Method and Apparatus for Controlling and Regulating Flow of Fuel Oil in Heating Systems

Abstract

A fuel oil burner for a heating system includes a nozzle having an inlet and outlet, and an electric solenoid valve having an inlet for receiving pressurized fuel oil from a fuel supply system and an outlet in communication with the inlet of the nozzle. The valve is configured to prevent flow of fuel oil through the valve to the nozzle in a closed state and to permit flow of fuel oil through the valve to the nozzle in an open state. A controller in communication with the valve is configured to intermittently switch the valve between the closed state and the open state at predetermined time periods so that pulses of fuel oil exit the outlet of the nozzle. The valve is intermittently in the closed state a time period so that the pulses of fuel oil exiting the outlet of the nozzle self-sustain a flame.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fuel oil burner for a heating system, said fuel oil burner comprising, in combination:
 a nozzle having an inlet and outlet and configured to atomize fuel oil;   an electric solenoid valve having an inlet for fluid-flow communication with a pressurized source of fuel oil and an outlet in fluid-flow communication with the inlet of the nozzle;   wherein said electric solenoid valve is configured so that flow of fuel oil from the inlet of the electric solenoid valve to the inlet of the nozzle is prevented in a closed state of the electric solenoid valve and fuel oil flows from the inlet of the electric solenoid valve to the inlet of the nozzle in an open state of the electric solenoid valve;   a controller in electrical communication with the electric solenoid valve and configured to intermittently change the valve between the closed state and the open state at predetermined time periods so that pulses of fuel oil exit the outlet of the nozzle; and   wherein the electric solenoid valve is intermittently in the closed state a time period so that the pulses of fuel oil exiting the outlet of the nozzle self-sustain a flame.   
     
     
         2 . The heating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the electric solenoid valve is in the closed state when deenergized and in the open state when energized. 
     
     
         3 . The heating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the fuel oil entering the inlet of the nozzle is at constant pressure. 
     
     
         4 . The heating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the pulses of fuel oil exiting the outlet of the nozzle self-sustain the flame without a constant ignition source. 
     
     
         5 . The heating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the time period the electric solenoid valve is intermittently in the closed state is in the range of 3 microseconds to 7 microseconds. 
     
     
         6 . The heating system according to  claim 5 , wherein the time period the electric solenoid valve is intermittently in the closed state is 5 microseconds. 
     
     
         7 . The heating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the time period the electric solenoid valve is intermittently in the closed state is less than a time period the valve is intermittently in the open state. 
     
     
         8 . The heating system according to  claim 9 , wherein the time period the electric solenoid valve is intermittently in the closed state is about 25% to 75% of the time period the valve is intermittently in the open state. 
     
     
         9 . The heating system according to  claim 8 , wherein the time period the electric solenoid valve is intermittently in the closed state is about 50% of the time period the valve is intermittently in the open state. 
     
     
         10 . A method for controlling and regulating flow of fuel oil in a heating system, said method comprising the steps of, in combination:
 obtaining a nozzle having an inlet and outlet and configured to atomize fuel oil;   obtaining an electric solenoid valve having an inlet for fluid-flow communication with a pressurized source of fuel oil and an outlet in fluid-flow communication with the inlet of the nozzle;   wherein said electric solenoid valve is configured so that flow of fuel oil from the inlet of the electric solenoid valve to the inlet of the nozzle is prevented in a closed state of the electric solenoid valve and fuel oil flows from the inlet of the electric solenoid valve to the inlet of the nozzle in an open state of the electric solenoid valve;   intermittently changing the valve between the closed state and the open state at predetermined time periods so that pulses of fuel oil exit the outlet of the nozzle; and   wherein the electric solenoid valve is intermittently in the closed state a time period so that the pulses of fuel oil exiting the outlet of the nozzle self-sustain a flame.   
     
     
         11 . The heating system according to  claim 10 , wherein the electric solenoid valve is in the closed state when deenergized and in the open state when energized. 
     
     
         12 . The heating system according to  claim 10 , wherein the fuel oil entering the inlet of the nozzle is at constant pressure. 
     
     
         13 . The heating system according to  claim 10 , wherein the pulses of fuel oil exiting the outlet of the nozzle self-sustain the flame without a constant ignition source. 
     
     
         14 . The heating system according to  claim 10 , wherein the time period the electric solenoid valve is intermittently in the closed state is in the range of 3 microseconds to 7 microseconds. 
     
     
         15 . The heating system according to  claim 14 , wherein the time period the electric solenoid valve is intermittently in the closed state is 5 microseconds. 
     
     
         16 . The heating system according to  claim 10 , wherein the time period the electric solenoid valve is intermittently in the closed state is less than a time period the valve is intermittently in the open state. 
     
     
         17 . The heating system according to  claim 16 , wherein the time period the electric solenoid valve is intermittently in the closed state is about 25% to 75% of the time period the valve is intermittently in the open state. 
     
     
         18 . The heating system according to  claim 17 , wherein the time period the electric solenoid valve is intermittently in the closed state is about 50% of the time period the valve is intermittently in the open state. 
     
     
         19 . The heating system according to  claim 10 , wherein the valve is intermittently changed between the closed state and the open state with a controller in electrical communication with the electric solenoid valve. 
     
     
         20 . A domestic furnace apparatus comprising, in combination:
 a combustion chamber   a nozzle having an inlet and outlet in communication with the combustion chamber and configured to atomize fuel oil;   an electric solenoid valve having an inlet for fluid-flow communication with a pressurized source of fuel oil and an outlet in fluid-flow communication with the inlet of the nozzle;   wherein said electric solenoid valve is configured so that flow of fuel oil from the inlet of the electric solenoid valve to the inlet of the nozzle is prevented in a closed state of the electric solenoid valve and fuel oil flows from the inlet of the electric solenoid valve to the inlet of the nozzle in an open state of the electric solenoid valve;   a controller in electrical communication with the electric solenoid valve and configured to intermittently change the valve between the closed state and the open state at predetermined time periods so that pulses of fuel oil exit the outlet of the nozzle; and   wherein the electric solenoid valve is intermittently in the closed state a time period so that the pulses of fuel oil exiting the outlet of the nozzle self-sustain a flame within the combustion chamber.