Gas fired humidifier

A system for providing humidified air in a building comprising:

• a tank containing water;
• one or more heat exchanger tubes mounted in the tank;
• a burner assembly positioned to supply heat to the heat exchanger tubes;
• an induction fan for inducing combustion gases from the burner assembly through the heat exchanger tubes whereby heat from the burner assembly in the heat exchanger tubes generates steam in the tank, the fan structured and configured to operate at a first speed wherein fuel is supplied to the burner within a range of supply rates, the fan further structured and configured to operate at a second speed wherein fuel is supplied to the burner within a different range of supply rates;
• a steam dispersion apparatus connected to the tank for humidifying building air with the steam;
• a means for measuring humidity in a target location in the building;
• and
• a controller for controlling one or both of the induction fan and the fuel supply to the burner assembly in response to the measured humidity in the target location.

A method for controlling an air humidification process in a building comprising:

• measuring the amount of humidity in a target location;
• providing a fan having at least two speeds;
• providing fuel to one or more burner assemblies, and burning the fuel to generate combustion gases;
• operating the fan at first speed wherein fuel is supplied to the burner within a range of supply rates, and operating the fan at second speed wherein fuel is supplied to the burner within a different range of supply rates;
• drawing the combustion gases with an induction fan from the one or more burner assemblies through a plurality of heat exchanger tubes to generate steam wherein the heat exchanger tubes are mounted in a tank containing water;
• humidifying building air with the steam using a steam dispersion apparatus;
• and
• controlling one or both of the induction fan and the fuel supply to the burner assembly in response to the measured humidity in the target location.

A method for controlling an air humidification process comprising:

• measuring the amount of humidity in a target location;
• providing a fan having at least two speeds;
• providing fuel to one or more burner assemblies, and burning the fuel to generate combustion gases;
• operating the fan at first speed wherein fuel is supplied to the burner within a range of supply rates, and operating the fan at second speed wherein fuel is supplied to the burner within a different range of supply rates;
• drawing the combustion gases with an induction fan from the one or more burner assemblies through a plurality of heat exchanger tubes to generate steam wherein the heat exchanger tubes are mounted in a tank containing water;
• humidifying air with the steam using a steam dispersion apparatus;
• and
• controlling one or both of the induction fan and the fuel supply to the burner assembly in response to the measured humidity in the target location.