Abstract:
A method for determining an change in an operating condition of a gas burner appliance. In some instances, a calibration of a gas/air mixture may be performed when the combustion quality of the gas burner appliance diminishes. This may be accomplished by adjusting a throttle position of a throttle valve that throttles the gas to the gas burner appliance. After calibration has been performed, a throttle position of the throttle valve is determined, and based on the throttle position determined after calibration, a change of an operating condition of the gas burner appliance is detectable.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority to European Patent Application Serial No. 16 164 170.9, filed Apr. 7, 2016, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
       TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present patent application relates to a method for operating a gas burner appliance. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    EP 2 667 097 A1 discloses a method for operating a gas burner appliance. During burner-on phases, a defined gas/air mixture having a defined mixing ratio of gas and air is provided to a burner chamber of the gas burner appliance for combusting the defined gas/air mixture within the burner chamber. The defined gas/air mixture is provided by a mixing device mixing an air flow provided by an air duct with a gas flow provided by a gas duct. The air flow flowing through the air duct is provided by fan in such a way that the fan speed of the fan depends on a desired burner load of the gas burner appliance, wherein the fan speed range of the fan defines a so-called modulation range of the gas burner appliance. 
         [0004]    According to EP 2 667 097 A1, the defined mixing ratio of gas and air of the gas/air mixture is kept constant over the entire modulation range of the gas burner appliance by a pneumatic controller. The pneumatic controller uses a pressure difference between the gas pressure of the gas flow in the gas pipe and a reference pressure, wherein either the air pressure of the air flow in the air duct or the ambient pressure is used as reference pressure, and wherein the pressure difference between the gas pressure of the gas flow in the gas pipe and the reference pressure is determined and controlled pneumatically. The combustion quality is monitored on basis of a signal provided by a combustion quality sensor like a flame ionization sensor. 
         [0005]    According to EP 2 667 097 A1, during burner-on phases of the gas burner appliance, the mixing ratio of the gas/air mixture can be calibrated to different gas qualities on basis of the signal provided by the flame ionization sensor. The flame ionization sensor is used to calibrate the gas/air mixture to different gas qualities. The control of the mixing ratio of the gas/air mixture over the modulation range of the gas burner is independent from the flame ionization current. 
         [0006]    As mentioned above, EP 2 667 097 A1 discloses a method for operating a gas burner appliance in which the defined mixing ratio of the gas/air mixture is kept constant over the entire modulation range of the gas burner. Only during the calibration mode, the mixing ratio of the gas/air mixture can be changed to compensate for a changing gas quality. However, after a calibration has been executed, the mixing ratio of the gas/air mixture is kept constant over the entire modulation range of the gas burner appliance. The calibration as disclosed by EP 2 667 097 A1, that is used to compensate for a changing gas quality, is performed in a certain subrange of the modulating range of the gas burner close to full-load operation of the same, preferably between 50% (corresponds to a modulation of “2”) and 100% (corresponds to a modulation of “1”) of full burner load operation. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    Against this background a novel method for operating a gas burner is provided. The method arrangement for operating a gas burner according to the invention is defined in the claim  1 . 
         [0008]    The calibration of the defined gas/air mixture is performed at any fan speed of the fan within a predefined fan speed range and thereby at any burner load within a predefined burner load range when a difference between an actual value of the signal provided by the combustion quality sensor and a corresponding nominal value is greater than a respective threshold. 
         [0009]    After the calibration has been performed, the absolute throttle position is determined, wherein depending from said absolute throttle position determined after calibration, a change of an operating condition of the gas burner appliance is detectable. 
         [0010]    According to the invention, the difference between the actual value of the signal provided by the combustion quality sensor and the corresponding nominal value is continuously monitored. If said difference is too big, namely greater than the respective threshold, the calibration of the defined gas/air mixture is performed. The calibration is performed at any fan speed within the predefined fan speed range and thereby at any burner load in the predefined burner load range. After the calibration is completed, the absolute throttle position of the throttle is determined, wherein depending from said absolute throttle position detected after calibration, a change of an operating condition of the gas burner appliance is detectable. The invention provides the ability to determine the reason why the difference between the actual value of the signal provided by the combustion quality sensor and the corresponding nominal value is too big. 
         [0011]    The calibration is performed under the assumption of a constant gas quality. Under said assumption, depending from said absolute throttle position of the throttle determined after calibration, at least one of the following changes of operating conditions of the gas burner appliance is detectable: drift of the pneumatic controller, blockage of an air intake, blockage of an exhaust gas chimney, recirculation of exhaust gas. 
