MODULATING GAS VALVES AND SYSTEMS

• US 20070221276A1
• Filed: 03/22/2006
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Kasprzyk, Don, Buezis, James, Munsterhuis, Sybrandus, Bergum, Glenn, Eskridge, Adam
• Granted Patent: US 7,523,762 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/613
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 1/005 using electrical or electromechanical means F23N1/04 - F23N1/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2235/16 variable flow or proportional valves
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2235/20 Membrane valves
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 16/163 using membranes within the main valve
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0635 by action on throttling means G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7764 Choked or throttled pressure type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7782 With manual or external control for line valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7836 Flexible diaphragm or bellows reactor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87917 Flow path with serial valves and/or closures

Abstract

Modulating gas valves and systems for modulating gas flow to gas-fired appliances are disclosed. An illustrative modulating gas valve can include at least one main valve adapted to regulate the flow of gas through a main gas conduit, at least one regulator for regulating the gas pressure outputted by each main valve between a first gas pressure and a second gas pressure, and a modulator adapted to variably modulate the gas outputted by the gas valve at a pressure between the first and second gas pressures. The modulator can be used to modulate the main gas valve or valves between an infinite or discrete number of positions.

Claims

1. A modulating gas valve, comprising:

a valve body including a gas inlet, a gas outlet, a main gas conduit in fluid communication with the gas inlet and gas outlet, and a control gas conduit;

at least one main valve in fluid communication with the main gas conduit and control gas conduit, each main valve operable between a number of different pressures for variably regulating the flow of gas through the main gas conduit;

at least one regulator adapted to regulate the gas pressure outputted from said at least one main valve between a first gas pressure and a second gas pressure different from the first gas pressure; and

a modulator adapted to modulate the gas outputted from the gas valve at a pressure between said first and second gas pressures.

2. The modulating gas valve of claim 1, wherein said modulating gas valve is a pressure-to-open gas valve.

3. The modulating gas valve of claim 1, wherein said modulating gas valve is a pressure-to-close gas valve.

4. The modulating gas valve of claim 1, wherein said at least one main valve comprises a single main valve.

5. The modulating gas valve of claim 4, wherein said at least one regulator includes:

a first regulator for regulating the gas pressure outputted from the main valve at said first gas pressure; and

second regulator for regulating the gas pressure outputted from the main valve at said second pressure.

6. The modulating gas valve of claim 5, wherein the control gas conduit includes:

a first control gas channel in fluid communication with the first regulator, the first control gas channel adapted to deliver gas through the first regulator to the gas outlet of the main gas conduit; and

a second control gas channel in fluid communication with the modulator and the second regulator, the second control gas channel adapted to deliver gas through the modulator and second regulator to the gas outlet of the main gas conduit;

wherein the first control gas channel and second control gas channel are in parallel with each other.

7. The modulating gas valve of claim 5, wherein the control gas conduit includes:

a control gas channel in fluid communication with the first and second regulators; and

a regulator control gas channel in fluid communication with the modulator, the regulator control gas channel adapted to variably bypass or divert control gas pressure around at least one of said first and second regulators.

8. The modulating gas valve of claim 5, wherein said first regulator and said second regulator comprise a high-fire and low-fire pressure regulator, respectively.

9. The modulating gas valve of claim 8, wherein said high-fire and low-fire regulators are disposed in parallel with each other.

10. The modulating gas valve of claim 8, wherein said high-fire and low-fire regulators are disposed in series with each other.

11. The modulating gas valve of claim 4, wherein said at least one regulator and said modulator includes a single regulator having a low-fire pressure adjustment mechanism for adjusting control gas pressure and a high-fire pressure adjustment mechanism for adjusting control gas pressure.

12. The modulating gas valve of claim 1, wherein said at least one main valve comprises a first main valve and a second main valve.

13. The modulating gas valve of claim 12, wherein said at least one regulator includes:

a first regulator for regulating the gas pressure outputted from the first main valve at said first gas pressure; and

a second regulator for regulating the gas pressure outputted from the second main valve at said second gas pressure.

14. The modulating gas valve of claim 1, wherein said modulator is adapted to variably modulate the gas pressure outputted by said at least one main valve between an infinite number of pressures.

15. The modulating gas valve of claim 1, wherein said modulator is adapted to variably modulate the gas pressure outputted by said at least one main valve between a number of discrete pressures.

16. The modulating gas valve of claim 1, wherein said modulator is adapted to variably modulate the gas pressure outputted by said at least one main valve between two pressures.

17. The modulating gas valve of claim 1, wherein said modulator includes a pneumatic modulator having a number of pneumatic inlet ports for receiving gas and/or fluid pressure provided by a gas-fired appliance operatively connected to the gas valve.

18. The modulating gas valve of claim 17, wherein the amount of throttling provided by the modulator is dependent at least in part on the pressure differential of the gas and/or fluid pressure across said pneumatic inlet ports.

19. The modulating gas valve of claim 1, wherein said modulator includes a mechanical or electrical modulator.

20. The modulating gas valve of claim 5, wherein said modulator includes a diaphragm switch adapted to variably bypass or disable control gas pressure delivered to the second regulator.

