US6901351B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Application of symbol sequence analysis and temporal irreversibility to monitoring and controlling boiler flames
Assignee: Electric Power Research Institute
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Filing: 2003-05-13
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Granted: 2005-05-31
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Expires: 2023-05-13
Abstract
Abstract The current invention provides a method and apparatus, which uses symbol sequence techniques and/or temporal irreversibility derived from chaos theory to monitor the operating state of individual burner flames on a appropriate time scale. Both the method and apparatus of the present invention may be used optimize the performance of burner flames.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles Stuart Daw
- 👤 Timothy A. Fuller
- 👤 Thomas J. Flynn
- 👤 Charles E. A. Finney
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 21:16
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D1/00; B01D1/0082; B01D1/0011; B01D1/0058
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
61 words
A method of evaluating the flame state of a burner flame, comprising: obtaining operating data from a burner flame; constructing a symbol sequence histogram from said operating data; comparing said symbol sequence histogram to a pre-existing library of symbol sequence histograms to identify a non-optimal flame state of said burner flame; and identifying a root cause of said non-optimal flame state.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
61 words
A method of evaluating the flame state of a burner flame, comprising: obtaining operating data from a burner flame; constructing a symbol sequence histogram from said operating data; comparing said symbol sequence histogram to a pre-existing library of symbol sequence histograms to identify a non-optimal flame state of said burner flame; and identifying a root cause of said non-optimal flame state.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said non-optimal flame state is selected from the group consisting of an edge-lifted flame, a sporadically detached flame, a fully detached flame, a flaring flame, a pancaked flame, a flapping flame, and a slugging flame.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising analyzing said operating data using a technique selected from the group consisting of conventional statistical analysis, Fourier transform analysis, cluster analysis, temporal irreversibility analysis, and combinations thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising computing a temporal irreversibility function from said operating data; and wherein said comparing further comprises comparing said temporal irreversibility function to a pre-existing library of temporal irreversibility functions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said identifying comprises correlating said non-optimal flame state to a process operating parameter.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said identifying comprises correlating said non-optimal flame state to a piece of operating equipment.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
68 words
A method for optimizing a burner flame, comprising: obtaining operating data from a burner flame; constructing a symbol sequence histogram from said operating data; comparing said symbol sequence histogram to a pre-existing library of symbol sequence histograms to identify a non-optimal flame state of said burner flame; identifying a root cause of said non-optimal flame state; and reducing the effect of said root cause on said burner flame.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
68 words
A method for optimizing a burner flame, comprising: obtaining operating data from a burner flame; constructing a symbol sequence histogram from said operating data; comparing said symbol sequence histogram to a pre-existing library of symbol sequence histograms to identify a non-optimal flame state of said burner flame; identifying a root cause of said non-optimal flame state; and reducing the effect of said root cause on said burner flame.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 7 , wherein said non-optimal flame state is selected from the group consisting of an edge-lifted flame, a sporadically detached flame, a fully detached flame, a flaring flame, a pancaked flame, a flapping flame, and a slugging flame.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 7 , further comprising analyzing said operating data using a technique selected from the group consisting of conventional statistical analysis, Fourier transform analysis, cluster analysis, temporal irreversibility analysis, and combinations thereof.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 7 , further comprising computing a temporal irreversibility function from said operating data; and wherein said comparing further comprises comparing said temporal irreversibility function to a pre-existing library of temporal irreversibility functions.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 7 , wherein said identifying comprises correlating said non-optimal flame state to a process operating parameter.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 7 , wherein said identifying comprises correlating said non-optimal flame state to a piece of operating equipment.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 7 , wherein said reducing comprises controlling process operating parameters based upon said root cause.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
59 words
A method of monitoring the operating state of a burner flame, said method comprising the steps of: obtaining data on the operating state of the burner flame; and analyzing the data with symbol sequence techniques to determine the operating state of the burner flame in which the operating state of the burner flame is a unsteady fuel feed flame.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
59 words
A method of monitoring the operating state of a burner flame, said method comprising the steps of: obtaining data on the operating state of the burner flame; and analyzing the data with symbol sequence techniques to determine the operating state of the burner flame in which the operating state of the burner flame is a unsteady fuel feed flame.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
67 words
A method of monitoring the operating state of a burner flame, said method comprising the steps of: obtaining data on the operating state of the burner flame; analyzing the data with symbol sequence techniques to determine the operating state of the burner flame; and computing a temporal irreversibility function from the data in which the operating state of the burner flame is a unsteady fuel feed flame.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
67 words
A method of monitoring the operating state of a burner flame, said method comprising the steps of: obtaining data on the operating state of the burner flame; analyzing the data with symbol sequence techniques to determine the operating state of the burner flame; and computing a temporal irreversibility function from the data in which the operating state of the burner flame is a unsteady fuel feed flame.
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