US2012100493A1PendingUtilityA1

Assured compliance mode of operating a combustion system

45
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Mar 29, 2006Filed: Jan 6, 2012Published: Apr 26, 2012
Est. expiryMar 29, 2026(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Thomas F. RobertsonThomas B. NevilleCharles E. KilfoyleJohn J. Nowakowski
F23N 5/24F23N 2900/05003F23N 5/003Y02T10/12F01N 3/00F23N 2900/05001
45
PatentIndex Score
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Claims

Abstract

A combustion system is operated with reference to compliant values of a governmentally regulated exhaust emission parameter. If an alarm condition is detected during an ordinary mode of operation, the combustion system is shifted into an assured compliance mode of operation. The shift to the assured compliance mode is made while continuing to operate the combustion system without a shut-down interruption.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 .- 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A method comprising:
 configuring a combustion system to:   a) generate exhaust in an ordinary mode by operating with reactant flow rates that produce combustion with available heat in a target range;   b) detect an alarm condition during the ordinary mode; and   c) while continuing to operate without a shut-down interruption, respond to the alarm condition by shifting from the ordinary mode to an assured compliance mode by reducing the available heat from within the target range to within a predetermined reference low range of available heat that is beneath the target range and in which a regulated emission parameter of the exhaust is not greater than a specified low compliant level.   
     
     
         23 . A method as defined in  claim 22  wherein the regulated emission parameter is NOx content. 
     
     
         24 . A method as defined in  claim 22  wherein the regulated emission parameter is COx content. 
     
     
         25 . A method as defined in  claim 22  wherein the low compliant level is not more than 75% of a maximum compliant level permitted by a governmental regulation. 
     
     
         26 . A method as defined in  claim 22  wherein the regulated emission parameter is a non-compliant high level of the regulated emission parameter of the generated exhaust. 
     
     
         27 . A method as defined in  claim 22  wherein the alarm condition is a malfunction of a combustion system component. 
     
     
         28 . A method as defined in  claim 22  wherein the alarm condition is a fuel composition. 
     
     
         29 . A method comprising:
 a) generating exhaust in an ordinary mode by operating a combustion system with reactant flow rates that produce combustion with available heat in a target range;   b) detecting an alarm condition during the ordinary mode; and   c) while continuing to operate the combustion system without a shut-down interruption, responding to the alarm condition by shifting from the ordinary mode to an assured compliance mode by reducing the available heat from within the target range to within a predetermined reference low range of available heat that is beneath the target range and in which a regulated emission parameter of the exhaust is not greater than a specified low compliant level.   
     
     
         30 . A method as defined in  claim 29  further comprising, while continuing to operate the combustion system without a shut-down interruption, correcting the alarm condition and subsequently shifting back from the assured compliance mode to an ordinary mode by increasing the available heat from within the low range to within the target range. 
     
     
         31 . A method as defined in  claim 29  wherein the regulated emission parameter is NOx content. 
     
     
         32 . A method as defined in  claim 29  wherein the regulated emission parameter is COx content. 
     
     
         33 . A method as defined in  claim 29  wherein the low compliant level is not more than 75% of a maximum compliant level permitted by a governmental regulation. 
     
     
         34 . A method as defined in  claim 29  wherein the regulated emission parameter is a non-compliant high level of the regulated emission parameter of the generated exhaust. 
     
     
         35 . A method as defined in  claim 29  wherein the alarm condition is a malfunction of a combustion system component. 
     
     
         36 . A method as defined in  claim 29  wherein the alarm condition is a fuel composition. 
     
     
         37 . An apparatus comprising a combustion system configured to be operated in performance of the method defined in  claim 29 . 
     
     
         38 . A method comprising:
 configuring a combustion system to:   a) operate in an ordinary mode to produce available heat in a target range of available heat, and simultaneously to generate exhaust with levels of a regulated emission parameter in a target range of levels higher than a specified low compliant level, with the target range of available heat being higher than a predetermined reference low range of available heat in which the regulated emission parameter is below the specified low compliant level;   b) detect an alarm condition during the ordinary mode; and   c) while continuing without a shut-down interruption, respond to the alarm condition by shifting from the ordinary mode to an assured compliance mode by reducing the available heat from within the target range of available heat to within the reference low range of available heat.   
     
     
         39 . A method as defined in  claim 38  wherein the low compliant level is not more than 75% of a maximum level permitted by a governmental regulation. 
     
     
         40 . A method as defined in  claim 38  wherein the alarm condition is a malfunction of a combustion system component. 
     
     
         41 . A method as defined in  claim 38  wherein the alarm condition is a fuel composition. 
     
     
         42 . An apparatus comprising a retrofitted combustion system having a configuration attained by performance of the method defined in  claim 48 . 
     
     
         43 . A method comprising:
 a) operating a combustion system in an ordinary mode to produce available heat in a target range of available heat, and simultaneously to generate exhaust with levels of a regulated emission parameter in a target range of levels higher than a specified low compliant level, with the target range of available heat being higher than a predetermined reference low range of available heat in which the regulated emission parameter is below the specified low compliant level;   b) detecting an alarm condition during the ordinary mode; and   c) while continuing without a shut-down interruption, responding to the alarm condition by shifting from the ordinary mode to an assured compliance mode by reducing the available heat from within the target range of available heat to within the reference low range of available heat.   
     
     
         44 . A method as defined in  claim 43  further comprising, while continuing to operate the combustion system without a shut-down interruption, correcting the alarm condition and subsequently shifting back from the assured compliance mode to an ordinary mode by increasing the available heat from within the reference low range of available heat to within the target range of available heat. 
     
     
         45 . A method as defined in  claim 43  wherein the low compliant level is not more than 75% of a maximum level permitted by a governmental regulation. 
     
     
         46 . A method as defined in  claim 43  wherein the alarm condition is a malfunction of a combustion system component. 
     
     
         47 . A method as defined in  claim 43  wherein the alarm condition is a fuel composition. 
     
     
         48 . An apparatus comprising a combustion system configured to be operated in performance of the method defined in  claim 43 .

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