Burner controller and adjusting method for a burner controller

Abstract

A burner controller ( 15 ) regulates the air index, with a combustion sensor. In accordance with the invention the reference value of the sensor signal is determined not only with the current burner power output but also on the basis of a measure for the current fuel energy content.

1 . A burner controller which evaluates a signal of a combustion sensor and sets a setting member for a fuel feed or for an air feed by comparison of the signal with a reference value, 
 wherein the burner controller determines the reference value on the basis of a measure for the current burner power output, and    the burner controller determines the reference value at least also on the basis of a measure for the current fuel energy content, the current fuel energy content being derived from a measure for the current setting of the setting member and from data about desired settings of the setting member for fuels having different fuel energy contents.    
   
   
       2 . A burner controller as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the burner controller determines the reference value at least also by processing data about desired signals of the combustion sensor at different fuel energy contents on the basis of the measure for the current fuel energy content.  
   
   
       3 . (canceled)  
   
   
       4 . A burner controller as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the combustion sensor is an ionization electrode which sticks in the flame.  
   
   
       5 . An adjusting method for a burner controller, comprising the steps of: 
 equipping a burner with a combustion sensor, a setting member, a burner controller and a test sensor for establishing quality of combustion,    operating the burner with a first fuel of a certain energy content at a first plurality of setting member states,    determining a desired signal of the combustion sensor by means of the test sensor results for the first plurality of setting member states with the first fuel,    establishing first data about the desired signal for the first plurality of setting member states with the first fuel,    operating the burner with a second fuel of a different energy content at a second plurality of setting member states,    determining a desired signal of the combustion sensor by means of the test sensor results for the second plurality of setting member states with the second fuel,    establishing second data about the desired signal for the different setting member states with the second fuel, and    storing the established first and second data in the burner controller.    
   
   
       6 . An adjusting method as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the burner operations are repeated at least partially at different values of the feed that is not influenced by the setting member.  
   
   
       7 . An adjusting method as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the specific energy content of one of the first and second fuels is at least 7% higher than that of the other.  
   
   
       8 . An adjusting method as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the burner operations are at least partially so effected that a desired setting value of the setting member too is obtained by means of the test sensor results and data about the desired setting value are established.  
   
   
       9 . The adjusting method of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 operating the burner with a third fuel, and    controlling the setting member state based upon the stored first and second data.    
   
   
       10 . A method of controlling a burner comprising: 
 storing a desired burner condition for each of a plurality of burner output settings using a plurality of fuel types, each of the plurality of fuel types having an energy content different from the energy content of the other of the plurality of fuel types;    establishing a desired output for the burner;    providing a first combustion fluid to the burner based upon the established desired output;    comparing a signal indicative of a condition of the burner with a signal based upon the stored desired burner conditions; and    controlling the supply of a second combustion fluid to the burner based upon the comparison.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein: 
 the first combustion fluid comprises oxygen; and    the second combustion fluid comprises a fuel.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 determining a first desired flame condition for a first burner output setting using a fuel type having a first energy content;    determining a second desired flame condition for a second burner output setting using the fuel type having the first energy content;    determining a third desired flame condition for a third burner output setting using a fuel type having a second energy content;    determining a fourth desired flame condition for a fourth burner output setting using the fuel type having the second energy content, and wherein storing a desired burner condition comprises:    storing the first desired flame condition, the second desired flame condition, the third desired flame condition and the fourth desired flame condition.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein determining a first desired flame condition comprises; 
 sensing the condition of the burner flame using an ionization electrode.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein comparing a signal indicative of a condition of the burner with a signal based upon the stored desired burner conditions comprises: 
 generating an ionization signal;    subtracting a reference signal from the ionization signal; and    generating a regulating signal based upon the result of the subtraction, and wherein controlling the supply of a second combustion fluid to the burner based upon the comparison comprises:    controlling the supply of the second combustion fluid based upon the regulating signal.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the reference signal is generated based upon a desired burner condition for the established desired output.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein controlling the supply of the second combustion fluid based upon the regulating signal comprises: 
 weighting, based upon the regulating signal, a first signal indicative of a determined desired flame condition for the established desired output of the burner using a fuel type having a first energy content;    weighting, based upon the regulating signal, a second signal indicative of a determined desired flame condition for the established desired output of the burner using a fuel type having a second energy content; and    controlling the supply of the second combustion fluid based upon the weighted first signal and the weighted second signal.