration of one or more gases in a gas mixture provided to a burner; 
 determine, using the gas concentration value, an air flow rate to input to the burner; and 
 control the air flow rate provided to the burner based on the determined air flow rate. 
   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the control circuit is to receive the gas concentration value in real-time. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the control circuit is to control the air flow rate by generating a signal control a rotation speed of a ventilator. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the control circuit is to:
 receive a flame signal reading;   determine, based on the flame signal reading, whether a flame exists in the burner;   maintain a safety valve in an open position when the flame is present; and   close the safety valve when the flame is not present.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the control circuit is to: receive an indication of an exhaust gas concentration in an exhaust from the burner, and wherein the determining the air flow rate to input to the burner uses the received indication of the exhaust gas concentration in the exhaust from the burner. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the control circuit is to determine the air flow rate to input to the burner using a control loop, the control loop using the gas concentration value and the exhaust gas concentration. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the control circuit is to:
 receive an ambient air temperature reading;   receive a temperature setpoint value;   determine a difference between the ambient air temperature reading and the temperature setpoint value; and   generate a burner signal to control a flame in the burner.   
     
     
         15 . A system comprising:
 a gas concentration sensor;   a ventilator; and   a control circuit to:
 receive a gas concentration value, from the gas concentration sensor, indicating a concentration of one or more gases in a gas mixture provided to a burner; 
 determine, using the gas concentration value, an air flow rate to input to the burner; and 
 control the air flow rate provided to the burner based on the determined air flow rate. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the control circuit comprises a control loop to determine the air flow rate to input to the burner, wherein the control loop is a proportional-integral-derivative control loop or a proportional-integral control loop. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the control circuit is to:
 receive a flame signal reading;   determine, based on the flame signal reading, whether a flame exists in the burner;   maintain a safety valve in an open position when the flame is present; and   close the safety valve when the flame is not present.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the control circuit is to: receive an indication of an exhaust gas concentration in an exhaust from the burner. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the control circuit is to determine the air flow rate to input to the burner using a control loop, the control loop using the gas concentration value, and the exhaust gas concentration to determine the air flow rate to input to the burner. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the control circuit is to:
 receive an ambient air temperature reading;   receive a temperature setpoint value;   determine a difference between the ambient air temperature reading and the temperature setpoint value; and   generate a burner signal to control a flame in the burner.