A fuel valve for regulating a flow of fuel to a combustion appliance includes a control module configured to determine fuel consumption based on a measure related to fuel flow through the fuel valve. The measure related to fuel flow through the valve may be determined using a known relationship between firing rate and the flow rate of fuel through the valve. Measurement accuracy may be enhanced by correcting for the excess air ration (also referred to as lamda).

An appliance includes a first gas-burning heating element, a first gas path extending from an inlet to the first heating element, and a first solenoid valve positioned within the first gas path. The appliance further includes a second gas path extending from upstream of the first solenoid valve to the first heating element and supplying a base gas flow to the first heating element. A controller is electronically coupled with the first solenoid valve for controlling a supplemental flow of gas through the first gas path to the first heating element such that the supplemental gas flow combines with the base gas flow to achieve a total gas flow. The controller controls the supplemental flow to adjust the total gas flow by pulsing the first solenoid valve at a first rate corresponding to a desired rate of the total gas flow to the first heating element.

A system, method, and an apparatus relating to data collection regarding valve movement over a period of time in order to determine the effects of stiction on the valve. With data collection done over a period of time, it is possible to remove dependency on a high speed method of data collection. The evaluation of the valve movement includes consideration of a manipulated variable (MV) for diagnosis, or detection, of stiction of the valve.

A multivariable fuel control and estimator (MFCE) of a gas turbine engine for preventing combustor blowout is provided. The MFCE includes a first input port that receives controller requests and provide system usage commands, a second input port that receives measured disturbance values, a third input that receives system and component limits, a fourth input port that receives sensed parameters, a fuel system model of the fuel system of the gas turbine engine and an engine model of the engine system that includes the combustor of the gas turbine engine, a processor that generates a control signal for controlling the fuel valve and generates a control signal for controlling the actuator using the fuel system and engine model based on the controller requests, the measured disturbance values, the system and component limits, and the sensed parameters, and an output port that transmits the control signals to the fuel system.

A grilling device includes an auger feeder system, a heating element, a blower and a temperature control system. The temperature control system includes at least a first temperature sensor inside the firepot and a second temperature sensor inside a cooking chamber above the firepot. The heating element can also serve as the first temperature sensor. A method for controlling the temperature of the grill can include receiving temperature feedback information from one or more of the temperature sensors and adjusting power provided to the auger feeder system, heating element, and blower. The temperature control system produces cold smoke resulting from the combustion of lignin in solid wood fuel while minimizing temperatures inside the cooking chamber.

A cooking appliance includes a gas cooking element, an electromechanical valve fluidly coupled with the gas cooking element to regulate a flow of gas to the cooking element, a flame detector configured to detect an active state of a flame for the gas cooking element, a manually-actuated user control movable over a range of positions, and a controller coupled to the electromechanical valve, the flame detector, and the manually-actuated user control. The controller is configured to initiate a calibration process to determine an active range for the gas cooking element.

The invention relates to a water heating device, comprising a burner (20) and a flame current measuring device (100) for measuring a flame current, which measuring device comprises two electrodes and a voltage source (14), wherein each of the poles (18, 19) of the voltage source is connected to one of the electrodes. The water heating device further comprises a heat exchanger (40) which is electrically insulated relative to the burner. The burner and the heat exchanger here form the electrodes of the flame current measuring device. The heat exchanger functioning as electrode can be earthed (41). The measured flame current can be used to determine the excess air factor of the combustion. The water heating device can further comprise an air/fuel controller for controlling the air/fuel ratio, wherein the air/fuel controller uses the determined excess air factor to control the air/fuel ratio. The invention also relates to a method for measuring a flame current in a flame.

Systems and methods for use with water-fuel supply to industrial engines are provided. A method for controlling water supplied to an engine may include using both a desired water-fuel ratio, and a compensated fuel flow. This compensated fuel flow may be calculated by a controller-implemented complementary filter, which may include receiving, by the controller, a first signal and a second signal. The complementary filter may subtract the second signal from the first signal to create an error signal, lag the error signal to create a lagged error signal, and add the lagged error signal to the second signal to create a compensated signal. The controller may calculate a water flow request using a desired water-fuel ratio and the compensated signal.

An oil boiler includes an outer container having openings at opposite ends, a combustion chamber that covers an opening at an upper end of the outer container and in which a combustion reaction occurs, a lower cover that covers an opening at a lower end of the outer container, a plurality of flue tubes to heat heating water flowing in the outer container by guiding combustion gas, a burner including a fuel nozzle that sprays fuel, an air nozzle that injects air, and a spark plug that ignites a mixture of the fuel and the air, and a flame tube part that defines a tube space by surrounding a partial space in which the mixture is ignited, the flame tube part including a flame tube having an open lower end and a recirculation hole formed through the flame tube such that the combustion gas is introduced into the flame tube.

A fuel sub-metering mechanism for appliances that consume fuel. Each appliance may have a firing rate indicator. An individual fuel line may be connected to each appliance. A main fuel line may be connected to individual fuel lines. A meter may be connected to the main fuel line. A processor may be connected to the firing rate indicators and to the meter. The meter may measure total fuel consumption by the appliances. The processor may provide a sub-meter estimate of fuel consumed by each appliance. The sub-meter estimate may be based at least in part on a firing rate of the respective appliance and the total fuel consumption as indicated by the meter.