U.S. patent number 3,648,437 [Application Number 04/844,027] was granted by the patent office on 1972-03-14 for automatic scr precipitator control.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Koppers Company, Inc.. Invention is credited to Richard J. Bridges.
United States Patent |
3,648,437 |
Bridges |
March 14, 1972 |
AUTOMATIC SCR PRECIPITATOR CONTROL
Abstract
An automatic precipitator energization control circuit wherein
precipitator voltage is rapidly reduced to zero for an
independently selective period of duration upon the occurrence of
each spark or flashover in the precipitator and gradually increased
to a voltage level determined with reference to the voltage level
of the precipitator at the time the spark occurred. The deleterious
effects of multiple sparks or spark bursts are eliminated, a soft
start is assured, and true r.m.s. current is sensed to provide a
current limit to override the spark control circuitry to limit the
input power to the unit and to clear a short circuit condition in
the precipitator from dirt buildup or the like.
Inventors: |
Bridges; Richard J. (Baltimore,
MD) |
Assignee: |
Koppers Company, Inc.
(N/A)
|
Family
ID: |
25291589 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/844,027 |
Filed: |
July 23, 1969 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
96/20; 323/903;
96/82; 361/88; 361/100 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B03C
3/68 (20130101); Y10S 323/903 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B03C
3/66 (20060101); B03C 3/68 (20060101); B03c
003/66 () |
Field of
Search: |
;55/105,139 ;323/22SC,24
;315/111,308,326,363 ;321/18 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Talbert, Jr.; Dennis E.
Claims
I claim:
1. A precipitator control circuit comprising,
controllable gate means operable for controlling electrical power
to a precipitator,
spark sensing means connected for sensing the voltage drop of
electrical power supplied through said gate means to a precipitator
being controlled upon the occurrence of a flashover,
wave forming means operable to form at least one control pulse of
predetermined magnitude and duration in response to a flashover
sensed by said spark sensing means,
fast response means connected to receive and store energy of said
formed control pulse and discharge the same at a predetermined fast
rate,
variable impedance means operable to control the amount of energy
of said formed control pulse to be stored in said fast response
means,
slow response means connected to receive and store energy of said
formed control pulse and discharge the same at a predetermined
slower rate,
control means responsive to the discharge of said fast response
means to correspondingly regulate said gate means to substantially
cut off the electrical power supplied therethrough to a
precipitator being controlled,
said control means also being responsive to the discharge of said
slow response means to regulate said gate means by correspondingly
controlling the rise time of electrical power supplied therethrough
to operating levels subsequent to cutoff thereof in response to
said fast response discharge.
2. The precipitator control circuit of claim 1 including a current
sensing means operable for sensing a current rise in excess of a
predetermined operational level of electrical power supplied
through said gate means and to form a current control signal of
corresponding magnitude and duration and apply the same to said
slow response means to correspondingly reduce power being supplied
through said gate means.
3. The precipitator control circuit of claim 2 wherein said current
control signal is regulated by said current sensing means to be of
sufficient magnitude to initially reduce power being supplied
through said gate means to substantially zero.
4. The precipitator control circuit of claim 2 wherein said current
sensing means senses the r.m.s. value of said current.
5. The precipitator control circuit of claim 4 wherein said current
sensing means includes a variable current limit adjust to regulate
the magnitude of the sensed current and an incandescent
bulb-photodiode combination to measure the r.m.s. value of the
sensed current.
6. The precipitator control circuit of claim 1 wherein said fast
response means and slow response means primarily consist of RC
networks connected to a common input for said control means.
7. The precipitator control circuit of claim 6 wherein said slow
response RC network is provided with a variable impedance input to
permit adjustment of the amount of energy of said formed control
pulse to be stored therein.
8. The precipitator control circuit of claim 7 characterized by
variable impedance means in said RC Networks to permit variation of
the RC discharge time constant.
9. The precipitator control circuit of claim 1 wherein said wave
forming means includes a monostable multivibrator.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The automatic control of the voltage of an electrostatic
precipitator has long been a source of concern in the art. It is
desirable to maintain the direct current voltage on the
precipitator electrodes as high as is possible, consistent with the
avoidance of excessive current drain due to arcing or sparking. The
invention is described in a preferred system application, providing
a continually increasing voltage on the precipitator electrodes and
reducing that voltage a predetermined amount on the occurrence of
each spark in the precipitator.
