A gas appliance comprises a combustion device, an ignitor, a gas valve, a blower, a detecting device, and a control device. A control method thereof comprises: the control device is operated in a detection mode in which the control device controls the ignitor to ignite and controls the gas valve as well as the blower to provide a fixed gas flow and a fixed air flow to the combustion device. After igniting the flames, the control device determines burning states detected by the detecting device; if matching a first state, the control device controls the gas valve and the blower in correspondence to a first control data of the first natural gas; if matching the second state, the control device controls the gas valve and the blower in correspondence to a second control data of the second natural gas. In this way, the gas appliance is suitable for burning natural gas generating various heating values.

The water heater may be configured to execute a normal operation in which a heating means is continuously operated in an ON state in a case where a required heat quantity is greater than or equal to a minimum heat quantity. The water heater may be configured to execute an intermittent operation in which the heating means is alternately and repeatedly operated in the ON state and an OFF state repeatedly in a case where the required heat quantity is less than the minimum heat quantity. The water heater may be configured to change a distribution ratio of a flow control mechanism in the normal operation and in the intermittent operation. An operating speed of the flow control mechanism in the intermittent operation may be faster than an operating speed of the flow control mechanism in the normal operation.

The water heater may be configured to execute a normal operation in which a heating means is continuously operated in an ON state in a case where a required heat quantity is greater than or equal to a minimum heat quantity. The water heater may be configured to execute an intermittent operation in which the heating means is alternately and repeatedly operated in the ON state and an OFF state repeatedly in a case where the required heat quantity is less than the minimum heat quantity. The water heater may be configured to change a distribution ratio of a flow control mechanism in the normal operation and in the intermittent operation. An operating speed of the flow control mechanism in the intermittent operation may be faster than an operating speed of the flow control mechanism in the normal operation.

A fired heater has two cells segregated by an insulative wall. A first plurality of burners are located in the first cell and a second plurality of burners are located in the second cell. A radiant tube extends from the first cell to the second cell for carrying a fluid material through the heater to heat the fluid material. The flow of fuel to the burners in either the first cell or the second cell can be terminated to accommodate lower heater duty when demand is lower.

In an immediate hot water supply operation mode in which a circulation pump is activated while a hot water supply faucet is closed, a water heating apparatus forms an immediate hot water supply circulation path by an inner path and an outer path as being combined, the inner path including a heating mechanism including a combustion mechanism and a heat exchanger, the outer path bypassing the hot water supply faucet outside the water heating apparatus. The outer path includes a crossover valve. In the immediate hot water supply operation mode, a controller introduces intermittent combustion to control a detection temperature detected by the temperature sensor to a set temperature. In intermittent combustion, a minimum combustion state and a combustion stop state are alternately provided. In the minimum combustion state, a quantity of heat output from the combustion mechanism is reduced to a minimum value.

A combination boiler provides heated water to a boiler loop and heated domestic hot water (DHW) to a DHW loop. A primary heat exchanger is connected to the boiler loop. A burner provides heat to the primary heat exchanger and an input fan supplies a fuel and air mixture to the burner. A secondary heat exchanger transfers heat energy from the boiler loop to a domestic water loop. A controller determines a boiler loop flow rate. The controller measures an input temperature of the boiler loop, an output temperature of the boiler loop, and a DHW output temperature of the domestic water loop. The controller determines a DHW input temperature and estimates a DHW flow rate. The input fan speed is initiated or operated according to a required heat output of the burner corresponding to the DHW flow rate.

A water heater includes a plurality of stages of burners, a water supply pipe, a hot water outlet pipe, a heat exchanger, a passing water quantity control unit, a temperature detection unit, and an operation control unit. The operation control unit, upon confirmation that a predetermined start condition of a passing water restriction is satisfied at a start of a hot water supply, performs the output hot water temperature control by calculating a target flow rate that causes no switching or a minimum count of switching of the combustion stages of the burners and configuring the passing water quantity control unit to have the target flow rate. The operation control unit, upon confirmation that a predetermined release condition of the passing water restriction is satisfied, executes the passing water control in which the passing water quantity is returned to the predetermined water quantity by gradually releasing the passing water restriction.

A combination boiler provides heated water to a boiler loop and heated domestic hot water (DHW) to a DHW loop. A primary heat exchanger is connected to the boiler loop. A burner provides heat to the primary heat exchanger and an input fan supplies a fuel and air mixture to the burner. A secondary heat exchanger transfers heat energy from the boiler loop to a domestic water loop. A controller determines a boiler loop flow rate. The controller measures an input temperature of the boiler loop, an output temperature of the boiler loop, and a DHW output temperature of the domestic water loop. The controller determines a DHW input temperature and estimates a DHW flow rate. The input fan speed is initiated or operated according to a required heat output of the burner corresponding to the DHW flow rate.

A fired heater has two cells segregated by an insulative wall. A first plurality of burners are located in the first cell and a second plurality of burners are located in the second cell. A radiant tube extends from the first cell to the second cell for carrying a fluid material through the heater to heat the fluid material. The flow of fuel to the burners in either the first cell or the second cell can be terminated to accommodate lower heater duty when demand is lower.

The present invention relates to a method for detecting a blockage in an exhaust flue of a gas boiler, comprising: (A) a step for conducting an ignition process according to a user set temperature requested from the outside and performing temperature control to reach the user set temperature; (B) a step for determining whether the current fan RPM of a driven blower exceeds a reference fan RPM; (C) a step for calculating a difference between temperature values of supplied heating water and collected heating water that are detected by temperature sensors when heating water is supplied and determining whether the calculated value is less than a preset reference temperature value when it is determined that the current fan RPM exceeds the reference fan RPM; (D) a step for determining whether the elapsed time elapses a preset setting time based on the determination time point of the step (C) when it is determined that the calculated value is less than the reference temperature value; and (E) a step for displaying, on the outside, a notification that the blockage in the exhaust flue has been identified when it is determined that the elapsed time has elapsed the setting time based on the determination time point of the step (C).