Furnace, a high fire ignition method for starting a furnace and a furnace controller configured for the same

• US 9,618,231 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2011
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lennox Industries Incorporated (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Lennox Industries Incorporated (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kowald, Glenn W., Paller, Hans J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rinehart, Kenneth
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lau, Jason
• Application Number:
  US13/208,918
• Publication Number:
  US 20130040253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,069 Days
• Field of Search: 431 60, 236 10, 236 11, 126116 A, 126116 R, 126 99 R- 99 D
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/20 characterised by control inputs
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/242 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/269 Time, e.g. hour or date
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/281 Input from user
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/31 of valves having only one inlet port and one outlet port, e.g. flow rate regulating valves
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/35 Control of the speed of fans
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/36 of burners
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/421 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 3/06 the air being kept separate from the heating medium, e.g. using forced circulation of air over radiators
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 3/065 using fluid fuel
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/2085 using fluid fuel

Abstract

The disclosure provides a controller for a multistage gas furnace, a multistage gas furnace and computer readable medium for performing a method to operate a furnace. In one embodiment, the controller includes: (1) an interface configured to receive a heating call and (2) a corrosion reducer configured to ignite the gas furnace at a high fire operation based on if an indoor circulating fan of the gas furnace is active.

Claims

1. A controller for a multistage gas furnace, comprising:

an interface configured to receive a heating call; and

a corrosion reducer configured to ignite said gas furnace at a high fire operation based on if an indoor circulating fan of said gas furnace is active.

2. The controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said corrosion reducer is further configured to determine if said indoor circulating fan is active.

3. The controller as recited in claim 2 wherein said corrosion reducer is configured to determine said indoor circulating fan is active based on an operating mode of said furnace.

4. The controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said corrosion reducer is further configured to transition said gas furnace to a low fire operation a designated time period after igniting said gas furnace.

5. The controller as recited in claim 4 wherein said designated period of time is preset.

6. The controller as recited in claim 4 wherein said corrosion reducer is configured to determine said designated period of time based on operating parameters of said gas furnace.

7. The controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said corrosion reducer is configured to operate said indoor circulating fan at a low speed when igniting said gas furnace at said high fire operation.

8. A computer-usable medium having non-transitory computer readable instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor to perform a method for operating a gas furnace, comprising:

receiving a heating call for said gas furnace;

determining if an indoor circulating fan of said gas furnace is active; and

igniting said gas furnace at a high fire operation based on if said indoor circulating fan is active.

9. The computer-usable medium as recited in claim 8 wherein said determining is based on an operating mode of said furnace.

10. The computer-usable medium as recited in claim 8 wherein said method further comprises transitioning to a low fire operation a designated time period after igniting said gas furnace.

11. The computer-usable medium as recited in claim 10 wherein said designated period of time is preset.

12. The computer-usable medium as recited in claim 10 wherein said method further comprises determining said designated period of time based on operating parameters of said gas furnace.

13. The computer-usable medium as recited in claim 8 wherein said method further comprises operating said indoor circulating fan at a low speed when igniting said gas furnace at said high fire operation.

14. The computer-usable medium as recited in claim 8 wherein said method further comprises operating said indoor circulating fan and said gas furnace based on said heating call a designated period of time after igniting said gas furnace at said high fire operation.

15. A multistage gas furnace having a heat exchanger, comprising:

an inducer configured to draw combustion air through said heat exchanger;

a high fire pressure switch configured to close when flow of said combustion air has been established;

an indoor circulating fan configured to move air across said heat exchanger and into conditioned space; and

a controller configured to direct operation of said gas furnace, said controller including;

an interface configured to receive a heating call; and

a corrosion reducer configured to ignite said gas furnace at a high fire operation based on if said indoor circulating fan is active.

16. The gas furnace as recited in claim 15 wherein said corrosion reducer is further configured to determine if said indoor circulating fan is active.

17. The gas furnace as recited in claim 16 wherein said corrosion reducer is configured to determine if said indoor circulating fan is active based on an operating mode of said furnace.

18. The gas furnace as recited in claim 15 wherein said corrosion reducer is further configured to transition to a low fire operation a designated time period after igniting said gas furnace.

19. The gas furnace as recited in claim 18 wherein said corrosion reducer is configured to determine said designated period of time based on operating parameters of said gas furnace.

20. The gas furnace as recited in claim 19 wherein said corrosion reducer is configured to operate said indoor circulating fan at a low speed when igniting said gas furnace at said high fire operation.