Means have been provided in the prior art for comparing the line
current with a desired or reference value and for adjusting the
impedance of a current-dependent saturable reactor between the AC
source and the precipitator upon the detection of an excessive
current flow. An associated problem has been the accumulation of
dirt on the precipitator electrodes to the point where a "bridge
over" occurs, practically shorting out the electrodes. Reactor
controlled systems cannot clear such a fault because they cannot
reduce the voltage applied to the precipitator to zero. In these
prior art systems it has been necessary for the operator to
manually turn off the precipitator control to remove the voltage
from the precipitator and then to re-energize the system. The
sudden inrush of current upon initial re-energization of the
precipitator has on occasion magnetized the precipitator
transformer and tripped out the various protective devices in the
circuit.
Other prior art systems have been responsive to the rate of
sparking in the precipitator. Here, the voltage on the precipitator
electrodes is not immediately responsive to the conditions which
actually exist in the precipitator and adjustments are consequently
often made after the condition requiring the adjustment has
passed.
As taught in the U.S. patent to W. J. Brown, U.S. Pat. No.
3,040,496, the occurrence of a spark in the precipitator may
develop into an arc which would cause deterioration and eventual
destruction of an electrode and would also decrease the potential
difference between the electrodes thereby decreasing the
effectiveness of separation of the particles from the gaseous
medium. It is thus taught that it is therefore desirable to reduce
the power supplied to the electrodes immediately when a spark
occurs in order to prevent further arcing and then to restore it to
a value at which separation is effective.
Brown teaches the momentary reduction of precipitator current to
minimum upon the occurrence of a spark to inhibit the formation of
subsequent arcs in the precipitator. The precipitator current in
the Brown system is held to approximately zero for about three half
cycles, of the AC supply cycle. Thereafter the passage of current
to the precipitator is restored to a value slightly less than that
prevailing before the occurrence of the spark.
Such arcing may occur in the form of spark bursts, whereby the
initial spark is followed by several more spaced apart in time by
one, or a few, half cycles of the supply frequency (if full-wave
energization is used), or cycles thereof (with half-wave
rectification). This is particularly prevalent with salt cake and
basic oxygen furnace applications.
It has been found that the structure disclosed by Brown, while a
significant advancement in the art, does not provide the desired
versatility and reliability in controlling the precipitator current
upon the occurrence of a spark or flashover in the precipitator. It
is desirable to maintain the precipitator current supply in an off
condition only for so long a period as is absolutely required to
prevent successive spark bursts. These conditions naturally vary
greatly with the application of the precipitator.
The application of the precipitator for the separation of particles
from the gaseous medium in salt cake and basic oxygen furnace
applications, requires precipitator current to be reduced to zero
for a longer period of time than would normally be required for
most other applications. Naturally, when the precipitator current
is in the off condition, the precipitator is no longer collecting
or removing the particles from the gaseous medium being cleaned or
freed from the undesired particles suspended therein.
Automatic precipitator control circuits are also generally provided
with a current limiting circuit in addition to the spark control
circuit. It often occurs that the particle build-up on the
precipitator plates may create an electrical short without the
presence of a spark. When a spark signal is not present, the
control will respond to the current limit circuit to limit the
maximum current flow permitted to the precipitator to prevent the
average precipitator current from exceeding a preselected safe
limit. Such current limit controls are disclosed in the
aforementioned Brown patent and in the U.S. patent to H. J. Hall,
et al., Pat. No. 3,147,094. However, such existing current limit
circuits have been found to not adequately provide means whereby
the short circuit condition in the precipitator will be cleared
automatically to prevent recurrence of the condition whereby a
short is present without a spark signal.
The conventional current limit circuits such as disclosed in Hall,
et al., which sense the alternating current supply, also tend to be
peak responsive (responding to the peak current), and are not
considered acceptable for accurate automatic precipitator power
control. This is particularly true where silicon controlled
rectifiers in a back to back relationship are employed in the AC
supply circuit in order to regulate the current supplied to the
precipitator such as disclosed by Australian Pat. No. 248,429. This
is due to the fact that SCR wave forms are more complex than those
in the conventional control devices, such as saturable reactors,
such that the relationship of 0.707 times the peak current no
longer holds true in order to determine the r.m.s. current.
It is therefore the objective of the present invention to provide a
novel automatic energization control for an electrostatic
precipitator in which the aforementioned deficiencies of the prior
art control systems are remedied and whereby a novel automatic
energization control is provided which is much more reliable than
those of the prior art and which permits the achievement of a much
higher overall precipitator input power than heretofore found
possible.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The electrical precipitator system of the present invention
employs, in addition to a spark control circuit which serves to
reduce the conduction angle of the SCR gates in the AC supply
circuit upon the occurrence of a spark in the precipitator and
thereafter slowly increase the magnitude of the power supplied to
the precipitator, a fast response control circuit which is also
responsive to a spark in the precipitator to override the spark
control circuit and immediately reduce the magnitude of the power
supplied to the precipitator to zero for a short interval, two to
three cycles of the AC power supply for example, after which
control is returned to the spark control circuit. The fast response
control circuit is provided with a variable parameter which is
controllable to vary the duration of this interval, depending upon
the particular condition to which the precipitator is applied,
without affecting the parameter values of the spark control circuit
which independently regulates the regrowth of rise of the
precipitator power supply to operational levels.
