Enhanced burner performance gas range system and method

Abstract

An enhanced gas range system includes a pressure regulator adapted to regulate a gas flow from a gas feed line. The system also includes a gas fuel boost pump disposed downstream of the pressure regulator and adapted to increase pressure of the gas flow received from the gas feed line. A gas burner is disposed to receive the gas flow from the gas fuel boost pump.

Description

BACKGROUND [0001] The invention relates generally to a gas range system and more particularly, to enhancement of burner performance of a gas range system for a cooking appliance. [0002] Conventional gas operated cooking appliances, for example gas cooktops, have one or more burners, in which gas is mixed with air and burned. The burner typically comprises an orifice and venturi assembly for the entrainment of air by mixing air with the gas required to generate the burner power output. The process of drawing air into the gas stream, upstream of the burner is sometimes referred to as “primary entrainment.” The gas is extracted from a supply device, for example a gas supply network and fed to a burner via a gas feed line. In conventional systems, the gas is supplied at a pressure of the natural gas supply source. This flow of the gas is then mixed with air in the venturi assembly, which provides the primary aeration of the burner. [0003] Further, the burner also comprises multiple burn...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method of enhancing performance of a gas burner comprises actively increasing pressure of a gas flow through a gas feed line via a gas fuel boost pump and regulating the gas flow of the gas fuel boost pump based upon a user-defined input to regulate a burner heat output to a desired burner output.

Problems solved by technology

However, while certain gas range systems using these techniques may provide increased primary air entrainment, they may not affect enough enhancement to operate within the industry standards for emissions and fabric ignition.

That is, existing systems may not provide the desired degree of primary entrainment to support the combustion of higher fuel flow rates, while limiting secondary entrainment and flame lengths.

In general, these primary entrainment enhancement concepts are not configured to prevent a condition wherein the mechanism for augmenting primary aeration fails while fuel continues to flow at a high rate, thereby not satisfying the industry standards with respect to emissions and fabric ignition.

While such control mechanisms for the gas range system have proven valuable in enhancing the burner performance by utilizing the inputs from the user and the measurement of the existing gas flow, the control is limited to enhancing the burner output using the existing feed pressure of the gas from the gas feed line, thereby limiting the peak burner output value through primary air entrainment.

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