Reduce Standby Cycling to Optimize Boiler Operation

There are savings to be had by controlling boiler standby cycling

Heating of commercial and institutional buildings presents a case where there are energy savings available through the application of an additional controller able to substantially reduce boiler operation time.

Building owners, boiler engineers, operators and other stakeholders will benefit from this simple and understandable video explanation of some of the inefficiencies associated with boiler operation, and how incorporating a better control method can minimize boiler dry firing (also called standby cycling). Boiler operation costs can be reduced between 10% and 25%, with a commensurate reduction in carbon footprint, by including the Fireye NXM2G control in the boiler control system.

Watch the video. It's just a few minutes and explains the source of the inefficiency, as well as the solution, in a manner understandable to everyone. More information is available from a combustion product specialist, who can help evaluate the efficiency of your current system or assist with incorporating the latest energy saving features and design into a new installation.

Controller Reduces Standby Cycling to Conserve Energy

Improved control can reduce dry firing of boilers,
with substantial energy savings.

Heating of commercial and institutional buildings presents a case where there are energy savings available through the application of an advanced control element able to substantially reduce boiler operation time.

Building owners, boiler engineers, operators and other stakeholders will benefit from this simple and understandable video explanation of some of the inefficiencies associated with boiler operation, and how incorporating an additional control element can minimize boiler dry firing (also called standby cycling). Boiler operation costs can be reduced between 10% and 25%, with a commensurate reduction in carbon footprint, by including the Fireye NXM2G control in the boiler control system.

Watch the video. It's just a few minutes and explains the source of the inefficiency, as well as the solution, in a manner understandable to everyone. More information is available from a combustion product specialist, who can help evaluate the efficiency of your current system or assist with incorporating the latest energy saving features and design into a new installation.

Flame Scanners For Combustion Operations

Aim flame scanner through the largest cross sectional area of the flame
Courtesy Fireye

Flame detectors or scanners are regularly deployed in combustion applications as a means of confirming the presence of flame in a combustion chamber. The verification that fuel flowing into the utilization equipment is being properly burned and not accumulating unburned in the combustion chamber is the first line of safety in combustion.

Flame scanners use the characteristics of combustion and the electromagnetic emissions from burning fuel to detect flame and distinguish among flames from multiple burners. The instruments rely heavily upon operating principles utilizing visible, infrared, and ultraviolet light measurement and detection.

In single burner applications, simpler sensor and controller combinations can work suitably, but multiple flame applications are candidates for more complex detection devices and controls which can discriminate among multiple flames. Differences in individual flame characteristics, indicated through combustion products, can be utilized to distinguish between flames from different burners. Some photoelectric detectors can distinguish a signature flicker in flames of any type, invisible to the human eye.

Knowledge and understanding of the flame itself, its emissive attributes, and other characteristics are the key to proper flame detection. This may include the temperature of gases within the flame and its specific gas products. Other than temperature, electromagnetic radiation and ionized gas molecules in the flame are commonly used by flame scanners or detectors.

A variety of flame scanners are available for industrial and commercial use, each optimized for particular application sets. Essentially you have a scanner, which acts as a sensor. The signal from the scanner requires amplification and further processing to provide a reliable control signal. Hardware is available as discreet components, allowing a combination of scanner, amplifier, and control units to be combined into a system tailored for specific application requirements. Integrated systems are also available, with all appropriate detection and amplification circuitry built into a single compact unit.

Share your combustion process challenges with application specialists and combine your facility and process knowledge with their product application expertise to develop effective solutions.

Integrated Flame Scanner for Industrial Combustion Operations from Classic Controls, Inc.

Fuel Air Ratio Controller for Combustion Efficiency

Combustion efficiency reaps substantial cost savings

Steam and hot water use is prevalent throughout industrial processes. Production of these two media is most commonly accomplished with a boiler, many of which are heated by combustion of fossil fuel. Fuel fired boilers of a certain size become the focus of regulatory requirements for emissions. All boilers consume what would be construed by their owners as large amounts of costly fuel. Because of their high pressure and temperature, and the presence of a controlled combustion within an occupied facility, safety is a paramount concern.

There, fortunately, is a single solution that can help to attain useful goals with the three concerns of safety, fuel cost, and regulatory compliance. Applying an efficiency controller to manage the fuel to air ratio of the combustion system will deliver benefits far in excess of the cost to incorporate the necessary devices. The three basic goals for the fuel air controller are:

• Maximize fuel efficiency
• Minimize regulated emissions
• Maintain safe operating condition

A good portion of all three goals can be accomplished through careful concerted control of combustion air supply and fuel supply. The fuel air ratio must be subject to continual adjustment in response to current air conditions (which can vary on a daily basis) and the level of O2 in the flue gas. Controlling the air fuel ratio supports the following goals:

• Preventing excess fuel vapors from entering the flue and creating an unsafe condition
• Providing the correct amount of air to effectively combust the fuel supplied to the burner
• Preventing excess air flow from reducing net heat transfer to the feedwater
• Maintaining regulated emissions within required limits
• Limiting fuel consumption to the minimum necessary to meet demand

Fireye® is a leading manufacturer of flame safeguard controls and burner management systems for commercial and industrial applications throughout the world. Their products, the first of which was developed in the 1930's, enhance the safety and efficiency of all fuel fired burners.

There are numerous capabilities built in to the company's PPC4000 series of fuel air ratio controllers. Some of the more notable include:

• Precise fuel air ratio attained using parallel control of servos to regulate fuel and air supplies.
• User selected burner profiles
• Alarm contacts
• PID operation
• An array of inputs and outputs to accommodate sensors and devices needed to monitor and control boiler operation
• Compatible with other products that provide additional flame and burner monitoring safety
• Multiple boiler sequencing and cold start thermal shock protection
• On board boiler efficiency calculation
• User interface, optional larger touchscreen interface

Glance through just the first two pages of the document below to get a full description of the capability of this compact and comprehensive controller. You can get more detailed information, or get a professional evaluation of your current system efficiency, by contacting the combustion experts at Classic Controls.

Fuel Air Ratio Controller for Combustion Equipment from Classic Controls, Inc.

New Product Integrates Burner Monitoring and Control - Video

Burner Pro - Burner Management Controller

While all industrial applications carry an array of safety concerns and requirements, combustion operations have the threatening combination of fuel and flame to accommodate. Even very small combustion apparatus can produce extremely dangerous conditions if improperly maintained or operated. The combustion process requires close control, monitoring, and automatic safety response to provide suitable operation.

Fireye, a manufacturer of state-of-the-art commercial and industrial flame safeguard controls, flame scanners and igniters, has introduced an addition to their burner management control systems. The new Burner Pro Flame Safeguard Control provides simplified operation for single point applications using integrated flame safeguard and boiler control operation.​

Fireye brand products are used in schools, factories, petrochemical plants, power utilities and other large buildings throughout the world. The video included below provides a quick description of how the Burner Pro works. You can find out more about how to apply the Burner Pro to its best use from a combustion specialist.