Structured Emission Thermometry Sensor for Burner Control

Industrial processes such as glass production burn huge quantities of natural gas. Burner settings are often set with large error margins to avoid producing pollution. Often, burners are set ¿by eye,¿ with feedback provided from one global stack-gas sensor. Because multiple burners are used, the use of a single sensor tends to obfuscate which burner may be improperly set. These margins and errors create inefficiencies and increase pollution. This project will apply passive optical thermometry technology to develop a new sensor for integration into the burner control system. With this sensor, operating margins can be reduced, increasing fuel efficiency without increasing pollution. It will also provide a tight control feedback loop that would enable a burner controller to optimize the flame automatically and reproducibly. Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee: When the sensor is integrated into the burner control system, operators should be able to provide more heat for the same amount of gas, increasing their competitive advantage. Industrial customers (e.g., glass manufacturers) would benefit by reducing fuel consumption and pollution per unit output, thus saving money and improving the environment.