A power generation system includes: a combustor operative to combust a fuel; a power generator operative to utilize energy obtained from the combustor when generating electric power; a fuel supplier operative to supply the fuel to the combustor; an air supplier operative to supply combustion air to the combustor; a discharged gas passage through which a discharged gas from the combustor flows; a CO detector operative to detect CO in the discharged gas; a temperature detector operative to detect a temperature of the discharged gas; and control circuitry operative to, when the discharged gas is flowing through the discharged gas passage, perform at least one of an operation of detecting a structural abnormality of the discharged gas passage based on a difference between detected temperatures of the temperature detector relative to a difference between heated amounts of the discharged gas heated by a heater and an operation of detecting the structural abnormality of the discharged gas passage based on the difference between the detected temperatures of the temperature detector relative to a difference between outputs of at least one of the fuel supplier and the air supplier.

A method for controlling at least one operational parameter of a plant (1) having a combustion unit (3) can include estimating a status of at least one operational variable of the plant to identify an estimated value for the operational variable. For each operational variable, the estimated value for the operational variable can be compared with a measured value of the operational variable to determine an uncertainty value based on a difference in value between the measured value and the estimated value for the operational variable. A control signal can be generated based on a reference signal, the measured value, and the deviation value for sending to at least one element of the plant (1) for controlling a process of the plant (1).

The present description discloses a combustion type water heater that heats water by burning fuel. The combustion type water heater includes: a burner that generates combustion gas by burning the fuel; a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the water passing through on an inside of the heat exchanger and the combustion gas flowing on an outside of the heat exchanger, an exhaust pipe that discharges the combustion gas after the heat exchange in the heat exchanger as exhaust gas; an exhaust gas temperature detector that detects a temperature of the exhaust gas flowing in the exhaust pipe as an exhaust gas temperature; a clog degree detector that detects a degree of clog in the exhaust pipe; and a scale buildup determiner that determines whether or not scale has built up inside the heat exchanger based on the exhaust gas temperature and the degree of clog in the exhaust pipe.

The disclosure provides for a device for selectively agitating briquettes on a grill supporting plate. The device includes a variable frequency vibrational device, a power source, and a control circuit that controls the vibrational device at selected frequencies to create various Chladni patterns in the plate and, therefore, heating patterns over the surface of a briquette-supporting pan. The plate supports one or more pieces of charcoal and the device is integrated into the pan. When turned on, the vibrational device vibrates at a selected frequency. This vibration is translated to the briquette-supporting plate and causes different charcoal briquettes to selectively vibrate. The device is capable of selectively activating or pixilating briquettes to generate higher temperatures over different surface areas of the plate when the grill is cooking one or more pieces of food requiring different degrees of grilling or cooking.

A system and process for intermittently venting combustible gas (c-gas) from a continuous source to the atmosphere are presented. The system includes a primary c-gas storage tank, at least one primary admission valve located upstream of the primary c-gas storage tank for regulating the flow of c-gas from the continuous source to the storage tank, a primary valve for atmospheric venting located downstream of the primary c-gas storage tank, and a primary PIC that opens the primary valve for atmospheric venting when pressure in the primary c-gas storage tank reaches a pre-determined PIC vent point. The system may include an auxiliary system to receive and vent c-gas while the primary admission valve is closed. The primary and auxiliary systems may also include an inert gas storage tank and inert gas valve for diluting the c-gas before it is vented to the atmosphere.

Described herein are embodiments of systems and methods for oxidizing gases. In some embodiments, a reaction chamber is configured to receive a fuel gas and maintain the gas at a temperature within the reaction chamber that is above an autoignition temperature of the gas. The reaction chamber may also be configured to maintain a reaction temperature within the reaction chamber below a flameout temperature. In some embodiments, heat and product gases from the oxidation process can be used, for example, to drive a turbine, reciprocating engine, and injected back into the reaction chamber.

The present invention relates to methods and systems for controlling a combustion reaction and the products thereof. One embodiment includes a combustion control system having an oxygenation stream substantially comprising oxygen and CO.sub.2 and having an oxygen to CO.sub.2 ratio, then mixing the oxygenation stream with a combustion fuel stream and combusting in a combustor to generate a combustion products stream having a temperature and a composition detected by a temperature sensor and an oxygen analyzer, respectively, the data from which are used to control the flow and composition of the oxygenation and combustion fuel streams. The system may also include a gas turbine with an expander and having a load and a load controller in a feedback arrangement.

A radiant burner and method are disclosed. The radiant burner is for treating an effluent gas stream from a manufacturing process tool, the radiant burner comprises: a sintered metal fibre sleeve through which combustion materials pass for combustion proximate to an inner combustion surface of the sintered metal fibre sleeve; and an insulating sleeve surrounding the sintered metal to fibre sleeve and through which the combustion materials pass. In this way, a radiant burner is provided which does not crack due to rapid cycling caused by frequent idle steps during which the burner is extinguished. Also, by providing an insulating sleeve, the temperature within the radiant burner and the temperature of an outer surface of the radiant burner remain comparable with existing ceramic burners. This enables the radiant burner to be substituted in place of existing ceramic burners as a line-replaceable unit which does not suffer from cracking during such frequent and short-duration periods of process tool inactivity.

One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for an ignition control module for a gas appliance. The housing of the ignition control module, and/or the mounting points for mounting the module to a gas appliance, can be configured to dispose the battery in a manner that provides for potential battery leakage to flow away from most operable components of the module. Further, the ignitor connection terminals can be configured to provide for ease of connection, by providing a connector guide disposed in a cylindrically-shaped terminal housing. Additionally, an ignitor actuator terminal can be configured to selectably engage with an ignitor actuator connector, where the ignitor actuator terminal comprises at least two connector points that engage with a single ignitor actuator connector.

A water heater control system comprising an energy storage system electrically connected to a pilot valve operator and electrically isolated from a main valve operator. The energy storage system may be electrically connected to an ignition circuit. A thermoelectric device is in thermal communication with the pilot flame and electrically connected to a main valve operator. The water heater system may include a microcontroller configured to establish electrical communications between the device and the energy storage system, the pilot valve operator, and the main valve operator. The microcontroller may be configured to recognize a call for main burner operation, and may also be configured to check an available voltage of the energy storage system against a setpoint. The microcontroller may establish pilot flame operation with or without main burner operation, depending on whether a call for heat or recharging of the energy storage system is required.