The present disclosure pertains to water heater systems and to detection of system issues.
The disclosure reveals a water heater having a monitoring mechanism, an appliance burner configured to heat water in a tank of a water heater, a water temperature sensor configured to detect a water temperature in the tank, a pilot device configured to ignite the appliance burner, and a thermopile having a tip and a base, and having an output voltage that represents a temperature difference between the tip and the base. The tip of the thermopile may be heated by the pilot device. The base of the thermopile may receive heat from the appliance burner when the appliance burner is turned on, and thus the voltage output of the thermopile may decrease. If the voltage output does not decrease and the water temperature exceeds a thermal cutout limit, then a warning about the water heater may be issued by the monitoring mechanism.
The present system and approach may incorporate one or more processors, computers, controllers, user interfaces, wireless and/or wire connections, and/or the like, in an implementation described and/or shown herein.
This description may provide one or more illustrative and specific examples or ways of implementing the present system and approach. There may be numerous other examples or ways of implementing the system and approach.
Aspects of the system or approach may be described in terms of symbols in the drawing. Symbols may have virtually any shape (e.g., a block) and may designate hardware, objects, components, activities, states, steps, procedures, and other items.
In fuel valves used on water heater applications, water temperature sensing may be a way to detect a stuck open valve, for example, a gas valve. If the water temperature inside the heater exceeds a temperature cut out (TCO) limit, a modular or control mechanism may take action and shut down power to the gas valve, causing the valve to seal shut and stop gas flow. Over time, in certain water heater applications, the water tank may become filled with sediment from water minerals and eroding anode rod material. As built-up sediment heats during a call for heat, portions of sediment may exceed the actual water temperature enough to trigger a TCO event and shut off the gas valve. Such a false failure may result in nuisance call-backs from service technicians. The present approach may eliminate the false failure by detecting a “truly” stuck open valve.
The present approach may use another output from a sensor to verify whether or not a runaway burner event is occurring that can create a TCO event. Technical benefits may include a more robust control mechanism that eliminates false failures which result in service calls to the end user. Additionally, the present approach may alert the end user of potential appliance maintenance required. If the module or control mechanism is regularly sensing false failures, the end user may be informed to flush sediment build up from the water heater. If the control mechanism senses truly excessive water temperature without the main burner firing, it may warn against potential scalding concerns. These alerts may be communicated via a control mechanism's LED, wirelessly to the end user or a service maintenance company, or a combination of the noted indications. Business advantages may incorporate providing a more robust control that has better field performance.
Additionally, there may be a potential for up-selling by creating more value to the end user, as well as eliminating false failures that could be looked upon as a controlling fault.
In a thermopile-powered gas valve, a tip of the thermopile may reside in the standing pilot flame. As the tip of the pilot heats up, a temperature difference may be created between the tip and a base of the thermopile. The temperature difference may create an electrical voltage necessary to power the gas valve. The greater the temperature difference, the greater the voltage. However, when a call for heat occurs and the main burner ignites, the temperature at the base of the thermopile may increase because of the heat generated by the main burner. Consequently, the temperature differential across the thermopile may decrease, causing a decrease in the thermopile output voltage. The decrease in the thermopile output voltage may be used as a secondary signal to take action to shut the gas valve down. To eliminate false failures, the water heater control mechanism may monitor the thermopile output voltage. If the water temperature is rising and exceeds the TCO limit, then the control mechanism may check the thermopile voltage. If the thermopile voltage has decreased compared to the voltage during a time when only the pilot is operating, this may indicate that the main burner is on and the control may shut down the burner. However, if the water temperature is rising and exceeds the TCO limit, but the thermopile voltage is not less than when the pilot is only on, then instead of shutting down, the control mechanism may lower the water temperature set point and enunciate a need for service through a status light indicator or wireless signal from the control mechanism.
The approach may have a software component with a stack level of a sensor that may be a hardware device, such as the control mechanism, having some software for detecting, measuring and transmitting data (e.g., temperature, pressure, motion). A software type may be embedded software that runs in a device or unit (e.g., firmware). There may be an IoT (Internet of Things) component associated with the control mechanism. For example, a water heater system may be monitored and diagnosed via the internet.
A probability of the pilot valve and the main or appliance burner valve being simultaneously stuck open may be low (e.g., six sigma) in that they are normally closed valves that need power to be opened and kept open. Thus, monitoring and diagnosis may be primarily directed to subject matter or an area other than a stuck valve.
