Furnace Header Box Pressure Sensing for Blocked Condensate Drainage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional furnaces require multiple pressure sensing devices and relocation of pressure tubes to properly sense water build-up and protect equipment from condensation, especially when installed in different positions, leading to inefficiencies and increased complexity.
Innovation Solution
A furnace design with an integrated Cold End Header Box (CEHB) that includes channels configured to maintain the same pressure when condensation drainage is blocked, allowing a single pressure sensing device to monitor combustion pressure and shut off fuel supply when a zero differential pressure is detected, eliminating the need for multiple switches and rerouting of pressure tubes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional furnaces use multiple pressure sensing devices and relocate pressure tubes to sense water build-up, then equipment protection from condensation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple pressure sensing functions into a single pressure sensing device by integrating multiple channels within a single header box. The header box contains first and second channels that both communicate with the pressure sensing device, allowing it to monitor multiple pressure differentials simultaneously. This merging approach maintains comprehensive equipment protection while reducing the number of separate sensing devices and pressure tubes required.
Solution Approach 2:
The single pressure sensing device performs multiple functions by receiving pressure signals from multiple channels within the header box. It can detect water build-up conditions, monitor combustion pressure, and sense airflow issues all through one device that interfaces with multiple pressure ports. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for multiple specialized sensors while maintaining comprehensive monitoring capability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional furnaces relocate pressure tubes for different installation positions, then adaptability to different positions is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to rerouting requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The header box integrates multiple pressure sensing channels into a single component that maintains functional equivalence across different installation positions. The internal channel configuration allows the same header box design to be used whether the furnace is installed horizontally or vertically, eliminating the need to relocate pressure tubes or reconfigure the system for different positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The header box design creates pressure sensing equivalence across different installation orientations. By positioning pressure ports and channels to sense pressure differentials relative to the heat exchanger rather than to gravity-dependent positions, the system maintains consistent sensing capability whether installed horizontally, vertically, or at intermediate angles, without requiring tube relocation.
3Measurement precision
If conventional furnaces use multiple pressure sensing devices, then measurement precision for water build-up detection is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The header box is segmented into multiple internal channels, each with pressure ports positioned to detect specific pressure differentials related to water build-up conditions. The first channel monitors one pressure differential while the second channel monitors another, allowing the single pressure sensing device to receive multiple independent measurements that collectively provide precise water build-up detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The header box acts as an intermediary component that collects and transmits multiple pressure signals to a single pressure sensing device. Instead of having multiple sensing devices distributed throughout the system, the header box consolidates pressure information from various locations and delivers it to one centralized sensor, maintaining measurement precision while reducing device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A header box, a furnace and a blocked condensation protection system are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the header box includes: (1) a first channel having a first channel supply port positioned to be in fluid communication with an inlet of a combustion air blower and a first pressure port couplable to a first input of a pressure sensing device, the combustion air blower and the pressure sensing device associated with the cold end header box and (2) a second channel having a second channel supply port positioned to be in fluid communication with the inlet of the combustion air blower, a second pressure port couplable to a second input of the pressure sensing device and a pressure reference inlet, the second channel in fluid communication with the first channel and configured to have about a same pressure as the first channel when the pressure reference inlet is blocked.