Vent-free heater with environmental sensors

Abstract

One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for a vent-free heater that may be installed in an area used for human occupancy, to provide heat to that area. Such a heater can comprise an environmental detector that senses ambient air conditions, and may provide data used to shut down the heater in predetermined threshold condition. In one implementation, a vent-free heater for installation in high altitudes can comprise a combustion region and a fuel supply component. The heater can comprise an environmental detector with a flameless sensor configured to detect an ambient level of a constituent of the atmosphere and generate a signal indicative of the constituent level; and a sensor interface that can control flow of fuel from the fuel supply, based at least upon a signal received from the sensor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vent-free heater for installation in high altitudes, comprising:
 a combustion region configured for fuel combustion;   a fuel supply component to supply fuel to the combustion region; and   an environmental detector comprising:
 a flameless sensor to detect an ambient level of a constituent of the atmosphere and generate a signal indicative of the ambient level of the constituent; and 
 a sensor interface to control at least a portion of the fuel supply component that allows for provision of fuel to the combustion region, based at least upon the signal from the sensor. 
   
     
     
         2 . The heater of  claim 1 , the sensor further to detect an ambient level of carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         3 . The heater of  claim 2 , the sensor interface further to identify an ambient level of oxygen based at least upon the ambient level of carbon dioxide, where the ambient level of oxygen is inversely proportional to the ambient level of carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         4 . The heater of  claim 1 , the sensor comprising an infrared sensor to detect the level of the constituent based on an amount of light reaching an infrared detector. 
     
     
         5 . The heater of  claim 1 , the signal from the sensor comprising an indication of a transistor voltage level. 
     
     
         6 . The heater of  claim 5 , the sensor interface further to shut off the fuel supply component based at least upon the voltage level reaching a predetermined first threshold level. 
     
     
         7 . The heater of  claim 1 , the sensor interface further:
 to receive the signal from the sensor;   to identify that the signal level reaches a predetermined first threshold level;   to activate a shut off state; and   to open an electrical power supplying circuit to a fuel supply valve disposed in the fuel supply component, resulting in a shut off of fuel to the combustion region.   
     
     
         8 . The heater of  claim 7 , the sensor interface further to reset the shut off state merely after the ambient level of the constituent reaches a second threshold level, the second threshold level different than the first threshold level. 
     
     
         9 . The heater of  claim 8 , the first threshold level and second threshold level set using a firmware adjustment for the sensor interface. 
     
     
         10 . The heater of  claim 1 , the fuel supply component comprising a fuel valve, comprising an electromagnetically operated valve that is merely disposed in an open position under electrical power, and disposed in a closed position in the absence of electrical power. 
     
     
         11 . The heater of  claim 1 , the sensor interface merely receiving the signal from sensor at predetermined intervals, the predetermined intervals mitigating use of electrical power. 
     
     
         12 . The heater of  claim 1 , the environmental detector disposed in a location in the heater that comprises a temperature range between one-hundred and five degrees Fahrenheit and negative six degrees Fahrenheit during operation. 
     
     
         13 . The heater of  claim 1 , a fuel source from the fuel supply component disposed in a shut off condition at least until a signal from the sensor interface closes an electrical power circuit to the fuel supply component. 
     
     
         14 . The heater of  claim 1 , preventing ignition of fuel when one or more of the sensor and the sensor interface are malfunctioning or disconnected. 
     
     
         15 . The heater of  claim 1 , comprising a power supply, the power supply comprising one or more of:
 an electrical supply provided by an outlet coupled with a plugged in cord;   an on-board battery; and   an on-board thermoelectric generator.   
     
     
         16 . The heater of  claim 1 , starting in an alert state upon an electrical start-up, after electrical power is interrupted. 
     
     
         17 . The heater of  claim 1 , comprising an alerting component to alert a user of an alert condition, the alert comprising one or more of:
 a visual alert; and   an audio alert.   
     
     
         18 . The heater of  claim 1 , to be installed in a fixed configuration in a place of occupancy. 
     
     
         19 . A method of manufacturing a vent-free heater for installation in high altitudes, comprising:
 installing a combustion region in a heater, the combustion region configured for fuel combustion;   installing a fuel supply component in operable engagement with the combustion region, the fuel supply component to supply fuel to the combustion region; and   installing an environmental detector in the heater, the environmental detector comprising:
 a flameless sensor to detect an ambient level of a constituent of the atmosphere and generates a signal indicative of the ambient level of the constituent; and 
 a sensor interface to control at least a portion of the fuel supply component that allows for provision of fuel to the combustion region, based at least upon the signal from the sensor. 
   
     
     
         20 . A method of using a vent-free heater for installation in high altitudes, comprising:
 providing fuel to a fuel supply component in operable engagement with a combustion region, resulting in the fuel supply component supplying fuel to the combustion region;   causing fuel to be combusted in the combustion region; and   providing power to an environmental detector disposed in the heater, the environmental detector comprising:
 a flameless sensor to detect an ambient level of a constituent of the atmosphere and generates a signal indicative of the ambient level of the constituent; and 
 a sensor interface to control at least a portion of the fuel supply component that allows for provision of fuel to the combustion region, based at least upon the signal from the sensor.