An intelligent cooktop has at least a first, if not multiple burners in proximity to at least a first sensor, respectively, wherein the first sensor provides an input to a processor which evaluates a burner performance characteristic selected from the group of least one of flame level, temperature rise, time lag, and temperature level using the first sensor compared to an anticipated performance characteristic of the first burner based on the valve position; and then provides a burner performance output to a user identifying a condition of the first burner.

A digital gas cooking appliance is disclosed. The digital gas cooking appliance has the ability of self-initiating an automatic calibration process to determine an optimum valve position to be used for an electromechanical valve when igniting a gas cooking element by performing a plurality of ignition sequences for the gas cooking element at a plurality of respective valve positions of the electromechanical valve. During each of the plurality of ignition sequences, a respective ignition duration between a start of the respective ignition sequence when an igniter is active and the electromechanical valve is open, and a flame is detected by a flame detector, may be determined.

An apparatus (having at least one burner having a plurality of co-axial channels and a control system for regulating a length of a flame for partial oxidation of hydrocarbon feed in a reactor is provided. The at least one burner has a first channel to inject a stream of oxidizer, a second channel to inject a stream of the hydrocarbon feed and a third channel to inject a stream of swirl gas at a first velocity into the hydrocarbon feed stream. The control system regulates the length of the flame to have a constant flame shape and position by regulating the first velocity of the swirl gas that generates the swirl motion within the hydrocarbon feed stream.

A method of improving an endothermic process in a furnace utilizing steps a) calibrating the simplified physical model of step c3) by measuring one or more tube temperature for at least a tube impacted by the throttling of a burner in standard and in throttled state, b) acquiring information on a tube temperature for the tubes present in the furnace with all the burners present in the furnace under standard non-throttled conditions, c) getting a map of burners to throttle including c1) choosing at least one parameter representative of the performances of the furnace with a target of improvement, c2) choosing at least one or more power ratio for the burner throttling; c3) utilizing the information of step b) and a simplified physical model of the impact of throttling a burner on the tube temperature, c4) getting a map of burners to throttle, step d) throttling the burners.

Described herein are two-stage catalytic heating systems and methods of operating thereof. A system comprises a first-stage catalytic reactor and a second-stage catalytic reactor, configured to operate in sequence and at different operating conditions, For example, the first-stage catalytic reactor is supplied with fuel and oxidant at fuel-rich conditions. The first-stage catalytic reactor generates syngas. The syngas is flown into the second-stage catalytic reactor together with some additional oxidant. The second-stage catalytic reactor operates at fuel-lean conditions and generates exhaust. Splitting the overall fuel oxidation process between the two catalytic reactors allows operating these reactors away from the stoichiometric fuel-oxidant ratio and avoiding excessive temperatures in these reactors. As a result, fewer pollutants are generated during the operation of two-stage catalytic heating systems. For example, the temperatures are maintained below 1.000° C. at all oxidation stages.

According to one embodiment a valve arrangement for a gas burner is provided that includes a manual gas valve with a manual actuator for opening or closing the gas flow, and an electromagnetic valve having a movable closure member which allows opening or closing a gas passage to the burner. The electromagnetic valve is arranged in the gas valve, with the manual actuator being coupled to a rotary flow regulating element, the manual actuator being configured in order to move the closure member of the electromagnetic valve, opening the gas passage, the manual gas valve including a reduced gas flow channel which puts the inlet conduit in fluid communication with the regulating element regardless of the position of the closure member.

A remotely actuated pilot valve provides for a pilot gas valve that includes safe lighting and complete shutoff capabilities in the event that the flame that is heating a thermocouple is extinguished, the pilot valve having a pilot flow interrupter to provide pilot gas only when initially opened. A heater system that utilizes such a pilot gas valve is provided as is a method whereby the pilot gas valve used in such a system can be remotely and electronically actuated when required. Remote actuation is accomplished by use of a solenoid that is incorporated within the valve design and which is controlled by a remote operator.

A combustion control apparatus of an Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) reforming system and a method for controlling the same may include a burner provided to supply heat to a reformer, a flame temperature analyzer configured to analyze a flame temperature of the burner, an air flow rate calculator configured to determine an initial value of a flow rate of air to be supplied to the burner depending on a flow rate of fuel gas supplied to the burner, and an air flow rate controller electrically connected to the air flow rate calculator and the flame temperature analyzer and configured to select the flow rate of the air at which the flame temperature transmitted by the flame temperature analyzer reaches a maximum while changing the flow rate of the air from the initial value and to control supply of the selected flow rate of the air to the burner.

A premixing apparatus that mixes a fuel gas with air and supplies an air-fuel mixture in a burner through a fan includes a control device that is configured to carry out a third control that: calculates and memorizes a lower limit of a rotational speed of a fan, at which an increase of an opening degree of a variable throttle valve becomes necessary, as a first threshold; and when the rotational speed of the fan increases to the first threshold or faster next time, immediately changes the opening degree of the variable throttle valve to an increased opening degree, which is larger than a predetermined standard opening degree and is obtained by multiplying a deviation of the rotational speed of the fan from the first threshold by a predetermined coefficient.

A fire pit comprises a fuel source connector and at least one fuel outlet. A fuel conduit conveys fuel from the fuel source connector to the fuel outlet, and there is at least one sensor for detecting the presence of unburned fuel outside the fuel conduit. Further, the fire pit includes a fuel control mechanism for stopping or modulating the conveyance of fuel when the sensor detects the presence of unburned fuel.