GB2390674A - Imaging flame monitor for measuring multiple characteristic parameters - Google Patents

Imaging flame monitor for measuring multiple characteristic parameters Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2390674A
GB2390674A GB0215983A GB0215983A GB2390674A GB 2390674 A GB2390674 A GB 2390674A GB 0215983 A GB0215983 A GB 0215983A GB 0215983 A GB0215983 A GB 0215983A GB 2390674 A GB2390674 A GB 2390674A
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United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
flame
light
beams
measuring
optical
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB0215983A
Other versions
GB2390674B (en
GB0215983D0 (en
Inventor
Gang Lu
Yong Yan
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University of Greenwich
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University of Greenwich
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Publication date
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Priority to GB0215983A priority Critical patent/GB2390674B/en
Publication of GB0215983D0 publication Critical patent/GB0215983D0/en
Publication of GB2390674A publication Critical patent/GB2390674A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2390674B publication Critical patent/GB2390674B/en
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Classifications

    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F23COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES
    • F23NREGULATING OR CONTROLLING COMBUSTION
    • F23N5/00Systems for controlling combustion
    • F23N5/02Systems for controlling combustion using devices responsive to thermal changes or to thermal expansion of a medium
    • F23N5/08Systems for controlling combustion using devices responsive to thermal changes or to thermal expansion of a medium using light-sensitive elements
    • F23N5/082Systems for controlling combustion using devices responsive to thermal changes or to thermal expansion of a medium using light-sensitive elements using electronic means
    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01JMEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY
    • G01J5/00Radiation pyrometry, e.g. infrared or optical thermometry
    • G01J5/0014Radiation pyrometry, e.g. infrared or optical thermometry for sensing the radiation from gases, flames
    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01JMEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY
    • G01J5/00Radiation pyrometry, e.g. infrared or optical thermometry
    • G01J5/60Radiation pyrometry, e.g. infrared or optical thermometry using determination of colour temperature
    • G01J5/602Radiation pyrometry, e.g. infrared or optical thermometry using determination of colour temperature using selective, monochromatic or bandpass filtering
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F23COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES
    • F23NREGULATING OR CONTROLLING COMBUSTION
    • F23N2229/00Flame sensors
    • F23N2229/08Flame sensors detecting flame flicker
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F23COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES
    • F23NREGULATING OR CONTROLLING COMBUSTION
    • F23N2229/00Flame sensors
    • F23N2229/20Camera viewing

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Spectroscopy & Molecular Physics (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Investigating, Analyzing Materials By Fluorescence Or Luminescence (AREA)
  • Radiation Pyrometers (AREA)

Abstract

The device measures flame characteristics, and it includes an optical probe (2) through which light from the flame /furnace is transmitted to an optical assembly (21). This is adapted to split the light into four beams (18a, 18b, 19a, 19b, figure 2). Three of the beams are sent to a high resolution CCD camera (23) which is capable of measuring the temperature by two-wavelength method, as well as the flame boundary, size and spread /geometric characteristics, and the third beam is sent to a high speed CCD camera (24) which is capable of measuring the flicker characteristic of the flame. The digital images produced are processed by a microcomputer (31, figure 1), and the results may be presented graphically or numerically on its output (29, figure 1) or saved in a storage facility (30, figure 1). The optical assembly may include a beam splitter/prism unit (22, fig.2), and optical filters (10a, to 10d, fig. 2).

