Embodiments are directed to smoking food in an outdoor grill using a customized smoking routine. In one scenario, an electronic controller of an outdoor grill receives an input to initiate smoke generation according to a specified smoke generation pattern, including: adding a specified amount of combustible pellets to a combustion area within the outdoor grill, such that the combustible pellets begin to burn, measuring a current internal temperature of the outdoor grill and, if below a threshold value, adding a specified amount of additional combustible pellets to the combustion area sufficient to raise the temperature to another threshold value, allowing the internal temperature to cool a temperature below the first threshold value and, upon determining that the temperature of the outdoor grill has cooled below the first specified threshold value, adding additional combustible pellets to the combustion area sufficient to raise the temperature to at least the second threshold value.

A system for controlling a boiler apparatus in a power plant to combust under optimized conditions, and a method for optimizing combustion of the boiler apparatus using the same are provided. The boiler control system may include a modeler configured to create a boiler combustion model, an optimizer configured to receive the boiler combustion model from the modeler and perform the combustion optimization operation for the boiler using the boiler combustion model to calculate an optimum control value, and an output controller configured to receive the optimum control value from the optimizer, and control an operation of the boiler by reflecting the optimum control value to a boiler control logic.

An apparatus for combustion optimization is provided. The apparatus for combustion optimization includes a management layer configured to collect currently measured real-time data for boiler combustion, and to determine whether to perform combustion optimization and whether to tune a combustion model and a combustion controller by analyzing the collected real-time data, a data layer configured to derive learning data necessary for designing the combustion model and the combustion controller from the real-time data and previously measured past data for the boiler combustion, a model layer configured to generate the combustion model and the combustion controller through the learning data, and an optimal layer configured to calculate a target value for the combustion optimization by using the combustion model and the combustion controller, and to output a control signal according to the calculated target value.

A Smart Candle Platform may be configured to produce candle light using a natural wax candle as its fuel source or any other fuel source capable of producing light, including liquid fuels if so configured. The outer shell, inner cover, top cover and base provides a beautiful exterior shell which does not melt but emulates the look of a traditional pillar candle. The outer shell may be changeable/replaceable allowing for style and or seasonal changes. A Smart Candle Platform having multiple interactive systems and sensors for production of natural light via a safe, controllable device which may communicate with other similar configured devices or smart devices having application software embedded therein i.e. a smart phone having an app. is disclosed. The Smart Candle Platform may be configured to allow for auto-extinguishment. The Smart Candle Platform may be configured to allow for the addition of smells or scents.

A combustion chamber assembly unit for a fuel-operated vehicle heater includes a combustion chamber housing (14), a combustion chamber (18) formed in the combustion chamber housing (14), an evaporator medium (28) for the absorption of liquid fuel and for the discharge of fuel vapor into the combustion chamber (18), and a heating/ignition device (36) for heating the evaporator medium (28) or/and for igniting a mixture of fuel and combustion air formed in the combustion chamber (18). The heating/ignition device (38) includes at least one radiation source (38) for the emission of electromagnetic radiation into the combustion chamber (18) and at least one absorption body (29, 46) for the absorption of electromagnetic radiation emitted into the combustion chamber (18).

A microprocessor-based controller manages combustion within a biofuel furnace. A clinker agitator controller generates signals for controlling operation of a motorized clinker agitator of the biofuel furnace. The microprocessor-based controller may additionally control any of fuel feed rate, air supply rate and ash removal rate.

A system that includes: a gas turbine having a combustion system; a control system operably connected to the gas turbine for controlling an operation thereof; and a combustion auto-tuner, which is communicatively linked to the control system, that includes an optimization system having an empirical model of the combustion system and an optimizer; sensors configured to measure the inputs and outputs of the combustion system; a hardware processor; and machine-readable storage medium on which is stored instructions that cause the hardware processor to execute a tuning process for tuning the operation of the combustion system. The tuning process includes the steps of: receiving current measurements from the sensors for the inputs and outputs; given the current measurements received from the sensors, using the optimization system to calculate an optimized control solution for the combustion system; and communicating the optimized control solution to the control system.

A fuel supply system for a gas burner assembly is provided. The gas burner assembly includes an inner burner stage positioned concentrically within an outer burner stage. The fuel supply system includes a fuel supply for providing a primary flow of fuel through a primary fuel conduit. A control valve and a modulating valve are operably coupled in series on the primary fuel conduit for regulating the primary flow of fuel. A first fuel supply conduit and a second fuel supply conduit tee off the primary fuel conduit to supply fuel to the outer burner stage and the inner burner stage, respectively. A shutoff valve is operably coupled to the first fuel supply conduit for stopping the flow of fuel through the first fuel supply conduit, e.g., during a simmer operation.

A system that includes: a gas turbine having a combustion system; a control system operably connected to the gas turbine for controlling an operation thereof; and a combustion auto-tuner, which is communicatively linked to the control system, that includes an optimization system having an empirical model of the combustion system and an optimizer; sensors configured to measure the inputs and outputs of the combustion system; a hardware processor; and machine-readable storage medium on which is stored instructions that cause the hardware processor to execute a tuning process for tuning the operation of the combustion system. The tuning process includes the steps of: receiving current measurements from the sensors for the inputs and outputs; given the current measurements received from the sensors, using the optimization system to calculate an optimized control solution for the combustion system; and communicating the optimized control solution to the control system.

A burner includes an atomizing chamber, a flame tube in front of the atomizing chamber adapted to direct combusting fuel introduced by the atomizing chamber along an interior of the flame tube, and a controller. The controller is programmed to independently control rate of fuel flow to the atomizing chamber, rate of atomizing air flow to the atomizing chamber, and rate of combustion air to the flame tub. The controller is also programmed to perform operations including regulating, based on output of a gas sensor, at least the rate of combustion air to the flame tube to substantially maintain a first predetermined amount of excess air in the flame tube.