Method and apparatus for starting up a fuel-fired burner of an emission abatement assembly

1. A method of operating a fuel-fired burner of an emission abatement assembly, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting a burner startup request,

supplying a first flow rate of fuel to the fuel-fired burner in response to detection of the burner startup request,

detecting ignition of the fuel-fired burner,

supplying a second flow rate of fuel to the fuel-fired burner for a period of time in response to detection of ignition of the fuel-fired burner, the second flow rate of fuel being less than the first flow rate of fuel; and

increasing the flow rate of fuel to the fuel-fired burner at a predetermined ramp rate after the period of time.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the increasing step comprises increasing the flow rate of fuel to the fuel-fired burner up to a predetermined fuel rate at the predetermined ramp rate.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the step of supplying the second flow rate of fuel comprises supplying the second flow rate of fuel to the fuel-fired burner for a predetermined period of time, and

the increasing step comprises increasing the flow rate of fuel to the fuel-fired burner at a predetermined ramp rate after the predetermined period of time has elapsed.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the step of supplying the second flow rate of fuel comprises supplying the second flow rate of fuel to the fuel-fired burner until a predetermined temperature within the fuel-fired burner has been achieved, and

the increasing step comprises increasing the flow rate of fuel to the fuel-fired burner at a predetermined ramp rate after the predetermined temperature within the fuel-fired burner has been achieved.

5. A method of operating a fuel-fired burner of an emission abatement assembly, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting a burner startup request,

supplying a first flow rate of fuel to the fuel-fired burner in response to detection of the burner startup request,

detecting ignition of the fuel-fired burner,

supplying a second flow rate of fuel to the fuel-fired burner for a predetermined period of time in response to detection of ignition of the fuel-fired burner, the second flow rate of fuel being less than the first flow rate of fuel, and

increasing the flow rate of fuel to the fuel-fired burner after the predetermined period of time has elapsed.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the increasing step comprises increasing the flow rate of the fuel to the fuel-fired burner to a predetermined flow rate after the predetermined period of time has elapsed.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the increasing step comprises increasing the flow rate of fuel to the fuel-fired burner at a predetermined ramp rate.

8. A method of operating a fuel-fired burner of an emission abatement assembly, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting a burner startup request,

supplying a first flow rate of fuel to the fuel-fired burner in response to detection of the burner startup request,

detecting ignition of the fuel-fired burner,

supplying a second flow rate of fuel to the fuel-fired burner until a predetermined temperature within the fuel-fired burner has been achieved in response to detection of ignition of the fuel-fired burner, the second flow rate of fuel being less than the first flow rate of fuel, and

increasing the flow rate of fuel to the fuel-fired burner after the predetermined temperature within the fuel-fired burner has been achieved.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the increasing step comprises increasing the flow rate of the fuel to the fuel-fired burner to a predetermined flow rate after the predetermined temperature within the fuel-fired burner has been achieved.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the increasing step comprises increasing the flow rate of fuel to the fuel-fired burner at a predetermined ramp rate.

11. An emission abatement assembly, comprising:

a particulate filter,

a fuel-fired burner positioned upstream of the particulate filter, an electronically-controlled fuel delivery assembly operable to deliver fuel to the fuel fired burner, and

a controller electrically coupled to the fuel delivery assembly, the controller comprising (i) a processor, and (ii) a memory device electrically coupled to the processor, the memory device having stored therein a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

detect a burner startup request,

operate the fuel delivery assembly to supply a first flow rate of fuel to the fuel-fired burner in response to detection of the burner startup request,

detect ignition of the fuel-fired burner,

operate the fuel delivery assembly to supply a second flow rate of fuel to the fuel-fired burner for a period of time in response to detection of ignition of the fuel-fired burner, the second flow rate of fuel being less than the first flow rate of fuel, and

operate the fuel delivery assembly to increase the flow rate of fuel to the fuel-fired burner at a predetermined ramp rate after the period of time.

12. The emission abatement assembly of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to operate the fuel delivery assembly to the increase the flow rate of fuel to the fuel-fired burner up to a predetermined fuel rate at the predetermined ramp rate.

13. The emission abatement assembly of claim 11 wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to operate the fuel delivery assembly to:

supply the second flow rate of fuel to the fuel-fired burner for a predetermined period of time, and

increase the flow rate of fuel to the fuel-fired burner at a predetermined ramp rate after the predetermined period of time has elapsed.

14. The emission abatement assembly of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to operate the fuel delivery assembly to:

supply the second flow rate of fuel to the fuel-fired burner until a predetermined temperature within the fuel-fired burner has been achieved, and

increase the flow rate of fuel to the fuel-fired burner at a predetermined ramp rate after the predetermined temperature within the fuel-fired burner has been achieved.

15. An emission abatement assembly, comprising:

a particulate filter,

a fuel-fired burner positioned upstream of the particulate filter,

an electronically-controlled fuel delivery assembly operable to deliver fuel to the fuel fired burner, and

a controller electrically coupled to the fuel delivery assembly, the controller comprising (i) a processor, and (ii) a memory device electrically coupled to the processor, the memory device having stored therein a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

detect a burner startup request,

operate the fuel delivery assembly to supply a first flow rate of fuel to the fuel-fired burner in response to detection of the burner startup request,

detect ignition of the fuel-fired burner,

operate the fuel delivery assembly to supply a second flow rate of fuel to the fuel-fired burner for a predetermined period of time in response to detection of ignition of the fuel-fired burner, the second flow rate of fuel being less than the first flow rate of fuel, and

operate the fuel delivery assembly to increase the flow rate of fuel to the fuel-fired burner after the predetermined period of time has elapsed.

16. The emission abatement assembly of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to operate the fuel delivery assembly to increase the flow rate of the fuel to the fuel-fired burner to a predetermined flow rate after the predetermined period of time has elapsed.

17. The emission abatement assembly of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to operate the fuel delivery assembly to increase the flow rate of fuel to the fuel-fired burner at a predetermined ramp rate.

18. An emission abatement assembly, comprising:

a particulate filter,

a fuel-fired burner positioned upstream of the particulate filter,

an electronically-controlled fuel delivery assembly operable to deliver fuel to the fuel fired burner, and

a controller electrically coupled to the fuel delivery assembly, the controller comprising (i) a processor, and (ii) a memory device electrically coupled to the processor, the memory device having stored therein a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

detect a burner startup request,

operate the fuel delivery assembly to supply a first flow rate of fuel to the fuel-fired burner in response to detection of the burner startup request,

detect ignition of the fuel-fired burner,

operate the fuel delivery assembly to supply a second flow rate of fuel to the fuel-fired burner until a predetermined temperature within the fuel-fired burner has been achieved in response to detection of ignition of the fuel-fired burner, the second flow rate of fuel being less than the first flow rate of fuel, and

operate the fuel delivery assembly to increase the flow rate of fuel to the fuel-fired burner after the predetermined temperature within the fuel-fired burner has been achieved.

19. The emission abatement assembly of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to operate the fuel delivery assembly to increase the flow rate of the fuel to the fuel-fired burner to a predetermined flow rate after the predetermined temperature within the fuel-fired burner has been achieved.

20. The emission abatement assembly of claim 19 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to operate the fuel delivery assembly to increase the flow rate of fuel to the fuel-fired burner at a predetermined ramp rate.