Water heater burner clogging detection and shutdown system with associated burner apparatus

摘要

A fuel-fired water heater (10) has main (24) and pilot (52) burners disposed in its combustion chamber (20). All of the primary combustion air (44) utilised by the main (24) and pilot (52) burners during firing is supplied thereto via an enclosed path (38) extending to the burners (24, 52) from outside of the combustion chamber (20). A burner clogging detection system (50) is operative to shut down further combustion, upon sensing a condition of the pilot burner flame indicative of a predetermined degree of pilot burner clogging, prior to the main burner (24) being clogged to an unacceptable degree by particulate matter entrained in incoming combustion air being delivered to the main burner (24). The pilot burner (52) may be mounted on the main burner (24) in a variety of locations thereon.