Applied Synergistics, Inc.

Other

Framatome Technologies, Inc.

Hudson R Carter

John T Huston

An unburned carbon and other combustibles monitoring and control system for a fly ash producing fossil-fueled boiler, such as a pulverized coal fired boiler. An infrared imaging camera counts the moving hot particles entrained in the hot gases downstream of the furnace region of the boiler and provides a first signal representative of the number of hot particles in the hot gases over a predetermined period of time. A signal processor is connected to the infrared imaging camera for counting the hot particles for receiving the signal representative of the number of particles in the hot gases and providing a second signal representative of the mass flow of unburned carbon and other combustibles content of the fly ash produced by the boiler, the second signal being a function of the first signal. In the preferred embodiment, the apparatus includes at least one air/fuel control element for controlling the air/fuel ratio of the fossil-fueled boiler and a control system connected to the control element for receiving the second signal representative of the mass flow of unburned carbon and other combustibles content of the fly ash produced by the boiler and a predetermined set point for the mass flow of unburned carbon and other combustibles content of the fly ash produced by the boiler, the control system being operable to adjust the air/fuel control element in response to the second signal and the set point.

Unburned carbon and other combustibles monitor

Information relating to combustion conditions within a fossil-fueled boiler that includes a plurality of burners adapted to produce flames combining to form a fireball is provided by acquiring data relating to the physical and temperature characteristics of the fireball with at least one imaging camera having optical and temperature measuring capabilities; receiving, storing and processing data received from the camera to provide data representative of the NO.sub.x content of the hot gases produced by the fireball; and transmitting the processed data from the processor to a monitor for display. Transmitted, processed data may include current, historical and target information relating to the physical appearance and temperature profile of the fireball.

Combustion optimization system

An unburned carbon and other combustibles monitoring and control system for a fossil-fueled boiler, such as a pulverized coal fired boiler. An infrared imaging camera counts the moving hot particles entrained in the hot gases exiting the boiler and provides a first signal representative of the number of hot particles in the hot gases over a predetermined period of time. A signal processor is connected to the infrared imaging camera for counting the hot particles for receiving the signal representative of the number of particles in the hot gases and providing a second signal representative of the unburned carbon and other combustibles content of the fly ash produced by the boiler. In the preferred embodiment, the apparatus includes at least one air/fuel control element for controlling the air/fuel ratio of the fossil-fueled boiler and a control system connected to the control element for receiving the second signal representative of the unburned carbon and other combustibles content of the fly ash produced by the boiler and a predetermined set point for the unburned carbon and other combustibles content of the fly ash produced by the boiler, the control system being operable to adjust the air/fuel control element in response to the second signal and the set point.

A method for controlling nitrogen oxides (NO.sub.x) levels in a gas produced by a fossil fuel fired unit comprises establishing an optimum gas temperature range for the unit and monitoring a gas temperature of the unit. The heat exchanger surfaces of the unit are then cleaned until the monitored gas temperature is within the optimum gas temperature range. An optimum fuel combustion rate range is also established for the unit and a fuel combustion rate of the unit is monitored. Air is provided to the unit until the monitored fuel combustion rate is within the optimum combustion rate range.

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Forest, VA, United States of America

Hudson R Carter