         [0012]    According to a preferred embodiment, when said calibration of the defined gas/air mixture is performed at a relatively high fan speed and thereby at a relatively high burner load being larger than a respective threshold, and when the absolute throttle position determined after the calibration is within a defined range, no recirculation of exhaust gas becomes detected. 
         [0013]    When said calibration of the defined gas/air mixture is performed at a relatively high fan speed and thereby at a relatively high burner load being larger than a respective threshold, and when the absolute throttle position determined after the calibration is outside of a defined range, recirculation of exhaust gas or changing gas quality becomes detected. 
         [0014]    Preferably, a gas quality being too poor or—under the assumption of a constant gas quality—recirculation of exhaust gas becomes detected when the absolute throttle position is below a lower threshold of the defined range. A gas quality being too rich becomes detected when the absolute throttle position is above an upper threshold of the defined range. 
         [0015]    The invention provides the ability to determine the reason why the difference between the actual value of the signal provided by the combustion quality sensor and the corresponding nominal value is too big, preferably under the assumption of a constant gas quality and thus for other reasons than a changing gas quality. 
         [0016]    According to a preferred embodiment, when said calibration of the defined gas/air mixture is performed at a relatively low speed of the fan and thereby at a relatively low burner load being lower than a respective threshold, and when the absolute throttle position determined after the calibration is within a defined range, no drift of the pneumatic controller and no blockage of the air intake and no blockage of the exhaust gas chimney becomes detected. 
         [0017]    Preferably, when said calibration of the defined gas/air mixture is performed at a relatively low speed of the fan and thereby at a relatively low burner load being lower than a respective threshold, and when the absolute throttle position after the calibration is outside of a defined range, the absolute throttle after calibration is compared with an absolute throttle position determined after a calibration performed at a relatively high speed of the fan and thereby at a relatively high burner load being higher than the respective threshold. 
         [0018]    A drift of the pneumatic controller or a blockage of the air intake of the gas burner or a blockage of the exhaust gas chimney becomes detected when a difference between said absolute throttle positions of the throttle is higher than a respective threshold. A changing gas quality is detected when said difference between said absolute throttle positions of the throttle is lower than a respective threshold. 
         [0019]    The invention provides the ability to determine the reason why the difference between the actual value of the signal provided by the combustion quality sensor and the corresponding nominal value is too big, preferably for other reasons than a changing has quality. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0020]    Preferred developments of the invention are provided by the dependent claims and the description which follows. Exemplary embodiments are explained in more detail on the basis of the drawing, in which: 
           [0021]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic view of a gas burner; 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  shows a first diagram illustrating the method for operating a gas burner; 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  shows a second diagram illustrating the method for operating a gas burner; 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  shows a third diagram illustrating the method for operating a gas burner, and 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  shows a fourth diagram illustrating the method for operating a gas burner. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0026]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic view of a gas burner appliance  10 . The same comprises a gas burner chamber  11  with a gas burner surface  25  in which combustion of a defined gas/air mixture having a defined mixing ratio of gas and air takes place during burner-on phases of the gas burner appliance  10 . 
         [0027]    The combustion of the gas/air mixture results in flames  12  monitored by a combustion quality sensor, namely by a flame rod  13 . 
         [0028]    The defined gas/air mixture is provided to the gas burner chamber  11  of the gas burner appliance  10  by mixing an air flow with a gas flow. 
         [0029]    A fan  14  sucks in air flowing through an air duct  15  and gas flowing through a gas duct  16 . 
         [0030]    A gas regulating valve  18  for adjusting the gas flow through the gas duct  16  and a gas safety valve  19  are assigned to the gas duct  16 . 
         [0031]    The defined gas/air mixture having the defined mixing ratio of gas and air is provided to the gas burner chamber  11  of the gas burner appliance  10 . The defined gas/air mixture is provided by mixing the air flow provided by an air duct  15  with a gas flow provided by a gas duct  16 . The air flow and the gas flow become preferably mixed by a mixing device  23 . Such a mixing device can be designed as a so-called Venturi nozzle. 
         [0032]    The quantity of the air flow and thereby the quantity of the gas/air mixture flow is adjusted by the fan  14 , namely by the speed of the fan  14 . The fan speed can be adjusted by an actuator  22  of the fan  14 . 
         [0033]    The fan speed of the fan  14  is controlled by a controller  20  generating a control variable for the actuator  22  of the fan  14 . 