Description

DIGITAL IMAGING BASED FLAME MONITORING APPARATUS
This invention concerns improvements in or relating to flame monitoring apparatus. Advanced flame monitoring is becoming increasingly important to achieve improved plant safety, increased combustion efficiency and reduced pollutant emissions from fossil fuel and waste-fired combustion processes.
Current practice of flame monitoring uses a simple optical detector and is 10 limited to indicate whether the flame is present or out for safety reasons.
However, the use of fossil fuels from a variety of sources and blends of various fuels in recent years has shown many problems, often resulting in poor combustion efficiency, high emissions and operational problems.
Meanwhile, co-firing of other fuels such as biomass and waste is also 15 becoming an area of concern in respect of plant safety, fuel rangeability, operating flexibility and maintainability. It is for these reasons that advanced techniques for the on-line monitoring and characterization of fossil fuel flames have become highly desirable.
20 The present invention has reference to such advanced flame monitoring instruments, and in particular, to a vision-based multi-functional flame monitoring apparatus which provides continuous measurement of a range of the physical parameters of a flame in a fossil fuel and waste fired furnace. There are vision-based flame monitoring apparatus on the 25 market, but their functionalities are limited.
An object of the present invention is to provide a new multi-functional flame monitoring apparatus offering more powerful capabilities over apparatus currently available whilst maintaining cost-effectiveness.
A further object of the present invention is to provide apparatus capable of measuring flame parameters that cannot be measured using existing instruments. 5 According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a method for measuring the physical parametric characteristics of a combustion flame generated in a furnace including the steps of transmitting light from the flame into an optical assembly through an optical probe positioned in use in a wall of the furnace, splitting the light into four beams in the optical 10 assembly, projecting images from three of the four beams onto an imaging panel of a first, high-resolution CCD camera to generate digital images indicative of geometric, luminous and temperature parameters of the flame, collecting the fourth beam by a second, high speed CCD camera to generate a digital image for measuring flame flicker, and 15 processing the digital images using application software to determine the said flame parameters.
The method of the invention enables the physical parametric characteristics of the flame to be measured on an on-line continuous basis 20 thereby providing instantaneous information on the quality of the flame and consequently the performance of the combustion process. The parameters that are measured can be subdivided into three groups: (1) Geometrical parameters: size of the luminous region, spreading angle of the flame and location of the ignition-points, and the size of the 25 ignition area.
(2) Luminous parameters: brightness and non-uniformity of the flame field.
(3) Thermodynamic parameters: flicker and temperature distribution.
30 According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided apparatus for measuring the physical parametric characteristics of a flame
generated in a furnace, including an optical probe through which in use light from the flame is transmitted, an optical assembly for receiving light from the probe and adapted to split flame light into four beams, a first high resolution CCD camera for collecting three of the beams to generate 5 digital images thereof, a second high speed CCD camera for collecting the fourth beam to generate a digital image thereof, application software for processing the said digital images to determine the physical parameters of the flame.
10 The apparatus of the present invention may be configured to measure some of the above parameters to suit a wide range of industrial applications. For instance, the apparatus can be utilised as a temperature profiling device.
15 By way of example, a method and apparatus for measuring the physical parametric characteristics of a flame generated in a furnace according to the invention will now be described with reference to accompanying drawings in which: 20 Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of the invention; Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of the optical assembly; Figure 3 shows the top view of the optical assembly; Figure 4 shows the front view of the optical assembly; Figure 5 shows the practical implementation of the invention; and 25 Figure 6 shows an alternative approach to the practical implementation of the invention.
A schematic diagram of the present invention is shown in Figure 1. The apparatus includes an optical probe 2, an optical assembly 21 with optical 30 filters 10, two CCD cameras 23, 24, a frame grabber 25 and a microcomputer with application software. The optical probe 2 transmits
flame light 15 into the optical assembly 21. The optical assembly 21, comprising beam splitter/prism unit 22, prism 9, and interferential filters 10a, 10b, lOc and fed, splits the flame light into four beams with four different spectral ranges. The three of the four beams travel through the 5 interferential filters 10a, fob and 10c, and focus at the camera lens 11 onto the CCD panel of the high-resolution camera 23. The fourth beam is redirected by the prism 9 and portrayed by the camera lens 12 on the CCD panel of the high-speed camera 24. The video signals from the two cameras are transmitted into the microcomputer 31, and digitised by the 10 frame grabber 25. The digitized images are then transmitted into the host memory in the form of image matrices. All the flame parameters are then determ ined continuously from the digital images using dedicated application software and finally presented graphically and numerically on the computer screen 29, and saved in data storage facilities 30.
