Systems and methods for controlling a variable gas valve

Abstract

A gas-powered heating system includes a burner, a modulating gas valve connected between a gas source and the burner to variably control a flow of gas from the gas source to the burner, and a peripheral component including a control circuit having a memory storing a calibration table for the modulating gas valve, and a processor. The calibration table includes a plurality of control settings for the modulating gas valve, each control setting being associated with a different gas flow rate. The control circuit is programmed by instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to receive a valve offset, determine to open the modulating gas valve, and control the gas valve to a target control setting in the calibration table adjusted in accordance with the valve offset.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A gas-powered heating system comprising:
 a burner;   a modulating gas valve connected between a gas source and the burner to variably control a flow of gas from the gas source to the burner; and   a peripheral component including a control circuit having a memory storing a calibration table for the modulating gas valve, and a processor, the calibration table including a plurality of control settings for the modulating gas valve, each control setting being associated with a different gas flow rate, the control circuit programmed by instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to:
 receive a valve offset; 
 determine to open the modulating gas valve; and 
 control the gas valve to a target control setting in the calibration table adjusted in accordance with the valve offset. 
   
     
     
         2 . The gas-powered heating system of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is programmed to:
 store the valve offset in the memory; and   determine a desired gas flow rate, wherein the target control setting corresponds to the desired gas flow rate.   
     
     
         3 . The gas-powered heating system of  claim 2 , wherein the control circuit is programmed to use the stored valve offset to control the gas valve to the desired gas flow rate based on the control settings in the calibration table adjusted in accordance with the valve offset. 
     
     
         4 . The gas-powered heating system of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is programmed to:
 determine a desired gas flow rate, the desired gas flow rate being associated with the target control setting;   determine an adjusted gas flow rate having a control setting that is equal to the target control setting adjusted in accordance with the valve offset; and   control the gas valve to the target control setting in the calibration table adjusted in accordance with the valve offset by controlling the gas valve to the adjusted gas flow rate.   
     
     
         5 . The gas-powered heating system of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is programmed to:
 determine a desired gas flow rate, the desired gas flow rate being associated with the target control setting;   determine an adjusted control setting that is equal to the target control setting adjusted in accordance with the valve offset; and   control the gas valve to the target control setting adjusted in accordance with the valve offset by controlling the gas valve according to the adjusted control setting.   
     
     
         6 . The gas-powered heating system of  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral comprises an integrated furnace controller. 
     
     
         7 . The gas-powered heating system of  claim 1 , wherein the valve offset comprises a multi-point offset having at least two different adjustment values for at least two different control settings. 
     
     
         8 . The gas-powered heating system of  claim 1 , wherein the valve offset comprises a single-point offset having a same adjustment value for all of the control settings. 
     
     
         9 . The gas-powered heating system of  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral further comprises an input device coupled to the control circuit, wherein the control circuit is programmed to receive the valve offset adjustment via the input device. 
     
     
         10 . The gas-powered heating system of  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral further comprises a wireless communication interface for receiving communication from a remote device, wherein the control circuit is programmed to receive the valve offset from the remote device via the communication interface and to store the valve offset adjustment in the peripheral memory. 
     
     
         11 . The gas-powered heating system of  claim 10 , wherein the remote device comprises a mobile phone. 
     
     
         12 . The gas-powered heating system of  claim 1 , wherein the modulating gas valve comprises a stepper gas valve. 
     
     
         13 . An integrated furnace controller (IFC) for use in a gas-powered heating system including a burner and a modulating gas valve connected between a gas source and the burner to variably control a flow of gas from the gas source to the burner, the IFC comprising:
 a control circuit having a memory storing a calibration table for the modulating gas valve, and a processor, the calibration table including a plurality of control settings for the modulating gas valve, each control setting being associated with a different gas flow rate, the control circuit programmed by instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to:
 receive a valve offset; 
 determine to open the modulating gas valve; and 
 control the gas valve to a target control setting in the calibration table adjusted in accordance with the valve offset. 
   
     
     
         14 . The IFC of  claim 13 , wherein the control circuit is programmed to:
 determine a desired gas flow rate, the desired gas flow rate being associated with the target control setting;   determine an adjusted gas flow rate having a control setting that is equal to the target control setting adjusted in accordance with the valve offset; and   control the gas valve to the target control setting in the calibration table adjusted in accordance with the valve offset by controlling the gas valve to the adjusted gas flow rate.   
     
     
         15 . The IFC of  claim 13 , wherein the control circuit is programmed to:
 determine a desired gas flow rate, the desired gas flow rate being associated with the target control setting;   determine an adjusted control setting that is equal to the target control setting adjusted in accordance with the valve offset; and   control the gas valve to the target control setting adjusted in accordance with the valve offset by controlling the gas valve according to the adjusted control setting.   
     
     
         16 . The IFC of  claim 13 , wherein the valve offset comprises a multi-point offset having at least two different adjustment values for at least two different control settings. 
     
     
         17 . The IFC of  claim 13 , wherein the valve offset comprises a single-point offset having a same adjustment value for all of the control settings. 
     
     
         18 . The IFC of  claim 13 , further comprising an input device coupled to the control circuit, wherein the control circuit is programmed to receive the valve offset adjustment via the input device. 
     
     
         19 . The IFC of  claim 13 , further comprising a wireless communication interface for receiving communication from a remote device, wherein the control circuit is programmed to receive the valve offset from the remote device via the communication interface and to store the valve offset adjustment in the peripheral memory. 
     
     
         20 . The IFC of  claim 13 , wherein the remote device comprises a mobile phone.