U.S. patent application number 14/648251 was filed with the patent office on 2015-12-03 for air proportional control type combustion device and method for adjusting heat amount thereof.
This patent application is currently assigned to KYUNGDONG NAVIEN CO., LTD.. The applicant listed for this patent is KYUNGDONG NAVIEN CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Si Hwan KIM, Su Dae PARK.
Application Number | 20150345787 14/648251 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51021617 |
Filed Date | 2015-12-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150345787 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KIM; Si Hwan ; et
al. |
December 3, 2015 |
AIR PROPORTIONAL CONTROL TYPE COMBUSTION DEVICE AND METHOD FOR
ADJUSTING HEAT AMOUNT THEREOF
Abstract
Disclosed are an air proportional control type combustion device
and a method for adjusting the heat amount thereof. The combustion
device according to the present invention, which controls the
output heat amount by controlling the RPM of a blower, is capable
of compensating for an air flow rate with respect to external
circumstances such as place of installation, blocking of a gas
duct, and seasonal changes, or the RPM of the blower caused by such
situational changes. In a case where there is a difference between
air pressure (Act. APS) measured after the blower is driven at a
reference RPM (Ref. RPM) in a state where gas supply is blocked and
reference air pressure (Ref. RPM), the combustion device
compensates for the difference while causing the RPM to vary and
applies the varied RPM as a new reference RPM.
Inventors: |
KIM; Si Hwan; (Incheon,
KR) ; PARK; Su Dae; (Gwangmyeong-si, KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
KYUNGDONG NAVIEN CO., LTD. |
Pyeongtaek-si, Gyeonggi-do |
|
KR |
|
|
Assignee: |
KYUNGDONG NAVIEN CO., LTD.
Pyeongtaek-si, Gyeonggi-do
KR
|
Family ID: |
51021617 |
Appl. No.: |
14/648251 |
Filed: |
December 12, 2013 |
PCT Filed: |
December 12, 2013 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/KR2013/011553 |
371 Date: |
May 28, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
431/12 ;
431/18 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F23D 14/60 20130101;
F23N 1/04 20130101; F23N 1/042 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F23N 1/04 20060101
F23N001/04; F23D 14/60 20060101 F23D014/60 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 28, 2012 |
KR |
10-2012-0156154 |
Claims
1. An air proportional control type combustion device comprising: a
blower for delivering mixed air in which a gas is mixed with air; a
gas valve disposed in a gas tube connected to the blower to control
an amount of gas introduced into the blower; an air pressure sensor
disposed in an air tube connected to the blower to measure a
pressure of the air introduced into the blower; a memory in which a
reference air pressure for each output heat amount of a combustion
device and a reference RPM for outputting the reference air
pressure are stored; and a control part for controlling the blower
at the reference RPM stored in the memory to output a heat amount
requested by a user, wherein the control part comprises a blower
adjusting unit for changing the RPM of the blower until the
measured value becomes to the reference air pressure when the
measured value of the air pressure sensor read in a state in which
the gas valve is closed, and the air blower is driven at the
reference RPM is different from the reference air pressure to
re-store the changed RPM as the reference RPM in the memory.
2. The air proportional control type combustion device of claim 1,
further comprising a multi-stage valve for controlling an amount of
the mixed air introduced into the blower, and an operation of the
blower adjusting unit is performed in a state in which the
multi-stage valve is fully opened.
3. The air proportional control type combustion device of claim 1,
wherein the blower adjusting unit maintains the reference RPM
stored in the memory as it is when a difference between the
measured value of the air pressure sensor that is read in a state
in which the gas valve is closed, and the blower is driven with the
reference RPM and the reference air pressure is within a critical
range.
