Energy efficient combustion heater control
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsMichael Nolan, Keith Nolan, Mark Kelly, Damian Kelly, Niall Cahill, John Brady
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for controlling a combustion heater are provided. An example method includes measuring a room temperature, measuring a combustion heater temperature, and measuring a fuel weight. Adjustments are computed to an operational parameter to adjust a room temperature. An anticipatory alert is provided to inform a user of a predicted time at which the fuel weight will be too low to maintain the room temperature.
Claims25
An apparatus for controlling a combustion heater, comprising:
- a sensor system, comprising:
- a zone temperature sensor in a heated zone;
- and
- a heater temperature sensor in the combustion heater;
- a combustion air flow control;
- and
- a controller, comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a storage system, comprising code to direct the processor to:
- monitor the temperature in the heated zone;
- monitor the temperature in the combustion heater;
- calculate parameter adjustments needed to reach a target temperature in the heated zone;
- adjust combustion air, blower power, blower speed, new fuel addition, or fuel addition rate, or any combinations thereof to maintain the target temperature;
- estimate a remaining fuel load;
- calculate a period of time by the end of which fuel needs to be added to maintain room temperature, the period of time to be calculated using at least the estimated remaining fuel load and historical temperature readings from the heated zone;
- and
- provide an anticipatory alert to a user comprising the period of time.
A method for controlling a combustion heater, comprising:
- measuring a room temperature;
- measuring a combustion heater temperature;
- measuring a fuel weight;
- computing an adjustment to an operational parameter to adjust the room temperature;
- estimating a remaining fuel load;
- calculating a period of time by the end of which fuel needs to be added to maintain room temperature, the period of time to be calculated using at least the estimated remaining fuel load and historical temperature readings of the room temperature;
- and
- providing an anticipatory alert to inform a user of the calculated period of time.
A non-transitory, machine readable medium comprising code to direct a processor to:
- monitor a temperature in a heated zone;
- monitor a temperature in a combustion heater;
- estimate a remaining fuel load;
- adjust an operational parameter for the combustion heater to change the temperature in the heated zone;
- and
- provide an anticipatory alert to a user within a calculated period of time by the end of which fuel needs to be added to maintain room temperature, the period of time to be calculated using at least the estimated remaining fuel load and historical temperature readings from the heated zone.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.