Seminar: Basics of Flame Monitoring – Part 2

Place: BFI Automation, Germany

Date: 01.02.2016

Seminar Documentation – Part 2

Software and Signal Analysis

Theme
- Software CFC COM1
- Software CFC NET
- Flame Signal Recording with CFC /CFC COM1
- Multiple Recording
- Evaluation of Flame Signals

Contact
Michael Thomas, Director Sales & Service, BFI Automation GmbH
m.thomas@bfi-automation.de
Tel. 02102 – 9682 – 33

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Seminar: Basics of Flame Monitoring – Part 2
Place: BFI Automation, Germany
Date: 01.02.2016

Software CFC COM1

This software is used for communication with Compact Flame Controllers CFC 1000 – 4000 and enables
the user to analyze the flame signals and to change CFC parameters. The connection between PC/laptop is
done via an IR-communication cable. There is no need to open the CFC or to stop the burner for flame
analyzes and configuration.

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Seminar: Basics of Flame Monitoring – Part 2
Place: BFI Automation, Germany
Date: 01.02.2016

The following parameters can be adjusted:

- Switch ON and OFF thresholds of amplitude evaluation

- Switch ON and OFF thresholds of frequency evaluation
- Gain / Sensitivity
- Safety switch OFF Time
- Switch ON Delay
- Current Output Window
- mA start value (live zero / dead zero)
- Activation / deactivation of frequency evaluation
- Language

Analyzing and Recording features

- Amplitude Evaluation
- Frequency Evaluation
- DC-Signal Evaluation
- Analogue Output
- Status Indication
- Frequenzy Histogram (see below)
- Software parameter saving/loading
- Pure Flame Signal Archiving
- Failure Memory

The frequency histogram feature enables the user to analyze the flame stability. The more stable the
flame is, the smaller the covered frequency range.

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Seminar: Basics of Flame Monitoring – Part 2
Place: BFI Automation, Germany
Date: 01.02.2016

Software CFC NET

The software CFC NET enables the operator to get a clear overview about flame radiation information of
all connected CFC 3000 / 4000. The CFC bus capability can be achieved via the converter 5012/6012.

Boiler Overview

The software displays up to 16 burner signals on one screen. The burner position in the overview can be
arranged with the bus address of the converter 5012/6012. In the configuration menu burner groups can
be formed by the deactivation of single addresses (see below). The comparisons of single flame
information are possible at the same time so that signal abnormalities can be detected at an early stage.

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Seminar: Basics of Flame Monitoring – Part 2
Place: BFI Automation, Germany
Date: 01.02.2016

Software CFC NET

Single Burner View

The following features are available in the single burner view:

- Live Analyzing Diagrams

- Indication of CFC Parameters Thresholds, Sensitivity, Switch ON/OFF times
- Activation of signal recorder
- Indication of failure memory
- Indication of device status
- Indication of communication status
- Configuration of CFC with USB safety key

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Seminar: Basics of Flame Monitoring – Part 2
Place: BFI Automation, Germany
Date: 01.02.2016

Recording and Analyzes of Flame Signals with CFC /CFC COM1

The Compact Flame Controller spits the Flame Signal into the single information Amplitude, Frequency
and DC content, which are shown in separate windows in the software CFC COM 1.

The signal recorder (Datalogger) records pure flame signal which can be used for analyzing afterwards. All
data were stored in a space saving text format. The required disk space will be around 3 MB per hour.
Every second the CFC provides 20 to 25 data sets to the connected computer.

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Seminar: Basics of Flame Monitoring – Part 2
Place: BFI Automation, Germany
Date: 01.02.2016

The logfiles can be opened and analyzed with a spreadsheet software (e.g. Excel).

For the comparison of multiple logfiles (flame conditions) each of the information (e.g. Frequency) can be
copied from the single logfiles into a new spreadsheet.

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Seminar: Basics of Flame Monitoring – Part 2
Place: BFI Automation, Germany
Date: 01.02.2016

After copying the single flame information into a new spreadsheet all the data can be compared in one
diagram.

With the help of the signal recorder some special conditions can be archived, which cannot be repeated
later-on (e.g. boiler cold start, special fuels conditions, etc.). In addition to this all data can be used for
reports, analysis and comparison.

Multiple Recordings

A single PC/Laptop can be used to record multiple flame signals. This requires a corresponding amount of
CFC, IR-data cables and USB/Com ports. After completing the software installation the whole installation
folder must be copied to separate folders. Out of these folders each “CFC-Com 1.exe” can be started
separate. Select different COM ports in all software windows.

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Seminar: Basics of Flame Monitoring – Part 2
Place: BFI Automation, Germany
Date: 01.02.2016

Flame Signal Analysis

Example 1: Frequency profile of one burner flame with different combustion modes

Test Measurement

The above shown measurement has been taken in an Indian coal power station (Ropar Thermal Power
Station) in the year 2006.

Signal course

The combustion chamber was heated up with heavy fuel oil after boiler maintenance shut down. The
characteristic modulation frequency of the heavy fuel oil HFO flame was 140 to 160 Hz. Approx. 2 minutes
after start of recording coal with an ash content of around 50% has been burned together with HFO. The
coal reduced the mixing speed of the HFO flame by approx. 20 Hz so that the frequency signal came down
to between 120 to 140 Hz. HFO have been switched off after about 11 minutes. The mixing speed / flame
frequency was reduced to 40 – 60 Hz. After approx. 1 minute the coal flame distinguished and unburned
coal went into the combustion chamber. The background radiation has been absorbed by unburned coal.
The frequency was less than 30 Hz.

Setting the right tresholds

Based on the measurement the thresholds can be set with 1 Hz accuracy:

Frequency Treshold
Frequency Evaluation ON OFF
Configuration of CFC to sense HFO Flame only 100 Hz 80 Hz
Configuration of CFC to sense HFO and Coal Flame 40 Hz 30 Hz

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Seminar: Basics of Flame Monitoring – Part 2
Place: BFI Automation, Germany
Date: 01.02.2016

Example 2: Frequency profile of three neighbour burners during gas turbine start

The direct comparison of flame frequency profiles from different combustion chambers reveals process
depending influences. This flame feedback can be of help to describe or to understand the effect of
machine parameters to the combustion process.

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Seminar: Basics of Flame Monitoring – Part 2
Place: BFI Automation, Germany
Date: 01.02.2016

Example 3: Burner load depending frequency profile - Max Weishaupt GmbH

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Seminar: Basics of Flame Monitoring – Part 2
Place: BFI Automation, Germany
Date: 01.02.2016

Notes

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