A gas meter that is a flow rate measurement device includes a flow rate measurement unit for measuring, at a constant time interval, a flow rate of gas flowing in a passage, a pressure measurement unit for measuring pressure of the gas in the passage, a power supply unit for supplying power to a pressure measurement unit, and an appliance determination unit for determining an appliance being used based on a gas flow rate value. The gas meter further includes a measurement interval controller for determining a gas non-use state, an appliance determination performing state, or an appliance determination non-performing state based on the gas flow rate value and operation information of the appliance determination unit, for controlling the power supply unit in accordance with the determined state, and for changing an interval for turning on/off power supplied to the pressure measurement unit.

A system for controlling activity in a combustion chamber. The system does not necessarily need to be mechanically adjusted and yet may provide precise control of a fuel air mixture ratio. A sensing module of the system may have a mass flow sensor that relates to air flow and another sensor that relates to fuel flow. Neither sensor may need contact with fuel. Fuel and air to the system may be controlled. Pressure of the fuel and/or air may be regulated. The sensors may provide signals to a processor to indicate a state of the fuel and air in the system. The processor, with reliance on a programmed curve, table or the like, often based on data, in a storage memory, may regulate the flow or pressure of the fuel and air in a parallel fashion to provide an appropriate fuel-air mixture to the combustion chamber.

A fuel sub-metering mechanism for appliances that consume fuel. Each appliance may have a firing rate indicator. An individual fuel line may be connected to each appliance. A main fuel line may be connected to individual fuel lines. A meter may be connected to the main fuel line. A processor may be connected to the firing rate indicators and to the meter. The meter may measure total fuel consumption by the appliances. The processor may provide a sub-meter estimate of fuel consumed by each appliance. The sub-meter estimate may be based at least in part on a firing rate of the respective appliance and the total fuel consumption as indicated by the meter.

A system for measuring a fuel-oxidant equivalence ratio includes at least one wall defining a gas volume including fuel and air. A gas ionization source is configured to cause a formation of ions in the gas. A power supply is configured to output a time-varying voltage. A first electrode is disposed in the gas volume, operatively coupled to the power supply, and configured to carry the time-varying voltage. A second electrode is arranged to operatively couple to a signal output by the first electrode after the signal passes through the gas volume. Characteristics of the received signal indicate the fuel-oxidant equivalence ratio.

A fuel supply system for a gas burner assembly is provided. The gas burner assembly includes an inner burner stage positioned concentrically within an outer burner stage. The fuel supply system includes a fuel supply for providing a primary flow of fuel through a primary fuel conduit and a single outlet control valve operably coupled to the primary fuel conduit. A first and second fuel supply conduit split off of the primary fuel conduit and are fluidly coupled with the outer burner stage and the inner burner stage, respectively. A shutoff valve is operably coupled to one of the first fuel supply conduit and the second fuel supply conduit and is configured for closing when a flow rate of fuel through the shutoff valve drops below a predetermined flow rate.

The present disclosure deals with the measurement of flows of a fluid in a combustion device. For example, a combustion device may include a burner; a combustion chamber; a side duct; and a feed duct with a connector for the side duct including a mass flow sensor and a flow resistance element. The side duct and the feed duct have a fluid connection to one another. The mass flow sensor senses a mass flow through the side duct. The resistance element subdivides the side duct and includes an admittance surface. There is an outer area. The mass flow sensor projects into the side duct. The outlet of the side duct lets the fluid flow out of the side duct directly into the combustion chamber or directly into the outer area.

Various embodiments include a method for estimating a flow value for fuels of different compositions supplied to a combustion device using a mass flow sensor. An example method includes: recording a first temperature of the fuel using a first resistor element; determining a compensable value with a heat output signal of a heating element; and estimating a flow value for the fuel supply by compensation of the value compensable as a function of the first temperature and/or as a function of the fuel composition and/or as a function of the fuel gas composition on the basis of at least one saved mapping rule dependent on the first temperature and/or on the fuel composition and/or on the fuel gas composition and on the basis of a calibration characteristic curve saved for a reference gas.

A method and apparatus for controlling a process in a system comprising pre-processing of a raw material, processing the pre-processed raw material and acquisition of the result of the processing of the pre-processed raw material, comprising the steps of: capturing input and output variables of the pre-processing; capturing output variables of the processing of the pre-processed raw material; creating a first, second and third process model for at least two different time scales, which describes the effects of adapting the pre-processing of raw material, the effects of adapting the processing of the pre-processed raw material, the effects of adapting the pre-processing of raw material and adapting the processing of pre-processed raw material on the output variables of the processing of pre-processed raw material; wherein the process in the system is controlled using the prediction of the process model which currently provides the best predictions for the process in the system.

A burner includes a flame sensor configured to detect at least one of permittivity, capacitance, or resistance across a flame region. The permittivity, capacitance, or resistance is used to determine the presence or absence of the flame in a combustion system. A combustion system supports a combustion reaction. The combustion system utilizes a combustion sensor, and optionally a plasma generator to stabilize the combustion reaction. A controller receives sensor signals from the combustion sensor and controls the plasma generator to stabilize the combustion reaction responsive to the sensor signals. The plasma generator stabilizes the combustion reaction by generating a plasma.

Methods, devices, and systems for combustion resonance suppression are described herein. One device includes a memory, and a processor configured to execute executable instructions stored in the memory to receive a number of operating conditions of a burner, determine whether resonance characteristics are present in a combustion chamber housing the burner based on the number of operating conditions of the burner, and modify at least one of an air supply and a fuel supply to the burner upon determining resonance characteristics are present in the combustion chamber.