Minimum input air providing device and method

Abstract

An airflow proving device is provided. The device includes: a housing defining an airflow pathway; a first chamber within the housing; a second chamber within the housing located downstream in the flow pathway from the first chamber; structure in the housing defining an orifice, the orifice providing fluid communication between the first and second chamber and being part of the fluid pathway; and a pressure measuring device having a first sensor configured to monitor a pressure in the first chamber and a second sensor configured to monitor a pressure in the second chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An airflow proving device comprising:
 a housing defining an airflow pathway;   a first chamber within the housing;   a second chamber within the housing located downstream in the flow pathway from the first chamber;   structure in the housing defining an orifice, the orifice providing fluid communication between the first and second chamber and being part of the fluid pathway; and   a pressure measuring device having a first sensor configured to monitor a pressure in the first chamber and a second sensor configured to monitor a pressure in the second chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The airflow proving device of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure measuring device is a pressure switch. 
     
     
         3 . The airflow proving device of  claim 2 , further comprising a controller operatively connected to the pressure measuring device and operatively connected with a blower fluidly connected to the airflow pathway. 
     
     
         4 . The airflow proving device of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to turn off the blower if the pressure switch is tripped. 
     
     
         5 . The airflow proving device of  claim 1 , further comprising a system to which the airflow proving device is part of the system further comprising:
 a controller operatively connected to the pressure measuring device;   a fuel mixing device configured to add fuel to air in the airflow;   a blower configured to move the air and fuel along the airflow pathway; and   a combustion device configured to receive the air/fuel mixture from the airflow pathway and burn the fuel in the air.   
     
     
         6 . The airflow proving device of  claim 5 , wherein the fuel mixing device is operatively connected to the controller and the controller is configured to adjust an air/fuel mixture in the airflow. 
     
     
         7 . The airflow proving device of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is operatively connected to the blower and is configured to turn on and off the blower. 
     
     
         8 . The airflow proving device of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is operatively connected to the blower and is configured to adjust a speed associated with the blower. 
     
     
         9 . The airflow proving device of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is operatively connected to the combustion device and is configured to control combustion occurring within the combustion device. 
     
     
         10 . The airflow proving device of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure measuring device is a pressure transducer. 
     
     
         11 . The airflow proving device of  claim 10 , further comprising a controller operatively connected to the pressure measuring device and operatively connected with a blower fluidly connected to the airflow pathway and the controller is configured to adjust a speed associated with the blower. 
     
     
         12 . The airflow proving device of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller operatively connected to the pressure measuring device and the blower wherein the controller is configured to adjust the speed associated with the blower if a difference in pressure measured by the first sensor and second sensor falls below a threshold. 
     
     
         13 . The airflow proving device of  claim 12 , wherein the controller will adjust the speed associated with the blower to be faster if a difference in pressure measured by the first sensor and the second sensor falls below a first threshold. 
     
     
         14 . The air proving device of  claim 13 , further comprising additional thresholds after the first threshold, wherein the controller is configured to increase a speed associated with the blower after the difference in pressure measured by the first sensor and second sensor falls below each of the thresholds. 
     
     
         15 . The air proving device of  claim 14 , further comprising a final threshold and the controller is configured to shut down the blower if the pressure measured by the first and second sensors falls below the final threshold. 
     
     
         16 . The air proving device of  claim 12 , wherein the controller will turn off the blower if a difference in pressure measured by the first sensor and second sensor falls below the threshold. 
     
     
         17 . The airflow proving device of  claim 12 , wherein the controller includes a timing device and the controller is further configured to increase a speed associated with the blower when the difference in pressure measured between the first sensor and the second sensor falls below a threshold and if the difference in pressure measured between the first sensor and the second sensor does not increase past a second threshold after a set amount of time after the speed associated with the blower has increased, then the controller will turn off the blower. 
     
     
         18 . The airflow proving device of  claim 12 , wherein the threshold is different depending upon the current speed associated with the blower. 
     
     
         19 . A method for confirming airflow comprising:
 configuring air to flow between a first chamber and a second chamber through an orifice;   measuring an air pressure associated with the first chamber;   measuring an air pressure associated with the second chamber;   comparing the two measured pressures against a threshold; and   adjusting a speed associated with the blower depending upon the difference between the air pressure associated with the first chamber and the air pressure associated with the second chamber falls below the threshold.   
     
     
         20 . An airflow proving device comprising:
 means for defining an airflow pathway;   a first chamber within the housing;   a second chamber within the housing located downstream in the flow pathway from the first chamber;   means for defining an orifice, the orifice providing fluid communication between the first and second chamber and being part of the fluid pathway; and   means for comparing measuring pressure having a first means for sensing a pressure in the first chamber, and a second means for sensing pressure associated with the second chamber.