Patent ID: 8881718

Claim:
A fuel-fired combustor comprising: a housing defining an internal cavity to provide a combustion chamber, said housing having an inlet to direct exhaust gas flow into said internal cavity and an outlet to direct exhaust gas flow into a downstream exhaust component; a fuel inlet to supply fuel to said combustion chamber; an igniter to ignite a mixture of exhaust gas and fuel to produce a flame for increasing an internal temperature; at least one sensor measuring at least one combustor characteristic and generating a corresponding combustor characteristic signal, and wherein said at least one sensor comprises a temperature sensor that measures a temperature of exhaust gas flow near said inlet, and wherein said combustor characteristic signal comprises an inlet exhaust gas temperature; and a controller that receives said combustor characteristic signal, compares said combustor characteristic signal to a predetermined combustor criteria and generates an output signal to change at least one combustor operating condition if the combustor characteristic signal varies from said predetermined combustor criteria, and wherein said predetermined combustor criteria comprises a normal operating temperature, and when said inlet exhaust gas temperature exceeds said normal operating temperature an indication of a malfunctioning inlet pipe is provided, and said outlet signal comprises a deactivation signal.