Measuring heating value of a gas using flameless combustion
US5882115A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 18, 1997 |
| Grant date | Mar 16, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 18, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N25/32
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The heating value of a sample gas is calculated by a microcontroller (12) from the heating value of a reference gas, and from flow ratios and power levels determined as the gas is combusted by a flameless combustion process. The combustible gas is mixed with a combustion supporting gas, such as air, and flowed to a body of material (26, 52) which is heated to a temperature sufficient for oxidation of the gas mixture. The size of spaces in a first embodiment of a heater device (9, 11, 25, 26) and in a second embodiment of a heater device (50) are limited to prevent formation of an open flame. In a preferred "lean mixture" embodiment, the gas-air mixture of the reference gas, and the gas-air mixture of the sample gas, respectively, are each adjusted until a selected power level of combustion at a temperature lower than the point of stoichiometric combustion is reached. In a second, "rich mixture" embodiment, the gas-air mixture of the reference gas, and the gas-air mixture of the sample gas, respectively, are each adjusted from a "rich mixture" to reach a point of stoichiometric combustion. Based on flow rates and the selected power ratio, the heating value of the sample gas is calcu…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.