197:/year). The heat from a pilot light in many appliances (furnaces, space heaters, water heaters) is generally released in the same chamber as the primary burner. The energy loss is much smaller for pilot lights in space heaters than other products, because space heaters heat a smaller enclosed space and contribute more significantly to heating the room. The appliance efficiency of a gas-fired balanced flue local space heater in pilot light mode is almost equal with the appliance efficiency measured at the reduced power of the appliance, which efficiency is between 65–95% based on the low
224:, in order to light the gas flowing to the burner. Fail-safe design for such a system requires the burner flame to be detected by passing an electric current through the flame, which is received by the flame rectification circuit inside an ignition controller connected to the gas valve. Flame rectification occurs when electrons flow through the flame burning, which the ignition controller senses and knows the flame is there, keeping the gas valve open. If the appliance loses gas or the flame goes out, the ignition controller does not see the flame, closing the gas valve.
34:
622:
64:, which serves as an ignition source for a more powerful gas burner. Originally a pilot light was kept permanently alight, but this wastes gas. Now it is more common to light a burner electrically, but gas pilot lights are still used when a high energy ignition source is necessary, as in when lighting a large burner.
242:
A disadvantage to modern alternatives requiring high voltage is that the appliances are rendered useless during a power outage. Pilot light solutions work independently of the electrical system. However, some appliances can be lit with an external flame source during a power outage. This may include
173:
Other units use a non-electrical approach, where the pilot heats a bimetallic element or a gas-filled tube to exert mechanical pressure to keep the gas valve open. If the pilot fails, the valve closes. To restart the system, the valve must be held open manually and the pilot lit, and then the valve
168:
in the flame provides heating appliance safety as it generates enough electric current from the burning flame to hold the gas valve open. If the pilot light goes out, the pilot generator cools off and the current stops, closing the gas
145:
is used to detect the heat of the pilot light. Contraction of the mercury results in sufficient pressure to operate an electrical switch that interrupts the flow of electricity and shuts off the gas valve when the pilot light goes
111:. While most commercial kitchens still rely on pilot lights for burners, ovens, and grills, current residential systems utilize an electrical ignition. This is more commonly known as standby on modern remote control fires.
70:
The term "pilot light" is also used occasionally for an electrical indicator light that illuminates to show that electrical power is available, or that an electrical device is operating. Such indicators were originally
125:
In natural gas furnaces, water heaters, and room heating systems, a safety cut-off switch is normally included so that the gas supply to the pilot and heating system is shut off by an electrically operated
67:
A United States patent was filed May 13, 1922, for a "safety gas-control system" by two employees of the Newark, New Jersey–based Public
Service Gas Company, Conrad Shuck, Jr. and George Layer.
189:
In domestic heating systems with pilot lights, it has been estimated that half of the total energy usage is from the pilot light, with each pilot light on average using between 70 and 500
41:
from the 1930s, with pilot light clearly visible through the aperture in the front cover. The large opening allowed for the manual lighting of the pilot light by a lit match or taper
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must be held open until the element heats up enough to hold the valve open. Non-electrical schemes are appropriate for systems that do not use electricity.
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235:, or another material that is durable under prolonged exposure to extreme heat. Hot-surface igniters are commonly used in cooking
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cooking stoves and ovens, but not heating boilers that are either room-sealed or rely on electricity to operate pumps.
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if the pilot light goes out. This cut-off switch usually detects the pilot light in one of several ways:
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of the consumed gas, making part of the pilot light's energy consumption into useful heat.
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A red-hot surface can also be used to provide ignition. Such igniters are often made of
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is used to detect the light from the pilot lamp. When the pilot light goes out,
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GE Appliances. "Gas Range - Lighting
Electric Ignition During a Power Failure"
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http://www.geappliances.com/search/fast/infobase/10000763.htm
26:"Pilot lamp" redirects here. Not to be confused with a small
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An alternative to the pilot light is a system to create a
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connected to the photoresistor shuts off the gas valve.
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16:Small gas flame used to light larger gas burner
177:The above methods are examples of the use of "
19:For an assist light in flash photography, see
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8:
761:Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning
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310:Hayden, A. C. S. (January–February 1997).
312:"Fireplace Pilots Take Gas Use Sky High"
289:. Blackwell Publishing. pp. 92–99.
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91:Common applications include household
7:
239:, boilers, and modern gas furnaces.
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620:
340:Dumont, Rob (March–April 1997).
193:of gas power (between 8 and 16
39:tankless gas-fired water heater
342:"Pilot Lights Use More Energy"
1:
447:Underground coal gasification
346:Home Energy Magazine Online
316:Home Energy Magazine Online
287:Gas Installation Technology
27:
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118:
25:
18:
618:
121:Flame supervision device
62:liquefied petroleum gas
662:Natural-gas processing
285:Treloar, R.D. (2005).
79:, but now are usually
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424:Manufactured fuel gas
181:" safety protection.
141:A sensor filled with
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28:ON/OFF indicator lamp
261:"Recent Gas Patents"
155:electrical circuitry
667:Natural gas storage
205:Modern alternatives
136:flame rectification
677:Pipeline transport
637:Compressor station
73:incandescent lamps
43:
748:
747:
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459:Blast furnace gas
442:Coal gasification
296:978-1-4051-1880-4
115:Safety protection
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348:. Archived from
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318:. Archived from
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109:hot air balloons
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267:. June 23, 1923
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233:silicon nitride
229:silicon carbide
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199:calorific value
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162:pilot generator
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119:Main article:
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21:Modeling light
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718:Gas lighting
703:Gas cylinder
489:Producer gas
474:Landfill gas
469:Gasification
365:
354:. Retrieved
350:the original
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335:
324:. Retrieved
320:the original
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305:
286:
280:
269:. Retrieved
264:
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220:between two
211:high voltage
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185:Energy waste
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172:
166:thermocouple
124:
90:
69:
66:
46:
44:
740:Pilot light
735:Gas turbine
642:Gas carrier
519:Natural gas
484:Pintsch gas
58:natural gas
49:is a small
47:pilot light
723:Gas mantle
713:Gas heater
708:Gas engine
698:Gas burner
647:Gas holder
356:2009-05-04
326:2009-05-04
271:2022-05-13
247:References
222:electrodes
195:gigajoules
101:fireplaces
77:neon lamps
56:, usually
730:Gas stove
652:Gas meter
504:Water gas
179:fail-safe
160:Use of a
99:systems,
755:Category
672:Odorizer
657:Gasworks
608:Hydrogen
509:Wood gas
479:Mond gas
464:Blau gas
437:Coal gas
410:Fuel gas
592:Propane
582:Autogas
562:Bio-SNG
428:History
143:mercury
138:device.
37:Merker
587:Butane
499:Syngas
454:Biogas
293:
169:valve.
107:, and
601:Other
417:Types
237:ovens
218:spark
191:watts
164:or a
128:valve
54:flame
686:Uses
542:HCNG
291:ISBN
146:out.
87:Uses
81:LEDs
574:LPG
557:SNG
552:NGC
547:LNG
537:CNG
532:CBM
527:APG
216:or
75:or
60:or
51:gas
757::
344:.
314:.
263:.
231:,
149:A
134:A
103:,
95:,
83:.
45:A
430:)
426:(
402:e
395:t
388:v
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329:.
299:.
274:.
30:.
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
