US 8,523,560 B2Granted

Spark detection in a fuel fired appliance

AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.

InventorsPeter Anderson, Jonathan McDonald, Peter Stolt, Henry E. Troost

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A control system for a fuel-fired appliance and methods of operating are disclosed. In an illustrative embodiment, when an electrical characteristic of an optical detector, such as a resistance, does not change by at least a predetermined amount during an ignition trial, and/or when a level of EMI or electrical noise detected by an antenna in a burner assembly of the fuel-fired appliance does not increase during the ignition trial, the control system may determine that the ignition assembly is not sparking properly. In some instances, the control system may also be programmed to activate an indicator that would indicate to a user or technician a potential problem with the ignition assembly (e.g. not sparking properly to ignite fuel).

Claims22

Dependent claims

A fuel-fired appliance comprising:

a burner assembly including an igniter that is configured to selectively ignite a fuel received from a fuel supply with a spark when the igniter is activated;
an optical detector capable of optically detecting the presence or absence of the spark;
and
a controller connected to the burner assembly and the optical detector, wherein the controller is configured to selectively control the operation of the burner assembly;
wherein the controller is further configured to receive a signal from the optical detector, the controller being programmed to monitor an electrical characteristic of the signal when the igniter is in a deactivated state and when the igniter is in an activated state, wherein the controller is configured to determine that a spark was not successfully produced by the igniter when the electrical characteristic of the signal changes by less than a threshold amount, and the controller is configured to determine that a spark was successfully produced by the igniter when the electrical characteristic of the signal changes by more than the threshold amount.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/757,427Filed 9 Apr 2010
Published: US 2011/0247604 A113 Oct 2011
Granted: 3 Sep 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

F23N 5/08
Using devices responsive to thermal changes or to thermal expansion of a medium: using light-sensitive elements
F23N 5/082
Using light-sensitive elements: using electronic means
F23N 5/242
Preventing development of abnormal or undesired conditions, i.e. safety arrangements: using electronic means
F23N 2231/12
Fail safe: for ignition failures