Draft inducer performance control

Abstract

A process for controlling the performance of a draft inducer. A desired carbon dioxide and a carbon monoxide level are selected and associated with a desired temperature of a mixed flow of exhaust fumes and ambient air. The temperature of the mixed flow is measured and the flow of ambient air is controlled to maintain the temperature of the mixed flow at substantially the desired temperature. The speed of the draft inducer blower will increase or decrease so as to maintain the desired temperature.

1 . A method for controlling the composition of the output of a draft inducer, the method comprising: 
 associating a desired temperature with desired concentrations of one or more constituents of the draft inducer output; and    controlling an air flow so as to substantially maintain the desired temperature.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein associating a desired temperature with desired constituent concentrations includes associating a desired temperature with a desired carbon dioxide concentration, with a desired carbon monoxide concentration, and with a desired water concentration.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein controlling an air flow includes measuring a temperature of the output of the draft inducer.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein measuring the temperature of the output of the draft inducer includes measuring with a thermistor.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein controlling an air flow includes accessing a look up table.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , further including measuring the temperature of ambient air entering the draft inducer.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein measuring the temperature of ambient air includes measuring with a thermistor.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein associating a desired temperature with one or more desired constituent concentrations includes associating a desired temperature with a desired carbon dioxide concentration, with a desired carbon monoxide concentration, with a desired water concentration and with the ambient temperature.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein controlling an airflow includes measuring the temperature of the output of the draft inducer.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein measuring the temperature of the output of the draft inducer includes measuring with a thermistor.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein associating a desired temperature with one or more concentrations and the ambient temperature includes accessing a look up table.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , further including determining the desired temperature to associate with the desired concentration.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , further including generating an audible signal.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the audible signal is generated by a speaker.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the audible signal is generated by a piezo alarm.  
   
   
       16 . A system for controlling the composition of the output of a draft inducer, the system comprising: 
 means for associating a desired temperature of the draft inducer output with one or more desired concentrations of constituents of the draft inducer output; and    means for controlling an air flow so as to substantially maintain the desired temperature.    
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein means for associating includes a microprocessor.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the microprocessor contains a memory.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the memory includes a look up table.  
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the lookup table contains the desired temperature and the desired concentrations of the constituents.  
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the constituents include carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and water.  
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein means for controlling an air flow includes a thermistor for measuring the temperature of the draft inducer output.  
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 16 , further including means for measuring the temperature of ambient air entering the draft inducer.  
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein means for measuring the temperature of ambient air includes a thermistor.  
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein means for associating includes a microprocessor.  
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the microprocessor contains a memory.  
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the memory includes a look up table.  
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the lookup table contains the desired temperature, the desired concentrations of the constituents, and the ambient temperature.  
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the constituents include carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and water.  
   
   
       30 . The system of  claim 16 , further including means for generating an audible signal.  
   
   
       31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein means for generating an audible signal includes a speaker.  
   
   
       32 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein means for generating an audible signal includes a piezo alarm.  
   
   
       33 . A draft inducer capable of coupling with an exhaust pipe, the draft inducer comprising: 
 an input for detecting the temperature of a draft inducer output at a selected location in the exhaust port of the draft inducer;    an air moving device for generating air flow in the exhaust pipe, the air moving device being capable of rotating at a plurality of different rotational speeds; and    a control module for controlling the rotational speed of the air moving device as a function of the difference between the temperature of the draft inducer output at the exhaust port and a desired temperature reflective of desired concentrations of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide at the exhaust port.    
   
   
       34 . The draft inducer of  claim 33 , wherein the control module controls the rotational speed of the air moving device to maintain the draft inducer output temperature at the exhaust port at substantially the desired temperature.  
   
   
       35 . The draft inducer of  claim 33 , wherein the draft inducer output is coupled to the exhaust pipe, the selected location being at a draft inducer exhaust port.  
   
   
       36 . The draft inducer of  claim 33 , further including an audible alarm.  
   
   
       37 . The draft inducer of  claim 36 , wherein the audible alarm is a piezo alarm.  
   
   
       38 . The draft inducer of  claim 36 , wherein the audible alarm is a speaker.  
   
   
       39 . A computer program product for use on a computer system for controlling the composition of the output of a draft inducer, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code thereon, the computer readable program code comprising: 
 program code for associating a desired temperature with desired concentrations of one or more constituents of the draft inducer output; and    program code for controlling an air flow so as to substantially maintain the desired temperature.    
   
   
       40 . The computer program product of  claim 39 , wherein the program code for associating a desired temperature with desired concentrations includes program code for associating a desired temperature with a desired carbon dioxide concentration, with a desired carbon monoxide concentration, and with a desired water concentration.  
   
   
       41 . The computer program product of  claim 39 , wherein the program code for controlling an air flow includes program code for measuring a temperature of the output of the draft inducer.  
   
   
       42 . The computer program product of  claim 39 , wherein the program code for controlling an air flow includes program code for accessing a look up table.  
   
   
       43 . The computer program product of  claim 39 , further including program code for measuring the temperature of ambient air entering the draft inducer.  
   
   
       44 . The computer program product of  claim 43 , wherein the program code for associating a desired temperature includes program code for associating a desired temperature with a desired carbon dioxide concentration, with a desired carbon monoxide concentration, with a desired water concentration and with the ambient temperature.  
   
   
       45 . The computer program product of  claim 43 , wherein the program code for controlling an air flow includes program code for measuring the temperature of the output of the draft inducer.  
   
   
       46 . The computer program product of  claim 43 , wherein the program code for associating a desired temperature includes program code for accessing a look up table.  
   
   
       47 . The computer program product of  claim 39 , further including program code for determining the desired temperature to associate with the desired concentration.