Boiler protection apparatus and method

• US 8,008,603 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2007
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mackenzie Electrical Contractors, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mackenzie Electrical Contractors, Inc.
• Inventors: MacKenzie, Bruce G.
• Primary Examiner(s): PASCHALL, MARK H
• Application Number:
  US11/849,004
• Publication Number:
  US 20090056649A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,460 Days
• Field of Search: 219/481, 219483-487, 219/494, 219/497, 219/506, 219/505, 219/491, 219508-510, 392/441, 392/463, 392/454, 392/478, 307/129, 122/13.01
• US Class Current: 219/490
• CPC Class Codes: F22B 37/42 Applications, arrangements, or dispositions of alarm or automatic safety devices for feed-water heaters F22D1/14 ; emergency feed-water supply F22D11/003; alarms responsive to undesired or abnormal conditions G08B
• CPC Class Codes: F22B 37/46 responsive to low or high water level, e.g. for checking, suppressing, extinguishing combustion in boilers fire-fighting, fire extinction in general A62
• CPC Class Codes: F22B 37/47 responsive to abnormal temperature, e.g. actuated by fusible plugs such alarms or devices per se G08B

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.

Claims

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 inside 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 inside the enclosure;

(d) at least one boiler sensor located between one or more boiler sections 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 core temperature in the boiler sections;

(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 a temperature detection event occurs the boiler sensor communicates with the processor and initiates an alarm pathway to prevent damage to the boiler sections and heating system due to extreme temperatures in the boiler sections;

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.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the ambient temperature detection event is a drop in ambient temperature to between about 33 degrees Fahrenheit and about 40 degrees Fahrenheit and wherein the temperature detection event is a drop in temperature to between about 33 degrees Fahrenheit and about 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a boiler in communication with the control board, wherein the heating system malfunction is boiler failure.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the boiler failure is detected by monitoring power to the boiler using the power failure relay.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a circulator motor operatively connected to the boiler, wherein the heating system malfunction is circulator failure.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising at least one overcurrent/undercurrent sensor wherein said overcurrent/undercurrent sensor detects circulator failure by monitoring current transformers of at least one circulator motor to determine whether the circulator is drawing too much current or too little current.

7. 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 inside 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 inside the enclosure;

(d) at least one boiler sensor located between one or more boiler sections 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 core temperature in the boiler sections and boiler water level;

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.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the ambient temperature detection event is a drop in ambient temperature to between about 33 degrees Fahrenheit and about 40 degrees Fahrenheit and wherein the temperature detection event is a drop in temperature to between about 33 degrees Fahrenheit and about 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a boiler in communication with the control board wherein the heating system malfunction is low water level in the boiler and the boiler sensor detects said low water level.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the heating system malfunction is boiler failure and wherein the boiler failure is detected by monitoring power to the boiler using the power failure relay and the apparatus restores power to the boiler from an alternative power source.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a boiler and a circulator motor operatively connected to the boiler, at least one overcurrent/undercurrent sensor wherein the heating system malfunction is circulator failure, and wherein said overcurrent/undercurrent sensor detects circulator failure by monitoring current transformers of at least one circulator to determine whether the circulator is drawing too much current or too little current.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising at least one hydro air sensor wherein the hydro air sensor detects circulator failure by determining loss of a circulator impeller.

13. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising an overcurrent/undercurrent sensor wherein said overcurrent/undercurrent sensor monitors hydro air blower motor current to detect hydro air blower motor failure.

14. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a hydro air sensor wherein said hydro air sensor detects circulator failure of one or more circulator motors by monitoring hydro air cabinet temperature or temperature of an enclosure to be heated by the boiler and heating system.

15. A method of protecting a boiler and heating system from damage comprising:

(a) detecting the occurrence of an ambient temperature detection event using at least one ambient sensor located inside 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 between one or more boiler sections;

(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 a temperature detection event occurs the boiler sensor communicates with a processor and initiates the alarm pathway to prevent damage to the boiler sections and heating system due to extreme temperatures in the boiler sections;

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.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the ambient temperature detection event is a drop in ambient temperature to between about 33 degrees Fahrenheit and about 40 degrees Fahrenheit and wherein the temperature detection event is a drop in temperature to between about 33 degrees Fahrenheit and about 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the heating system malfunction is low water level in the boiler and the boiler sensor detects said low water level.

18. A method of protecting a boiler and heating system from damage comprising:

(a) detecting the occurrence of an ambient temperature detection event using at least one ambient sensor located inside 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 between one or more boiler sections;

(c) detecting the occurrence of a heating system malfunction using a boiler sensor and a power failure relay;

wherein when a temperature detection event occurs the boiler sensor communicates with a processor and initiates an alarm pathway to prevent or minimize damage to the boiler sections and heating system due to extreme temperatures in the boiler sections;

wherein when there is a heating system malfunction the power 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.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the heating system malfunction is circulator failure.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the heating system malfunction is boiler failure.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the heating system malfunction is low water level in the boiler and the boiler sensor detects said low water level.

22. A method of protecting a boiler and heating system from damage comprising:

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;

detecting the occurrence of a temperature detection event using at least one boiler sensor located between one or more boiler sections;

detecting the occurrence of a heating system malfunction using a boiler sensor and a power failure relay;

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.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising a hydro air sensor wherein said hydro air sensor detects circulator failure of one or more circulator motors by monitoring hydro air cabinet temperature or temperature of an enclosure to be heated.

24. The method of claim 22 further comprising at least one hydro air sensor wherein the hydro air sensor detects circulator failure by determining loss of a circulator impeller.

25. The method of claim 22 circulator failure is detected by monitoring relay power of heating system circulators.