Gas Research Institute

Gas Technology Institute

John A Bowman

Karen R Benedek

Stephan E Schmidt

Steven Casey

A gas-fired burner including a cylindrical burner housing having a premixed fuel/air opening. Disposed within the cylindrical burner housing is a cylindrical burner ring which forms at least one row of a plurality of burner ports. The cylindrical burner ring is sized relative to the burner housing such that an annular space is formed between the burner housing and the burner ring. Upper and lower annular rings extend between the burner ring and the burner housing, thereby enclosing the annular space. Disposed within the burner ring is a secondary air flow restrictor for controlling the flow of secondary air to the flame. A multi-finger grate having alternating long and short fingers is disposed above the burner housing.

Advanced commercial range burner

A method is disclosed for operating a gas-fired heater to maintain temperature within a zone. The gas-fired heater is modulated between a higher firing rate and a lower firing rate within a pseudo steady-state mode until a current firing rate exceeds a predetermined maximum time period t . The gas-fired heater is then modulated between an updated higher firing rate and an updated lower firing rate within a transient mode until an updated current firing rate exceeds a predetermined maximum time period t . Finally, the higher firing rate and the lower firing rate are redefined in a diagnostic mode until the gas-fired heater returns to the pseudo steady-state mode.

Digital modulation for a gas-fired heater

An apparatus and method for operating a pilot burner apparatus and a main burner apparatus of a gas-fired appliance. The pilot burner apparatus draws combustion air from a first environment. The main combustion apparatus draws air from a second environment. In a shutdown condition, such as when a flammable vapor source is accidentally exposed to the second environment, the pilot burner apparatus draws air containing an undesired flammable vapor which eliminates the pilot flame, triggering a gas valve to close and shut down the fuel gas supply to the main burner apparatus and the pilot burner apparatus.

Apparatus and method for sensing flammable vapor

Pilot burner apparatus and method for operating

A pilot burner apparatus for use with gas-fired appliances, such as gas-fired water heaters, is provided with a structure configured for the early detection, and response to, the presence of flammable vapor in the atmosphere ambient to the appliance. Combustion air for the pilot burner is taken from that region of the ambient atmosphere, most likely to become contaminated with flammable vapor first. One or more flame characteristics of the pilot burner flame are monitored, and if the flame characteristics depart from a predetermined range of parameters, gas flow to the pilot and main burner(s) of the appliance are cut off. The sensitivity of the pilot burner is such that flammable vapors are detected before the concentration of flammable vapors car rise to the lower flammability limit of the anticipated flammable vapor(s).

Growing community of inventors

Lancaster, MA, United States of America

John A Bowman