Ignition sequence and electrode tip geometry for oil-fired furnace
The ignition sequence of a conventional oil-fired furnace is altered to achieve significant fuel economy. In response to a thermostatic call for heat, a short two to five second delay interval ensues during which the ignition electrode pair are energized to cause an arc which associates with the nozzle surface to burn off unburned fuel debris and, in effect, clean the nozzle, electrode tips and warm the spark. At the termination of this short interval, the oil pump and air blower are energized to achieve combustion of oil mist and air within an association ignition chamber.
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BACKGROUNDA typical oil-fired furnace is configured with a combustion chamber which confronts an oil ejecting nozzle. That nozzle is operationally associated with an oil pump and squirrel cage fan driven in common by a burner motor. Oil under pressure is caused to atomize or become a fine mist as it exits the orifice of the nozzle. Simultaneously with burner motor startup, two electrodes are energized, for example, at 10,000 volts, to create an arc or spark function to ignite the misted oil. A photocell is employed to monitor for such ignition for thirty seconds. Where no ignition occurs within that interval, the system is locked out and must be manually reset to attempt a restart.
The tips of the two ignition electrodes generally are mounted under a specification geometry. In this regard, they are spaced apart ⅛ inch symmetrically above the nozzle orifice while being spaced above it ½ inch and forwardly of it ⅛ inch.
The simultaneous energization of the burner motor and electrodes is in response to a thermostat call for heat made to a primary control or relay box. Simultaneous electrical drive to the electrodes is provided from an ignition transformer typically mounted adjacent the primary control. Oil supplied to the oil pump is from a storage tank and supply line containing a shutoff valve and oil filter.
Before a heating season commences, these furnaces are serviced. Typically encountered will be a build-up of insufficiently ignited or un-ignited fuel debris disposed over the front of the nozzle and electrodes. That build-up can be a cause of high fuel consumption and/or insufficient heat. A standard procedure accordingly is to replace the nozzle. Additionally, the specified geometry for the electrode tips is checked and adjustment made where required.
SUMMARYThe present disclosure is addressed to an oil-fired furnace system and method for its operation. Prior to oil pressure and fan air startup in response to a thermostat call for heat, a short, two to five second delay is interposed while the ignition components of the system are activated. During this short delay interval, an arc is generated between the tips of an electrode pair. That arc extends about the forward portion of a nozzle which otherwise would be expressing oil to burn off any unburned fuel debris, cleaning electrode tip and warming the ignition spark. To enhance this automatic cleansing feature, the otherwise standard tip geometry of the ignition electrode pair is altered. In this regard, the electrode tips are arranged further apart laterally; closer to the nozzle vertically; and closer thereto horizontally. However, the fuel ignition function of the electrode tips is not impaired inasmuch as fan driven air, which is provided with nozzle ejected oil mist, functions to blow the pre-existing electrode generated arc into the path of oil mist. Accordingly, ignition of this oil mist and combustion air combination is realized.
The overall result of the system and method at hand is the preservation of burner system nozzles and the realization of a quite substantial fuel economy. Such significant advantage is realized with the addition of a time delay component and minor adjustment of the tip geometry of the system electrode function.
The discourse at hand provides a method for operating an oil-fired furnace incorporating a nozzle, a motor driven fan and oil pump, and electrode pair extending to mutually spaced tips, and a controller responsive to a thermostat call for heat to commence an ignition sequence, comprising the steps:
(a) providing the electrodes with a tip geometry effective when energized to burn off unburned fuel at the nozzle;
(b) responding at the controller to a thermostat call for heat to energize the electrode pair; and
(c) then energizing the motor driven oil pump and fan only after a delay effective to permit the energized electrode pair to burn off unburned fuel from the nozzle.
Other objects of the invention will, in part, be obvious and will, in part, appear hereinafter.
The invention, accordingly, comprises the system and method possessing the construction, combination of elements, arrangement of parts and steps, which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure.
For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
In the discourse to follow, a conventional oil-fired furnace system is described along with a discussion of the conventional and specified ignition sequence and electrode tip geometry is set forth. Then, the advantageous electrode tip geometry and ignition sequence is set forth which improves fuel burning efficiency to a significant extent.