A flue 22 may be an exhaust for a fuel fed burner or heater 12 in system 10. There may be a thermopile 14 connected by an electrical line 15 to mechanism 11. Pilot burner 16 may be connected via a fuel line 17 to a pilot valve in mechanism 11. There may be a spark rod 18, for igniting pilot burner or device 16, connected via an electrical line 19 to mechanism 11. A water temperature sensor 23 may be connected to mechanism 11 and situated in a water tank 24 for appliance burner 12. A temperature cut out limit detector in mechanism 11 may be connected to the water temperature sensor 23.
A line indicates a voltage 32 of thermopile 14. A thermopile voltage 32 of about 650 units is shown having not changed during a rise in water temperature 26. The lack of thermopile voltage 32 change and the use of water temperature 26 may indicate that appliance burner 12 is not operating.
In an event that the answer to the question of symbol 47 is yes, then at symbol 48, a question of whether thermopile voltage 32 decreased during a rise of water temperature 26 towards the TCO limit 31. If an answer is yes, then there may be a wait of Y seconds (i.e., debounce timing) at symbol 52, followed by a question at symbol 53 of whether water temperature 26 is greater than the TCO limit 31. If an answer to the question at symbol 53 is yes, then the gas valve on fuel line 13 may be shut down completely as indicated at symbol 49. If the answer to the question at symbol 53 is no, then a return to symbol 46 may be made to monitor water temperature 26 and thermopile voltage 32.
If the answer to the question 48 is no, then a warning may be provided to an end user or responsible maintenance representative revealing that there is a problem as indicated at symbol 50. Upon an indication at symbol 50, a question of whether water temperature 26 is greater than the TCO limit 31 plus X may be asked at a symbol 51. X may be a predetermined delta of temperature reflecting a design of the water heater or a desired severity of a warning. Adding an X value to the TCO may be in lieu of changing a set point (e.g., lowering it) of water temperature 26. If an answer to the question is no, then the question may be asked again until the answer is yes. If no yes answer is obtained or achieved at the question of symbol 51, then the inquiry may cease or continue as desired. If the answer to the question of symbol 51 indicates that the water temperature exceeds the temperature cut out limit plus an additional X value of temperature, then the valve on fuel line 13 to main appliance burner 12 may be shut down.
To recap, a valve status detection system may incorporate a water tank, an appliance burner at the water tank, a fuel valve connected to a fuel source and to the appliance burner via a fuel line, a valve actuator connected to the fuel valve, a pilot flame device at the appliance burner, a thermopile having a tip at the pilot flame device and having a base, a water temperature sensor at the water tank, and a control module connected to the valve actuator, the thermopile, and the water temperature sensor.
The control module may monitor the water temperature indicated by the water temperature sensor, and a voltage from the thermopile. The voltage from the thermopile have a first magnitude when the pilot flame device is heating the tip of the thermopile and the appliance burner is off. The voltage from the thermopile may have a second magnitude when the appliance burner is on and heating the base of the thermopile, and the pilot flame device is heating the tip of the thermopile.
If the voltage from the thermopile has the second magnitude and the water temperature exceeds a predetermined thermal cut off limit, then a warning indication may be provided by the control module and the control module may close the fuel valve.
If after the signal to the valve actuator is sent and the voltage from the thermopile has the first magnitude and the water temperature is greater than the predetermined thermal cut off limit, then a warning signal may be sent indicating that a problem exists with the water heater. If the voltage from the thermopile has the first magnitude and the water temperature is greater than the predetermined thermal cut off limit plus a predetermined temperature added to the cut off limit, then the control module may send a signal to the valve actuator to close the fuel valve.
If the voltage from the thermopile has the first magnitude and the water temperature is not greater than the predetermined thermal cut out limit, then the control module does not necessarily send a signal to the valve actuator to close the fuel valve.
An approach for determining a status of a water heater system, may incorporate monitoring water temperature of a water heater that is heated by an appliance burner having an associated pilot device, monitoring a magnitude of a voltage output by a thermopile having a first end heated by the pilot device and a second end heated when the appliance burner is operating, and checking whether the water temperature exceeds a thermal cut out limit.
A fuel valve may control fuel to the appliance burner. The magnitude of the voltage output by the thermopile may indicate a difference of temperatures at the first and second ends. If the water temperature exceeds the thermal cut out limit, then there may be a monitoring for a change of the magnitude of the voltage output by the thermopile. If there is a decrease of the magnitude of the voltage output by the thermopile during an increase of the water temperature, then the appliance burner may be operating and the fuel valve may be closed to shut down the appliance burner. If there is a decrease of the magnitude of the voltage output by the thermopile during an increase of the water temperature and the fuel valve is closed, then there may be another source of heat affecting the water temperature and the base of the pilot device.
If there is no decrease of the magnitude of the voltage output by the thermopile during an increase of the water temperature, indicating that the appliance burner is not operating, then a warning may be issued concerning the increase of the water temperature.