The physical parameters of the flame that can be measured using the apparatus are as follows: (1) Geometric parameters a) Size of the luminous-region is defined as the cross-sectional area 20 occupied by the flame normalised to the entire cross-sectional area of the viewing field, ranging between 0% and 100% where 0%
indicates the absence of a flame.
b) Spreadirg-argle of the flame is defined as the angle formed between the two straight lines scribing from the burner outlet to the upper 25 and lower edges of the flame.
c) Location of ignition points is represented by the absolute distances between the burner outlet and the illuminated points in the viewing field where the flame is ignited. The maximum, minimum and
averaged values are used to represent the ignition points.
d) Size of the ignitior'-area is a measure of the region between the burner outlet and the boundary of illuminated points where the flame is ignited, normalised to the size of the luminous-region.
5 (2) Luminous parameters a) Brightness is represented by the average gray-level of the Luminous-
regior' normalised to the full-scale gray-level of the imaging system.
Brightness ranges between Onto and l OOZE where the greater the Brightness the brighter the flame.
10 b) Non-uriformity is defined as the averaged deviation of the grey levels of individual pixels over the Luminous-region from the Brightness, normalised to the full-scale gray-level of the imaging system. Noruniformity varies between Onto and l Oreo with Onto meaning a perfectly uniform flame.
(3) Thermodynamic parameters a) Flicker is defined as the weighted average frequency over the entire frequency range of the power spectral density of a 'flicker signal', which is reconstructed from the sum of the gray-levels of all pixels 20 of the Luminous-region of the flame as a function of time.
b) Temperature is measured based on the two-wavelength principle. By using two banded images, the two-dimensional temperature distribution of the flame is determined, in addition to the maximum, minimum and average temperatures of the flame.
The following sections give a detailed description of the optical assembly
which is a critical hardware element of the apparatus.
30 Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of the optical assembly. An objective lens 3 provides the function of focusing flame light 15 which is
transmitted by the optical probe 2 to form a clear image. The beam splitter 4 divides the bundle of the light into two identical beams, i.e. 16 and 17 (as shown in Figure 3. The beam 16 travels into the beam splitter 5 and is divided again into two identical bundles of light 18a and 18b (as 5 shown in Figure 4). Bundle of light 18a travels along the optical axis and bundle 18b is re-directed by the right-angled prism 7. The beam 17 is reflected into the splitter 8 by the prism 6 and divided again into two parts 19a and 19b. The beams 18a, 18b and 19a are parallel and travel through the camera lens 11 to form the three real images onto the image 10 panel 13. The beam l9b is redirected by the prism 9 and then forms a real image onto the image panel 14 by the camera lens 12. The beam splitters 4, 5, 8 and prisms 6, 7 are integrated to form the beam splitter/prism unit 22. 15 The images formed by the beams 18b and 19a are identical both in size and in intensity as they have the same optical path lengths. By placing two optical filters with different band-passes, i.e. 10a and lOc, into the beams' axes respectively, the two banded images can then be used for the calculations of temperature distribution of the flame using the well 20 established two-wavelength principle. A short-wave pass filter 1 Ob is placed into the beam 18a. The filtered image is then used for the calculations of the geometric and luminous parameters of the flame. Two path length compensation lenses, made from high-index refraction glasses, may be necessary to be placed in front of the filters lea and lOc 25 to correct the path length difference between the beams 18b/19a and 18a so as to ensure the three images are well focused on the image panel 13.
Either a band-pass or a short-wave pass filter 10d is placed into the beam 19b. The filtered image can then be used for the flicker measurement of 30 the flame. An alternative means of collecting the image formed by the beam l9b is placed the camera (lens 12 and image panel 14) directly into
the optical axis of the beam l9b right after the beam splitter 8. In such an arrangement, the direction of the beam splitter 8 can be varied so that the image can be collected either horizontally or vertically.
5 The practical implementation of the invention is shown in Figure 5 with an alternative approach in Figure 6. The optical probe 2 is shielded by water/air-cooled jacket 20 to prevent the optical components from the excessive thermal radiation inside the furnace and keep the objective lens of the probe free from dust. The flame light is split by the optical 10 assembly 21 into four beams, as described in above sections. The four beams provide three images for the camera 23 and one image for the camera 24. The camera lenses 11 and 12 are capable of zooming so that the sizes of the images can be adjusted. The resolution of the camera 23 should be high to provide good quality images for the measurement of the 15 geometric and luminous parameters and temperature distribution. The frame rate of the camera 24 should be high enough to collect sufficient i images for the reconstruction of the flicker signal for the measurement of flame flicker. Once the images are fed into the dedicated software system, all the flame parameters are determined by processing the digital images 20 on an on-line, continuous basis.
The apparatus described in the foregoing sections represents a typical example of the embodiment within the present invention. It will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without 25 departing from such principles. All such ways are intended to be included in the scope of the claims.

