A gravity-style furnace subunit for a gas-induced draft furnace. A heat conduction tube configured to be located inside of a gas-induced draft furnace cabinet, the heat conduction tube being separated from a row of draft-induced heat conduction tubes inside the cabinet. A burner assembly having a burner tube located within the heat conduction tube through an inlet opening of the heat conduction tube. The burner assembly permits air flow through the inlet opening into the heat conduction tube. A pilot assembly located within the heat conduction tube and adjacent to the burner tube. A thermopile module having located adjacent to a flame outlet of the pilot assembly within the heat conduction tube. A gas valve configured to control gas flow to the burner assembly, the gas valve electrically coupled to the thermopile module and to actuate gas flow there-through when the thermopile module generates a predefined voltage difference.

A system configured to generate heat when supplied with a first fuel or a second fuel can include a fuel supply line operatively connected to a fuel source. A valve assembly can be operatively connected to the fuel supply line. A main burner can be operatively connected to the valve assembly. A thermoelectric generating system can be configured to transform heat to electricity. A first pilot burner can include at least one of a first thermocouple and a first Fe-ion sensor. A second pilot burner can include at least one of a second thermocouple and a second Fe-ion sensor. A printed circuit board (PCB) can be operatively connected to the valve assembly and the first and second pilot burners. The PCB can be configured to control operation of the valve assembly based on information received from at least one of the first and second pilot burners.

A water heater may include a water tank, a burner, a pilot for igniting the burner, an ignitor for igniting the pilot, a thermoelectric device in thermal communication with a flame of the pilot, a controller for controlling an ignition sequence of the pilot using the ignitor, and a rechargeable power storage device for supplying power to the ignitor and the controller. The rechargeable power storage device may be rechargeable using the energy produced by the thermoelectric device. The controller is configured to selectively run only the pilot for at least part of a heating cycle to increase the recharge time of the rechargeable power storage device while still heating the water in the water heater.

Control system for controlling the pilot flame of a combustible gas device, which includes a pilot burner, a main burner, and a valve assembly, which includes a pilot valve that allows/intercepts a flow of gas directed towards the pilot burner, and a main valve that allows/intercepts a gas flow to the main burner, the valve assembly moveable between a closed OFF state, a PILOT state, and an ON state, where gas flows to the main burner. The control system includes a detection device that generates a state signal, and a control unit including a timer, the control unit is operatively connected to the detection device to receive a state signal and to an actuator to close the valve. The control unit starts the timer when the state signal represents the PILOT state, and actuates the actuator for the pilot valve to close it when the timer reaches a preset limit.

A water heater may include a water tank, a burner, a pilot for igniting the burner, an ignitor for igniting the pilot, a thermoelectric device in thermal communication with a flame of the pilot, a controller for controlling an ignition sequence of the pilot using the ignitor, and a rechargeable power storage device for supplying power to the ignitor and the controller. The rechargeable power storage device may be rechargeable using the energy produced by the thermoelectric device. The controller is configured to selectively run only the pilot for at least part of a heating cycle to increase the recharge time of the rechargeable power storage device while still heating the water in the water heater.

A gravity-style furnace subunit for a gas-induced draft furnace. A heat conduction tube configured to be located inside of a gas-induced draft furnace cabinet, the heat conduction tube being separated from a row of draft-induced heat conduction tubes inside the cabinet. A burner assembly having a burner tube located within the heat conduction tube through an inlet opening of the heat conduction tube. The burner assembly permits air flow through the inlet opening into the heat conduction tube. A pilot assembly located within the heat conduction tube and adjacent to the burner tube. A thermopile module having located adjacent to a flame outlet of the pilot assembly within the heat conduction tube. A gas valve configured to control gas flow to the burner assembly, the gas valve electrically coupled to the thermopile module and to actuate gas flow there-through when the thermopile module generates a predefined voltage difference.

The invention relates to particular burners, and e.g. to a burner comprising a central main fuel lance, a pilot fuel conduit, a main oxidant conduit, an auxiliary oxidant conduit, and optionally a secondary fuel conduit, which are arranged in a particular and advantageous way to surround each other at least in their downstream sections. The invention further relates to furnaces including the burners and methods of operating the burners. Among others, the burners of the present invention allow a particularly advantageous way of including a pilot burner as an integral part of the main burner to ignite liquid fuel flame in a cold furnace. If required, the pilot flame can assist in extending the flammability limit or operating range of the liquid fuel burner.

A gravity-style furnace subunit for a gas-induced draft furnace. A heat conduction tube configured to be located inside of a gas-induced draft furnace cabinet, the heat conduction tube being separated from a row of draft-induced heat conduction tubes inside the cabinet. A burner assembly having a burner tube located within the heat conduction tube through an inlet opening of the heat conduction tube. The burner assembly permits air flow through the inlet opening into the heat conduction tube. A pilot assembly located within the heat conduction tube and adjacent to the burner tube. A thermopile module having located adjacent to a flame outlet of the pilot assembly within the heat conduction tube. A gas valve configured to control gas flow to the burner assembly, the gas valve electrically coupled to the thermopile module and to actuate gas flow there-through when the thermopile module generates a predefined voltage difference.