4. A method for adjusting heat amount of an air proportional
control type combustion device, the method comprising: a process of
storing a reference air pressure for each output heat amount of the
combustion device and a reference RPM for outputting the reference
air pressure in a memory; a first process of blocking supply of a
gas introduced into the blower, driving the blower at the reference
RPM, and measuring a pressure of the air introduced into the blower
by using an air pressure sensor; a second process of changing the
RPM of the blower until the measured value becomes to the reference
air pressure when the measured air pressure value is different from
the reference air pressure, to re-store the changed RPM in the
memory as the reference RPM; and a process of controlling the
blower at the reference RPM in the process of adjusting the blower
to output a heat amount requested by a user.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first and second processes of
adjusting the blower are performed in a state in which a
multi-valve controlling an amount of mixed air introduced to the
blower is fully opened.
6. The method of claim 4, wherein when a difference between the
measured value in the first process of adjusting the blower and the
reference air pressure is within a critical range, the reference
RPM stored in the memory is maintained as it is, and the second
process of adjusting the blower is not performed.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to an air proportional control
(air ratio control) type combustion device controlling an output
heat amount by controlling an RPM of a blower, which is capable of
compensating for an air flow rate to the RPM of the blower
according to external circumstances or changes of the circumstances
and a method for adjusting a heat amount thereof.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Combustion devices are devices in which heat generated by
burning mixed air in which a gas is mixed with air by using a
burner is used to heat heating water or hot water that is used in
boilers or hot water devices through heat exchangers. Here, in air
proportional control type combustion devices, a heat amount
generated by the combustion device is determined by a flow rate of
air.
[0003] FIG. 1 is a view illustrating an example of a combustion
part included in a combustion device according to a related art.
Referring to the combustion part 100 of FIG. 1, an air tube 11 for
supplying air to a blower 10 is connected to the blower 10, and a
gas tube 13 through which a gas flows is connected to the air tube
11 at a front end of the blower 10. Thus, mixed air in which the
gas is mixed with the air is introduced into the blower 10. A
multi-stage valve 15 is disposed on one side of the air tube 11
through which the mixed air flows to control an amount of mixed air
introduced into the blower 10. The mixed air delivered by the
blower 10 is supplied to a burner 17 and burnt. Here, heat
generated during the combustion process may heat direct water
supplied to the combustion device through a heat exchanger 19 to
generate hot water or heating water.
[0004] An amount of gas supplied to the blower 10 is controlled by
a gas valve 21 disposed in the gas tube 13. An amount of air is
adjusted by controlling an RPM of the blower 10 itself. An actual
amount of air supplied to the blower 10 may be proportionally
measured by an air pressure sensor (APS) 23. As described above, an
output heat amount of air proportional control type combustion
device is determined by the flow rate of the mixed air, and the
flow rate of the air is controlled by the RPM of the blower 10.
[0005] There is a limitation in that since the flow rate of the air
varies for each combustion device according to an installation
space (a wet or dry area) or an installation height and a length of
a gas duct, the air flow rate with respect to the RPM of the blower
10 may vary for each combustion device. Furthermore, since the air
flow rate changes according to whether the gas duct is blocked or
seasons even though the same combustion device is used, the air
flow rate to the RPM of the blower 10 may continuously vary in
spite of the same combustion device.
[0006] Thus, in order to accurately control the output heat amount
of combustion device, it is necessary to measure and correct the
air flow rate to the RPM of the blower 10 by periods as well as
when the combustion device is installed.
RELATED ART DOCUMENT
[0007] Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2003-0041366, AIR
PROPORTIONALITY TYPE WATER HEATER
[0008] In the published patent document, although a water heater
that is capable of directly controlling a gas proportional valve
according to an air volume by using a low-cost AC blower, the gas
proportional valve, and an air volume sensor to match a gas amount
over all ranges of the air volume is disclosed, there is still no
compensation function with respect to external circumstances.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
Technical Problem
[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide an air
proportional control type combustion device controlling an output
heat amount by controlling an RPM of a blower, which is capable of
outputting an accurate heat amount by compensating an effect of
external circumstances with respect to an air flow rate to the RPM
of the blower and a method for adjusting the heat amount
thereof.