The spark control circuit consists generally of an RC storage
network having variable parameters to vary the magnitude of the
stored energy and the RC discharge time constant. The spark control
circuit is utilized to regulate the magnitude of a control signal
fed to an SCR gate driving circuit which in turn reduces the
conduction angle of the SCR's in proportion to the magnitude
reduction of the control signal. The RC storage network of the
spark control circuit responds to the occurrence of a spark in the
precipitator as it is fed from a pulse forming network which
generates a pulse upon the occurrence of each spark in the
precipitator.
The fast response control circuit also consists of an RC storage
network in the preferred embodiment, which is fed from the same or
similar pulse forming circuit as is the spark control circuit. The
fast response control circuit is also operative to regulate the
magnitude of the control signal fed to the SCR gate driving
circuit.
However, the RC time constant of the fast response control circuit
is much faster than that of the spark control circuit in order to
permit the fast response control circuit to immediately override
the spark control circuit and reduce the precipitator power supply
to zero for a short interval, after which the control of the power
supply is returned to the spark control circuit to gradually
restore precipitator power to operational levels due to the slower
RC time constant characteristics of the spark control circuit.
The present invention is particularly unique in the fact that a
variable parameter is provided in the fast response control circuit
in order to vary the interval for which the precipitator power
supply will remain at zero without in any way affecting the
parameter values of the spark control circuit or RC storage network
thereof. This feature permits extensive versatility in application
of the electrical precipitator system of the present invention
since the precipitator systems heretofore in use do not adequately
serve to prevent a rapid succession of sparks or arcing in the
precipitator for all applications due to the large variety of
particle substances to be precipitated from the polluted gases
given off from the many different types of industrial
facilities.
In the preferred embodiment the variable parameter of the fast
response control circuit is operable to vary the magnitude of the
pulse applied thereto. Thus, by varying the amount of energy stored
within the RC network of the fast response control circuit, the
discharge time (precipitator off time) is proportionately changed
even though the RC time constant remains the same. The present
invention thereby permits the variation of the time interval for
which the precipitator power supply remains at zero without in any
way affecting the RC time constant of the spark control circuit
which regulates the rise time of the precipitator power to
operational levels.
The precipitator system of the present invention is further
characterized by a current limit circuit which senses the true
r.m.s. value of the precipitator power supply and, in a similar
manner to the spark control circuit, reduces the supplied
precipitator power to zero when the AC power supply current reaches
a predetermined limit. In the preferred embodiment, the current
limit adjust in operative to vary the magnitude of the sensed
current which is utilized to control the conduction angle of the
SCR's to limit input power to the power supply.
The current limit circuit employs a fast response incandescent bulb
in combination with a photodiode in order to measure the true
r.m.s. value of the current flow into the primary of the high
voltage power supply. The use of an incandescent bulb permits the
sensing of true r.m.s. current as opposed to peak current. The
conventional current limit circuits in present-day precipitator
systems are peak responsive and are therefore not considered
acceptable for use with SCR wave forms which are more complex as
previously explained and in addition are not considered adequate
for saturable reactor controls.
Although incandescent bulbs in combination with photodiodes have
been previously employed in regulating circuits (see U.S. Pat. Nos.
2,429,614; 2,779,897; 2,808,559; and 3,312,895), they have
heretofore, to my knowledge, never been employed in a precipitator
system for the purpose of measuring a true r.m.s. current for the
accurate control of the precipitator power supply.
The current limit circuit operates to reduce the conduction angle
of the SCR gates when an increase of precipitator current supply is
experienced beyond a preselected limit and further functions to
reduce precipitator voltage to zero upon the occurrence of a short
circuit in the precipitator caused by dirt build-up or the like. It
is not uncommon that the current will exceed the selected limit in
the absence of spark signals and therefore the SCR control
circuitry must respond to the current limit alone to limit the rise
of current.
The reduction of the SCR conduction angle to zero permits the short
circuit condition to clear itself in the case of dirt build-up in
the precipitator after which the spark control circuit
automatically reenergizes the precipitator. Older controls do not
have the ability to reduce precipitator power input to zero and
thus, once this short circuit or bridge over condition occurs, the
operator must manually turn the control unit off to clear the short
circuit condition in the precipitator.
