U.S. patent application number 15/085536 was filed with the patent office on 2016-10-06 for constant efficiency controller.
The applicant listed for this patent is Maxitrol Company. Invention is credited to Lynn E. Cooper, Nicholas Roth Hanawalt, Mark Geoffrey Masen, Frank P. Mimick, John James Schlachter.
Application Number | 20160290640 15/085536 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 57015790 |
Filed Date | 2016-10-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160290640 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Schlachter; John James ; et
al. |
October 6, 2016 |
Constant Efficiency Controller
Abstract
A system and controller where the pressure of the air is
continuously monitored or read at a designated exhaust point and
adjustments made to the flow of the air and gas to keep the
efficiency of the appliance at a maximum to control the appliance
(or the burner for an appliance) within specifications as dictated
by the customer or consumer rather than training the user.
Inventors: |
Schlachter; John James;
(Leonard, MI) ; Masen; Mark Geoffrey; (Leonard,
MI) ; Mimick; Frank P.; (Watauga, TX) ;
Hanawalt; Nicholas Roth; (Detroit, MI) ; Cooper; Lynn
E.; (North Richland Hills, TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Maxitrol Company |
Southfield |
MI |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
57015790 |
Appl. No.: |
15/085536 |
Filed: |
March 30, 2016 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62140153 |
Mar 30, 2015 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F23N 5/184 20130101;
F04D 25/08 20130101; F23N 1/022 20130101; F04D 27/004 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F23N 5/18 20060101
F23N005/18; F23N 1/02 20060101 F23N001/02; F04D 25/02 20060101
F04D025/02; F04D 27/00 20060101 F04D027/00; F04D 19/00 20060101
F04D019/00 |
Claims
1. A circuit for a heating appliance comprising A fuel source; At
least one fuel passageway; A valve to control pressure of the fuel
in said passageway; At least one air passageway; A fan having a
motor to create air pressure in the passageway; A fuel pressure
sensor on the fuel passageway; An air pressure sensor on the air
passageway; A controller in communication with said fan motor and
said valve; A testing device to determine a target fuel pressure
and a target air pressure at optimum performance specifications
provided by the manufacturer of the appliance; A comparator to
compare the fuel pressure and air pressure during operation of the
heating appliance and determine any variance with the target fuel
pressure or target air pressure as determined by the testing
device; A signal generator in communication with said comparator
and said controller to indicate a signal to the controller if the
comparator find variance with the target fuel pressure and air
pressure from optimum performance specifications; Wherein the
controller adjusts the fan speed and the fuel pressure in response
to any variance of the target fuel pressure and target air pressure
from optimum performance specifications.
2. A method for maintaining the efficiency of a burner, having a
fan driven by a motor having a speed control for the motor,
comprising the steps of: Deriving an internal air pressure target;
Sensing combustion air pressure; Sensing burner gas pressure;
Comparing the air pressure and burner gas pressure to the air
pressure target; and Controlling fan speed to match the internal
air pressure target by control of the motor speed.
3. A method for maintaining the efficiency of a burner used in an
appliance, having a controller, passageways for combustion air and
burner gas, at least one fan having a motor to control the speed of
the fan by the controller, and air pressure sensors for combustion
air pressure and burner gas pressure, comprising the steps of:
Obtaining optimum performance specifications of the appliance;
Testing the appliance to determine the combustion air pressure and
burner gas pressure at optimum performance of the appliance to
determine a target control parameter; Input the target control
parameter into the controller; Comparing the air vacuum pressure
from the sensors to the target control parameter; Sending a signal
to the controller to generate a digital instruction to the
controller to control the gas valve; Sensing burner gas pressure;
Changing the speed of the fan motor if the signal indicates a
variance from optimum performance to return to target control
parameter relating to motor speed; Changing the position of the gas
valve if the signal indicates a variance from optimum performance
to return to target control parameter relating to burner gas
pressure; and Further monitoring and changing as needed for further
optimum efficiency performance of the appliance.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S.
Provisional Patent Application No. 62/140,153, filed on Mar. 30,
2015, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by
reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The subject matter relates to a controller for heating
operations.
BACKGROUND
[0003] In the present invention pressure of the manifold gas
pressure and the vacuum air pressure are continuously monitored or
read at a designated exhaust point and makes adjustments to the
flow of the air and gas to keep the efficiency of the appliance at
a maximum to control the appliance (or the burner for an appliance)
rather than training the user.
