A fluid sensor system detects one or more performance characteristics of a heating system that heats a fluid. The sensor system includes a probe having a finite length a portion of which is to be immersed in the fluid. The probe includes a resistive heating element and a fluid temperature sensor for measuring one or more performance characteristics, wherein the fluid temperature sensor is configured to measure a fluid temperature, and the resistive heating element is operable as a heater to create a temperature differential between the fluid and air to detect the fluid, and as a sensor to measure a fluid level.

A burner appliance is disclosed. The burner appliance includes a byproduct sensor in an exhaust flue and/or a barometric pressure sensor to detect an environmental pressure at the burner appliance. By calculating concentrations of combustion byproducts in the exhaust with the byproduct sensor, a controller can adjust blower speed and/or fuel rate to modify combustion efficiency. By calculating the environmental pressure at the burner with the barometric pressure sensor, the controller can adjust blower speed and/or fuel rate to modify combustion efficiency. The barometric-pressure data can also be used to adjust blower speed control bands, thereby calibrating the control bands based on environmental pressure. The environmental pressure can be indicative of altitude and/or weather conditions. Methods of operating said burner appliance are also disclosed.

An indicator generating method for generating an indicator which is suitable for maintenance prediction of a water heating system is proposed. A power state indication device generates a high power consumption signal if a heating device of the water heating system is activated. The time duration of the activation is such an indicator, if no water flow is present. Furthermore, the time interval between subsequent activations is such an indicator. A predictive maintenance method processes these condition-based indicators and determines a remaining useful lifetime according to a predictive maintenance model. The predictive maintenance device outputs a maintenance signal indicating required maintenance, if the remaining useful lifetime drops below a predetermined threshold. The methods may be performed by water heating systems or beverage makers.

Provided is a water heater including a burner that receives a supply of combustion air from a fan, a heat exchanger having a heat transfer tube, and a combustion chamber case in which a combustion chamber of the burner is formed in the interior thereof and which is to be capable of guiding combustion gas generated by the burner to the heat exchanger. The water heater further includes a unit case that surrounds the combustion chamber case, and a region on the outside of the combustion chamber case within the unit case serves as an air pressure chamber having a higher pressure than the combustion chamber. Thus, combustion gas leakage to the outside can be prevented or suppressed appropriately by means of a simple configuration.

This invention relates to a heater. A combustion air blower feeds combustion air to a burner device. The burner device burns a gas-air mixture from the combustion air and a fuel and serves for heating air. A circulating air blower discharges heated air from the heater. A control device acts on at least one component of the heater, wherein a night mode parameter set associated with an operation of the heater in a night mode and a default parameter set are stored in a data storage device. After an activation of the night mode, the control device accesses the night mode parameter set and uses the same for acting on the component. The night mode parameter set effects a reduction of background noise generated by the heater.

In a method for operating a heating device, fluid is initially introduced into a fluid chamber, then the heating elements of the heating device are switched on and a leakage current is detected as a temperature-dependent current flow through a dielectric insulation layer. A supply voltage of the heating devices is measured and is taken into account in an evaluation of the temperature at the fluid chamber as a function of the leakage current. The leakage current is converted into a leakage voltage by means of a resistor, which is then divided by the measured supply voltage. Subsequently, the quotient obtained may be multiplied by a compensation value in order to obtain a normalized leakage signal, which is normalized to a base value of the supply voltage. The normalized leakage signal is used, if a particular absolute value of the leakage signal is exceeded or if a particular slope of the profile of the leakage signal is exceeded, in order to top up the fluid chamber with more fluid and/or to reduce the heating power of at least one heating element.

The flameless heater system includes an energy source comprising a diesel engine configured to create volumes of air, a hydraulic system to control engine loading for heat generation and for air moving, and a control system, operatively coupled with the energy source and the hydraulic system to control at least one of a speed of the diesel engine, a loading of the diesel engine, or a fan speed.

A portable space heater includes a housing with an air inlet through which ambient air is received and an air vent through which heated air is expelled. A centrifugal fan of the heater is configured to drive air flow into the air inlet. A flow channel of the heater is configured to direct the air flow toward the air vent and a heating element heats the air flow in the flow channel. The heater additionally includes a sensor configured to sense proximity of a body part to the air vent and a controller configured to pause operation of the heating element based on the sensing, wherein the centrifugal fan, the flow channel, the heating element, the sensor and the controller are housed in the housing.

A collection of methods for monitoring the operation of a heating system configured to heat a space is provided. One method includes obtaining, by one or more computing devices, data from a fuel sensor for a period of time, the fuel sensor configured to detect an amount of fuel within a fuel supply for a furnace of the heating system. The method further includes determining, by the one or more computing devices, an adjustment to the operation of the heating system based, at least in part, on the data obtained from the fuel sensor. The method additionally includes adjusting, by the one or more computing devices, the operation of the heating system according to the adjustment.

A method of controlling water heater pilot flame ignition includes receiving, by a controller of a water heater, a user input and controlling a pilot gas valve to start a gas flow to a pilot burner in response to the user input. The method further includes, in response to the user input, controlling, by the controller, an igniter to generate an ignition spark for lighting a pilot flame. The method also includes controlling, by the controller, the pilot gas valve to maintain the gas flow to the pilot burner if the pilot flame is lit.