The system of the present invention is also unique in that the RC
network of the spark control circuit and the fast response control
circuit are fed to a very high input impedance field effect
transistor in order to control the magnitude of the control signal
regulating the SCR gate driving circuit. The use of a field effect
transistor in this particular combination provides a highly stable
control circuit as the parameter values of the RC storage networks
of the spark control circuit and fast response control circuit will
not change their values due to temperature change and variable load
conditions.
The aforementioned combinations of network circuits thus provide a
unique precipitator system which is considerably more reliable than
those of the prior art.
Other objects and advantages appear hereinafter in the following
description and claims.
The accompanying drawings show, for the purpose of exemplification
without limiting the invention or the claims thereto, certain
practical embodiments illustrating the principles of this invention
wherein:
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the power circuit of the
precipitator and the phase control circuit in block form.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the spark responsive control
circuitry of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the phase control circuit of FIG.
1 with the SCR gate driving circuit illustrated in block form.
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the current limiting control
circuit of FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing of the SCR gate driving circuit of
FIG. 3.
FIG. 6 illustrates a typical graph of the primary precipitator
transformer voltage versus time in the system of the present
invention showing the immediate reduction of precipitator voltage
upon the occurrence of a spark and the gradual increasing thereof
to desired operational levels.
Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates the basic power
circuit in which alternating current from a 440 volt, single phase,
60 cycle source 10 is converted to a high direct current in a
transformer-rectifier combination consisting of a high voltage
transformer 12 and diode bridge rectifier 14, which is applied to
the electrodes of precipitator 16. Connected in the line between
the AC source 10 and the primary winding 17 of transformer 12 is a
surge limiting coil 18 and a gating network 20.
Gating network 20 includes a pair of silicon controlled rectifiers
SCR1 and SCR2 connected in a parallel, back to back configuration.
As is well known, the operation of the SCR's allows proportional
control based on the conduction angle thereof as determined by the
phase of the signal applied to the trigger or gate electrodes.
Also paralleling SCR1 and SCR2 is a volt trap 22 having a lower
rating than the rating of the silicon controlled rectifiers SCR1
and SCR2 to provide protection for the excessive transients which
occasionally occur due to the highly transient nature of the load.
All transients in excess of the rating of the volt trap 22 are
dissipated in the form of heat.
In addition, an RC network which includes resistor 24 and capacitor
26 is connected across SCR1 and SCR2 The function of the RC network
is to limit the rate of change in the positive going voltage
supplied to the anode of a PNPN device, the SCR's, which might
otherwise permit the triggering of the SCR's upon initial closure
of a circuit breaker or the occurrence of some other excessive
transient in the SCR circuitry.
A current sensing transformer 28 is used to detect the line current
and to generate a signal which is applied to phase control circuit
30 for the purpose of controlling the phase of the SCR triggering
signal. The occurrence of a spark is detected in resistor 32 and
the signal appearing at terminal 34 is also fed to the phase
control circuit 30 for control of the SCR triggering signal. The
outputs of phase control circuit 30 are applied to the trigger
electrodes of SCR1 and SCR2 to control the conduction thereof
relative to the signal applied across the anode and cathode
junction. The voltage applied to the precipitator is thus subject
to control by the line current and by occurrence of sparking in the
precipitator.
SPARK CONTROL CIRCUIT
The occurrence of a spark in the precipitator generates a damped
high frequency oscillation of approximately 15 microseconds in
duration. The amplitude of the oscillation is initially of the
order of five to 10 times the normal current appearing in the
secondary winding 35 of transformer 12. The increased voltage drop
across resistor 32 is thus responsive to a spark in the
precipitator.
Referring now to FIG. 2, the spark responsive signal appearing
across resistor 32 of FIG. 1 as taken from terminal 34, is fed to a
high pass filter network including capacitor 36, and resistors 38
and 39, which block the 120 cycle ripple in the DC output of
rectifier 14 in the precipitator 16 supply. Capacitor 36 also
prevent the direct current components of the signal taken from
terminal 34 from entering the phase control circuit 30. A Zener
diode Z1 shunts resistor 39 and is included in the circuit to clip
the magnitude of the incoming current peaks to prevent circuit
component damage.
The output of the filter network is then rectified by diode 40 and
fed to a pulse forming network comprising capacitor 42 and resistor
44 connected in parallel across the line. The signal appearing at
terminal 46 is a negative pulse which is transmitted through a
capacitor 48 to a monostable multivibrator MV1 and through a
capacitor 50 to a second monostable multivibrator MV2.
