Burner control
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for disabling a burner in a water heater before the water heater produces carbon monoxide in excess of allowable levels due to restrictions or blockages in the combustion system, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a controller;
b) storing an array of target temperatures accessible by said controller, each target temperature having a corresponding elapsed operational time for reaching said temperature, longer stored elapsed operational times having higher stored temperatures up to a maximum temperature;
c) using an ignition device to ignite a burner in a combustion chamber to commence a heating cycle and determining whether said burner is lit, said ignited burner heating water in said water heater;
d) upon determining said burner is lit and while said burner continues to be lit, using a sensor to check said combustion chamber temperature at one of said elapsed operational times and comparing said temperature with the associated target temperature and;
e) continue comparing received sensed temperatures to target temperatures corresponding to subsequent elapsed operational times until either a water set-point temperature is reached and said burner is shut down, or one of said temperatures is below said target temperature at a corresponding elapsed operational time for a predetermined number of cycles whereupon operation of said burner is disabled.
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Abstract
A fuel-fired water heater is shut down when a predicted steady state combustion chamber temperature is below a known threshold. The predicted steady state temperature is based on combustion chamber temperatures during heat up of the burner and appliance.
56 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for disabling a burner in a water heater before the water heater produces carbon monoxide in excess of allowable levels due to restrictions or blockages in the combustion system, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a controller; b) storing an array of target temperatures accessible by said controller, each target temperature having a corresponding elapsed operational time for reaching said temperature, longer stored elapsed operational times having higher stored temperatures up to a maximum temperature; c) using an ignition device to ignite a burner in a combustion chamber to commence a heating cycle and determining whether said burner is lit, said ignited burner heating water in said water heater; d) upon determining said burner is lit and while said burner continues to be lit, using a sensor to check said combustion chamber temperature at one of said elapsed operational times and comparing said temperature with the associated target temperature and; e) continue comparing received sensed temperatures to target temperatures corresponding to subsequent elapsed operational times until either a water set-point temperature is reached and said burner is shut down, or one of said temperatures is below said target temperature at a corresponding elapsed operational time for a predetermined number of cycles whereupon operation of said burner is disabled. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12)
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7. As method for disabling a burner that forms part of a combustion apparatus in a water heater when the combustion apparatus becomes restricted or partially blocked, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a controller and storing data related to the normal temperature operating range of a burner in a combustion chamber; b) using an ignition device to ignite said burner to begin a heating cycle during which water in said water tank is heated, said ignited burner heating water in said water heater; c) determining whether said burner is lit and upon determining said burner is lit and while said burner continues to be lit, checking the temperature of said combustion apparatus after a predetermined interval of time using a sensor coupled to said controller; d) using said controller to at least partially determine whether the checked temperature is in a normal operating range of said combustion apparatus; and e) continue using said controller to at least partially determine whether the checked temperature is in a normal operating range of said combustion apparatus until either a water set-point temperature is reached and said burner is shut down, or a checked temperature is not in a normal operating range for a predetermined number of cycles whereupon operation of said burner is disabled. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 13, 14)
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Specification