Ceramic igniters make starting up your BBQ easier than other types of igniters with their rapid time-to-temperature feature, providing increased reliability in many applications.
They also proved extremely durable during extended life cycle tests due to their sintered ceramic construction.
Ignitors are frequently the first component to go in heating systems operating in environments with high ambient temperatures, often being replaced as soon as a system begins to function improperly. Furthermore, they're often among the most frequently replaced components on equipment that uses them such as an electric hot-water heater, gas furnace, pressure washer or any appliance designed to ignite solid fuels like wood pellets.
Unsurprisingly, it has been discovered that the ceramic igniter of this invention provides extremely fast time-to-temperature values - typically less than two seconds at nominal voltages or about one and one half seconds or one second when tested with low-end line voltages (85 percent of nominal). Furthermore, extended lifetime tests show outstanding durability of its igniters.
An igniter is constructed by slip casting a green slightly tapered rod made of multilayer ceramic material such as silicon nitride with molybdenum disilicide, into an annular configuration with multiple segments which feature conductive zones, power enhancement zones and hot zones arranged on its length. Insulating zones should also be present between each annular segment for added insulation purposes.
Ceramic igniters are highly resilient components, capable of withstanding even harsh operating environments without incurring significant wear and tear. Ceramic materials offer exceptional oxidation resistance, thermal cycling capacity and other environmental stresses which may damage other components; additionally they exhibit remarkable flexural strength allowing them to bend before breaking.
Ceramic ignition systems are an excellent choice due to its versatility in lighting various fuels with minimal energy usage, including coal, wood, straw and more. Ceramic can even withstand higher temperatures without experiencing degradation over time compared with silicon carbide products.
Unless your ceramic igniter is properly insulated, it could experience damage due to heat or other external sources. TTC offers custom insulators tailored specifically for ceramic igniters using high-performance materials like alumina, self-glazing cordierite and steatite that ensure it will be safe from heat and moisture and help extend the lifespan while avoiding costly repairs or replacements.
Ceramic igniters are versatile heating devices that are suitable for use across a wide variety of voltage levels, making them the ideal solution for various heating applications. Their energy saving qualities also make ceramic igniters more cost-effective options in many cases.
Conventional hairpin-style igniters may experience "runaway," where amperage and temperature rapidly increase until failure occurs. Ceramic igniters that feature a lower non-thermal cycling ratio can prevent this issue.
A typical microstructure for ceramic igniters includes AlN, SiC and MoSiTwo with an alumina/alluminum oxide oxynitride mixture forming its core. This combination provides high electrical resistance with fast heating times and good stability.
Ceramic material is exceptionally robust, resisting corrosion and oxidation while remaining easily inspectable for cracks or damage. When checking wire connector sleevings for signs of chafing or burned sections, pull on them gently until your wire connector sits properly inside its ceramic holder.
Ceramic igniters have proven effective in various applications, including gas fired furnaces, stoves and clothes dryers. Typical ceramic igniters consist of a U-shaped hairpin shape with two conductivity regions at either end and an electrified wire lead connecting both end points that forms an oscillator-type spark gap with highly resistive middle sections that rises when electrified; sometimes only half or four percent of an igniter's total resistance might lie within this zone while its booster zone comprises most of what remains.
Willkens L361 disclosed ceramic igniters constructed with aluminum nitride (AIN). However, this material exhibited poor oxidation resistance during use as well as densification issues during manufacturing of the ceramic component.
This invention introduces a ceramic insulator material with superior oxidation resistance and high strength and thermal cycling stability, ideal for ignition systems. Igniters made using this material have proven their durability over multiple voltage ranges; even low-end line voltages such as 88% of their nominal voltage have no problem being handled effectively.