         [0034]    The defined mixing ratio of the defined gas/air mixture is controlled by the gas regulating valve  18 , namely by a pneumatic controller  24  of the same. The pneumatic controller  24  of the gas regulating valve  18  controls the opening/closing position of the gas regulating valve  18 . 
         [0035]    The position of the gas regulating valve  18  is adjusted by the pneumatic controller  24  on basis of a pressure difference between the gas pressure of the gas flow in the gas duct  16  and a reference pressure. The gas regulating valve  18  is controlled by the pneumatic controller  24  in such a way that at the outlet pressure of the gas regulating valve  18  is equal to the reference pressure. 
         [0036]    In  FIG. 1 , the ambient pressure serves as reference pressure. However, it is also possible to use the air pressure of the air flow in the air duct  15  as the reference pressure. The pressure difference between the gas pressure and the reference pressure is determined pneumatically by pneumatic sensor of the pneumatic controller  24 . 
         [0037]    The mixing ratio of the defined gas/air mixture is controlled by the pneumatic controller  24  in such a way that over the entire modulation range of the gas burner appliance  10 , the defined mixing ratio of the defined gas/air mixture is kept constant. A modulation of “1” means that the fan  14  is operated at maximum fan speed (100% of maximum fay speed) and thereby at full-load of the gas burner appliance  10 . A modulation of “2” means that the fan  14  is operated at 50% of the maximum fan speed and a modulation of “5” means that the fan  14  is operated at 20% of the maximum fan speed. 
         [0038]    By changing the fan speed of the fan  14 , the load of the gas burner appliance  10  can be adjusted. Over the entire modulation range of the gas burner appliance  10 , the defined mixing ratio of the defined gas/air mixture is kept constant. 
         [0039]    As described above, the mixing ratio of the defined gas/air mixture is controlled during burner-on phases by the pneumatic controller  24  so that over the entire modulation range of the gas burner appliance  10 , the defined mixing ratio of the gas/air mixture is kept constant. 
         [0040]    During burner-on phases, the defined mixing ratio of gas and air of the defined gas/air mixture can be calibrated. 
         [0041]    The calibration is performed by adjusting a position of a throttle  17  within the gas duct  16 . The throttle position of the throttle  17  can be adjusted by an actuator  21  assigned to the throttle  17 . The controller  20  controls the actuator  21  and thereby the throttle position of the throttle  17  during calibration. 
         [0042]    The absolute throttle position of the throttle  17  after calibration can be determined in different ways. With use of a stepper motor as actuator  21 , the actual absolute throttle position of the throttle  17  can be determined by counting steps of the stepper motor. With use of a solenoid as actuator  21 , the actual absolute throttle position of the throttle  17  can be determined by measuring/controlling the electrical current of the same. It is also possible to determine the absolute throttle position of the throttle  17  after calibration by using a position feedback provided by a sensing element like a Hall sensor assigned to the throttle  17 . 
         [0043]    The calibration of the defined gas/air mixture as disclosed is performed at any speed of the fan within a predefined fan speed range and thereby at any burner load within a predefined burner load range, namely when a difference between an actual value of the signal provided by the combustion quality sensor, namely by the ionization sensor  13 , and a corresponding nominal value is greater than a threshold. The difference between the actual value of the signal provided by the ionization sensor  13  and the corresponding nominal value is determined outside a calibration routine. When said difference becomes too big, the calibration is started. 
         [0044]    The nominal value for the signal provided by the ionization sensor  13  is stored within the controller  20 . 
         [0045]    Said nominal value for the signal provided by the ionization sensor  13  is preferably the ionization current recorded directly after the last calibration routine. 
         [0046]    After the calibration has been completed, the absolute throttle position of the throttle  17  is determined, wherein depending from said absolute throttle position determined after calibration, a change of an operating condition of the gas burner appliance  10  is detectable. 
         [0047]    So, the difference between the actual value of the signal provided by the combustion quality sensor, namely by the ionization sensor  13 , and the corresponding nominal value is continuously monitored. If said difference is too big, namely greater than the respective threshold, the calibration of the defined gas/air mixture is performed. 
         [0048]    The calibration is performed at any fan speed within the predefined fan speed range and thereby at any burner load the predefined burner load range. After the calibration is completed, the absolute throttle position of the throttle  17  is determined, wherein depending from said absolute throttle position determined after calibration, a change of an operating condition of the gas burner becomes detected. 