Multivibrator MV2 is identical in every respect in its circuit and
operation to multivibrator MV1 and consequently the operation
thereof will not be separately discussed.
The negative pulse appearing at terminal 46 is fed through
capacitors 48 and 52 to the base electrode of NPN transistor Q2 of
multivibrator MV1. Transistor Q2 is appropriately biased to be in
saturation and NPN transistor Q1 is cut off when the monostable
multivibrator MV1 is in its single stable state. The negative pulse
applied to the base electrode of transistor Q2 drives it into
cutoff as transistor Q1 saturates. The time constant of the
multivibrator MV1 is approximately 3 milliseconds and is determined
by the values of resistor 54 and capacitor 56 connected in parallel
between the collector electrode of transistor Q2 and the base
electrode of transistor Q1.
A positive pulse thus appears at the collector electrode of
transistor Q2 upon the occurrence of a spark in the precipitator,
that is, when Q2 goes into cutoff. This positive pulse is applied
to the base electrode of PNP transistor Q3. Transistor Q3 is a
single current amplifying stage and the output thereof as taken
from the emitter electrode is a positive going pulse of
approximately 3 m.s. duration. The positive pulse output of
transistor Q3 is applied to terminal 62 to control the power limit
of the precipitator in a manner hereinafter to be described.
Thus, each time a spark in the precipitator 16 is detected by
resistor 32, a positive pulse of a fixed amplitude and duration is
applied to terminal 62 from multivibrator MV1. Similarly, a
positive pulse of a fixed amplitude and duration appears at the
output of monostable multivibrator MV2 upon the occasion of a spark
in the precipitator. The output of multivibrator MV2 is not
amplified, but is applied directly to terminal 64 to commence a
fast response portion of the spark control. The operation of the
spark responsive control circuit in response to the positive pulses
applied to terminals 62 and 64 to control the voltage of
precipitator 16 will be discussed in detail infra in connection
with FIG. 3.
Referring to FIG. 3, the detection of a spark in the precipitator
16 results, as explained with reference to FIG. 2, in the
application of a positive pulse of a fixed magnitude and duration
to terminal 62 and thus a finite increment of the charge to
capacitor 108 through potentiometer 58 and diode 60. Potentiometer
58 in FIG. 2 is employed to vary the amount of energy stored in
capacitor 108 with with each spark, and potentiometer 116 of FIG. 4
is employed to vary the rate of discharge. Capacitors 110 and 112
assist in the filtering of stray 60 cycle pickup.
The charge on capacitor 108 determines the conduction of field
effect transistor Q6, an increase in charge increasing the back
bias and reducing the load current through resistor 124 and the
base current of Q7. Each spark therefore reduces the emitter to
collector current of Q7 which in turn reduces the DC signal current
supplied to the SCR gate driving circuit 120, and lowers the
precipitator voltage proportionately. Condenser 108 then resumes
its discharge through resistors 116 and 118 to develop the
characteristic rising voltage of the precipitator to operational
levels.
Field effect transistor Q6 is a silicon unit with very high input
impedance and is provided because of its high stability over a wide
temperature range. Thus the storage circuit parameters are
prevented from changing value due to temperature changes and due to
variable applied loading.
Potentiometer 58 determines the amount of reduction of the
precipitator voltage and potentiometer 116 controls the subsequent
rate of rise of precipitator voltage to operational values which
permits extreme versatility for the many possible different
precipitator applications. The rate at which the precipitator is
recharged, is selected to avoid overcurrent surges through the
SCR's during the recharge period.
In addition to its function as a 60 cycle filter, capacitor 112
controls the fast response spark control program. Capacitor 112
receives from terminal 64, through potentiometer 66 and diode 68,
the 3-millisecond positive pulse output of multivibrator MV2 of
FIG. 2. Capacitor 112 charges approximately 400 times as fast as
capacitor 108 and may assume source voltage in response to each
spark in the precipitator 16. Capacitor 112 thus immediately
assumes control of the precipitator and effectively disconnects
capacitor 108 from its discharge resistor 118 by operation of diode
106.
During this effectively disconnected period, capacitor 108 receives
the positive pulse from MV1, increasing its charge and limiting the
precipitator voltage control of capacitor 112. The program period
is quite extended, about 23/4 cycles of the supply voltage. This
approximately 80-millisecond period is a significant portion of the
discharge time constant of capacitor 108.
Potentiometer 66 is adjusted to back bias Q6 to cutoff for each
pulse applied to capacitor 112.