21. The modulating gas valve of claim 20, wherein said diaphragm switch is adapted to variably bypass or disable control gas pressure to the second regulator at a variable frequency and/or duty cycle for modulating the gas outputted by the main valve at a pressure between said first and second gas pressures.

22. A modulating gas valve, comprising:

a valve body including a gas inlet, a gas outlet, a main gas conduit in fluid communication with the gas inlet and gas outlet, and a control gas conduit;

at least one main valve in fluid communication with the main gas conduit and control gas conduit, each main valve operable between a number of different pressures for variably regulating the flow of gas through the main gas conduit;

at least one regulator adapted to regulate the gas pressure outputted from the main valve at a high-fire gas pressure and a low-fire gas pressure; and

a modulator adapted to variably modulate the gas outputted from the gas valve at a pressure between said high-fire and low-fire gas pressures.

23. A modulating gas valve, comprising:

a valve body including a gas inlet, a gas outlet, a main gas conduit in fluid communication with the gas inlet and gas outlet, and a control gas conduit;

a plurality of main valves each in fluid communication with the main gas conduit, each of said main valves operable between a number of different pressures for variably regulating the flow of gas through the main gas conduit;

at least one regulator adapted to regulate the gas pressure outputted from the gas valve between a high-fire gas pressure and a low-fire gas pressure different from the high-fire gas pressure; and

a modulator adapted to modulate the gas outputted from the gas valve at a pressure between said high-fire and low-fire gas pressures.

24. A system for modulating gas flow to a gas-fired appliance, the system comprising:

a modulating gas valve, comprising;

a valve body including a gas inlet, a gas outlet, a main gas conduit in fluid communication with the gas inlet and gas outlet, and a control gas conduit;

at least one main valve in fluid communication with the main gas conduit and control gas conduit, each main valve operable between a number of different pressures for variably regulating the flow of gas through the main gas conduit;

regulator means for regulating the gas pressure outputted from said at least one main valve between a first gas pressure and a second gas pressure different from the first gas pressure;

modulation means for modulating the gas outputted by the main valve at a pressure between said first and second gas pressures; and

a control unit operatively coupled to the gas valve for controlling the amount of throttling provided by the modulation means to actuate each main valve between two or more positions to variably regulate the flow of gas delivered to the gas-fired appliance.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein said modulating gas valve is a pressure-to-open gas valve.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein said modulating gas valve is a pressure-to-close gas valve.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein said at least one main valve comprises a single main valve.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein said regulator means for regulating the gas pressure outputted from the main valve between said first and second gas pressures includes:

a first regulator means for regulating the gas pressure outputted from the main valve at said first gas pressure; and

second regulator means for regulating the gas pressure outputted from the main valve at said second pressure.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the control gas conduit includes:

a first control gas channel in fluid communication with the first regulator means, the first control gas channel adapted to deliver gas pressure through the first regulator means to the gas outlet of the main gas conduit; and

a second control gas channel in fluid communication with the modulation means and the second regulator means, the second control gas channel adapted to deliver gas pressure through the modulation means and second regulator means to the gas outlet of the main gas conduit;

wherein the first control gas channel and second control gas channel are in parallel with each other.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the control gas conduit includes:

a control gas channel in fluid communication with the first and second regulator means; and

a regulator control gas channel in fluid communication with the modulation means, the regulator control gas channel adapted to divert gas pressure around at least one of said first and second regulator means.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein said first regulator means and said second regulator means comprise a high-fire and low-fire regulator, respectively.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein said high-fire and low-fire regulators are disposed in parallel with each other.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein said high-fire and low-fire regulators are disposed in series with each other.

34. The system of claim 27, wherein said regulator means and said modulation means includes a single regulator having a low-fire pressure adjustment mechanism for adjusting control gas pressure and a high-fire pressure adjustment mechanism for adjusting control gas pressure.

35. The system of claim 24, wherein said at least one main valve comprises a first main valve and a second main valve.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein said means for regulating the gas pressure outputted from said first and second main valves includes:

a first regulator means for regulating the gas pressure outputted from the first main valve at said first gas pressure; and

a second regulator means for regulating the gas pressure outputted from the second main valve at said second gas pressure.

37. The system of claim 24, wherein said modulation means includes a modulator or switch adapted to variably modulate the gas pressure outputted by the main valve between an infinite number of positions.

38. The system of claim 24, wherein said modulation means includes a modulator or switch adapted to variably modulate the gas pressure outputted by said at least one main valve between a number of discrete positions.

39. The system of claim 24, wherein said modulation means includes a modulator or switch adapted to variably modulate the gas pressure outputted by said at least one main valve between two positions.

40. The system of claim 24, wherein said modulation means includes a pneumatic modulator having a number of pneumatic inlet ports for receiving gas and/or fluid pressure from one or more components of the gas-fired appliance.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the amount of throttling provided by the pneumatic modulator depends at least in part on the pressure differential of the gas and/or fluid pressure across said pneumatic inlet ports.

42. The system of claim 28, wherein said modulation means includes a diaphragm switch adapted to variably bypass or disable control gas pressure to the second regulator means.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein said diaphragm switch is adapted to variably bypass or disable control gas pressure delivered to the second regulator means at a variable frequency and/or duty cycle for modulating the gas outputted by the main valve at a pressure between said first and second gas pressures.