Device for controlling heating boilers

• US 5,470,019 A
• Filed: 03/11/1994
• Issued: 11/28/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microtherm Inc.
• Original Assignee: Riverlake Investments, Ltd.
• Inventors: Martensson, Goran
• Primary Examiner(s): Wayner, William E.
• Application Number:
  US08/204,375
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 122/446, 62/158, 237/8 R, 237/19, 236/46 R, 236/20 R
• US Class Current: 237/19
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 19/1009 for central heating
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/174 Supplying heated water with desired temperature or desired range of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/20 characterised by control inputs
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/269 Time, e.g. hour or date
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/36 of burners
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/414 using electronic processing, e.g. computer-based
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means

Abstract

A device for heating boilers (1) in heating plants comprises a means (2) for heating a heat carrying medium present in the boiler and circulating out thereof in the heating plant as well as a means (11) adapted to detect the temperature of the heat carrying medium present in the boiler and send signals to the heating means (2) to start and stop the heating of the medium when a first lower temperature level is underpassed and a second higher temperature level is exceeded, respectively, by the medium in the heating boiler (1). The device comprises further means (12) adapted to delay the start of the heating means (2) when the first temperature level is reached by the medium and this is detected by the detecting means (11).

Claims

1. A device for controlling a boiler in a heating plant wherein the boiler has means for heating a heat carrying medium present in the boiler and circulating out thereof in the heating plant as well as means adapted to detect the temperature of the heat carrying medium present in the boiler and send signals to the heating means to start and stop the heating of the medium when a first lower temperature level is reached and a second higher temperature level is reached, respectively by the medium in the boiler, said device comprising delay means having

a first time measuring member arranged to measure a time signal representing the time between the temperature of the heat carrying medium reaching the second higher temperature level and the temperature of the heat carrying medium reaching the first lower temperature level following thereupon, and

processor means for determining a delay time signal as a function of the time signal and to generate as a function of the delay time signal, a start signal for starting said heating means at a time delayed from when the first temperature, level is reached by the medium.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the delay means is adapted to connect in series between the detecting means and the heating means and is adapted to receive from the detecting means the signal indicating when said first lower temperature level of the medium is reached and to transmit to the heating means said start signal for delaying the start of the heating means.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the time measuring member is adapted to start measuring time in response to the temperature level of the medium reaching the second temperature level and to terminate measuring time in response to the temperature level of the medium reaching the first temperature level.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein the delay means is adapted to determine the delay time signal as a predetermined ratio of the time signal measured by the first time measuring member.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein the delay means is adapted to delay the start of the heating means by a delay time signal being 70-90% of the time signal measured by the first time measuring member.

7. A device according to claim 1, wherein the delay means comprises a second time measuring member coupled to the temperature detecting means and adapted to start measuring time in response to the temperature of the medium underpassing said first temperature level.

8. A device according to claim 7, wherein the delay means comprises a means adapted to multiply the time measured by the first time measuring member by a predetermined factor, and that the second time measuring member is adapted to count down the time obtained by this multiplication.

9. A device according to claim 7, wherein the delay means comprises a comparison means adapted to compare the time measured by the second time measuring member with said time signal from the first time measuring member and to generate the start signal for starting the heating means in response to the second time measuring member measuring a time substantially equivalent to a predetermined portion of the time signal from the first time measuring member.

10. A device according to claim 1, wherein the delay means comprises a microprocessor which may be programmed and is adapted to control the heating means.

11. A device according to claim 10, wherein the microprocessor comprises input means for receiving input signals that represent a ratio for determining the delay time signal.

12. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a means adapted to detect the temperature of tap hot-water of the heating plant and is further adapted to start the heating means responsive to the temperature of the tap hot-water reaching a pre-determined temperature level being lower than said first temperature level.

13. A device according to claim 1, wherein the heating means includes a burner and the device is adapted to couple to said burner.

14. A device according to claim 1, wherein the delay means is adapted to delay the start of the heating means by a delay time signal being 60-100% of the time signal measured by the time measuring member.

15. A device according to claim 1, wherein said processor means is adapted to generate a plurality of delay time signals, each being representative of a different length of time, and said device further includes testing means for testing two or more of said plural delay time signals to identify one delay time signal representative of a substantially optimum length of time for delaying the start of the heating means.

16. A device according to claim 15, wherein said processor means includes memory means for storing plural ratio signals, each being representative of a different percentage value, and said processor element is adapted to generate the plural delay time signals as a function of the plural ratio signals.

17. A device according to claim 15, wherein said testing means includes means for selectively turning on and off said delay means for operating said boiler with and without delays respectively.

2. A device for controlling a boiler, wherein the boiler has heating means for heating a heat carrying medium and detection means for detecting the temperature of the heat carrying medium and for generating a start signal to start said heating means in response to the heat carrying medium dropping below a predetermined temperature level, said device comprising

delay means for delaying the start of said heating means and having

means for measuring a time difference representing the time required for the heat carrying medium to change from a second temperature level to a first temperature level, and

processor means, coupled to said detection means, and adapted for determining a time for delaying the start of said heating means as a function of said signal representative of said measured time difference and said first and second temperature levels of said heat carrying medium.

18. Heat control apparatus, comprising

heating means for heating a heat carrying medium,

circulating means for circulating the heat carrying medium in a circuit,

temperature detection means for detecting when the temperature of the heat carrying medium reaches a first lower temperature level and reaches a second higher temperature level, and

a processor element having

a time measuring member arranged to measure a time signal representing the time between the temperature of the heat carrying medium reaching the second higher temperature level and reaching the first lower temperature level following thereupon,

means for generating a delay time signal as a function of said time signal, and

timer means, responsive to the detection of the first temperature level being reached by the medium, for measuring a period of time representative of said delay time signal and for generating, after the measured time period, a start signal to start the heating means.

19. A device for controlling a boiler having means for heating a heat carrying medium as well as means adapted to detect the temperature of the heat carrying medium and to send signals to the heating means to start and stop the heating of the medium when a first lower temperature level is reached and a second higher temperature level is reached, respectively by the medium, said device comprising

delay means adapted to delay the start of the heating means when the first temperature level is reached by the medium and this first temperature level is detected by the detecting means,

means for detecting the temperature of hot water drawn from a tap and heated by the heat carrying medium, and

means for stopping the delay and for starting the heating means responsive to the temperature of the tapped hot-water dropping below a predetermined temperature level being lower than said first temperature level.

20. A device for controlling a burner that heats water in a water tank, comprising

temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the water and for generating a start and a stop signal representative of when the temperature of the water reaches a first lower temperature level and reaches a second higher temperature level, respectively,

a time measuring member, coupled to said temperature detection means, and arranged to measure a time signal representing the time between said stop signal and said start signal, and

a processor element adapted to determine a delay time as a function of said time signal and to generate as a function of the delay time, a delayed start signal for starting the burner at a time delayed from when the first temperature level is reached by the water and this first temperature level is detected by the temperature detection means.

21. A device for controlling a boiler having means for heating a heat carrying medium as well as means adapted to detect the temperature of the heat carrying medium and to send signals to the heating means to start and stop the heating of the medium when a first lower temperature level is reached and a second higher temperature level is reached, respectively by the medium, said device comprising

programmable delay means adapted to generate a plurality of delay time signals, each being representative of a different length of time for delaying said signal for starting said heating means, and said device further includes testing means for testing two or more of said plural delay time signals to identify one delay time signal representative of a substantially optimum length of time for delaying the start of said heating means.