Boiler Protection Apparatus and Method
First Claim
1. A boiler and heating system protection apparatus comprising:
- (a) a control board having at least one input and at least one output;
(b) a processor having at least one input and at least one output;
(c) at least one ambient sensor located outside an enclosure to be heated by a heating system or in a heating zone of the heating system, said ambient sensor being in communication with the processor through the at least one input wherein said ambient sensor is capable of detecting ambient temperature;
(d) at least one boiler sensor located in one or more boiler sections or in a manifold of a boiler, said boiler sensor being in communication with the processor through the at least one input wherein said boiler sensor is capable of detecting boiler temperature or boiler water level;
(e) an alarm relay connected to the control board by the at least one output and which is capable of sending notification to an alarm system;
(f) a power failure relay, said power failure relay being in communication with the processor through the at least one input wherein said power failure relay is capable of detecting power failure of the boiler;
wherein when an ambient temperature detection event occurs the ambient sensor communicates with the processor and switches the control board from passive mode to monitoring mode;
wherein when a temperature detection event occurs the boiler sensor communicates with the processor and initiates an alarm pathway to prevent damage to the boiler and heating system due to extreme temperatures;
wherein when a heating system malfunction occurs the power failure relay or the boiler sensor communicates with the processor and initiates an alarm pathway to prevent or minimize damage to the boiler and heating system; and
wherein the processor provides for the boiler to return to normal function when the temperature detection event or the heating system malfunction ends.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and methods for protecting a boiler and heating system from damage comprising a control board having inputs and outputs, a processor having inputs and outputs, at least one ambient sensor in communication with the processor, at least one boiler sensor in communication with the processor, a power failure relay, the power failure relay being in communication with the processor wherein the power failure relay is capable of detecting power failure of the boiler, an alarm relay connected to the control board by the at least one output and which is capable of sending notification to an alarm system. When an ambient temperature detection event occurs the ambient sensor communicates with the processor and switches the control board from passive mode to monitoring mode. When a temperature detection event or a heating system malfunction occurs the boiler sensor or power failure relay or other types of sensors communicate with the processor and initiate an alarm pathway or provide a circulation mode for circulating water through a heating system of an enclosure to be heated by the boiler and heating system. The control board may provide for the boiler to return to normal function when the temperature detection event or the heating system malfunction ends. The apparatus may also be used to prevent boiler, heating system and enclosure damage by initiating other actions when a heating system malfunction occurs.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A boiler and heating system protection apparatus comprising:
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(a) a control board having at least one input and at least one output; (b) a processor having at least one input and at least one output; (c) at least one ambient sensor located outside an enclosure to be heated by a heating system or in a heating zone of the heating system, said ambient sensor being in communication with the processor through the at least one input wherein said ambient sensor is capable of detecting ambient temperature; (d) at least one boiler sensor located in one or more boiler sections or in a manifold of a boiler, said boiler sensor being in communication with the processor through the at least one input wherein said boiler sensor is capable of detecting boiler temperature or boiler water level; (e) an alarm relay connected to the control board by the at least one output and which is capable of sending notification to an alarm system; (f) a power failure relay, said power failure relay being in communication with the processor through the at least one input wherein said power failure relay is capable of detecting power failure of the boiler; wherein when an ambient temperature detection event occurs the ambient sensor communicates with the processor and switches the control board from passive mode to monitoring mode; wherein when a temperature detection event occurs the boiler sensor communicates with the processor and initiates an alarm pathway to prevent damage to the boiler and heating system due to extreme temperatures; wherein when a heating system malfunction occurs the power failure relay or the boiler sensor communicates with the processor and initiates an alarm pathway to prevent or minimize damage to the boiler and heating system; and wherein the processor provides for the boiler to return to normal function when the temperature detection event or the heating system malfunction ends. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A boiler and heating system protection apparatus comprising:
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(a) a control board having at least one input and at least one output; (b) a processor having at least one input and at least one output; (c) at least one ambient sensor located outside an enclosure to be heated by a heating system or in a heating zone of the heating system, said ambient sensor being in communication with the processor through the at least one input wherein said ambient sensor is capable of detecting ambient temperature; (d) at least one boiler sensor located in one or more boiler sections or in a manifold of a boiler, said boiler sensor being in communication with the processor through the at least one input wherein said boiler sensor is capable of detecting boiler temperature and boiler water level; (e) a power failure relay in communication with the processor through the at least one input wherein said power failure relay is capable of detecting power failure of the boiler; wherein when an ambient temperature detection event occurs the ambient sensor communicates with the processor and switches the control board from passive mode to monitoring mode; wherein when a temperature detection event occurs the boiler sensor communicates with the processor, which provides a circulation mode for circulating water through a heating system of an enclosure to be heated by the boiler to prevent damage to the boiler and heating system due to extreme temperatures; wherein when there is a heating system malfunction the power failure relay or the boiler sensor communicates with the processor, which provides a circulation mode for circulating water through a heating system of an enclosure to be heated by the boiler to prevent or minimize damage to the boiler and heating system; and wherein the processor provides for the boiler to return to normal function when the temperature detection event or the heating system malfunction ends. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of protecting a boiler and heating system from damage comprising:
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(a) detecting the occurrence of an ambient temperature detection event using at least one ambient sensor located outside an enclosure to be heated by a heating system or in a heating zone of the heating system; (b) detecting the occurrence of a temperature detection event using at least one boiler sensor located in one or more boiler sections or in a manifold of a boiler; (c) detecting the occurrence of a heating system malfunction using the boiler sensor or a power failure relay; (d) initiating an alarm pathway using an alarm relay; wherein when an ambient temperature detection event occurs the ambient sensor communicates with a processor and switches a control board from passive mode to monitoring mode; wherein when a temperature detection event occurs the boiler sensor communicates with the processor and initiates the alarm pathway to prevent damage to the boiler and heating system due to extreme temperatures; wherein when there is a heating system malfunction the power failure relay or the boiler sensor communicates with the processor, which initiates the alarm pathway to prevent or minimize damage to the boiler or heating system; and wherein the processor provides for the boiler to return to normal function when the temperature detection event ends. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A method of protecting a boiler and heating system from damage comprising:
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(a) detecting the occurrence of an ambient temperature detection event using at least one ambient sensor located outside an enclosure to be heated by a heating system or in a heating zone of the heating system; (b) detecting the occurrence of a temperature detection event using at least one boiler sensor located in one or more boiler sections or in a manifold of a boiler; (c) detecting the occurrence of a heating system malfunction using a boiler sensor and a power failure relay; wherein when an ambient temperature detection event occurs the ambient sensor communicates with a processor and switches a control board from passive mode to monitoring mode; wherein when a temperature detection event occurs the boiler sensor communicates with the processor, which provides a circulation mode for circulating water through a heating system of an enclosure to be heated by the boiler to prevent damage to the boiler and heating system due to extreme temperatures; wherein when there is a heating system malfunction the power failure relay or the boiler sensor communicates with the processor which provides a circulation mode for circulating water through a heating system of an enclosure to be heated by the boiler to prevent or minimize damage to the boiler or heating system; wherein the processor provides for the boiler to return to normal function when the temperature detection event or heating system malfunction ends. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of protecting a boiler and heating system from damage comprising:
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detecting circulator failure using at least one overcurrent/undercurrent sensor wherein said overcurrent/undercurrent sensor monitors current transformers of at least one circulator motor to determine whether the circulator is drawing too much current or too little current; wherein when the overcurrent/undercurrent sensor detects circulator failure, said overcurrent/undercurrent sensor communicates with a processor and initiates an alarm pathway. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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Specification