[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide an air
proportional control type combustion device that is capable of
measuring and compensating change of an air flow rate to an RPM of
the blower to compensate the change of the air flow rate according
to external circumstances that varies without being fixed, thereby
outputting an accurate heat amount and a method of controlling the
heat amount thereof.
Technical Solution
[0011] A method for adjusting heat amount of an air proportional
control type combustion device according to the present invention
to achieve the objects includes: a process of storing a reference
air pressure for each output heat amount of the combustion device
and a reference RPM for outputting the reference air pressure in a
memory; a first process of blocking supply of a gas introduced into
the blower, driving the blower at the reference RPM, and measuring
a pressure of the air introduced into the blower by using an air
pressure sensor; a second process of changing the RPM of the blower
until the measured value becomes to the reference air pressure when
the measured air pressure value is different from the reference air
pressure, to re-store the changed RPM in the memory as the
reference RPM; and a process of controlling the blower at the
reference RPM in the process of adjusting the blower to output a
heat amount requested by a user.
[0012] The first and second processes of adjusting the blower may
be performed in a state in which a multi-valve controlling an
amount of mixed air introduced to the blower is fully opened.
[0013] When a difference between the measured value in the first
process of adjusting the blower and the reference air pressure is
within a critical range, the reference RPM stored in the memory may
be maintained as it is, and the second process of adjusting the
blower may not be performed.
[0014] An air proportional control type combustion device according
to another embodiment of the present invention includes: a blower
for delivering mixed air in which a gas is mixed with air; a gas
valve disposed in a gas tube connected to the blower to control an
amount of gas introduced into the blower; an air pressure sensor
disposed in an air tube connected to the blower to measure a
pressure of the air introduced into the blower; a memory in which a
reference air pressure for each output heat amount of a combustion
device and a reference RPM for outputting the reference air
pressure are stored; and a control part for controlling the blower
at the reference RPM stored in the memory to output a heat amount
requested by a user, wherein the control part includes a blower
adjusting unit for changing the RPM of the blower until the
measured value becomes to the reference air pressure when the
measured value of the air pressure sensor read in a state in which
the gas valve is closed, and the air blower is driven at the
reference RPM is different from the reference air pressure to
re-store the changed RPM as the reference RPM in the memory.
[0015] The blower adjusting unit may maintain the reference RPM
stored in the memory as it is when a difference between the
measured value of the air pressure sensor that is read in a state
in which the gas valve is closed, and the blower may be driven with
the reference RPM and the reference air pressure is within a
critical range.
Advantageous Effects
[0016] The combustion device according to the present invention may
compensate the effect of the external circumstances with respect to
the flow rate of the air to the RPM of the blower while controlling
the output heat amount by controlling the RPM of the blower to
output the accurate heat amount.
[0017] Also, the combustion device according to the present
invention may measure and compensate the change of the flow rate of
the air to the RPM of the blower by periods to compensate the
change of the flow rate of the air according to the external
circumstances that vary without being fixed, thereby outputting the
accurate heat amount.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a
combustion part included in a combustion device according to the
related art.
[0019] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a combustion device of the
present invention.
[0020] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a method for adjusting a heat
amount of the combustion device according to the present
invention.
MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0021] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in
detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0022] Referring to FIG. 2, a combustion device 200 according to
the present invention includes a combustion part 100, a memory 201,
and a control part 210. In the combustion device 200 of FIG. 2,
components that are not necessary for description of the present
invention are omitted. Of course, the combustion device 200 may
further include a user interface and so on.
[0023] The combustion part 100 may have other components in
addition to the components that are exemplarily illustrated in FIG.
1. However, the combustion part 100 has to be an air proportional
control type combustion part so that an entire output heat amount
of the combustion device 200 is controlled by controlling an RPM of
a blower 10.
[0024] A combustion table on which reference RPM Ref. RPM
information for outputting a reference air pressure Ref. APS for
each output heat amount and a reference air pressure Ref. APS is
recorded is stored in the memory 201. As described above, an output
heat amount of the combustion device 200 may be controlled by a
flow rate of air, that is, an air pressure measured by an air
pressure sensor 23 according to an air proportional control method.