Thus, the charging of capacitor 112 back biases transistor Q6 to
cutoff upon the occurrence of each spark. Each spark therefore
reduces the emitter to collector current of transistor Q7 which in
turn reduces the DC signal current to SCR gate driving circuit 120.
The net result is an immediate reduction of precipitator voltage to
zero.
Potentiometer 66 determines the duration for which the precipitator
voltage will remain zero by varying the total amount of stored
energy in capacitor 112 for discharge at a fixed RC time constant
rate. Variation in the value of potentiometer 66 does not therefore
effect the parameter values of the spark control circuit.
Proper adjustment of potentiometer 66 thus reduces the voltage of
precipitator 16 to zero very rapidly for a selected duration, with
consideration that the phase control circuit 30 may impose slight
inherent delay. Full response occurs in less than three-quarters of
a cycle of the AC source 10. The charge on capacitor 112 overbiases
the control network to hold the precipitator voltage at zero for
approximately two cycles, as preset by adjustment of potentiometer
66, before allowing the gradual elevation of the precipitator
voltage during approximately two supply cycles to the new level as
determined by the charge on capacitor 108. Bursting effects, the
occurrence of several sparks in rapid succession, often within a
single half-cycle period, are thus eliminated.
FIG. 6 represents precipitator primary current as a function of
time with sparks occurring at times T.sub.1, T.sub.4 and T.sub.7.
The time duration of zero conduction angle between times T.sub.1
and T.sub.2 is controlled by potentiometer 66 as previously stated.
The precipitator recharge time duration from time T.sub.2 to
T.sub.3 is fixed at a constant rate due to the RC storage network
comprising components 118 and 112 which is part of the fast spark
quench circuit. Precipitator recharge time from T.sub.3 to T.sub.4
is controlled by variable resistor 116, and the RC network
comprising 116, 118 and 108 which recharges the precipitator at a
much slower rate. Another spark occurs at T.sub.4 and the same
explanation applies. Potentiometer 58 determines the current level
which will be assumed at time T.sub.3 after spark quench. If
desired, capacitor 112 can be made an adjustable capacitor to
provide a control of the time required to raise the current level
from T.sub.2 to T.sub.3.
Potentiometer 58 is adjusted to provide the desired value or level
to which the precipitator primary current will be restored to upon
termination of the spark quenching period from T.sub.1 to T.sub.2,
or T.sub.4 to T.sub.6, or T.sub.7 to T.sub.9. This value or level
is normally and preferably selected such that the current is
slightly less than that prevailing just before or at the time of
occurrence of the spark to prevent successive spark bursts.
However, the control range of potentiometer 58 is sufficiently wide
to permit this current level at times T.sub.3, T.sub.6 and T.sub.9
to be selected anywhere from zero to the maximum allowable current
limit as preset by the current limit adjust, if so desired. Thus,
one could set potentiometer 58 such that the current level at, say,
time T.sub.6 is greater than that at time T.sub.4 rather than
slightly less if such were desired.
To sequentially relate the events of FIG. 6 to the circuitry of
FIG. 3 from time zero to T.sub.1, the primary supply current is
maintained at the current limit I regulated by the current limit
control circuit. When a spark occurs at time T.sub.1, a control
pulse of fixed duration, and of a magnitude regulated by
potentiometer 58, is applied to capacitor 108 for storage and
discharge through resistances 116 and 118. At the same time
T.sub.1, a similar pulse is applied to capacitor 112 (having its
magnitude regulated by potentiometer 66) for storage and discharge
through resistor 118.
Since the RC time constant of the fast response storage network (R
118 and C 112) is much faster than that of the spark control RC
network (R 116, R 118 and C 108), Q6 is quickly driven to cutoff
from period T.sub.1 to T.sub.2, whereupon capacitor 112 continues
to discharge through period T.sub.2 to T.sub.3. At time T.sub.3
capacitor 112 is sufficiently discharged such that the slower RC
time constant of storage network R 116, R 118 and C 108 is
permitted to assume control to gradually increase the current
supply toward the preset limit I during period T.sub.3 to T.sub.4.
Potentiometer 58 is preadjusted such that the primary current level
at time T.sub.3 will be slightly less than that prevailing at time
T.sub.1 which in this instance is I.
When the second spark occurs at time T.sub.4, the same sequence of
events occurs, however, capacitor 108 has not yet completed the
discharge of its stored energy at time T.sub.4, at which time
additional energy is applied to the capacitor by generation of a
new control pulse passed through potentiometer 58. As the total
amount of energy stored in capacitor 108 at time T.sub.6 is greater
than that at time T.sub.3, the primary current level at time
T.sub.6 will be slightly less than that at time T.sub.3 as shown.
