Systems for regulating voltage to an electrical resistance igniter
AssigneeSaint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc.
InventorsThomas A. Chodacki, Kevin C. Solofra, James M. Ralson
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Abstract
Systems and methods for energizing an electrical resistance igniter are disclosed. The systems and methods determine the line voltage into the system and control the voltage being applied to the electrical resistance igniters so a first voltage is applied initially and for a time period and thereafter a second voltage is applied, the second voltage being the operating voltage for the igniter. The systems and methods decrease the amount of time required to heat-up the electrical resistance igniter to a temperature sufficient to ignite the gas while regulating the output voltage being delivered to the igniters to prevent over voltage damage to the igniters.
Claims28
A control system to control energizing one or more electrical resistance igniters from an electrical power source, the control system comprising:
- a switch operably connected between the electrical power source and the one or more electrical resistance igniters;
- a control device operably coupled to the switch;
- wherein the control device is configured and arranged to selectively control the switch and thereby the application of a voltage to the one or more electrical resistance igniters;
- and
- wherein the control device is configured and arranged so that the voltage being applied initially is a first voltage, so the first voltage is applied for a full-on time period and so thereafter the average voltage being applied is a second voltage.
A control system to control energizing one or more electrical resistance igniters from an electrical power source, the control system comprising:
- a switch operably connected between the electrical power source and the one or more electrical resistance igniters;
- a microprocessor operably coupled to the switch;
- a voltage measuring device, the voltage measuring device being operably coupled to the electrical power source so as to measure an output voltage of the power source and being operably coupled to the microprocessor so as to provide an output of the measured output voltage to the microprocessor;
- a program for execution in the microprocessor, the program including instructions and criteria for controlling the operations and functions of the microprocessor and the functionality of the switch;
- and
- wherein the program includes instructions and criteria for:
- controlling the switch and thereby application of a voltage to the one or more electric resistance igniters,
- controlling the switch so the voltage being applied initially is a first voltage and so the first voltage is applied for a full-on time period,
- controlling the switch so the average voltage being applied thereafter is a second voltage, and
- determining the full-on time period based on the measured output voltage.
A control system to control energizing one or more electrical resistance igniters from an electrical power source, the control system comprising:
- a triac operably connected between the electrical power source and the one or more electrical resistance igniters;
- a microprocessor operably coupled to the triac;
- a voltage measuring device, the voltage measuring device being operably coupled to the electrical power source so as to measure an output voltage of the power source and being operably coupled to the microprocessor so as to provide an output of the measured output voltage to the microprocessor;
- a storage device operably coupled to the microprocessor and in which is stored a multiplicity of time period values and related output voltages;
- a program for execution in the microprocessor, the program including instructions and criteria for controlling the operations and functions of the microprocessor and the functionality of the triac;
- and
- wherein the program includes instructions and criteria for:
- controlling the triac and thereby application of a voltage to the one or more electric resistance igniters,
- controlling the triac so the voltage being applied initially is a first voltage and so the first voltage is applied for a full-on time period, where the first voltage is full line voltage from the power source,
- controlling the traic so the voltage being applied thereafter is a second voltage, the second voltage being a nominal operating voltage of the one or more electrical resistance igniters,
- determining the full-on time period based on the measured output voltage, and
- wherein said determining includes selecting one of the stored multiplicity of time period values as the full-on time period based on the measured output voltage.
A method for controlling energizing an electrical resistance igniter of a power source, the controlling method comprising the steps of:
- applying line voltage from the power source to the electric resistance igniter for a full-on time period;
- and
- applying a second voltage to the electric resistance igniter thereafter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.