The approach may further incorporate determining whether the water temperature is greater than the thermal cut out limit by an amount of X degrees F. X may be a predetermined number indicating that the water temperature cannot increase beyond the thermal cut out limit by an amount of X degrees without the appliance burner operating.
If the water temperature is greater than the thermal cut out limit by the amount of X, then the fuel valve may be closed.
If the water temperature continues to be greater than the thermal cut out limit by the amount of X with the fuel valve signaled to be closed, then a warning may be issued indicating that that there is another cause of the water temperature continuing to be greater than the thermal cut out limit including the amount of X, instead of the appliance burner.
If the water temperature is equal to or less than the thermal cut out limit by an amount of X, then the water temperature may be continually monitored to watch for an event when the water temperature is greater than the thermal cut out limit including the amount of X.
If the water temperature is equal to or less than the thermal cut out limit, then the monitoring of the water temperature may continue.
A water heater system may incorporate an appliance burner configured to heat water in a tank of a water heater, a water temperature sensor configured to detect a water temperature in the tank, a pilot device configured to ignite the appliance burner, and a thermopile having a tip and a base, and having an output voltage that represents a temperature difference between the tip and the base.
The tip of the thermopile may be heated by the pilot device. The base of the thermopile may be heated by the appliance burner when the appliance burner is on. The voltage output of the thermopile may be less, when the appliance burner is on, than the voltage output of the thermopile when the appliance burner is not on.
If the water temperature of the water in the tank indicated by the water temperature sensor exceeds a thermal cut out limit, then whether the appliance burner is on or off may be determined according to the output voltage of the thermopile before a decision whether to disable the appliance burner is made.
If the appliance burner is determined to be off based on the voltage output of the thermopile, and the water temperature of the water in the tank, as indicated by the water temperature sensor, exceeds a thermal cut out limit, then a warning may be provided indicating that there appears to be an issue with the water heater.
An issue to determine may be whether sediment in the water tank is a cause of the water temperature in the tank indicated by the water temperature sensor to exceed a thermal cut out limit while the appliance burner is determined to be off based on the voltage output of the thermopile.
If the appliance burner is determined to be on based on the voltage output of the thermopile, and the water temperature of the water in the tank indicated by the water temperature sensor exceeds a thermal cut out limit temperature, then the appliance burner may be disabled.
If the appliance burner is operated with fuel from a fuel supply via a control valve, then the control valve may be closed to disable the appliance burner. If the appliance burner is indicated as not disabled according to the voltage output of the thermopile, then the control valve may be still at least partially open.
The system may further incorporate a control valve, and a control module connected to the water temperature sensor, the thermopile and the control valve.
If the appliance burner is operated with fuel from a fuel supply via the control valve, the control valve is directed by the control module of the water heater system to disable the appliance burner, the appliance burner is determined to be on based on the voltage output of the thermopile, and the water temperature of the water in the tank indicated by the water temperature sensor continues to exceed a thermal cut out limit, then the control valve may be determined to be at least partially open.
The system may further incorporate a control valve for fuel to the appliance burner, and a control module connected to the water temperature sensor, the thermopile and the control valve.
The control module may monitor a water temperature output from the water temperature sensor and monitor the voltage generated by the thermopile. If the water temperature rises and exceeds a thermal cut out limit, then the control monitor may check the voltage generated by the thermopile. If the voltage generated by the thermopile decreases compared to a voltage generated during a time when only the pilot device is heating the tip of the thermopile, then that the valve is turned on may be indicated and the control module may turn off the gas valve.
The system may further incorporate a control valve for fuel to the appliance burner, and a control module connected to the water temperature sensor, the thermopile and the control valve.
The control module may monitor a water temperature output from the water temperature sensor and monitor the voltage generated by the thermopile. If the water temperature rises and exceeds the thermal cut out limit and the voltage generated by the thermopile is not less than the voltage generated by the thermopile when only the pilot device is heating the tip of the thermopile, then the control module does not necessarily turn off the control valve and the control module may lower a set point of the water temperature and enunciate a need for service of the water heater.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/604,469, filed Sep. 5, 2012, is hereby incorporated by reference. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/964,392; filed Dec. 9, 2015, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Any publication or patent document noted herein is hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each publication or patent document was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.
In the present specification, some of the matter may be of a hypothetical or prophetic nature although stated in another manner or tense.
Although the present system and/or approach has been described with respect to at least one illustrative example, many variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the specification. It is therefore the intention that the appended claims be interpreted as broadly as possible in view of the related art to include all such variations and modifications.
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Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20180100672 A1 | Apr 2018 | US |