The resultant effect is that the current level at time T.sub.6 will
be always slightly less than that prevailing at time T.sub.4.
The time period from T.sub.6 to T.sub.7 is sufficiently long before
the occurrence of the next spark at time T.sub.7, to permit
complete discharge of capacitor 108 and thereby restoration of the
primary current level to I, the selected current limit. Thus, just
prior to the occurrence of a spark in the precipitator at time
T.sub.7, the stored energy in capacitor 108 is depleted and thus no
remaining charge is present at time T.sub.7 when a new control
pulse is applied thereto as was the situation at time T.sub.4 ;
therefore, the current level at time T.sub.9 will be slightly
higher than that at time T.sub.6 as indicated, but will be still
slightly less than the current level prevailing at time T.sub.7 as
was the condition with the first spark occurrence. In this manner,
after each spark quenching period, the precipitator voltage is
always restored to a value slightly less than that prevailing just
prior to the occurrence of the spark, providing of course, that the
value of potentiometer 58 has not been varied in the interim.
CURRENT LIMIT CIRCUIT
Referring to the current limit circuit of FIG. 4, the line current
as sensed in current transformer 28 of FIG. 1 is applied to
terminal 70. The voltage appearing across resistor 72 is reduced in
a current limit adjust consisting of coarse adjustment
potentiometer 74 and fine adjustment potentiometer 76, and is
applied through the secondary winding 78 of transformer 82 to the
filament of a fast response incandescent bulb 80. Transformer 82
provides a fixed bias to the bulb 80 for the purpose of preheating
the filament and thus improving the response time thereof.
Condenser 83 is selected for phase control to provide phase
coincidence between the preheat current and the signal current in
the filament.
Bulb 80 is of the incandescent type because of the necessity of
sensing true r.m.s. current rather than peak current. A
commercially available Penlite Inc. Model No. 60-25 bulb has been
found to be satisfactory, the bulb having a stated response time of
approximately 8 milliseconds wherein one-half of the maximum
intensity of illumination is obtained. The effective response time
of bulb 80 is, however, substantially less than that stated due to
the preheating of the filament. A Zener diode Z2 may be placed
across the filaments of bulb 80 to clip the excessive current peaks
which may occur upon sparking of the precipitator 16.
A photodiode PD1 is located in a light receiving relationship to
bulb 80. Photodiode PD1 and resistors 84 and 86 form a light
sensing network, the output of which is a DC voltage directly
proportional to the intensity of the illumination from bulb 80. The
current through the sensing network increases as the resistance of
the photodiode PD1 decreases thus increasing the voltage applied to
the base electrode of NPN transistor Q4. Transistor Q4 and NPN
transistor Q5 and appropriate biasing resistors 88, 90, 92 and 94
form a two-stage amplifier 95. Resistors 88 and 92 provide
temperature stabilization and resistor 96 further stabilizes the
amplifier 95 by providing a feedback path from the collector
electrode to the base electrode of transistor Q4. The output of
amplifier 95 is taken from the collector electrode of transistor Q5
and follows the potential applied to the base electrode of
transistor Q4. The output voltage is applied across Zener diode Z3
through diode 98 to terminal 100. Zener diode Z3 is provided to
prevent the circuitry from overdriving and thereby delaying the
re-energizing of the precipitator when the current limiting circuit
reduces the conduction angle of SCR1 and SCR2 to zero upon dirt
buildup or "bridging over" between the plates and wires of the
precipitator 16.
Referring again to FIG. 3, the output at terminal 100 of the
current limiting circuit of FIG. 4 also serves to deliver a charge
to capacitor 108. As earlier explained, any increase in the voltage
across capacitor 108 results in reduction of voltage of
precipitator 16 current by reducing the conduction angle of SCR1
and SCR2 and thus the line current. The current limiting control
circuitry thus overrides the spark control circuitry, immediately
reducing the SCR conduction angle until the overcurrent conditions
terminate. When a dirt buildup short circuit condition occurs in
the precipitator, such that the desired maximum current drain
permissible is exceeded (this limit is not adjustable as the
aforementioned current limit and is preestablished in the circuit
design of the current limit circuit), the SCR conduction angles are
immediately reduced to zero allowing self-clearing of the short
circuit condition and thereafter, the gradual restoration of
precipitator voltage. The same reactions also occur when other
short circuit conditions are present, such as a broken wire lying
across the precipitator plates; however, in this event,
precipitator voltage will remain zero until the condition is
manually cleared. Data acquired in an experimental installation
indicates that current fluctuations may be held to within .+-. 2.5
percent by means of the present invention in the absence of
sparking in the precipitator.
