Furnace Combustion Analysis Explained
Combustion analysis is one of the most useful techniques for giving HVAC technicians a better picture of just how well a furnace is doing its job. If you would like to learn more about how this technique works, and what it can accomplish, read on. Here are the basics of furnace combustion analysis.
Exhaust Gas
Combustion analysis is a deductive science. It gathers information about the exhaust gas being produced by a furnace, and then interprets how this information reflects on the furnace's overall efficiency. A technician can then make changes to increase the furnace's performance efficiency. The key information being gathered has to with two things: the types of byproducts present in the exhaust gas, and the amounts of those substances. Such byproducts include things like carbon and sulfur monoxide, soot, water vapor, and oxides of nitrogen.
Instruments
Combustion analysis is conducted by means of what is known as a digital combustion analyzer. This tool consists of two distinct parts. One is a probe that is inserted into the exhaust flue, where it is acts to record the various substances present when your furnace is running. The second part of the analyzer is a handheld device which receives and displays the information being sent to it from the probe. In addition to measuring the levels of the substances mentioned above, the probe also records the temperature inside of the flue, as well as the dew point of the flue gases.
Adjustments
The furnace technician will use the information provided by the combustion analyzer to tweak the efficiency of your furnace. There are two ways that this can be done. The first way involves modifying the pressure of the gas as it flows through the valve and into the burner. The second way involves altering either the amount or the flow rate of the air that mixes with the gas inside the burner. Both of these adjustments act to improve the combustion efficiency, ensuring that your furnace produces the maximum amount of heat from a given quantity of fuel.
Benefits Of Combustion Analysis
As you can imagine, the principal benefit of combustion analysis is that it will act to boost your furnace's performance, and thus to lower your overall energy costs. Combustion analysis also acts to improve your furnace's safety. The more efficiently combustion is able to proceed, the fewer toxic substances will be present in the exhaust gas. In other words, your furnace will pose less of a threat to both you and your family, and to the environment at large. For more information, talk to a professional like R & R Heating & Cooling of Polk CO Inc.