Gas valve operator drive circuit

Abstract

A water heater comprising a thermoelectric device to power components of the water heater, a valve configured to control gas flow, and a controller. The controller may be configured to periodically determine one or more electrical parameters for holding the valve in the open state. The controller may be configured to alter the one or more parameters with the valve in an open state until the valve deviates from the open state. The controller may cause a current to flow through the valve based on the determined one or more electrical parameters.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A water heater comprising:
 a thermoelectric device that converts thermal energy to electrical energy to power components of the water heater;   a valve configured to control whether there is a gas flow to cause a flame; and   a controller configured to:
 receive power from the electrical energy generated by the thermoelectric device; 
 periodically determine one or more electrical parameters for holding the valve in an open state based at least in part on information indicative of whether the valve is in the open state; and 
 cause a current to flow through the valve based on the determined one or more electrical parameters. 
   
     
     
         2 . The water heater of  claim 1 , wherein the information indicative of whether the valve is in the open state is an amount of the electrical energy generated by the thermoelectric device, and wherein the controller is configured to determine the amount of the electrical energy generated by the thermoelectric device. 
     
     
         3 . The water heater of  claim 2 , wherein the information indicative of whether the valve is in the open state is an increase or a decrease in the amount of the electrical energy generated by the thermoelectric device, and wherein the controller is configured to determine the increase or the decrease in the amount of the electrical energy generated by the thermoelectric device. 
     
     
         4 . The water heater of  claim 1 , wherein the information indicative of whether the valve is in the open state is at least one of a voltage supplied to the valve, an inductive signature of the valve, or a current supplied to the valve, wherein the controller is configured to determine one or more of the voltage supplied to the valve, the inductive signature of the valve, or the current supplied to the valve. 
     
     
         5 . The water heater of  claim 1  further comprising a temperature sensor, wherein the controller is configured to receive a temperature signal from the temperature sensor when the controller periodically determines the one or more electrical parameters. 
     
     
         6 . The water heater of  claim 5  wherein the controller associates the determined one or more electrical parameters with the temperature signal. 
     
     
         7 . The water heater of  claim 6 , wherein the controller causes the current to flow through the valve based at least in part on the temperature signal. 
     
     
         8 . The water heater of  claim 1 , wherein the valve is a solenoid operated valve comprising a solenoid and a plunger, and wherein when the controller causes the current to flow through the valve, the current flows through the solenoid. 
     
     
         9 . The water heater of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoelectric device converts thermal energy from a pilot flame to electrical energy, and wherein the gas flow is a main gas flow in thermal communication with the pilot flame, and wherein the flame is a main burner flame caused by the thermal communication between the pilot flame and the main gas flow. 
     
     
         10 . The water heater of  claim 9  wherein the pilot flame is caused by a pilot gas flow and further comprising:
 a second valve configured to control whether there is the pilot gas flow, wherein the controller is configured to,
 periodically determine a second set of the one or more electrical parameters for holding the second valve in an open state based at least in part on information indicative of whether the second valve is in the open state, and 
 cause a current to flow through the second valve based on the determined second set of the one or more electrical parameters. 
 
 
     
     
         11 . The water heater of  claim 10  further comprising:
 an energy storage system, 
 wherein the energy storage system is configured to receive a first portion of the electrical energy from the thermoelectric device, 
 wherein the second valve is configured to receive electrical energy from the energy storage system and configured to receive a second portion of the electrical energy from the thermoelectric device, and 
 wherein the valve is configured to receive a third portion of the electrical energy from the thermoelectric device. 
 
     
     
         12 . The water heater of  claim 1 , wherein the valve is configured to hold in the open state while receiving a holding amount of the one or more electrical parameters, and wherein the controller is configured to:
 determine when the valve deviates from the open state;   provide the holding amount of the one or more electrical parameters and hold the valve in the open state;   alter the one or more electrical parameters of the holding amount until the valve deviates from the open state, thereby determining a dropping amount of the one or more electrical parameters; and   revise the holding amount of the one or more electrical parameters based on the dropping amount of the one or more electrical parameters, thereby periodically determining the one or more electrical parameters for holding the valve in the open state.   
     
