Radiant heating assembly and method of operating the radiant heating assembly

Abstract

A radiant heating assembly includes a fuel valve and a blower. A controller is configured to control the fuel valve and the blower according to one of a plurality of algorithms corresponding to one of a plurality of selectable modulation modes. An interface is in communication with the controller. One of the plurality of selectable modulation modes is selectable from the interface. The controller modulates at least one of the fuel valve and the blower according to the one of the plurality of algorithms corresponding to the one of the plurality of selectable modulation modes selected from the interface.

1 . A method of operating a radiant heating assembly, the radiant heating assembly including a fuel valve, a blower, a controller configured to control at least one of the fuel valve and the blower according to one of a plurality of algorithms corresponding to one of a plurality of selectable modulation modes, and an interface in communication with the controller, the method comprising the steps of:
 selecting one of the plurality of selectable modulation modes from the interface; and   modulating at least one of the fuel valve and the blower by the controller according to the one of the plurality of algorithms corresponding to the one of the plurality of selectable modulation modes selected from the interface.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of modulating at least one of the fuel valve and the blower is further defined as modulating the fuel valve according to one of a plurality of fuel input rates. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the plurality of selectable modulation modes include a first selectable modulation mode operable according to a first algorithm including a first set of blower input rates, each blower input rate of the first set corresponding to one of the plurality of fuel input rates, and a second selectable modulation mode operable according a second algorithm including a second set of blower input rates different than the first set of blower input rates, each blower input rate of the second set corresponding to one of the plurality of fuel input rates, wherein the step of selecting one of the selectable modulation modes is further defined as selecting one of the first selectable modulation mode and the second selectable modulation mode. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the step of modulating at least one of the fuel valve and the blower is further defined as modulating the blower according to the blower input rate of one of the first and second sets. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the plurality of selectable modulation modes include a first selectable modulation mode operable according to a first algorithm including a first set of blower input rates and a second selectable modulation mode operable according a second algorithm including a second set of blower input rates different than the first set of blower input rates, wherein each one of the plurality of fuel input rates corresponds to one of the blower input rates of the first set and to one of the blower input rates of the second set, and the one of the blower input rates of the first set is different than the one of the blower input rates of the second set, wherein the step of selecting one of the selectable modulation modes is further defined as selecting one of the first selectable modulation mode and the second selectable modulation mode. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the step of modulating at least one of the fuel valve and the blower is further defined as modulating the blower according to the one of the blower input rates of one of the first and second sets. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of selectable modulation modes include a first selectable modulation mode operable according to a first algorithm defining a first modulation range of the blower, and a second selectable modulation mode operable according a second algorithm defining a second modulation range different than the first modulation range of the blower, and wherein the step of selecting one of the selectable modulation modes is further defined as selecting one of the first selectable modulation mode and the second selectable modulation mode. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the step of modulating at least one of the fuel valve and the blower is further defined as modulating the blower within one of the first and second modulation ranges. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising providing a heat demand signal, and wherein the step of modulating the fuel valve is further defined as controlling the one of the plurality of fuel input rates by the heat demand signal. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the radiant heating assembly includes a potentiometer, and wherein the step of modulating the fuel valve is further defined as controlling the one of the plurality of fuel input rates by the potentiometer. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein an operational range of the blower is defined between a blower minimum and a blower maximum and an operational range of the fuel valve is defined between a fuel minimum and a fuel maximum, and further comprising the step of operating at least one of the fuel valve and blower by the controller according to a high demand mode by providing at least one of a high demand blower control signal to the blower such that the blower provides the air at the blower maximum and a high demand fuel control signal to the fuel valve such that the fuel valve provides the fuel at the fuel maximum. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the step of selecting the high demand mode from the interface to initiate the high demand mode according to selection of the high demand mode from the interface. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the step of operating at least one of the fuel valve and blower by the controller according to the high demand mode is further defined as interrupting modulation of at least one of the fuel valve and blower according to one of the plurality of selectable modulation modes. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising providing a heat demand signal and wherein the step of modulating at least one of the fuel valve and the blower is further defined as interrupting operation of at least one of the fuel valve and the blower according to the heat demand signal. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of modulating at least one of the fuel valve and blower is further defined as providing at least one of a fuel control signal to the fuel valve and varying the fuel control signal and providing a blower control signal to the blower and varying the blower control signal. 
     