SOFT START
To prevent full line voltage form being applied to the precipitator
16 upon the energization thereof which might magnetize the
precipitator transformer 12 and trip out the various protective
devices in the circuit, the conduction angle of SCR1 and SCR2 is
held to zero during energization and gradually increases up to the
normal operating point. Referring again to FIG. 3, power is applied
from terminal 102 through the normally closed contacts of relay 104
to terminal 106 to charge capacitor 108. As we have seen, the
charging of capacitor 108 applies a back bias to field effect
transistor Q6 which holds the SCR conduction angle to zero by
maintaining PNP transistor Q7 in cutoff. When the line circuit
breaker 110 in FIG. 1 is closed, the voltage applied across
transformer 111 operates coil 114 of relay 104. Operation of relay
104 removes the DC voltage applied to capacitor 108 and the back
bias is slowly removed from transistor Q6 as capacitor 108 slowly
discharges through potentiometer 116 and resistor 118. Until
capacitor 108 is discharged, transistor Q6 is back biased
maintaining Q7 in cutoff and the conduction angle of SCR1 and SCR2
at zero degrees. Only after the initial discharge of capacitor 108
is the precipitator voltage subject to the control of the spark and
r.m.s. line current responsive circuits.
SCR GATE DRIVING CIRCUIT
The operation of the SCR gate driving circuit 120 of FIG. 4 may
more easily be explained with reference to FIG. 5. The unit is
available commercially from the Sprague Electric Company, Special
Components Division, North Adams, Massachusetts under the name
VecTrol VS6732.
The DC input to SCR gate driving circuit 120 determines the phase
shift of the triggering pulses to SCR1 and SCR2 with respect to AC
source 10. A voltage appearing at terminals 125 and 126 of FIG. 3
is applied to like numbered terminals in the circuit of FIG. 5.
Line voltage from source 10 is applied to the primary winding 127
transformer T1. When the instantaneous polarity of terminal 128 is
positive, the potential at terminal 130 of secondary winding 132 is
also positive. This signal is passed through diodes 134 and 136 to
charge capacitors 138 and 140 respectively to the same potential.
This same positive signal is applied through resistor 142 to the
anode and directly from terminal 143 to the cathode of SCR3. Since
the cathode of SCR3 is maintained at the same potential as the
anode, SCR3 is prevented from firing and the conduction angle of
SCR1 remains at zero degrees.
Concurrently with the above, the corresponding negative potential
at terminal 144 of secondary winding 132 is fed through resistor
146 to the gate electrode of SCR3. The application of a negative
potential to the gate electrode of SCR3 prevents the firing thereof
in response to any transients which may be induced in the circuit.
Diodes 134 and 136 prevent the capacitors 138 and 140 from
discharging when the polarity of the voltage of winding 132 is
reversed.
During the negative cycle, however, capacitor 140 begins to
discharge through resistor 148, and capacitor 138 through resistors
150 and 152. The RC time constant of capacitor 140 is much smaller
than that of capacitor 138. The discharging of capacitor 140 prior
to capacitor 138 allows the voltage on the anode of SCR3 to become
positive with respect to the voltage applied to the cathode
thereof. SCR3 is thus enabled and will conduct upon the occurrence
of a pulse on the gate electrode.
The negative bias on the gate electrode is removed upon the
reversal of polarity. The voltage appearing at terminals 125 and
126 of the circuit of FIG. 3 is applied to like terminals of
transformer T2. The inductance of the windings 158 and 160 of
saturable reactor 162 is reduced with an increase in the current in
the input winding 164 which accompanies the absence of sparking or
a current limit signal. The phase of the signal generated across
winding 166 of transformer T2 is thus shifted when the saturable
reactor 162 fires advancing the firing angle of SCR3. Resistor 168
and capacitor 170 give the SCR3 triggering pulse a fast rise time
and diode 172 blocks a reversal of current in winding 166 of
transformer T2. Diode 174 is used to prevent the cathode of SCR3
from becoming positive with respect to the trigger electrode.
The operation of the lower half of the circuit of FIG. 5 and the
firing of SCR4 is identical to the upper half as explained supra
and will not be further discussed, firing of SCR4 occurring
180.degree. later in all cases.
The triggering of SCR3 and SCR4 controls the voltage across
terminals 176 and 178 and terminals 180 and 182 respectively. These
terminals are connected to the trigger electrodes of SCR1 and SCR2
in the gating circuitry 20 of FIG. 1 to control the voltage of
precipitator 16.
* * * * *