Referring to
Referring to
Returning to the query posed at block 80, where ignition is present within the thirty second monitoring interval, then as represented at arrow 92 and block 94, combustion is continued while the call for heat by thermostat 18 remains.
In conjunction with the prior art or standardized ignition sequence represented in
The conventionally specified tip geometry represented at
Referring to
Turning to
With the revised electrode tip geometry described in connection with
With such relocation of the arc, one may question if the arc is in position to carry out an effective ignition of the oil mist and air combination occurring about two to five seconds from the initial arc development. Turning to
Experimentation with the instant system and method has revealed that for a typical home installation, over a heating system, for example, in the Midwest region of the United States, a homeowner will realize a fuel oil savings of at least about 60 to 100 gallons of oil. With current fuel oil prices at about $3.00 or more per gallon, employment of the instant method will result in significant economic benefit.
Since certain changes may be made to the above described method and system without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the description thereof or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
Claims
1. The method for operating an oil-fired furnace incorporating a nozzle, a motor-driven fan, an oil pump, an electrode pair extending to mutually spaced tips, and a controllable response to a thermostat call for heat to commence an ignition sequence, comprising the steps:
- (a) providing said electrodes with a tip geometry effective when energized to burn off unburned fuel debris at the nozzle;
- (b) responding at said controller to a said thermostat call for heat to energize said electrode pair; and
- (c) then energizing said motor driven oil pump and fan only after a delay effective to permit the energized electrode pair to burn off unburned fuel debris from the nozzle.
2. The method of claim 1 in which:
- step (a) provides the electrode tip geometry such that, at least during said step (c), delay an arc is caused to pass about the surface of the nozzle between the tips.
3. The method of claim 1 in which:
- step (a) provides the electrode tip geometry as mutually spacing the tips about ¼ inch apart.
4. The method of claim 1 in which:
- step (a) provides the electrode tip geometry as spacing each tip about ¼ inch above the orifice of the nozzle.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps:
- (d) simultaneously with step (b) commencing to monitor for the presence of fuel ignition for an ignition monitoring interval; and
- (e) subsequent to step (c) at the termination of the monitoring interval and in the absence of fuel combustion, terminating steps (b) through (d).
6. The method of claim 1 in which:
- step (c) energizes said motor driven oil pump and fan following a said delay of about 2 to 5 seconds.
7. An oil-fired furnace system, comprising:
- a combustion chamber;
- a nozzle having an orifice for expelling oil mist into the combustion chamber;
- an electrode pair having a tip geometry effective, when energized to burn off unburned fuel debris at the nozzle;
- a fan assembly actuable to blow air into the combustion chamber;
- an oil pump actuable to pump fuel oil from a source through the nozzle surface;
- a controller assembly including one or more relays actuable to simultaneously energize the fan assembly and oil pump, an ignition transformer circuit energizable to effect creation of an arc between the electrode tips, and a delay circuit actuable to effect a delay output following a delay interval, said controller assembly being responsive to a thermostat call for heat to energize said ignition transformer circuit and simultaneously actuate said delay circuit and responsive to said delay output following a delay interval effective to cause said electrode pair to burn off unburned fuel debris at the nozzle, to simultaneously actuate said fan assembly and said oil pump.
8. The system of claim 7 in which:
- said electrode pair tip geometry is configured such that, at least during the delay interval, an arc is caused to pass about the surface of the nozzle.
9. The system of claim 7 in which:
- said electrode pair tip geometry is configured to mutually space the tips about ¼ inch apart.
10. The system of claim 7 in which:
- said electrode pair tip geometry is configured to space each said tip about ¼ inch above the nozzle orifice.
11. The system of claim 7 in which:
- said delay circuit delay interval is about 2 to 5 seconds.
12. The system of claim 7 in which:
- said electrode tip geometry is configured to space each tip about 1/16 inch forwardly from the forward surface of the nozzle.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 29, 2008
Publication Date: Jul 30, 2009
Applicant: (Nashport, OH)
Inventor: Daniel G. Kline (Nashport, OH)
Application Number: 12/011,731
International Classification: F23N 5/20 (20060101);