THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF THE SiC FLAME SENSOR

摘要

The research and development activities that were required to enable the manufacture of large numbers of SiC flame sensors for power plant gas turbines are described. This included years of work to make many thousands of SiC photodiodes at high yield with excellent UV response and low dark currents. The technical aspects and problems encountered during circuit development are also described. The results of field testing and power plant operation as well as data showing the multifold capability for tracking flame on/off, flame intensity, flame fluctuations and combustor mode switching are given. Thousands of these SiC sensors have been and continue to be installed in all types of gas turbines all over the World. This effort has resulted in one of the first successful applications of SiC devices.