         [0049]    The calibration of the defined gas/air mixture is performed under the assumption of a constant gas quality. Depending from said absolute throttle position of the throttle  17  determined after calibration, at least one of the following changes of operating conditions of the gas burner is detectable under said assumption of a constant gas quality: drift of the pneumatic controller  24  of the gas burner appliance  10 , blockage of an air intake of the gas burner appliance  10 , blockage of an exhaust gas chimney  26  of the gas burner appliance  10 , recirculation of exhaust gas into the air or the gas/air mixture within the gas burner appliance  10 . 
         [0050]    The invention provides the ability to determine the reason why the difference between the actual value of the signal provided by the combustion quality sensor, namely by the ionization sensor  13 , and the corresponding nominal value is too big, preferably under the assumption of a constant gas quality and preferably for other reasons than a changing gas quality. 
         [0051]    A constant gas quality can be assumed for many gas burner appliances, especially for gas burner appliances installed in countries in which the gas quality does not or hardly change, like in Germany, The Netherlands or in other countries proving a stable gas quality to customers. 
         [0052]    Additional details of the invention will be described below under reference to  FIGS. 2 to 4 . Each of  FIGS. 2 to 4  shows on the x-axis the fan speed n of the fan  14  and on the y-axis the absolute throttle position P of the throttle  17 . 
         [0053]    The fan speed n of the fan is shown as percentage of the maximum fan speed n MAX , wherein a fan speed n of 20% means 20% of maximum fan speed n MAX  and thereby a modulation of “5”, wherein a fan speed n of 60% means 60% of maximum fan speed n MAX  and thereby a modulation of “1.67”, and wherein a fan speed n of 100% means 100% of maximum fan speed nMAx and thereby a modulation of “1”. 
         [0054]    As described above, the calibration is performed at any fan speed within a predefined fan speed range and thereby at any burner load within a predefined burner load range. In the shown embodiments, the predefined fan speed range, in which the calibration is performed, is between 20% of maximum fan speed n MAX  and 100% of maximum fan speed n MAX . So, the predefined burner load range, in which the calibration is performed, is between a modulation of “1” and a modulation of “5”. 
         [0055]    The upper limit of said predefined fan speed range or burner load range, in which said the calibration is performed, is at 100% of maximum fan speed or at a modulation of “1”. 
         [0056]    The lower limit of said predefined fan speed range or burner load range, in which said the calibration is performed, is at least at 20% of maximum fan speed or at least at a modulation of “5”. The lower limit of said predefined fan speed range or burner load range, in which said the calibration is performed, can also be at 15% of maximum fan speed and thereby at a modulation of “6.67” or at 10% of maximum fan speed and thereby at a modulation of “10”. 
         [0057]    When said calibration of the defined gas/air mixture is performed at a relatively low fan speed of the fan  14  and thereby at a relatively low burner load being lower than a respective threshold, e.g. at a fan speed below 50% of maximum fan speed n MAX , preferably at a fan speed below 40% of maximum fan speed n MAX , most preferably at a fan speed below 33.33% of maximum fan speed n MAX —meaning at a predefined burner load below a modulation of “2”, preferably at a predefined burner load below a modulation of “2.5”, most preferably at a predefined burner load below a modulation of “3”, and when further the absolute throttle position P determined after the calibration is within a defined range ΔP defined by an upper threshold P MAX  and a lower threshold P MIN , no drift of the pneumatic controller  24  and no blockage of the air intake and no blockage of the exhaust gas chimney  26  becomes detected (see  FIG. 2 ). 
         [0058]    In  FIG. 2 , the absolute throttle position P 1  and the absolute throttle position P 2  are both within the defined range ΔP so that no drift of the pneumatic controller  24  and no blockage of the air intake and no blockage of the exhaust gas chimney  26  becomes detected. 
         [0059]    The upper threshold P MAX  and the lower threshold P MIN  defining the range ΔP depend both from a throttle calibration performed at maximum fan speed and thereby at a modulation of “1”. 
         [0060]    When said calibration of the defined gas/air mixture is performed at a relatively low speed of the fan  14  and thereby at a relatively low burner load being lower than a respective threshold, e.g. at a fan speed below 50% of maximum fan speed n MAX , preferably at a fan speed below 40% of maximum fan speed n MAX , most preferably at a fan speed below 33% of maximum fan speed n MAX —meaning at a predefined burner load below a modulation of “2”, preferably at a predefined burner load below a modulation of “2.5”, most preferably at a predefined burner load below a modulation of “3”, and when the absolute throttle position P after the calibration is outside of the defined range ΔP (see  FIG. 3 , the absolute throttle position P 1  and the absolute throttle position P 2  are at relatively low fan speeds both outside the defined range ΔP), the absolute throttle position determined after calibration is compared with a reference throttle position. Said reference throttle position is an absolute throttle position P determined after a calibration performed at a relatively high speed of the fan  14  and thereby at a relatively high burner load being higher than the respective threshold, e.g. at a fan speed above 50% of maximum fan speed n MAX  and thereby at a predefined burner load above a modulation of “2”. 