[0004] The subject invention also provides a method that helps
eliminate repetitive, unnecessary, and sometimes harmful switching
of the speed of the fan. As the switching of the motor speed may
cause damage to various electrical components, such as relays and
transistors, the method serves to prevent optimum switching of the
fan to run at an optimum speed. The method also promotes proper
operation of burner at its optimum state.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] Other advantages of the present invention will be readily
appreciated, as the same becomes better understood by reference to
the following detailed description when considered in connection
with the accompanying drawings wherein:
[0006] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a general
representation of the system setup;
[0007] FIG. 2 is a more detailed schematic diagram of the
controller in the system;
[0008] FIG. 3 is an elevated perspective view of the gas modulating
valve for burner gas pressure in the system;
[0009] FIG. 4 is an elevated perspective view of a testing orifice
for the system to set the flow rate equal for the customer's system
specifications;
[0010] FIG. 5 is an elevated perspective view of a controller
connected to all relevant input and output signals;
[0011] FIG. 6 is an elevated perspective view of a variac variable
speed fan control board and variable speed combustion fan;
[0012] FIG. 7 is an elevated perspective view of a 0'' to 4'' w. c.
gas pressure sensor in the system as described; and
[0013] FIG. 8 is an elevated perspective view of a 0''-2'' w. c.
vacuum air pressure sensor in the system as described.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0014] Referring to the Figures, a controller 10 in a system 20 is
shown herein. This controller 10 is designed to provide a uniform
output heat pattern as called for in a specific environment to have
a constant efficiency of a burner (ideal for an operating point).
The efficiency of the burner is determined by customer or consumer
specifications and is tested, as shown in FIG. 4, so that it feeds
back to those specifications.
[0015] The controller 10 is designed, as shown in FIG. 1, to bring
in two pressures (combustion air pressure and burner gas pressure)
and control the fan speed to match an internal table of air
pressures. The modulating valve adjusts the burner gas pressure to
match the desired air/gas ratio that is programmed into the
controller via a microprocessor, microcontroller or equivalent
device. FIG. 1 is a general representation of the system setup.
[0016] FIG. 2 provides more detail in the various steps. After
testing, an analog control parameter 100 is fed into an A/D input
102 to provide a derived internal air pressure target 104 relating
to speed 103 of the fan motor. A PID controller 106 compares the
current air vacuum pressure with the derived internal target and
sends a control voltage to the motor speed control board 108, thus
changing the speed of the fan motor and the vacuum air pressure if
not at the speed or pressure needed for optimum performance. A
sensor 110 monitors vacuum air pressure (controlled by the motor
speed) and transmits via another A/D input 112 to an internal air
pressure device for a pressure value 114 which communicates with
both the PID controller 106 (to determine if it is within
specifications) and also a different portion of the microcontroller
to derive the gas pressure target at 116.
[0017] Once this stage is reached, the derived gas pressure target
is fed into the gas pressure specification 118 to generate a
digital instruction in the PID controller 119 to control the valve
120. A sensor 122 is used at the output of the valve 120 to feed
information back to the A/D input 124 into a gas pressure monitor
126 for the valve, where the monitor 126 feeds back into the PID
controller 119.
[0018] In operation, the system and controller controls a gas
modulating valve 200 (FIG. 3), a control board 250 and variable
speed combustion fan 260 (FIG. 6) as monitored by a water column
gas pressure sensor 270 (FIG. 7) and a water column vacuum air
pressure sensor 280 (FIG. 8). As shown in FIG. 3, a gas modulating
valve 200, such as that supplied by Maxitrol under the model number
EXA40 PV-7 or similar devices, modulates the burner gas pressure.
An example of a 0-4'' water column gas pressure gauge is shown in
FIG. 7, and was purchased as a ProSense gauge identified as
P356-5026, C24. The water column vacuum air pressure sensor 280 of
FIG. 8 was purchased as a ProSense product DPTA-20.
[0019] FIG. 4 illustrates an orifice 210 used in testing to set the
flow rate equal to the customer's system specifications. Each
customer sets their own optimum performance specifications. The
invention herein takes that information and produces the derived
gas pressure target, fan motor speed (or air pressure target), and
any other information generated as described above.
[0020] The circuit 10 shown can provide a number of advantages. The
components of the circuit 10 are preferably supported by one or
more printed circuit boards. The printed circuit board 215 (FIG. 5)
provides electrical connections between the components and includes
the microcontroller. FIG. 5 illustrate a controller connection to
all relevant input and output signals. The circuit is suited for
providing voltage control signals to the other printed circuit
boards for the gas modulating valve (FIG. 3) and the variac and the
variable speed fan controller (FIG. 6) to control the variable
speed combustion fan 260, as well as reading the sensors 270 and
280. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate other uses
for the circuit 10 described herein.
[0021] The present invention has been described herein in an
illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the
terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of
words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications
and variations of the invention are possible in light of the above
teachings.
* * * * *