A system including a burner configured to be coupled to a fuel line to deliver fuel to the burner and an igniter positioned adjacent to the burner and configured to ignite fuel emitted by the burner. The system further includes a valve configured to control a flow of fuel through the fuel line and a control module operably coupled to the igniter and to the valve. The control module is configured to send a signal to the igniter and to close the valve if a quality of a return electrical signal from the igniter is below a predetermined value.

Cooktop appliances are provided. A cooktop appliance can include a gas burner; a manifold having a gas input; a primary line extending between the manifold and the gas burner, wherein the primary line operates as a non-modulated minimum gas flow line when the cooktop appliance is in an automatic mode; a secondary line extending between the manifold and the gas burner, wherein a gas flow rate of the secondary line is controllable by a flow control valve; a primary valve in fluid communication with at least the primary line; and a control system including: a sensor configured to detect a temperature corresponding to the gas burner; and a controller regulating: (i) the flow control valve in response to the detected temperature to achieve a desired temperature, and (ii) the primary valve when the flow control valve is closed and the detected temperature exceeds the desired temperature.

A fuel control device includes a combustion temperature estimation value calculation unit that calculates a temperature estimation value when a mixture of fuel and inflow air is burned using an atmospheric condition, an opening degree command value of a valve that controls the amount of air that is mixed with the fuel and burned, and an output prediction value calculated on the basis of a fuel control signal command value used for calculation of a total fuel flow rate flowing through a plurality of fuel supply systems, a fuel distribution command value calculation unit that calculates a fuel distribution command value indicating a distribution of fuel output from the fuel supply systems based on the temperature estimation value, and outputs the fuel distribution command value, and a valve opening degree calculation unit that calculates each valve opening degree of a fuel flow rate control valve of the fuel supply systems.

A system for controlling digital gas valves of an appliance utilizing a configurable duty cycle that includes a configurable ON time, a configurable cycle period and one or more configurable burner power level variables. In some instances, the configurable duty cycle may be configured at least in part by operation of a control knob, and in some instances, multiple burner power levels may be specified such that cycling may be performed between multiple burner power levels.

Provided are embodiments of a gas valve for an intermittent pilot ignition system. The gas valve includes features designed to address the buildup of negative pressure in a fuel line connected to the gas valve that could cause internal valve diaphragms to open, drawing fuel from the gas valve. In embodiments, the gas valve includes a system of check valves designed to seal off the gas valve when a negative pressure develops. In other embodiments, the gas valve includes a relief valve having a relief port so that air is able to enter the valve proximate to the inlet port so as to avoid building a negative pressure sufficient to open the diaphragms. In both cases, the valve remains primed with fuel for subsequent ignition. The gas valve is envisioned to be useful for a variety of pilot operated systems.

Provided are embodiments of a gas valve for an intermittent pilot ignition system. The gas valve includes features designed to address the buildup of negative pressure in a fuel line connected to the gas valve that could cause internal valve diaphragms to open, drawing fuel from the gas valve. In embodiments, the gas valve includes a system of check valves designed to seal off the gas valve when a negative pressure develops. In other embodiments, the gas valve includes a relief valve having a relief port so that air is able to enter the valve proximate to the inlet port so as to avoid building a negative pressure sufficient to open the diaphragms. In both cases, the valve remains primed with fuel for subsequent ignition. The gas valve is envisioned to be useful for a variety of pilot operated systems.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for controlled burning of experimental solid fuel test strands. The fuel test strand is advanced by a screw attached to a computer-controlled stepper motor. The stepper motor controls the fuel test strand position via a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control loop, adjusting velocity based on transmission of a diode laser beam located at the desired fuel surface position. This provides real-time monitoring of fuel strand position and fuel regression rate during combustion experiments.

An ultra wideband (UWB) combustion sensor detects presence or absence of combustion corresponding to an effect on a transmitted, time-gated pulse and detection by a presence or absence of charged particles associated with combustion. A combustion system includes a UWB combustion sensor. A method for operating a combustion system includes operation of a UWB combustion sensor.

A cooking appliance includes a gas valve mounting assembly for mounting a gas valve for a gas cooktop burner to a control panel of the appliance. The gas valve mounting assembly includes a valve attachment plate that secures to and generally circumscribes the gas valve and extends generally transversely to an actuation axis of the gas valve, as well as multiple standoffs having respective first and second ends and extending generally parallel to the actuation axis of the gas valve to secure the valve attachment plate to the control panel.

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods that are useful for controlling one or more aspects of a power production plant. More particularly, the disclosure relates to power production plants and methods of carrying out a power production method utilizing different fuel chemistries. Combustion of the different fuel mixtures can be controlled so that a defined set of combustion characteristics remains substantially constant across a range of different fuel chemistries.