A method for controlling a combustion apparatus having a combustion state in which a parameter related to the combustion state reflects a chaotic behavior is provided. The method includes the steps of measuring the parameter and determining a time series of the parameter, shifting the time series by a variable time delay for determining a time-shifted signal, and forming a difference between the time-shifted signal and the time series for determining a time dependent first signal, so that a norm of the difference is lowest. A time dependent second signal is determined, wherein determining the time dependent second signal includes at least one of using a frequency of a desired oscillating combustion state, and shifting the time series by a set time delay. The first signal and the second signal are combined to determine a control signal. The control signal is used to influence the combustion apparatus.

A system that includes: a gas turbine having a combustion system; a control system operably connected to the gas turbine for controlling an operation thereof; and a combustion auto-tuner, which is communicatively linked to the control system, that includes an optimization system having an empirical model of the combustion system and an optimizer; sensors configured to measure the inputs and outputs of the combustion system; a hardware processor; and machine-readable storage medium on which is stored instructions that cause the hardware processor to execute a tuning process for tuning the operation of the combustion system. The tuning process includes the steps of: receiving current measurements from the sensors for the inputs and outputs; given the current measurements received from the sensors, using the optimization system to calculate an optimized control solution for the combustion system; and communicating the optimized control solution to the control system.

A system that includes: a gas turbine having a combustion system; a control system operably connected to the gas turbine for controlling an operation thereof; and a combustion auto-tuner, which is communicatively linked to the control system, that includes an optimization system having an empirical model of the combustion system and an optimizer; sensors configured to measure the inputs and outputs of the combustion system; a hardware processor; and machine-readable storage medium on which is stored instructions that cause the hardware processor to execute a tuning process for tuning the operation of the combustion system. The tuning process includes the steps of: receiving current measurements from the sensors for the inputs and outputs; given the current measurements received from the sensors, using the optimization system to calculate an optimized control solution for the combustion system; and communicating the optimized control solution to the control system.

The present invention relates to a method for controlling a heating unit comprising a burner (1) with a burner housing (2), an ionization electrode (7) associated with the burner (1), and a voltage supply (8) for applying an alternating voltage between the ionization electrode (7) and the burner housing (2), said method comprising the method steps: applying an alternating voltage between the ionization electrode (7) and the burner housing (2) by means of the voltage supply (8) and correcting the output of the voltage supply (8) in the event of parasitic leakage flows. The object of the present invention is in particular to improve the reliability when ascertaining the air-fuel ratio via the ionization current.

Systems and methods for improved gas turbine engine performance are disclosed. The method can include receiving an error function for a wide range of fuels. The error function can provide lower heating value (LHV) corrections over the wide range of fuels. The method can include receiving gas turbine engine operation data for a first period of run time on the gas turbine from one or more sensors of the gas turbine engine. The engine operation data can include a performance data points. The method can include determining an optimum LHV based on the engine operation data for the first period of run time and the error function. The method can then include adjusting fuel consumption of the gas turbine engine based on the optimum LHV.

The present invention relates to a method for controlling a heating unit comprising a burner (1) with a burner housing (2), an ionization electrode (7) associated with the burner (1), and a voltage supply (8) for applying an alternating voltage between the ionization electrode (7) and the burner housing (2), said method comprising the method steps: applying an alternating voltage between the ionization electrode (7) and the burner housing (2) by means of the voltage supply (8) and correcting the output of the voltage supply (8) in the event of parasitic leakage flows. The object of the present invention is in particular to improve the reliability when ascertaining the air-fuel ratio via the ionization current.

A method is provided for monitoring and controlling combustion in a burner of a fuel gas apparatus, having a sensor with an electrode able to be supplied by a voltage generator and connected to an electronic circuit for measuring the resultant potential. The method includes acquiring and processing data from experimental conditions and a second phase of evaluating the desired combustion characteristic, under an actual operating condition of the burner. A plurality of experimental combustion conditions for the burner are preselected, applying to the burner, in each condition, a power and a further significant parameter of the combustion characteristics, under each of the experimental conditions applying an electrical voltage signal to said electrode and carrying out a sampling of the response signal, calculating, based on the sequence of sampled values, the characteristic parameters of the waveform of the signal for each of the experimental conditions.

The efficiency of a solid fuel burning device can be increased and the emissions can be reduced with proper monitoring and guidance. At least one memory and processor can receive information related to operating conditions of a solid fuel burning device from at least one sensor and filter that information and determine a property related to usage of the solid fuel burning device based on fitting the filtered information to a set of reference conditions. The property can be compared to a lookup table comprising triggering events and when the property satisfies one of the triggering events appropriate guidance for operation of the solid fuel burning device can be retrieved and outputted so that alterations can be made to the operating conditions of the solid fuel burning device.

A method for predicting a combustion error type of a combustion flame. A raw signal of an error parameter of the combustion flame within a predefined time span is measured, the error parameter is adapted for determining the combustion error type. A predefined frequency range from the raw signal is extracted using a by-pass filter, where the raw signal is decomposed. The number of peaks of the predefined frequency range within the time span is counted. An actual reference value is determined by dividing the number of counted peaks by the time span. The actual reference value is compared with a nominal reference value, wherein the nominal reference value is determined by dividing a predefined number of peaks of the predefined frequency range by the time span, so that the combustion error type is predictable if the actual reference value differs to the nominal reference value.

A bubbling fluidized bed combustion device (1) comprising a fluidization vessel (2), a fluidized sand bed (3) arranged in the fluidization vessel and an arrangement for monitoring the fluidized sand bed. The arrangement comprises at least one radar level gauge (4) arranged to repeatedly measure a distance (D) in the fluidization vessel from a reference point (5) to at least one portion (6) of the top surface of (7) the fluidized sand bed, and to provide a measurement signal (S) representative of the distance. The invention also relates to a method for monitoring a fluidized bed in a bubbling fluidized bed combustion device.