Smoke generator and method of controlling a smoke generation

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of controlling a smoke generator. The smoke generator is adapted to be connected to a supply of a pressurized gas and a supply of a smoke fluid and further comprises a valve to regulate the pressure of the gas, a fluid driving means, a mixing unit for mixing the smoke fluid and the gas, and a heat exchanger heating the mixture of the pressurized gas and the smoke fluid to vaporize the smoke fluid and form a smoke upon ejection into surrounding air. The control method according to the invention then comprises the steps of receiving a smoke density parameter indicative of a desired amount of smoke to be generated by the smoke generator, measuring a gas pressure at a position between the valve and the heat exchanger, and using these parameters in controlling the valve. The invention further relates to a smoke generator arranged for performing the control method.

1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A method of controlling a smoke generator, comprising:
 receiving a smoke density parameter indicative of a desired amount of smoke to be generated by the smoke generator;   regulating, via a valve, a pressure of a gas;   regulating the flow of the smoke fluid as a function of the smoke density parameter;   measuring a gas pressure at a position between the valve and a heat exchanger;   controlling the valve as a function of the smoke density parameter and the measured gas pressure;   mixing the smoke fluid and the gas to form a mixture; and   heating, via the heat exchanger, the mixture to form a smoke.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein controlling the valve is performed by at least one of a proportional-integral (PI) controller and a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein measuring the gas pressure is performed before the smoke fluid is mixed with the gas. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein measuring the gas pressure is performed after the smoke fluid is mixed with the gas. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising determining the flow of the smoke fluid and regulating the flow of the smoke fluid as a function of the smoke density parameter. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising determining the flow of the smoke fluid, and controlling the valve as a function of the smoke density parameter, the flow of the smoke fluid, and the gas pressure. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the flow of the smoke fluid is determined by a flow sensor. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein regulating the flow of the smoke fluid is performed by a dosage pump, and the flow of the smoke fluid is determined by the dosage pump. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising determining a temperature of the heat exchanger, and controlling the valve as a function of the temperature of the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising receiving information associated with a type of the smoke fluid, and controlling the valve as a function of the type of the smoke fluid. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein controlling the valve is performed based on a look-up table that includes target gas pressure values for a plurality of smoke density parameters. 
     
     
         25 . A smoke generator adapted to be connected to a supply of a pressurized gas and a supply of a smoke fluid, the smoke generator comprising:
 a valve to regulate a pressure of the pressurized gas;   a fluid driving means to regulate a flow of the smoke fluid;   a mixing unit arranged to mix the smoke fluid and the pressurized gas;   a heat exchanger to heat a mixture of the smoke fluid and the pressurized gas to vaporize the smoke fluid and form a smoke upon ejection into surrounding air;   a pressure sensor to measure a gas pressure at a position between the valve and the heat exchanger; and   a control unit to receive a smoke density parameter indicative of a desired amount of smoke to be generated by the smoke generator, to regulate the flow of the smoke fluid as a function of the smoke density parameter, and to control the valve based on the smoke density parameter and the measured gas pressure.   
     
     
         26 . A smoke generator, comprising:
 a valve that regulates a pressure of a gas;   a pump that regulates a flow of a smoke fluid;   a mixing unit that is coupled to the valve and the pump and mixes the gas and the smoke fluid;   a heat exchanger that is coupled to the mixing unit and heats a mixture of the gas and the smoke fluid to form a smoke;   a pressure sensor that measures a gas pressure at a position between the valve and the heat exchanger; and   a control unit that is in communication with the valve and the pump and receives a smoke density parameter, regulates the flow of the smoke fluid based on the smoke density parameter, and controls the valve based on the smoke density parameter and the gas pressure.   
     
     
         27 . The smoke generator of  claim 26 , further comprising at least one of a proportional-integral (PI) controller and a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller to control the valve. 
     
     
         28 . The smoke generator of  claim 26 , wherein the pressure sensor measures the gas pressure before the smoke fluid is mixed with the gas. 
     
     
         29 . The smoke generator of  claim 26 , wherein the pressure sensor measures the gas pressure after the smoke fluid is mixed with the gas. 
     
     
         30 . The smoke generator of  claim 26 , wherein the pump regulates the flow of the smoke fluid as a function of the smoke density parameter. 
     
     
         31 . The smoke generator of  claim 26 , wherein the valve regulates the pressure of the gas as a function of the smoke density parameter, the flow of the smoke fluid, and the gas pressure. 
     
     
         32 . The smoke generator of  claim 26 , further comprising a flow sensor to determine the flow of the smoke fluid. 
     
     
         33 . The smoke generator of  claim 26 , wherein the pump comprises a dosage pump that determines the smoke fluid flow. 
     
     
         34 . The smoke generator of  claim 26 , wherein the valve regulates the pressure of the gas as a function of a temperature of the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         35 . The smoke generator of  claim 26 , wherein the valve regulates the pressure of the gas as a function of a type of the smoke fluid. 
     
     
         36 . The smoke generator of  claim 26 , wherein the valve regulates the pressure of the gas based on a look-up table that includes target gas pressure values for a plurality of smoke density parameters.