Competency E6: Select Flame Safeguards

Flame safeguard controls have evolved over the years from very basic flame monitoring and supervision to very complex microprocessor-based control systems. The basic purpose of the flame safety control system is the same for all fuel systems; to ensure the burner will ignite and continue to operate safely until the end of its run sequence.

All the ignition and flame supervision systems work on this same basic principle at different levels and complexity. The ways in which the flame is ignited and detected is a primary indication of the system type.

Flame sensors are designed to detect the presence of a flame, whether it be the pilot flame or the main burner. Under safe conditions, the control system will allow the burner to operate. If the flame is not detected, the flame sensor will not send a flame signal to the control system and the gas supply to the burner will be shut off.

This module will focus only on flame safeguards systems that use a pilot flame for main burner ignition.