Water heater having self-powered low NOx burner/fuel-air delivery system

摘要

A fuel-fired natural draft water heater is provided with a self-powered, low NOx burner system in which a thermoelectric generator is positioned to be heated by the water heater's fuel burner during firing thereof and used to power an auxiliary combustion air fan which operates to supply to the burner system a quantity of combustion air in addition to that normally supplied by the natural draft of the water heater during operation thereof. The burner system is configured in a manner such that the water heater is operative even if either or both of the thermoelectric generator and the auxiliary combustion air fan fail to function.