     
         16 . A method of operating a radiant heating assembly, the radiant heating assembly including a fuel valve, a blower, a controller configured to control the fuel valve according to one of a plurality of fuel input rates and the blower according to one of a plurality of algorithms corresponding to one of a plurality of selectable modulation modes, and an interface in communication with the controller, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing fuel to the fuel valve;   providing air to the blower;   selecting one of the plurality of selectable modulation modes from the interface;   modulating the fuel valve by the controller according to one of the plurality of fuel input rates; and   modulating the blower by the controller according to the one of the plurality of algorithms corresponding to the one of the plurality of selectable modulation modes selected from the interface.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the plurality of selectable modulation modes include a first selectable modulation mode operable according to a first algorithm including a first set of blower input rates and a second selectable modulation mode operable according a second algorithm including a second set of blower input rates different than the first set of blower input rates, wherein each one of the plurality of fuel input rates corresponds to one of the blower input rates of the first set and to one of the blower input rates of the second set, and the one of the blower input rates of the first set is different than the one of the blower input rates of the second set, wherein the step of selecting one of the selectable modulation modes is further defined as selecting one of the first selectable modulation mode and the second selectable modulation mode. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the step of modulating at least one of the fuel valve and the blower is further defined as modulating the blower according to the one of the blower input rates of one of the first and second sets. 
     
     
         19 . A radiant heating assembly comprising:
 a burner for receiving air and fuel for combustion;   an elongated heat exchanger in communication with said burner;   a fuel valve for providing the fuel to said burner;   a blower for providing the air to said burner;   a controller configured to control the amount of the air and the fuel provided to said burner by modulating at least one of said fuel valve and said blower according to one of a plurality of algorithms corresponding to one of a plurality of selectable modulation modes; and   an interface in communication with said controller wherein said one of said plurality of selectable modulation modes is selectable from said interface.   
     
     
         20 . The radiant heating assembly of  claim 19  wherein said controller is configured to control said fuel valve according to one of a plurality of fuel input rates. 
     
     
         21 . The radiant heating assembly of  claim 20  wherein said plurality of selectable modulation modes include a first selectable modulation mode operable according to a first algorithm including a first set of blower input rates, each blower input rate of said first set corresponding to one of said plurality of fuel input rates, and a second selectable modulation mode operable according a second algorithm including a second set of blower input rates different than said first set of blower input rates, each blower input rate of said second set corresponding to one of said plurality of fuel input rates. 
     
     
         22 . The radiant heating assembly of  claim 20  wherein said plurality of selectable modulation modes include a first selectable modulation mode operable according to a first algorithm including a first set of blower input rates and a second selectable modulation mode operable according a second algorithm including a second set of blower input rates different than said first set of blower input rates, wherein each one of said plurality of fuel input rates corresponds to one of said blower input rates of said first set and to one of said blower input rates of said second set, and said one of said blower input rates of said first set is different than said one of said blower input rates of said second set. 
     
     
         23 . The radiant heating assembly of  claim 19  wherein an operational range of said blower is defined between a blower minimum and a blower maximum and an operational range of said fuel valve is defined between a fuel minimum and a fuel maximum, and wherein said controller is configured to operate at least one of said fuel valve and said blower according to a high demand mode by providing at least one of a high demand blower control signal to said blower such that said blower provides the air at said blower maximum and a high demand fuel control signal to said fuel valve such that said fuel valve provides the fuel at said fuel maximum. 
     
     
         24 . The radiant heating assembly of  claim 23  wherein said high demand mode is selectable from said interface and initiated by selection of said high demand mode from said interface. 
     
     
         25 . The radiant heating assembly of  claim 19  including a housing wherein said fuel valve and said blower and said controller are disposed within said housing and said elongated heat exchanger is coupled to said housing, and wherein said interface is disposed external to said housing. 
     
     
         26 . The radiant heating assembly of  claim 20  further including a potentiometer configured to control said one of said plurality of fuel input rates.