Fireplace control system

Abstract

A heating appliance control system that includes a pilot flame assembly, a main burner assembly, a gas valve, and a controller. The pilot flame assembly includes a pilot flame burner and at least one pilot flame sensor. The main burner assembly includes a main burner. The gas valve is coupled to the pilot flame and main flame burners. The controller is configured to control the variable gas valve in response to signals received from the pilot and main burner sensors. The controller is also configured to monitor a pilot flame at the pilot flame burner with the pilot flame sensor to confirm the presence of the pilot flame before activating the variable gas valve to supply gas to the main burner.

1 . A heating appliance control system, comprising: 
 a pilot flame assembly comprising a pilot flame burner and at least one pilot flame sensor;    a main burner assembly comprising a main burner;    a gas valve coupled to the pilot flame and main flame burners; and    a controller configured to control the variable gas valve in response to signals received from the pilot and main burner sensors;    wherein the controller is configured to monitor with the pilot flame sensor a pilot flame signal representative of a pilot flame present at the pilot flame burner to confirm stabilization of the pilot flame signal before activating the variable gas valve to supply gas to the main burner.    
   
   
       2 . The control system of  claim 1 , wherein confirming stabilization includes monitoring for a predetermined time period a pilot flame sense signal generated by the pilot flame sensor and confirming that the pilot flame sense signal remains above a threshold level.  
   
   
       3 . The control system of  claim 2 , wherein the predetermined time period relates to an amount of time coincident with generation of proper thermal flow of air through the heating appliance.  
   
   
       4 . The control system of  claim 1 , wherein the main burner assembly further includes at least one main burner flame sensor, the main burner flame sensor configured to monitor a main burner flame generated at the main burner.  
   
   
       5 . The control system of  claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to monitor a main burner flame sense signal generated by the main burner flame sensor and shut OFF the variable gas valve if the main burner flame is not detected within a predetermined time period from when the variable gas valve is activated to supply gas to the main burner.  
   
   
       6 . The control system of  claim 4 , wherein the main burner includes a plurality of burner openings across a width of a primary surface of the main burner, and the main burner assembly includes a plurality of main flame sensors positioned at spaced apart locations on the main burner primary surface and configured to determine an amount of time required to ignite the main flame across the width of the main burner.  
   
   
       7 . The control system of  claim 1 , wherein the pilot flame system further includes an igniter, and the controller is configured to activate the variable gas valve to supply gas to the pilot flame burner in response to the heating appliance being turned ON and activate the igniter to ignite the supply of gas at the pilot flame burner to generate the pilot flame.  
   
   
       8 . The control system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to shut OFF the supply of gas to the pilot flame burner if the pilot flame sensor indicates the pilot flame is not stabilized or is not present after a predetermined time period.  
   
   
       9 . The control system of  claim 1 , further comprising a thermistor configured to monitor air temperatures, wherein the controller is configured to control the pilot flame in response to the monitored air temperatures.  
   
   
       10 . The control system of  claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to initiate ignition of the pilot flame in a continuous mode when the monitored air temperature drops below a threshold temperature.  
   
   
       11 . The control system of  claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to delay activating the variable gas valve to supply gas to the main burner after the pilot flame is stabilized if the monitored temperature is below a threshold temperature.  
   
   
       12 . The control system of  claim 11 , wherein the pilot flame is activated continuously for a predetermined time period after the variable gas valve has shut OFF gas flow to the main burner.  
   
   
       13 . A method of generating a decorative flame in a heating appliance, the heating appliance including a pilot flame assembly, a main burner assembly, a gas valve, and a controller, the method comprising the steps of: 
 activating the gas valve to supply gas to the pilot flame assembly;    igniting the pilot flame with an ignition source of the pilot flame assembly;    monitoring the pilot flame to determine if the pilot flame is stabilized; and    activating the gas valve to supply gas to the main burner assembly for generation of the decorative flame if the pilot flame is present.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising monitoring the main burner assembly to determine whether the decorative flame is generated within a predetermined time period and shutting OFF the supply of gas to the main burner assembly if the decorative flame is not generated within the predetermined time period.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising shutting OFF the supply of gas to the pilot flame assembly if the pilot flame is not stabilized.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein monitoring the pilot flame includes monitoring a pilot flame signal representative of a condition of the pilot flame.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein a stabilized pilot flame is determined by generating a pilot flame sense signal with a pilot flame sensor that monitors the pilot flame, and determining whether the pilot flame sense signal is above a threshold value after a predetermined time period from when a supply gas is provided to a pilot flame burner of the pilot flame assembly.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the heating appliance further includes a combustion chamber enclosure configured to house a main burner of the main burner assembly and a pilot flame burner of the pilot flame burner assembly, and a thermistor, the method further including measuring a temperature with the thermistor.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising delaying activation of the gas valve to supply gas to the main burner a first predetermined time period based on the measured temperature in the combustion chamber enclosure.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising activating the gas valve to shut OFF gas flow to the main burner, and maintaining the pilot flame for a second predetermined time period after shutting OFF gas flow to the main burner.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the first predetermined time period is about 1 minute to about 5 minutes, and the second predetermined time period is about 1 day to about 5 days.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the heating appliance further includes a wall mounted control panel and a battery backup, the method further comprising powering the controller with DC power from the battery backup, the DC power being routed through the control panel.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising collecting data representing multiple cycles of generating the pilot flame, and analyzing the collected data to determine performance trends for the pilot flame assembly.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising collecting data representing multiple cycles of generating the decorative flame at the main burner assembly, and analyzing the collected data to determine performance trends of the main burner assembly.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising determining the state of the pilot flame signal before supplying gas to the pilot flame assembly.  
   
   
       26 . A fireplace, comprising: 
 a combustion chamber enclosure having a plurality of panels that define a combustion chamber wherein a decorative flame is generated;    a main burner assembly including a main burner and a main flame sensor, the main burner assembly exposed within the combustion chamber;    a pilot flame assembly including a pilot flame burner, an ignition source, and a pilot flame sensor, the pilot flame assembly exposed within the combustion chamber;    a gas valve; and    a controller configured to activate the gas valve to provide a supply of gas to the pilot flame burner for generation of a pilot flame, and configured to activate the gas valve to provide a supply of gas to the main burner for generation of a main flame;    wherein the controller is configured to monitor the pilot flame for a first predetermined time period to determine a stabilization state of the pilot flame prior to activating the gas valve to provide the supply of gas to the main burner.    
   
   
       27 . The fireplace of  claim 26 , further comprising a bi-directional serial databus configured to provide two-way communication with the controller.  
   
   
       28 . The fireplace of  claim 26 , wherein monitoring the pilot flame includes monitoring a pilot flame signal indicative of a state of the pilot flame.