Burner

A burner apparatus, comprising:

• a tubular neck having an inner bore defining a fuel inlet opening therethrough, the neck having a distal end and a proximal end, the neck having a radial opening defined therethrough;
• a flame support screen attached to the distal end of the neck;
• a permeable flow resistor located inside of the flame support screen and distally of the radial opening, for increasing back pressure within the burner adjacent the radial opening;
• and
• an igniter located outside of the neck adjacent the radial opening so that the igniter is proximally spaced from a combustion zone surrounding the flame support screen.

A method of providing a variable heat energy output from a burner to a water heater, comprising:

• (a) providing a burner including a layer of heat resistant material through which fuel gas and combustion air must flow;
• (b) varying a flow rate of fuel gas and combustion air to the burner in response to a varying heat demand upon the water heater;
• (c) allowing a flame attachment point of flames from the burner to attach to and migrate into the layer of heat resistant material when the flow rate is reduced below a maximum flow rate;
• (d) avoiding stress cracking of the burner by allowing the layer of heat resistant material to flex when subjected to varying temperatures;
• (e) providing an igniter outside of the heat resistant material adjacent a proximal end of the heat resistant material;
• and
• (f) raising back pressure interior of the layer of heat resistant material and adjacent the igniter by providing a first foraminous flow restrictor within the burner distal of the igniter.