Furnace, a high fire ignition method for starting a furnace and a furnace controller configured for the same

• US 10,174,969 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2017
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lennox Industries Incorporated (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Lennox Industries Incorporated (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kowald, Glenn W., Paller, Hans J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lau, Jason
• Application Number:
  US15/481,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20170211847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 126116 R, 126116 A, 126 99 R- 99 D
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/20 characterised by control inputs
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/242 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/269 Time, e.g. hour or date
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/281 Input from user
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/31 of valves having only one inlet port and one outlet port, e.g. flow rate regulating valves
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/35 Control of the speed of fans
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/36 of burners
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/421 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 3/06 the air being kept separate from the heating medium, e.g. using forced circulation of air over radiators
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 3/065 using fluid fuel
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/2085 using fluid fuel

Abstract

The disclosure provides a controller for a multistage gas furnace, a multistage gas furnace and computer readable medium for performing a method to operate a furnace. In one embodiment, the controller includes: (1) an interface configured to receive a heating call and (2) a corrosion reducer configured to ignite the gas furnace at a high fire operation based on if an indoor circulating fan of the gas furnace is active.

Claims

1. A method of operating a multistage gas furnace, comprising:

receiving a heating call at the furnace;

determining if an indoor circulating fan of the furnace is active;

if the indoor circulating fan is active then;

igniting the furnace at a high fire operation; and

adjusting the furnace to an operating stage based on the heating call;

if the indoor circulating fan is not active then;

igniting the furnace at a low fire operation; and

allowing the multistage furnace to operate.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the heating call is received from a thermostat.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining if an indoor circulating fan of the furnace is active is at least partially based on an operating mode of the furnace.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein adjusting the furnace to an operating stage based on the heating call is performed a predetermined time after igniting the furnace.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the furnace transitions to a low fire operation after a designated time period.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein adjusting the furnace to an operating stage based on the heating call comprises adjusting one or more of a pressure switch and a gas valve.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the designated time period is automatically calculated based on one or more operating parameters of the furnace or ambient conditions.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein the designated time period is calculated based on one or more temperature measurements.

9. The method of claim 4 wherein the designated time period is preset.

10. A multistage gas furnace having a heat exchanger, comprising:

a burner assembly;

an inducer configured to draw combustion air through said heat exchanger;

a high fire pressure switch configured to close when flow of said combustion air has been established;

a low fire pressure switch configured to indicate when combustion air pressure is sufficient to support a low fire operation of the furnace;

an indoor circulating fan configured to move air across said heat exchanger and into conditioned space;

a combustion air inducer configured to supply combustion air to the burner assembly; and

a controller configured to direct operation of said furnace, the controller configured to ignite said furnace at a high fire operation based on if said indoor circulating fan is active.

11. The furnace as recited in claim 10 wherein said controller is further configured to determine if said indoor circulating fan is active.

12. The furnace as recited in claim 10 wherein said controller is configured to determine if said indoor circulating fan is active based on an operating mode of said furnace.

13. The furnace as recited in claim 10 wherein said controller is further configured to transition to a low fire operation a designated time period after igniting said furnace.

14. The furnace as recited in claim 13 wherein said controller is configured to determine said designated period of time based on operating parameters of said furnace.

15. The furnace as recited in claim 10 wherein said controller is configured to operate said indoor circulating fan at a low speed when igniting said furnace at said high fire operation.

16. The furnace of claim 13 wherein the designated time period is at least partially based on ambient conditions.

17. The furnace of claim 13 wherein the designated time period is preset.

18. The furnace of claim 10 wherein the controller is operable to adjust the furnace to an operating stage a predetermined time period after igniting the furnace.

19. A method of constructing a multistage gas furnace having a heat exchanger, comprising:

providing an inducer configured to draw combustion air through said heat exchanger;

providing a high fire pressure switch configured to close when flow of said combustion air has been established;

providing an indoor circulating fan configured to move air across said heat exchanger and into conditioned space; and

providing a controller configured to direct operation of said furnace, said controller including;

an interface configured to receive a heating call; and

a corrosion reducer configured to ignite said furnace at a high fire operation based on if said indoor circulating fan is active.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said corrosion reducer is further configured to determine if said indoor circulating fan is active.