         [0061]    It is possible that said absolute throttle position P which is used as reference throttle position has been determined before, preferably immediately before, or will be determined after, preferably immediately after, it has been determined that the absolute throttle position P determined after the calibration performed at a relatively low speed of the fan  14  is outside of the defined range ΔP. If said reference throttle position has been determined beforehand, the comparison with the reference throttle position can be done immediately. 
         [0062]    Otherwise, it would be necessary to modulate up the gas burner appliance for the determination of the reference throttle position. 
         [0063]    A drift of the pneumatic controller  24  or a blockage of the air intake of the gas burner appliance  10  or a blockage of the exhaust gas chimney  26  outlet of the gas burner appliance  10  becomes detected when said difference between said absolute throttle positions of the throttle  17 , namely between the absolute throttle position determined after calibration and the reference throttle position, is higher than a respective threshold. A changing gas quality is detected when said difference between said absolute throttle positionsabsolute positions of the throttle  17  is lower than the respective threshold. 
         [0064]    When said calibration of the defined gas/air mixture is performed at a relatively high speed of the fan  14  and thereby at a relatively high burner load being larger than a respective threshold, e.g.at a fan speed above 50% of maximum fan speed n MAX  and thereby at a predefined burner load above a modulation of “2”, and when the absolute throttle position P determined after the calibration is within a defined range ΔP defined by the upper threshold P MAX  and the lower threshold P MIN  (see  FIG. 5 ), no recirculation of exhaust gas becomes detected. 
         [0065]    However, when the absolute throttle position determined after the calibration under these calibration conditions is outside of the defined range ΔP, recirculation of exhaust gas or a changing gas quality becomes detected. When the absolute throttle position P is below the lower threshold P MIN  of the defined range ΔP (see curve P 4  of  FIG. 5 ), then a gas quality being too poor or, under the assumption of a constant gas quality, recirculation of exhaust gas becomes detected. However, when said absolute throttle position P is above the upper threshold P MAX  of the defined range ΔP (see curve P 3  of  FIG. 5 ), no recirculation of exhaust gas but a gas quality being too rich becomes detected. 
         [0066]    The above described calibration is performed during burner-on phases of the gas burner appliance  10  and started when the continuously monitored difference between the actual value of the signal provided by the combustion quality sensor and a corresponding nominal value is greater than a corresponding threshold. 
         [0067]    In the shown embodiment, the ionization sensor  13  is used as combustion quality sensor. Alternatively, an exhaust gas sensor  27  can be used as combustion quality sensor. The exhaust gas sensor may be in the exhaust gas chimney  26 , and can be an O 2 -sensor or CO-sensor. 
         [0068]    It should be noted that most gas burner appliances  10  have ignition problems at low temperatures or with gas/air mixtures set to a so-called lambda value being greater than 1.25. So, for a start-up routine at low temperatures of the gas burner appliance  10  or for a start-up routine with gas/air mixtures set to a so-called lambda value being greater than 1.25, the throttle  17  may be opened to a predefined position to create a richer gas/air mixture for the start-up routine of the gas burner appliance  10 . This richer gas/air mixture will improve ignition, but also helps to faster establish a stable combustion. When stable combustion is established, the throttle  17  will return to a position providing the defined or desired gas/air mixture. 
         [0069]    The above described calibration routine will not be performed during such a start-up routine. The above described calibration routine will only be performed after a stable combustion is established, and after the throttle  17  has returned to a position providing the defined or desired gas/air mixture. 
       LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS 
       [0000]    
       
           10  gas burner appliance 
           11  gas burner chamber 
           12  flame 
           13  flame rod 
           15  air duct 
           16  gas duct 
           17  throttle 
           18  gas valve/regulating valve 
           19  gas valve/safety valve 
           20  controller 
           21  actuator 
           22  actuator 
           23  mixing device 
           24  pneumatic controller 
           25  gas burner surface 
           26  exhaust gas chimney 
           27  exhaust gas sensor