Variable output heating and cooling control

• US 6,866,202 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2002
• Issued: 03/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: HVAC Modulation Technologies LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Varidigm
• Inventors: Ratz, James W., Sigafus, Paul E., Torborg, Ralph H., Lutton, Larry L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tanner, Harry B.
• Application Number:
  US10/236,678
• Publication Number:
  US 20030059730A1
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 236/11, 236/15.BD, 236/46.R, 236/46.F, 236/78.D, 431/12, 431/90
• US Class Current: 236/11
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 1/002 using electronic means F23N1/04 - F23N1/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2225/12 room temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2227/10 Sequential burner running
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2233/04 with variable speed
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2233/08 with variable speed
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2235/16 variable flow or proportional valves
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2237/10 High or low fire
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 5/203 using electronic means

Abstract

A heating or cooling system, such as an HVAC system, of variable output has a number of control elements and may include a variable speed compressor, a variable speed combustion (induced or forced draft) blower motor; a variable speed circulator blower motor; a variable output gas valve or gas/air premix unit; and a controller specifically developed for variable output applications. The system may utilize a pressure sensor to determine the actual flow of combustion airflow in response to actual space conditions, vary the speed of the inducer blower, and subsequently vary the gas valve output to supply the correct amount of gas to the burner system. A temperature sensor may be located in the discharge air stream of the conditioned air to provide an input signal for the circulator blower.

Claims

1. A variable output heating system comprising:

a) a variable speed combustion blower;

b) a variable fuel supply valve;

c) a variable speed circulator;

d) a pressure sensor to measure a pressure produced by the variable speed combustion blower;

e) a controller having input from the pressure sensor and outputs for at least the variable elements of a) and c) above, the controller including;

i. a thermostat algorithm for determining a desired firing rate,

ii. a lookup table or equation accessible to determine a desired differential pressure of the variable speed combustion blower for the desired firing rate stoichiometry,

iii. means for adjusting the variable speed combustion blower speed in order to achieve the desired differential pressure, and

iv. means for adjusting the variable speed circulator so as to maintain a circulation according to one of a temperature criterion, a flow criterion and a pressure criterion.

2. The variable output heating system of claim 1 further comprising:

means for modulating the variable fuel supply valve to achieve the desired firing rate stoichiometry.

3. The variable output heating system of claim 1 further comprising:

the controller having means for controlling all equipment operation sequencing.

4. A variable output heating system comprising:

a) a variable speed combustion fan;

b) a variable fuel supply gas valve;

c) a variable speed air circulator fan;

d) a pressure sensor to measure a pressure produced by the variable speed combustion fan;

e) a discharge air temperature sensor located downstream of a heat exchanger served by the variable speed circulator fan; and

f) a controller having inputs from sensor elements d) and e) above and outputs for the variable elements of a) and c) above, the controller including;

i. a thermostat algorithm for determining a desired firing rate,

ii. a lookup table or equation accessible to determine a desired differential pressure of the variable speed combustion fan for the desired firing rate,

iii. means for adjusting the variable speed combustion fan motor speed in order to achieve the desired differential pressure, and

iv. means for adjusting the variable speed circulator fan so as to maintain an air discharge according to one of a temperature criterion, a pressure criterion, or an airflow criterion.

5. The variable output heating system of claim 4 further comprising:

the controller having sensing and control means for the variable element b).

6. The variable output heating system of claim 4 further comprising:

the controller having means for controlling all combustion operation sequencing.

7. A controller for a variable output heating or cooling system comprising:

a) means for accepting an input from at least one sensor element monitoring a variable element of the variable heating or cooling system,

b) means for operating at least one variable element of the variable heating or cooling system, the means for operating including;

i. a thermostat algorithm for determining a desired firing rate of a burner;

ii. a lookup table or equation accessible to determine a desired pressure from operation of a variable speed combustion fan suitable for the desired firing rate, and

iii. sensing and control means for controlling the combustion fan speed in order to achieve the desired pressure; and

c) wherein the desired pressure is a desired differential pressure across a heat exchanger of the burner.

8. The controller of claim 7 wherein the thermostat algorithm further includes means for determining a desired duty cycle of burner operation.

9. The controller of claim 7 further including sensing and control means for controlling a variable speed circulator.