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Combustion 911 Blog

Pulse-fire 101 — Pulse-fire Pitfalls

Categories: Burner Controls, Butterfly Valves, Elektrogas, Industrial Burners, Industrial Solenoid Valves, Pulse-fire

Through our discussions regarding equipment selection, you’ve learned that pulse-fire requires solenoid valves with extremely high operating cycles, burners that light reliably, and some method of impulse control. Through dozens of installations, our technicians have encountered and overcome a number of additional pitfalls, which can derail even the best planned system. Oversized Burners A common Read More

Posted by b-olstrad ; Published May 27, 2025

Pulse-fire 101 — Pulse-fire Implementation

Categories: Burner Controls, Butterfly Valves, Industrial Burners, Industrial Solenoid Valves, Pulse-fire

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Now that you’re familiar with the history, ideas, and benefits of pulse-fire, it’s time to look at implementation. Knowing what you do about the demands that pulse-firing exacts upon components, you want to make sure to get the most for your money, so you don’t wind-up spending your fuel savings on replacements. VMR, VML, VMM Read More

Posted by b-olstrad ; Published May 27, 2025

Pulse-fire 101 – Pulse-fire Equipment

Categories: Burner Controls, Butterfly Valves, Elektrogas, Industrial Burners, Industrial Solenoid Valves, Pulse-fire, Technology

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Not all combustion equipment is suitable for pulse-firing. Some of the key equipment requirements for a successful pulse-fire installation include: operating cycles in excess of one million, capability of three cycles per minute, and repeatability. Solenoid Valve Operating Cycles In traditional, modulating systems, gas solenoids open during start-up and remain open during furnace operation. Unless Read More

Posted by b-olstrad ; Published May 27, 2025

Pulse-fire 101 – An Introduction to Pulse-fire Combustion Systems

Categories: Industrial Burners, Pulse-fire

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Improve your bottom line, lower your operating costs, increase your product quality, and do your part to reduce greenhouse gases. How? By using pulse-fire to transform your industrial furnace! What is Pulse-fire? More than anything else, pulse-fire is a method of introducing heat into a gas-fired furnace. Traditional modulating systems use valves to control the Read More

Posted by b-olstrad ; Published May 27, 2025

Ignition Transformer FAQ

Categories: Combustion System Accessories, Electrodes, FAQs, Ignition Transformers, Industrial Burners

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An ignition transformer is a device used for direct spark ignition in combustion systems. Reliable, repeatable direct-spark ignition requires a high-energy spark — and the ignition transformer is what we use to generate the high voltage we need to create that spark. A typical supply in the USA is 120 volts, but we need to send Read More

Posted by b-olstrad ; Published April 30, 2025

2024 C911-P Ad Retrospective

Categories: Baron von Olsträd, Pressure Switches

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In 2024, we continued our social media “ads” by “Baronizing” old print ads we found online. Baron von Olsträd shills our C911-P pressure switches, in the oddest way possible. Here is our (by now) annual retrospective, where we unveil the originals next to their parodies. What does ginger ale have to do with space? Probably Read More

Posted by b-olstrad ; Published January 15, 2025

Combustion System Sizing Matters

Categories: Baron von Olsträd, Baron von Olsträd's Sketchbook, Combustion Comics, Industrial Burners

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Autumn weather and backyard bonfires go hand-in-hand. The chill night air is the perfect complement to a roaring fire. There’s a threshold though; build the fire up too high, and everyone rushes to escape to the cooler air outside the corona. It can be a struggle to find the perfect balance, because we lack control Read More

Posted by b-olstrad ; Published October 30, 2024

The Importance of Burner Tuning

Categories: Baron von Olsträd, Combustion Comics, Industrial Burners

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If you’ve ever been to a rock concert, you know that the folks wailing on the guitar need that guitar kept in tune. That’s why they travel with a good guitar tech. The tech makes sure that guitar player can achieve peak performance. Tuning is the key. It’s the same for combustion systems! Burner settings Read More

Posted by b-olstrad ; Published September 25, 2024

Keep Temporary Fixes Temporary

Categories: Baron von Olsträd, Baron von Olsträd's Sketchbook, Combustion Comics

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Emergencies can throw your whole operation into a tailspin if you’re not prepared. In a manufacturing facility, where being “down” means an idle workforce and lost revenue, the tendency is to use any means necessary to continue running production. Sometimes this means finding temporary solutions. Unfortunately, a temporary solution might become permanent for lack of Read More

Posted by b-olstrad ; Published August 21, 2024

Qualifications are Paramount

Categories: Baron von Olsträd, Baron von Olsträd's Sketchbook, Combustion Comics

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A worker who commits to a task and sees it through is a valuable asset, but they ought to realize when the task exceeds their qualifications, and seek guidance. Especially when the task involves important safety equipment, where making the wrong decision could create a dangerous situation for personnel and property. Parachutes and safety shut-off Read More

Posted by b-olstrad ; Published July 31, 2024

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