Combustion optimization system

Claim 1

A system for providing information relating to combustion conditions within a fossil-fueled boiler that includes a side wall, a furnace section, a plurality of burners positioned in a substantially horizontal plane and adapted to produce flames combining to form a fireball within said furnace section, and an observation port located in the boiler side wall above the furnace section, said system comprising: a) at least one imaging camera having optical and temperature measuring capabilities, said camera being positioned outside of said boiler and directed downwardly to view a major portion of the upper surface of said fireball through said port and provide data representative of the shape, position, and temperature distribution of said fireball; b) a processor connected to said camera to receive, store and process data received from said camera and to provide data representative of the NO x content of hot gases produced by the fireball; and (c) a monitor connected to said processor to receive and display data from the processor.

Claim 2

A system for providing information relating to combustion conditions within a fossil-fueled boiler that includes a side wall, a furnace section, a plurality of burners positioned in a substantially horizontal plane and adapted to produce flames combining to form a fireball within said furnace section, and an observation port located in the boiler side wall above the furnace section, said system comprising: a) at least one imaging camera having optical and temperature measuring capabilities, said camera being positioned outside of said boiler and directed downwardly to view a major portion of the upper surface of said fireball through said port and provide data representative of the shape, position, and temperature distribution of said fireball; b) a processor connected to said camera to receive, store and process data received from said camera and to provide data representative of the NO x content of hot gases produced by the fireball; and (c) a monitor connected to said processor to receive and display data from the processor.

Claim 7

A system for providing information relating to combustion conditions within a fossil-fueled boiler that includes a side wall, a furnace section a plurality of burners positioned in a substantially horizontal plane and adapted to produce flames combining to form a fireball within said furnace section and an observation port located in the boiler side wall above the furnace section, said system comprising: a) at least one imaging camera having optical and temperature measuring capabilities, said camera being positioned outside of said boiler and directed downwardly to view a major portion of the upper surface of said fireball through said port and provide data representative of the shape, position, and temperature distribution of said fireball; b) a processor connected to said camera to receive, store and process data received from said camera, and transmit current, historical and target information relating to the physical and temperature characteristics of said fireball; c) at least one air/fuel control element connected to said processor to control the air/fuel ratio of said fossil-fueled boiler based upon said information transmitted by said processor; and d) a monitor connected to said processor to receive and display said information transmitted by said processor.

Claim 8

A system for providing information relating to combustion conditions within a fossil-fueled boiler that includes a side wall, a furnace section a plurality of burners positioned in a substantially horizontal plane and adapted to produce flames combining to form a fireball within said furnace section and an observation port located in the boiler side wall above the furnace section, said system comprising: a) at least one imaging camera having optical and temperature measuring capabilities, said camera being positioned outside of said boiler and directed downwardly to view a major portion of the upper surface of said fireball through said port and provide data representative of the shape, position, and temperature distribution of said fireball; b) a processor connected to said camera to receive, store and process data received from said camera, and transmit current, historical and target information relating to the physical and temperature characteristics of said fireball; c) at least one air/fuel control element connected to said processor to control the air/fuel ratio of said fossil-fueled boiler based upon said information transmitted by said processor; and d) a monitor connected to said processor to receive and display said information transmitted by said processor.

Claim 9

A method for providing information relating to combustion conditions within a fossil-fueled boiler that includes a side wall, a furnace section, a plurality of burners positioned in a substantially horizontal plane and adapted to produce flames combining to form a fireball within said furnace section, and an observation port located in the boiler side wall above the furnace section, the method comprising: a) positioning at least one imaging camera having optical and temperature measuring capabilities outside of said boiler and directed downwardly to view a major portion of the upper surface of said fireball through said port; b) acquiring data representative of the shape position and temperature distribution of said fireball with said camera; c) receiving, storing and processing said data to produce processed data representative of the NO x content of hot gases produced by said fireball; and (d) transmitting data to a monitor, and displaying data thereon.

Claim 10

A method for providing information relating to combustion conditions within a fossil-fueled boiler that includes a side wall, a furnace section, a plurality of burners positioned in a substantially horizontal plane and adapted to produce flames combining to form a fireball within said furnace section, and an observation port located in the boiler side wall above the furnace section, the method comprising: a) positioning at least one imaging camera having optical and temperature measuring capabilities outside of said boiler and directed downwardly to view a major portion of the upper surface of said fireball through said port; b) acquiring data representative of the shape position and temperature distribution of said fireball with said camera; c) receiving, storing and processing said data to produce processed data representative of the NO x content of hot gases produced by said fireball; and (d) transmitting data to a monitor, and displaying data thereon.