Burner ignition and control system
AssigneePlatinum Energy Services Corp.
InventorsRob MacNutt, Gary Gunthorpe
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A battery powered ignition and control system for a gas burner includes circuits for controlling a pilot burner, a main burner, a flame sensor and an igniter. Mechanically latched valves, which require power only to switch between and open and closed state are used to control the pilot and main gas. The circuitry spends a majority of time in a powered down state and draws power only when required to interrogate the state of the flame and to perform an ignition sequence as required, as periodically dictated by a watchdog system. The latching valves are electrically pulsed to change state and thus draw very low average power when called upon. Lithium batteries provide system power for a long duration.
Claims14
A burner control system for ensuring continuous operation of a remote heater having a gas supply and no access to a utility electrical supply comprising:
- a main burner and a pilot burner in the remote heater;
- an igniter for igniting the pilot burner;
- a flame ionization detector for sensing at least a pilot flame at the pilot burner;
- a pilot latching valve for controlling gas flow from the gas supply to the pilot burner, the pilot latching valve being operable between an open state wherein gas is supplied to the pilot burner and a closed state in which the flow of gas to the pilot burner is stopped;
- a main latching valve for controlling a main gas valve, the main latching valve being operable between an open state in which the main gas valve is caused to be opened wherein gas is supplied to the main burner and a closed state in which the main gas valve is caused to be closed in which the flow of gas to the main burner is stopped;
- a control circuit having a microcomputer for controlling the pilot and main latching valves between their open and closed states, for interrogating the flame ionization detector, and for operating the igniter;
- a battery;
- a microcontroller timer powered by the battery;
- and
- a switch, closed by the microcontroller timer at timed intervals for momentarily powering the control circuit from the battery, the microcomputer interrogating the flame ionization detector for detecting the at least the pilot flame, wherein
- when the at least the pilot flame is detected, the microcomputer opens the switch for turning off the control circuit, minimizing current drain in the battery;
- and
- when the at least the pilot flame is not detected, the microcomputer restarts the main burner, wherein
- the microcomputer momentarily powers the pilot and main latching valves by the battery to switch to the closed state;
- the microcomputer momentarily powers the pilot latching valve by the battery to switch to the open state;
- the microcomputer momentarily powers the igniter by the battery to light the pilot burner and, if the flame ionization detector senses the at least the pilot flame;
- the microcomputer momentarily powers the main latching valve to switch the main latching valve to the open state to supply gas to the main burner;
- and
- the microcomputer opens the switch for turning off the control circuit, for minimizing current drain in the battery, until the next timed interval.
A method for ensuring continuous operation of a remote heater having no access to an electrical supply comprising:
- providing a remote heater having a main burner, a pilot burner, a gas supply, a main gas valve for providing a flow of gas from the gas supply to the main burner, and an igniter for igniting the pilot burner
- powering a microcontroller timer by a battery;
- periodically closing a switch at timed intervals by the microcontroller timer, for momentarily powering a control circuit having a microcomputer;
- interrogating a flame ionization detector by the microcomputer for detecting a flame;
- wherein, when the flame is detected,
- opening the switch, by the microcomputer, for turning off the control circuit, for minimizing current drain in the battery;
- and
- when the flame is not detected,
- momentarily powering a pilot latching valve, by the microcomputer, for actuating the pilot latching valve to a closed state for stopping a flow of gas from the gas supply to the pilot burner;
- momentarily powering a main latching valve, by the microcomputer, for actuating the main latching valve to a closed state in which the main gas valve is caused to be closed for stopping the flow of gas to the main burner;
- momentarily powering the pilot latching valve, by the microcomputer, for actuating the pilot latching valve to an open state wherein gas is supplied to the pilot burner;
- momentarily powering the igniter, by the microcomputer, to light the pilot burner, and, when the flame is detected;
- momentarily powering the main latching valve, by the microcomputer, for actuating the main latching valve to an open state in which the main gas valve is caused to be opened and wherein gas is supplied to the main burner;
- and
- opening the switch, by the microcomputer, for turning off the control circuit, for minimizing current drain in the battery, until the next timed interval.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.