Here, the reference air pressure Ref. APS may be an air pressure
corresponding to a flow rate of the air for generating a
corresponding output heat amount. Also, the reference RPM Ref. RPM
may be a predetermined RPM of the blower 10, which generates a
corresponding air pressure.
[0025] In addition, a maximum critical RPM Max. RPM is stored in
the memory 201. The maximum critical RPM Max. RPM may be the
maximum value in which the reference RPM Ref. RPM is corrected
during a blower adjustment process that will be described later and
determined by each output heat amount.
[0026] The control part 210 may include a combustion control unit
211 and a blower adjusting unit 213 to perform an overall operation
of the combustion device 200 and a specific blower adjusting
function according to the present invention.
[0027] The combustion control unit 211 may read the reference RPM
Ref. RPM mapped on the corresponding heat amount from the memory
201 to drive the blower 10 at the reference RPM Ref. RPM to output
the heat amount requested by a user. Of course, although the
combustion control unit 211 applies an RPM that is arithmetically
additionally calculated from the reference RPM Ref. RPM according
to a control method, a reference of the control is the reference
RPM Ref. RPM mapped on the corresponding heat amount.
[0028] The blower adjusting unit 213 may perform a specific blower
adjusting function according to the present invention. An operation
of the blower adjusting unit 213 will be described with reference
to FIG. 3.
[0029] The blower adjusting function according to the present
invention may solve a limitation in that a corresponding reference
air pressure Ref. APS is not generated and thus a desired heat
amount is not outputted even though the blower 10 is driven at a
predetermined reference RPM Ref. RPM. As described above, since the
flow rate of the air varies for each combustion device according to
an installation place (humid and dry areas), an installation
height, a length of a gas duct, whether the gas duct is blocked, or
seasons and also varies in spite of the same combustion device
without being uniformly maintained, the flow rate may be corrected
by periods to continuously correct the reference RPM Ref. RPM. The
combustion control unit 211 does not operate while the blower
adjusting function is performed.
[0030] Blower Adjusting Mode; S301
[0031] Referring to FIG. 3, the blower adjusting unit 213 may
determine whether a predetermined blower adjusting mode is started.
When the blower adjusting mode is started, the following blower
adjusting process is performed. Although the blower adjusting mode
is started only when the combustion device 200 is initially
installed, the blower adjusting mode may be started by periods
according to embodiments, for example, may be started a period of
30 days to compensate the changes of the external
circumstances.
[0032] First Process of Adjusting the Blower; Operations of S303
and S305
[0033] In the blower adjusting mode, the blower adjusting unit 213
may firstly close a gas valve 21 to block supply of the gas
introduced into the blower 10 and open all of a multi-stage valve
15. The multi-stage valve 15 is fully opened. Here, if the
multi-stage valve 15 is a two-stage valve, two-stage opening is
performed, and if the multi-stage valve 15 is a three-stage valve,
three-stage opening is performed. However, it is unnecessary that
the multi-stage valve 15 has to be applied to the combustion part
100 according to the present invention, and for example, a
one-stage valve may be applied instead of the multi-stage valve 15
according to the embodiment. Thus, in operation S303, only air is
supplied to the blower 10 but not the mixed air, and delivery
ability of the blower 10 according to the control of the RPM of the
blower adjusting unit 213 may be checked.
[0034] In operation S305, the blower adjusting unit 213 reads an
air pressure Act. APS that is measured by the air pressure sensor
23 while driving the blower 10 at one of the reference RPM Ref. RPM
stored in the memory 201.
[0035] Second Process of Adjusting Blower; Operations of S307 to
S321
[0036] In operation S307, the air blower adjusting unit 213
determines whether the air pressure Act. APS measured in the
operation of S305 is equal or similar to the reference air pressure
Ref. APS. In operation S309, the blower adjusting unit 213
determines that the air pressure is in a normal state when a
difference between the measured air pressure Act. APS and the
reference air pressure Ref. APS is within in a critical range.
