Dryer appliance and method for ignition failure detection

Abstract

A dryer appliance and method for operation are provided, the method including measuring temperature of air for drying laundry articles; transmitting a first control signal for operating the ignition source to generate heat for heating air for drying laundry articles; measuring, over a period of time following transmission of the control signal, temperature of air for drying laundry articles; and determining an operational state of the heating system based on measuring the temperature of air, wherein the operational state includes a normal ignition state or an ignition failure state, wherein the normal ignition state corresponds to an increase in temperature of air during the period of time, and wherein the ignition failure state corresponds to a substantially unchanged temperature of air.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dryer appliance comprising:
 a cabinet;   a drum rotatably mounted within the cabinet, the drum defining a chamber for the receipt of laundry articles for drying;   a heating system configured in fluid communication with the chamber at the drum, the heating system comprising an ignition source configured to ignite gaseous fuel for heating air provided to the chamber for drying laundry articles;   a temperature sensor positioned downstream of the ignition source, the temperature sensor configured to determine temperature of air in fluid communication with the chamber at the drum; and   a controller configured to store instructions that, when executed, causes the dryer appliance to perform operations, the operations comprising:
 measuring, via the temperature sensor, temperature of air for drying laundry articles; 
 transmitting a first control signal for operating the ignition source to generate heat for heating air for drying laundry articles; 
 measuring, via the temperature sensor and over a period of time following transmission of the control signal, temperature of air for drying laundry articles; and 
 determining an operational state of the heating system based on measuring the temperature of air, wherein the operational state comprises a normal ignition state or an ignition failure state, wherein the normal ignition state corresponds to an increase in temperature of air during the period of time, and wherein the ignition failure state corresponds to a substantially unchanged temperature of air. 
   
     
     
         2 . The dryer appliance of  claim 1 , comprising:
 transmitting a second control signal to discontinue the dryer cycle when ignition failure state is determined.   
     
     
         3 . The dryer appliance of  claim 1 , comprising:
 transmitting a communication signal corresponding to ignition failure.   
     
     
         4 . The dryer appliance of  claim 1 , wherein determining the operational state of the heating system comprises determining, via the temperature sensor, a maximum temperature within the period of time. 
     
     
         5 . The dryer appliance of  claim 1 , wherein determining the operational state of the heating system comprises determining, via the temperature sensor, a maximum temperature after the period of time. 
     
     
         6 . The dryer appliance of  claim 1 , wherein measuring temperature of air for drying laundry articles comprises obtaining a rolling average of temperature over the period of time. 
     
     
         7 . The dryer appliance of  claim 6 , wherein determining the operational state of the heating system comprises determining whether the rolling average of temperature over the period of time exceeds a threshold temperature, wherein exceeding the threshold temperature corresponds to normal ignition state, and wherein ignition failure state corresponds to the rolling average temperature below the threshold temperature. 
     
     
         8 . The dryer appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the normal ignition state corresponds to an increase in temperature of air of at least 5 degrees Fahrenheit during the period of time, and wherein the substantially unchanged temperature corresponding to the ignition failure state is less than 5 degrees Fahrenheit change during the period of time. 
     
     
         9 . The dryer appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the normal ignition state corresponds to an increase in temperature of air of at least 20 degrees Fahrenheit during the period of time, and wherein the substantially unchanged temperature corresponding to the ignition failure state is less than 20 degrees Fahrenheit change during the period of time. 
     
     
         10 . The dryer appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the period of time is up to approximately 60 seconds from transmission of the first control signal for operating the ignition source to generate heat for heating air for drying laundry articles. 
     
     
         11 . The dryer appliance of  claim 1 , wherein measuring the temperature of air for drying laundry articles comprises obtaining an air temperature prior to transmitting the first control signal, and wherein the operations comprise:
 comparing the measured temperature of air to a temperature range to determine a functional state of the temperature sensor.   
     
     
         12 . A computer-implemented method for operating a dryer appliance, the method comprising:
 measuring temperature of air for drying laundry articles;   transmitting a first control signal for operating the ignition source to generate heat for heating air for drying laundry articles;   measuring, over a period of time following transmission of the control signal, temperature of air for drying laundry articles; and   determining an operational state of the heating system based on measuring the temperature of air, wherein the operational state comprises a normal ignition state or an ignition failure state, wherein the normal ignition state corresponds to an increase in temperature of air during the period of time, and wherein the ignition failure state corresponds to a substantially unchanged temperature of air.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising:
 transmitting a second control signal to discontinue the dryer cycle when ignition failure is determined.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising:
 transmitting a communication signal corresponding to ignition failure.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein determining the operational state of the heating system comprises determining a maximum temperature within the period of time. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein determining the operational state of the heating system comprises determining a maximum temperature after the period of time. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein measuring temperature of air for drying laundry articles comprises obtaining a rolling average of temperature over the period of time. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein determining the operational state of the heating system comprises determining whether the rolling average of temperature over the period of time exceeds a threshold temperature, wherein exceeding the threshold temperature corresponds to normal ignition state, and wherein ignition failure state corresponds to rolling average temperature below the temperature threshold. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the normal ignition state corresponds to an increase in temperature of air of at least 5 degrees Fahrenheit during the period of time, and wherein the substantially unchanged temperature corresponding to the ignition failure state is less than 5 degrees Fahrenheit change during the period of time. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the period of time is up to approximately 60 seconds from transmission of the first control signal for operating the ignition source to generate heat for heating air for drying laundry articles.