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2025 – Flame monitoring in industrial burners with semiconductor-based UV sensors focusing on hydrogen-flame

von

Dr. Tilman Weiss, sglux GmbH, Berlin, Germany
Yuyu Kimura, IR System Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan

This article was first published in the Japanese Journal of Industrial Heating 2025, vol. 62, no. 3, Edition May
Flame monitoring in industrial burners with semiconductor-based UV sensors focusing on hydrogen-flame

Resumen
Using semiconductor based sensors for flame detection, such as presented with this article can be regarded as a fascinating approach not just with regards on costs and safety. Additionally, looking at environmental and sustainability aspects using semiconductor sensors instead of discharge tubes is a useful tool towards durability and longevity. The possibility of working with two different sensor chips for two different kind of irradiadion (UV and IR) in one small size sensor housing opens up a multitude of new and interesting application possibilities.

2023 – Towards Sic-Based VUV Pin-Photodiodes – Investigations on 4H-SiC Photodiodes with Shallow Implanted Al Emitters

von

Michael Schraml¹, Alexander May¹, Dr. Tobias Erlbacher¹, Dr. Niklas Papathanasiou², Dr. Tilman Weiss²,
¹Fraunhofer IISB, Erlangen, Germany
²sglux GmbH, Berlin, Germany

Towards SiC-Based VUV Pin-Photodiodes – Investigations on 4H-SiC Photodiodes with Shallow Implanted Al Emitters

Zusammenfassung
4H silicon carbide (SiC) based pin photodiodes with a sensitivity in the vacuum ultraviolet spectrum (VUV) demand newly developed emitter doping profiles. This work features the first ever reported 4H-SiC pin photodiodes with an implanted p-emitter and a noticeable sensitivity at a wavelength of 200 nm. As a first step, Aluminum doping profiles produced by low energy ion implantation in 4H-SiC were characterized by secondary-ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Photodiodes using these shallow emitters are compared to one with a deep p-emitter doping profile employing IV characteristics and the spectral response. SIMS results demonstrate the possibility of shallow Alimplantation profiles using low implantation energies with all emitter profiles featuring characteristic I-V results. For some shallow doping profiles, a meassurable signal at the upper limit of the VUV spectrum could be demonstrated, paving the way towards 4H-SiC pin photodiodes with sensitivities for wavelengths below 200 nm.

2021 – TOCONs with reduced dead times used for the detection of fire and combustion burner flames

von

Dr. Tilman Weiss, sglux GmbH, Berlin, Germany

TOCONs for the detection of fire and combustion burner flames

Abstract
The standard sglux TOCONs are featured by a relatively high time constant that extends from 30 ms (low sensitivity TOCONs) until 80 ms (high sensitivity TOCONs). Most of the TOCON applications benefit from this high time constant because usually the TOCON’s application is to measure a UV irradiation that slowly changes. Such applications are e.g. the control of UV disinfection and UV curing sources. Short changes of signal caused by electromagnetic or high frequency influences are averaged – which is a benefit. However, looking at flame detection in heaters or looking at fire detection applications this relatively high time constant may cause problems. The present report presents opportunities to reduce the dead time of the TOCONs.

2021 – Sensing ultraviolet light emission from hydrogen flames: Flame detection and flame monitoring in CO2 emission free domestic boilers

von

Bielefeld, S.E., TU Delft Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science


Master Thesis

Abstract
As a contribution to the decarbonisation of domestic heating, the graduation project investigates the feasibility of the application of UV sensor technology for flame detection and flame monitoring in hydrogen-powered domestic gas boilers. The research includes empirical studies and an analytical approach to describe influences on the sensor signal strength.

2020 – UV sensors for hydrogen flame detection

von

Dr. Tilman Weiss, sglux GmbH, Berlin, Germany

UV sensors for hydrogen flame detection

Abstract
Pursuing the goal of decarburization of the energy use, the substition of petroleum gas by hydrogen gas produced with renewable energy is a very promising approach.

This requires a certain modification of the heaters. A major change will be the modification of the EN298 compliant flame sensing feature. Currently, sensing petroleum gas flames, electric ionization sensors are used – a rugged, reliable and inexpensive method. However, if hydrogen gas is added to the petroleum gas or if the gas entirely consists of hydrogen these ionization sensors can not be further applied. The reason is a changed reaction kinetics where the ionization effect can not be detected by these conventional sensors. This challenge can be mastered by use of opto-electronic UV sensors. These sensors reliably detect all kind of flames while “seeing” their characteristic emission spectrum in the ultraviolet light range. As UV sensors are more expensive than ionization detectors currently the UV sensors are only applied in highly priced industrial burners but not in household burners. However, according the current state of the knowledge, no other method than opto-electronic UV sensors are able to reliably detect a hydrogen flame.

Since 2006 we produce the TOCONs ABC1 and ABC2 for the EN298 compliant detection of petroleum gas flames in household burners. Our new TOCON_F series is designed for the detection of hydrogen flames.

The difference of the new TOCON_F to the standard ABC1 and ABC2 TOCONs is a reduced off dead-time. This off dead-time occurs with the standard TOCONs when they are saturated and can extend to several 100 milliseconds. The TOCON_F with its logarithmic amplifier shrinks this dead-time to less than 70 milliseconds. Accordingly the reaction time after the flame’s (unwanted) distinction could be strongly increased. Even if the standard TOCONs ABC1 and ABC2 are fast enough (compliant with EN298) to be applied in flame sensing modules (EN298 claims a reaction time of less than 1000 milliseconds) – the requirements of the EN298 standard could be tightened in the future. The reason of this assumption is the significantly higher rate of spread and ignition range of a hydrogen flame compared with a petroleum gas flame. Hence a UV sensor module that works with a TOCON_F offers shorter reaction times than currently required by the standard. This makes these flame sensing modules future-proof in case of a possible revision of the standard.