Patent ID: 8772681

Claim:
A system for outputting heated air at a controlled temperature and flow rate, comprising: an inlet and an outlet; an electric air blower for urging a flow of air; an electric air heater including an electric resistance element upstream of the outlet; a conduit for conducting air from said electric blower to the electric heater; a mass flow sensor connected upstream of an input of the electric air blower in a direction opposite the flow of air for generating a mass flow measurement signal MassFlow; a temperature sensor connected to an inlet of the electric air heater for generating an input temperature signal Temp IN representing an input temperature; a heater power control circuit for controlling electric power to said electric air heater in response to a first control signal; means for controlling mass flow through said electric air heater in response to a second control signal; and a controller receiving the mass flow measurement signal MassFlow and the input temperature signal Temp IN and having a user input for inputting a temperature command signal Temp CMD and a volume command signal Volume CMD used by the controller for outputting air at a controlled temperature, said controller computing Temp CMD =Temp IN +ΔT, Temp CMD =Temp IN +(( K ×PowerIn/MassFlow)), and PowerIn=(Temp CMD −Temp IN )×MassFlow/ K, and generating said first and second control signals, wherein the temperature sensor is arranged at the inlet of said electric air heater for generating said input temperature signal Temp IN .