The results are in, and the responses were insightful. Following our recent poll asking whether a Gas Pilot should be considered an ignition device, a safety device or both, the results were as follows:

·      Ignition device only – 24%

·      Safety device only – 0%

·      Both ignition and safety – 62%

·      Depends on system or standards – 14%

It is interesting to note that the majority clearly viewed the pilot as serving both ignition and safety functions rather than a single purpose.

Many industry standards state that a pilot burner is designed for ignition purposes only and that a burner should remain stable without a pilot. However, it can also be acknowledged that a lit pilot may enhance main burner stability and therefore contribute to the overall safety of the system.

From a burner design perspective, pilots often assist in maintaining main flame stability. During development or testing, itis essential that burner stability is validated without any pilot or auxiliary stability device operating, to ensure genuine performance under all conditions.

That said, this viewpoint can sometimes be too narrow, overlooking the wider system integration and practical realities of industrial combustion. We are therefore interested to hear broader feedback on how the pilot’s potential safety function is viewed across the industry, and how it can be incorporated into hazard scenario analysis for a more complete understanding of system safety.

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