     
         13 . The water heater of  claim 12  wherein the controller is configured to determine when the valve deviates from the open state using at least one of the electrical energy generated by the thermoelectric device, a voltage supplied to the valve, an inductive signature of the valve, or a current supplied to the valve. 
     
     
         14 . The water heater of  claim 12  further comprising a temperature sensor, wherein the controller is configured to receive a temperature signal from the temperature sensor, and wherein the controller is configured to associate the revised sufficient amount of the one or more electrical parameters with the temperature signal. 
     
     
         15 . A water heater comprising:
 a thermoelectric device configured to convert thermal energy from a flame to generate electrical energy to power components of the water heater;   a valve having a valve operator, wherein the valve operator is configured to receive electrical power and cause the valve to hold an open state;   a temperature sensor; and   a controller configured to:
 receive power from the electrical energy generated by the thermoelectric device when the flame is present and receive power from a stored energy system when the pilot flame is not present; 
 receive a temperature signal from the temperature sensor; 
 periodically determine one or more electrical parameters of the electrical power required by the valve operator to cause the valve to hold an open state based at least in part on information indicative of whether the valve is in the open state; 
 associate the determined one or more electrical parameters with the temperature signal; and 
 provide the electrical power to the valve operator based on the determined one or more electrical parameters and the temperature signal. 
   
     
     
         16 . The water heater of  claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 facilitate the electrical power to the valve operator and allow the valve operator to cause the valve to hold the open state;   determine when the valve deviates from the open state;   decrease, with the valve in the open state, the one or more electrical parameters of the electrical power until the valve deviates from the open state, thereby determining a closing amount of the one or more electrical parameters; and   revise the electrical power provided to the valve operator based on the closing amount of the one or more electrical parameters and the temperature signal, thereby periodically determining the one or more electrical parameters of the electrical power required by the valve operator to cause the valve to hold the open state.   
     
     
         17 . The water heater of  claim 16  wherein the controller is configured to determine when the valve deviates from the open state using at least one of the electrical energy generated by the thermoelectric device, a voltage supplied to the valve operator, an inductive signature of the valve operator, or a current supplied to the valve operator. 
     
     
         18 . The water heater of  claim 15 , wherein the thermoelectric device converts thermal energy from a pilot flame to electrical energy, wherein the valve is configured to control a pilot gas flow causing the pilot flame, and further comprising:
 a second valve configured to control a main gas flow causing a main burner flame using the pilot flame, wherein the controller is configured to,
 periodically determine a second set of the one or more electrical parameters for holding the second valve in the open state based at least in part on information indicative of whether the second valve is in the open state, and 
 cause a current to flow through the second valve based on the determined second set of the one or more electrical parameters. 
   
     
     
         19 . A method comprising:
 generating electrical power using a thermoelectric device converting thermal energy from a flame into electrical energy;   delivering, using the controller, a quantity of the electrical power to a valve operator configured to hold a valve in an open state while receiving the quantity of electrical power;   monitoring, using the controller, whether the valve is in the open state;   determining, using the controller, one or more electrical parameters of the quantity of electrical power required by the valve operator to hold the valve in the open state; and   causing, using the controller, the determined one or more electrical parameters to be delivered to the valve operator.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising:
 decreasing, using the controller, the one or more electrical parameters until the valve deviates from the open state, thereby determining a closing amount of the one or more electrical parameters; 
 revising, using the controller, the quantity of electrical power provided to the valve operator based on the closing amount of the one or more electrical parameters, thereby periodically determining the one or more electrical parameters of the quantity of the electrical power required by valve operator to hold the valve in the open state.