A pre-startup control method for a boiler or water heater includes: providing a controller operatively coupled to a boiler or water heater unit; performing a unit shutdown operation; enabling a pre-start up mode; at about a same time or in any order, moving an air fuel valve by a controller to a non-off position with a gas supply to the water heater or boiler turned off, wherein the controller turns on a blower at an operational level, and causes an ignitor to spark; and displaying parameters which allow an affirmation of a safe and reliable ignition prior to a gas turn on of the boiler or water heater unit. A flow balancing method and a programmed auto run method are also described.

A pre-startup control method for a boiler or water heater includes: providing a controller operatively coupled to a boiler or water heater unit; performing a unit shutdown operation; enabling a pre-start up mode; at about a same time or in any order, moving an air fuel valve by a controller to a non-off position with a gas supply to the water heater or boiler turned off, wherein the controller turns on a blower at an operational level, and causes an ignitor to spark; and displaying parameters which allow an affirmation of a safe and reliable ignition prior to a gas turn on of the boiler or water heater unit. A flow balancing method and a programmed auto run method are also described.

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).

A boiler coal saving control method includes a linear relation model creating step, an optimization target determination step, and a machine learning step. The linear relation model creating step includes creating a multi-grade model grading mechanism and creating linear relation models accordingly so as to fill an empty set in a data set. The multi-grade model grading mechanism includes performing primary grading based on boiler load, coal quality, and ambient temperature, and secondary grading based on boiler load. The optimization target determination step includes determining a boiler optimization target that includes boiler combustion efficiency and a nitrate concentration control value for flue gas. The machine learning step performs machine learning according to a data source and includes a model numbering sub-step, an ontology determination sub-step, and a target optimization sub-step. The control method uses machine learning to provide an operation recommendation for improving boiler combustion efficiency and thereby saving coal.

Conducted are coal-ash generating step for generating coal ash, sintered-ash generating step for heating the coal ash at temperatures within combustion temperature range of coal-fired boiler to generate sintered ash at each heating temperature, sticking-degree calculating step for rotatively separating each sintered ash by ratra tester to calculate sticking degree from weight ratio of each sintered ash after and before the rotary separation of the sintered ash, correlation determining step for burning each coal having corresponding sticking degree calculated to measure exhaust gas temperature and obtain correlation between sticking degrees and exhaust gas temperatures, exhaust-gas-temperature predicting step for predicting exhaust gas temperature from sticking degree of coal to be employed as fuel based on the correlation between the sticking degrees and the exhaust gas temperatures and adhesion predicting step for predicting ash adhesion in the coal-fired boiler based on the exhaust gas temperature predicted.

A pre-startup control method for a boiler or water heater includes: providing a controller operatively coupled to a boiler or water heater unit; performing a unit shutdown operation; enabling a pre-start up mode; at about a same time or in any order, moving an air fuel valve by a controller to a non-off position with a gas supply to the water heater or boiler turned off, wherein the controller turns on a blower at an operational level, and causes an ignitor to spark; and displaying parameters which allow an affirmation of a safe and reliable ignition prior to a gas turn on of the boiler or water heater unit. A flow balancing method and a programmed auto run method are also described.

Conducted are coal-ash generating step for generating coal ash, sintered-ash generating step for heating the coal ash at temperatures within combustion temperature range of coal-fired boiler to generate sintered ash at each heating temperature, sticking-degree calculating step for rotatively separating each sintered ash by ratra tester to calculate sticking degree from weight ratio of each sintered ash after and before the rotary separation of the sintered ash, correlation determining step for burning each coal having corresponding sticking degree calculated to measure exhaust gas temperature and obtain correlation between sticking degrees and exhaust gas temperatures, exhaust-gas-temperature predicting step for predicting exhaust gas temperature from sticking degree of coal to be employed as fuel based on the correlation between the sticking degrees and the exhaust gas temperatures and adhesion predicting step for predicting ash adhesion in the coal-fired boiler based on the exhaust gas temperature predicted.

A control system for adjusting total air flow or oxygen in flue gas for a fossil fired power generating or steam generating unit, that includes a plurality of sensors that supply data to a tunable controller adapted to sense total air flow and/or oxygen flow; with the sensors also supplying data relating to carbon monoxide (CO) and/or combustibles and/or loss of ignition (LOI) and/or carbon in ash (CIA), and where the tunable controller can set a desired target or target range for at least one of CO, combustibles, CIA, or LOI and adjust the total air flow and/or O2 via direct control or bias signals. The system can respond to discrete events, analog events and/or thresholds.

The invention provides a hydrocarbon-fueled device for heating and dispensing a volatile substance, such as an insect repellent. The device provides a long-lasting 48-hour fuel system, multiple fuel canisters that can be exchanged without interrupting the operation of the device, an illuminated indicator that provides a visible indication of the operating state of the device from any viewing angle, and a flame-extinguishing safety lid. During the warm-up phase, the indicator indicates this state by pulsing. Once the device reaches operating temperature, the indicator emits a steady light, indicating proper operation. In the event that the device cools below the operating temperature, the light will pulse, alerting the user to check the flame and/or fuel supply. The user can initiate complete, properly-controlled operation of all functions of the device via the operation of a single on-off switch.

A burner system includes a plurality of burners, each having a nozzle positioned to emit a stream of fuel into a combustion volume, and a perforated flame holder, including a plurality of apertures extending between first and second faces thereof, and positioned to receive a stream of fuel from the respective nozzle. In operation, the flame holders are configured to hold a flame substantially within the plurality of apertures.