Combustion control system

Claim 1

A combustion control system including an aspirating burner, including, a firetube adapted to be mounted in a vessel containing a medium to be heated, an aspirating burner mounted in the entrance to the firetube and drawing primary air directly in to mix with fuel supplied the burner, a first plate mounted across the firetube entrance below the burner, a second plate mounted across the firetube entrance just above the burner, a damper formed of flat plate cut to a horseshoe configuration and pivoted from the side of the firetube to cooperate with the first and second plates to positively block off all air flow around the burner and through the tube when the damper is positioned to close the tube with the damper alternatively regulating the secondary air flowing into the entrance to the firetube and about the burner to the combustion process generated at the burner exit, a first regulator in the fuel supply line to the burner, a second regulator connected to position the damper, and a controller arranged to respond to the temperature of a fluid heated by the firetube and generating a control signal connected in parallel to the first and second regulators, whereby the excess air to the combustion of the aspirating burner is regulated automatically in parallel with the regulation of the fuel to the burner over the range of firing rates of the burner.