Gas igniters are a type of burner igniter fueled with natural gas. They are used in fossil fuel boiler applications and provide high-reliability light-off. Forney gas igniters, like the MAXFire® range, deliver this high reliability by using a protected primary combustion zone, which creates a zone of ignition unaffected by the boiler environment.
Gas igniters are designed to provide an ignition source for fossil fuel burners. However, unreliable burner ignition can result in significant financial losses while creating unsafe conditions within the boiler. Reliable gas igniters are critical to the safe and efficient operation of fossil fuel boilers by ensuring regular, first-time main flame ignition. Upgrading to the Forney MAXFire® gas igniters results in up to 99% light-off reliability and reduced air consumption and maintenance requirements. It helps ensure long-term operation due to the use of durable components and also prevents excessive downtime. A typical gas igniter is shown in Figure 1 below:
MAXFire® gas igniters are used to ignite multi-burner fossil-fuel-fired boilers or duct burners. This means burners that make use of coal, natural gas, oil, or hydrogen as their primary fuel. These boilers can be found in various industries, from power generation to food production. Gas igniters use natural gas as the igniter fuel, while combustion air is provided from an external source. Typically, a HESI (high-energy spark igniter) is used to ignite this fuel-air mixture, but other types of igniters like an HTSI, are also available.
There are three different classes of gas igniters as defined by the boiler and combustion systems hazards code (NFPA 85). The Forney MAXFire® gas igniter can be configured for class-1, 2, & 3 applications with a capacity range from 0.3 to 50 MBtu/hr, whereas the HC MAXFire® igniter is limited to class-1 applications. The different igniter classes are described below:
The Forney MAXFire® gas igniter consists of the components listed below and indicated in Figure 2:
Forney MAXFire® gas igniters have an integral viewport that can be used to house a flame detector, provided NFPA requirements are met. Cooling air is continually introduced into the guide tube to cool the igniter while also preventing the build-up of debris in the guide tube, providing a self-cleaning function. MAXFire® gas igniters have very low air volume requirements without compromising functionality, while their durable construction materials ensure long service life. The igniter assembly can be removed from the guide tube by removing the clamp.
From day 1, Forney MAXFire® gas igniters provide dependable, first-time light-off with up to 99% reliability in most applications due to high-quality spark igniters, while also providing an optimal and protected fuel/air mixture inside the guide tube. After initial ignition combustion, air is used to cool the igniter while also preventing debris from accumulating inside the guide tube. The igniter assembly can be easily removed from the guide tube housing for quick and easy maintenance, resulting in limited downtime.
Forney offers a 12-month warranty from installation or an 18-month warranty from delivery for this product. A MAXFire® gas igniter can be tested before purchasing with flexible testing times available (30, 60, or 90 days) to ensure it performs as advertised before purchase.
Contact a Forney representative today to learn more about how our gas igniters can provide reliable and consistent burner ignition for your plant.
Forney Corporation has over 93 years of experience manufacturing the safest and most reliable combustion equipment for more than 1,000 power plants in over 100 countries. Customers have proved the quality and durability of Forney’s state-of-the-art front-end combustion components in many industries across the globe. Forney igniters, burners, burner management systems, flame detectors, dampers, and duct burners have provided efficiencies and cost savings for plant operators in electric utilities, chemical processing, pulp & paper, and cement industries.