[0037] According to the result determined in the operation of S307,
when the difference between the measured air presser Act. APS and
the reference air pressure Ref. APS deviates from the critical
range, it represents that the circumstances such as condition of
the gas duct, or seasons are different compared to when the
predetermined reference RPM Ref. RPM is set. Thus, in operations
S311 and 313, the blower adjusting unit 213 continuously varies in
RPM to drive the blower 10 so that the measured air pressure Act.
APS read by the air pressure sensor 23 coincides with the reference
air pressure Ref. APS within the critical range.
[0038] When the difference between the measured air pressure Act.
APS and the reference air pressure Ref. APS is again within the
critical range, it is assumed that a correction value (an RPM at
the present) with respect to the reference RPM is determined. Thus,
the blower adjusting unit 213 determines whether a "RPM variation"
according to the correction has a value greater than that of a
"critical correction rate for heat amount correction". Here, the
"RPM variation" represents a ratio of the correction value to the
reference RPM (the present RPM determined in the operation of
S313). For example, when the reference RPM is 100, and the
correction value (the present RPM) is 120, the RPM variation is
120%. The "critical correction rate for heat amount correction" may
determine a critical value for applying only correction over a
predetermined range as the minimum value of the RPM variation to
which the correction is applied. For example, in operation S315, if
the "critical correction rate for heat amount correction" is 103%,
when the RPM variation is below 103%, the blower adjusting process
is stopped without applying the heat amount correction value.
[0039] According to the result determined in the operation of S315,
when the RPM variation is above the critical correction rate for
heat amount correction, it is assumed that it is necessary to
correct the reference RPM, and in operation S317, the reference RPM
Ref. RPM stored in the memory 201 is corrected to the current RPM
to complete the correction of the blower.
[0040] According to the result determined in the operation of S315,
when the RPM variation is less tan the critical correction rate for
heat amount correction, it is assumed that it is unnecessary to
correct the reference RPM, the reference RPM Ref. RPM stored in the
memory 201 is maintained, and the correction is not performed.
[0041] Also, if while the operations of S311 and S313 are
performed, when the difference between the measured air pressure
Act. APS and the reference air pressure Ref. APS deviates again
from the critical range in spite of in a state where the maximum
critical RPM Max. RPM of the corresponding output heat amount is
applied the blower adjusting unit 213 determines that it is
impossible to correct the reference RPM. Thus, in operation S319,
the blower adjusting unit 213 applies the maximum critical RPM Max.
RPM of the combustion device 200 as the RPM for controlling the
corresponding heat amount to change the reference RPM Ref. RPM of
the memory 201.
[0042] The method for correcting the heat amount of the combustion
device according to the present invention is performed as described
above. The combustion control unit 211 may control the blower 10 at
the reference RPM Ref. RPM re-stored by the blower adjusting method
of FIG. 3 to output the heat amount requested by the user. Thus,
the combustion device 200 may output the heat amount requested by
the user as it is in spite of changes of circumstances in which
seasons change, or the gas duct is gradually blocked as it is
used.
EMBODIMENT
[0043] According to embodiments, the blower correction method of
FIG. 3 may use a maximum reference air pressure Max. Ref. APS
mapped on the maximum output heat amount of the combustion device
200 as a reference. Thus, the reference air pressure Ref. APS for
each output heat amount may be proportionally re-adjusted on the
basis of the corrected maximum reference air pressure Max. Ref.
APS.
[0044] The above-disclosed subject matter is to be considered
illustrative, and not restrictive, and the appended claims are
intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other
embodiments, which fall within the true spirit and scope of the
present invention. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the
scope of the present invention is to be determined by the broadest
permissible interpretation of the following claims and their
equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by the
foregoing detailed description. Therefore, the preferred
embodiments should be considered in descriptive sense only and not
for purposes of limitation.
* * * * *