Claims (12)

CLAIMS:
1. A method for measuring the physical parametric characteristics of a combustion flame generated in a furnace including the steps of 5 transmitting light from the flame into an optical assembly through an optical probe positioned in use in a wall of the furnace, splitting the light into four beams in the optical assembly, projecting three of the four beams onto an imaging panel of a first, high-resolution CCD camera to generate digital images indicative of geometric, luminous 10 and temperature parameters of the flame, collecting the fourth beam by a second, high speed CCD camera to generate a digital image for measuring flame flicker, and processing the digital images using application software to determine the said flame parameters.
15
2. A method according to Claim 1 in which the flame characteristics are
determined continuously from the digital images by the software and presented in graphical and/or numerical form on a computer screen and saved in data storage facilities.
20
3. A method for measuring the physical parametric characteristics of a combustion flame generated in a furnace substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
4. Apparatus for measuring the physical parametric characteristics of a 25 flame generated in a furnace, including an optical probe through which in use light from the flame is transmitted, an optical assembly for receiving light from the probe and adapted to split flame light into four beams, a first high resolution CCD camera for collecting three of the four beams to generate digital images thereof, a second high speed 30 CCD camera for collecting the fourth beam to generate a digital image
thereof, application software for processing the said digital images to determine the physical parameters of the flame.
5. Apparatus according to Claims 3 in which an objective lens is 5 provided to focus flame light transmitted by the optical probe to form a clear image.
6. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 3 and din which the optical assembly includes a beam splitter/prism unit, light reflectors and 10 optical filters.
7. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding Claims 6 in which the beam splitter/prism unit includes a first beam splitter for the purpose of dividing flame light into two identical bundles of light, and 15 second and third beam splitters to divide the two bundles of light into four further bundles of light.
8. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding Claims 6 or 7 in which light reflectors are provided to direct the discrete bundles of 20 beams or light to the cameras.
9. Apparatus according to Claim 6 to 8 in which prisms are provided as the light reflectors.
25
10. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims 4 to 9 in which light filters are provided to generate filtered images on the image panels of the cameras.
11. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims 4 to 10 in 30 which the lenses of the cameras are provided with a zoom facility whereby the flame image size is adjustable.
12. Apparatus for measuring the physical parametric characteristics of a flame generated in a furnace substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
GB0215983A 2002-07-10 2002-07-10 Digital imaging based flame monitoring apparatus Expired - Fee Related GB2390674B (en)

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Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0215983A GB2390674B (en) 2002-07-10 2002-07-10 Digital imaging based flame monitoring apparatus

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Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0215983A GB2390674B (en) 2002-07-10 2002-07-10 Digital imaging based flame monitoring apparatus

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GB0215983D0 GB0215983D0 (en) 2002-08-21
GB2390674A true GB2390674A (en) 2004-01-14
GB2390674B GB2390674B (en) 2006-05-17

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Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2008022474A1 (en) * 2006-08-25 2008-02-28 Abb Research Ltd Camera-based flame detector
CN101943604A (en) * 2009-09-30 2011-01-12 卢家金 Temperature-measurement imaging system and measuring method thereof
GB2478708A (en) * 2010-03-15 2011-09-21 Bios Technologies Llp Measuring the temperature of an object with an image sensor
US20130029281A1 (en) * 2011-07-25 2013-01-31 Ivoclar Vivadent Ag Dental Furnce
CN103308182A (en) * 2013-06-24 2013-09-18 重庆市科学技术研究院 Pulsing photothermal effect bicolor pyrometer device

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN105784121B (en) * 2016-04-01 2018-10-26 华北电力大学 The a wide range of two-dimension temperature field measurement device of nine channel adaptives and its measurement method
CN105910712B (en) * 2016-04-01 2018-10-26 华北电力大学 Five-channel self-adaption two-dimensional temperature field measuring apparatus and its measurement method

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4907281A (en) * 1986-10-16 1990-03-06 Imatran Voima Oy Method of image analysis in pulverized fuel combustion
JPH02157515A (en) * 1988-12-09 1990-06-18 Hitachi Ltd Spectral display device for flame of gas turbine combustor
US5677532A (en) * 1996-04-22 1997-10-14 Duncan Technologies, Inc. Spectral imaging method and apparatus

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4907281A (en) * 1986-10-16 1990-03-06 Imatran Voima Oy Method of image analysis in pulverized fuel combustion
JPH02157515A (en) * 1988-12-09 1990-06-18 Hitachi Ltd Spectral display device for flame of gas turbine combustor
US5677532A (en) * 1996-04-22 1997-10-14 Duncan Technologies, Inc. Spectral imaging method and apparatus

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2008022474A1 (en) * 2006-08-25 2008-02-28 Abb Research Ltd Camera-based flame detector
CN101506582B (en) * 2006-08-25 2012-06-13 Abb研究有限公司 Camera-based flame detector
CN101943604A (en) * 2009-09-30 2011-01-12 卢家金 Temperature-measurement imaging system and measuring method thereof
CN101943604B (en) * 2009-09-30 2011-09-07 卢家金 Temperature-measurement imaging system and measuring method thereof
GB2478708A (en) * 2010-03-15 2011-09-21 Bios Technologies Llp Measuring the temperature of an object with an image sensor
US20130029281A1 (en) * 2011-07-25 2013-01-31 Ivoclar Vivadent Ag Dental Furnce
US10041734B2 (en) * 2011-07-25 2018-08-07 Ivoclar Vivadent Ag Dental furnace
CN103308182A (en) * 2013-06-24 2013-09-18 重庆市科学技术研究院 Pulsing photothermal effect bicolor pyrometer device

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GB2390674B (en) 2006-05-17
GB0215983D0 (en) 2002-08-21

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Effective date: 20160710