Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080266120 | COMBUSTION INSTABILITY DETECTION - Combustion instability in combustion appliances may be recognized before excessive carbon monoxide may be produced. In some instances, combustion instability may be manifested in flame oscillation, or rather, in oscillations in flame intensity as measured, for example, by a flame sensor. If flame instability is detected, appliance operation may be corrected or terminated. | 10-30-2008 |
20090009344 | FLAME ROD DRIVE SIGNAL GENERATOR AND SYSTEM - A flame rod drive signal generator and system for producing a flame rod drive signal for a flame rod of a combustion system. In one illustrative embodiment, the flame rod drive signal generator may include a voltage source, an input signal having a frequency, an LC oscillator and a drive mechanism. The drive mechanism may be powered by the voltage source, and may have an output coupled to the LC oscillator. The drive mechanism may receive the input signal, and produces a current in the LC oscillator that has a frequency that is related to the frequency of the input signal. The LC oscillator may then provide a flame rod drive signal to a flame rod that has an amplitude that is larger than the amplitude of the voltage source. In some cases, a controller may monitor the amplitude of the flame rod drive signal and adjust the frequency, duty cycle, or both, of the input signal to achieve a desired amplitude of the flame rod drive signal. Alternatively, or in addition, the controller may monitor an ionization current produced by the flame rod when the flame rod is subject to a flame. | 01-08-2009 |
20090120380 | TEMPERATURE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR A WATER HEATER - A system for detecting stacking and controlling temperature in a water heater. A controller with a connection to a temperature sensor and heating element in a water tank of the heater may be designed to limit stacking and its effects. The controller may use a sensing and calculation technique to detect the stacking. If stacking is detected, then the setpoint for the heater may be lowered so that the outlet water temperature is within a safe limit. If stacking is not detected, then the setpoint may be gradually restored to optimize water heater capacity. | 05-14-2009 |
20090136883 | LOW COST HIGH SPEED SPARK VOLTAGE AND FLAME DRIVE SIGNAL GENERATOR - A system for generating a high DC voltage for a spark to ignite a flame in a combustion device, and a high AC voltage for a flame rod to sense a flame in the device, from a low voltage for combustion device control. The system may be an inexpensive mechanism. | 05-28-2009 |
20090293867 | COMBUSTION BLOWER CONTROL FOR MODULATING FURNACE - A furnace includes a combustion blower and one or more pressure switches. In some cases, the one or more pressure switches may be used to calculate one or more operating points for the combustion blower. Additional operating points may be calculated by interpolation and/or extrapolation, as appropriate. The furnace may temporarily alter these operating points as necessary to keep the furnace safely operating in response to minor and/or transient changes in the operating conditions of the furnace. | 12-03-2009 |
20090297997 | COMBUSTION BLOWER CONTROL FOR MODULATING FURNACE - A furnace includes a combustion blower and one or more pressure switches. In some cases, the one or more pressure switches may be used to calculate one or more operating points for the combustion blower. Additional operating points may be calculated by interpolation and/or extrapolation, as appropriate. The furnace may temporarily alter these operating points as necessary to keep the furnace safely operating in response to minor and/or transient changes in the operating conditions of the furnace. | 12-03-2009 |
20090308372 | SELECTABLE EFFICIENCY VERSUS COMFORT FOR MODULATING FURNACE - A furnace controller for a modulating furnace that helps provide a balance between energy efficiency and occupant comfort across various burner firing rates and/or across various circulating blower speeds. In some cases, the furnace controller can be configured to permit a user to customize operation of the furnace in accordance with their particular needs and/or desires with respect to efficiency and comfort. A selection may be made between an energy efficiency setting and a user comfort setting. Then, a plenum parameter such as a discharge air temperature (DAT) or discharge air flow (DAF) may be regulated in accordance with the selected setting. | 12-17-2009 |
20100009302 | BURNER FIRING RATE DETERMINATION FOR MODULATING FURNACE - A modulating furnace having a variable rate burner and a controller is operated at a first burner firing rate for a first period of time, and a higher burner firing rate once the first period of time has expired. In some instances, the burner may be operated only while the controller is receiving a call for heat from a thermostat or the like. | 01-14-2010 |
