The UV tube is made of quartz and is filled with a gas that ionizes when struck by UV radiation from the flame. In the absence of UV radiation, the gas acts as an insulator between two electrodes that are mounted inside the tube. These electrodes are energized continuously by a high voltage. During combustion, UV radiation ionizes the gas, causing current pulses to flow between the electrodes. These current pulses result in a flame signal which is transmitted to the amplifier in the control, where it is processed to energize or hold in the flame relay.