20100013644 | FLAME SENSING VOLTAGE DEPENDENT ON APPLICATION - A system for operating a flame sensing device to obtain readings of increased accuracy without degrading the life of the sensor. There may be levels of a flame requiring a precise measurement. One improvement of accuracy uses higher voltage on the sensor, but this degrades the sensor and thus shortens it life. Further improvement may be achieved by limiting the time that the sensor is operated at a higher voltage. Readings, as if the sensor were operated at a higher voltage, may be inferred from actual readings of the sensor operated at a lower voltage. | 01-21-2010 |
20100173252 | APPLIANCE CONTROL WITH AUTOMATIC DAMPER DETECTION - Methods and systems for operating a fuel fired appliance that may include an optional hardware component such as a damper are disclosed. In some cases, the presence of the optional hardware component is detected, and it is determined whether the optional hardware component is required for future operation of the fuel fired appliance. The fuel fired appliance may be operated normally if the optional hardware component is present and required, or, in some cases, if the optional hardware component is determined to be not required. If the optional hardware component is absent but required, normal operation of the fuel fired appliance may be stopped. | 07-08-2010 |
20100265075 | LEAKAGE DETECTION AND COMPENSATION SYSTEM - A flame sensing system having a flame rod, a signal generator, a signal measurement circuit, and a controller, where the frequency and/or amplitude of the excitation signal may be variable. The signal measurement circuit may include a bias circuitry that references the flame signal to a voltage, a capacitor that varies the filtration, an AC coupling capacitor, a current limiting resistor, and a low-pass filter. The system may determine the flame-sensing rod contamination, the stray capacitance of the flame sensing system, and compensate for stray capacitance in the flame sensing system. The flame model may include a circuit that simulates a flame in the presence of the sensing rod, and another circuit that simulates a contact surface between the flame and the sensing rod. | 10-21-2010 |
20120115095 | COMBUSTION BLOWER CONTROL FOR MODULATING FURNACE - A furnace includes a combustion blower and one or more pressure switches. In some cases, the one or more pressure switches may be used to calculate one or more operating points for the combustion blower. Additional operating points may be calculated by interpolation and/or extrapolation, as appropriate. The furnace may temporarily alter these operating points as necessary to keep the furnace safely operating in response to minor and/or transient changes in the operating conditions of the furnace. | 05-10-2012 |
20120130542 | BURNER FIRING RATE DETERMINATION FOR MODULATING FURNACE - A modulating furnace having a variable rate burner and a controller is operated at a first burner firing rate for a first period of time, and a higher burner firing rate once the first period of time has expired. In some instances, the burner may be operated only while the controller is receiving a call for heat from a thermostat or the like. | 05-24-2012 |
20140023976 | COMBUSTION BLOWER CONTROL FOR MODULATING FURNACE - A furnace includes a combustion blower and one or more pressure switches. In some cases, the one or more pressure switches may be used to calculate one or more operating points for the combustion blower. Additional operating points may be calculated by interpolation and/or extrapolation, as appropriate. The furnace may temporarily alter these operating points as necessary to keep the furnace safely operating in response to minor and/or transient changes in the operating conditions of the furnace. | 01-23-2014 |
20140199640 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING AN IGNITION SEQUENCE FOR AN INTERMITTENT FLAME-POWERED PILOT COMBUSTION SYSTEM - A locally powered intermittent pilot combustion controller may include an igniter, a thermal electric and/or photoelectric device that produces an electrical signal having power when exposed to a flame, and a local power source for providing power when the thermal electric and/or photoelectric device is not exposed to a flame. In some cases, the intermittent pilot combustion controller may include a memory for storing information about an ignition sequence for igniting a pilot flame, and a controller coupled to the memory. The controller may be configured to initiate the ignition sequence of the pilot flame using information stored in the memory, determine whether the ignition was successful by monitoring the electrical signal produced by the thermal electric and/or photoelectric device, and adjust the information stored in the memory based on whether the ignition sequence completed successfully. | 07-17-2014 |
20140199641 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR STARTING AN INTERMITTENT FLAME-POWERED PILOT COMBUSTION SYSTEM - A flame powered intermittent pilot combustion controller may include a first power source and a second power source separate from the first power source, a thermal electric and/or photoelectric device, an igniter and a controller. The thermal electric and/or photoelectric device may charge the first power source when exposed to a flame. The controller and the igniter may receive power from the first power source when the first power source has sufficient available power, and may receive power from the second power source when the first power source does not have sufficient available power. | 07-17-2014 |