US3898865A - Condensate disposal apparatus for an air conditioner - Google Patents

Condensate disposal apparatus for an air conditioner Download PDF

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Publication number
US3898865A
US3898865A US465636A US46563674A US3898865A US 3898865 A US3898865 A US 3898865A US 465636 A US465636 A US 465636A US 46563674 A US46563674 A US 46563674A US 3898865 A US3898865 A US 3898865A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
condenser
condensate
fan
compartment
disposed
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US465636A
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English (en)
Inventor
Richard F Stewart
Francis A Gasparini
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Westinghouse Electric Corp
Original Assignee
Westinghouse Electric Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Westinghouse Electric Corp filed Critical Westinghouse Electric Corp
Priority to US465636A priority Critical patent/US3898865A/en
Priority to CA223,762A priority patent/CA1015561A/en
Priority to GB1636175A priority patent/GB1457386A/en
Priority to IT41602/75A priority patent/IT1029072B/it
Priority to JP50051619A priority patent/JPS50147143A/ja
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3898865A publication Critical patent/US3898865A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F1/00—Room units for air-conditioning, e.g. separate or self-contained units or units receiving primary air from a central station
    • F24F1/02—Self-contained room units for air-conditioning, i.e. with all apparatus for treatment installed in a common casing
    • F24F1/04—Arrangements for portability
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F13/00—Details common to, or for air-conditioning, air-humidification, ventilation or use of air currents for screening
    • F24F13/22—Means for preventing condensation or evacuating condensate
    • F24F13/222—Means for preventing condensation or evacuating condensate for evacuating condensate
    • F24F13/224—Means for preventing condensation or evacuating condensate for evacuating condensate in a window-type room air conditioner
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25B—REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
    • F25B47/00—Arrangements for preventing or removing deposits or corrosion, not provided for in another subclass
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D21/00—Defrosting; Preventing frosting; Removing condensed or defrost water
    • F25D21/14—Collecting or removing condensed and defrost water; Drip trays

Definitions

  • a condensate impeller member is mounted to rotate with the fan or shaft and receives condensate directed to it from a drain tube communicating with a condensate collecting trough immediately below the evaporator.
  • the path of the expelled condensate is intercepted by either a collar member attached to the condenser or the condenser fins themselves to transfer the condensate to the surface of the condenser generally adjacent one side of the condenser for a downwardly traversing flow to the opposite side of the condenser as urged by the airflow therethrough to increase exposure of the condensate to the condenser surface and promote its vaporization therefrom.
  • This problem has been well recognized and the subject of many forms of condensate disposal apparatus.
  • Such apparatus can broadly be characterized as either employing flowing air to pass over collected condensate and entrain some of the moisture, as through aspiration, for subsequent deposition on a condenser and evaporation therefrom (see US Pat. No.
  • the present invention provides an evaporator disposed above a generally cylindrically configured condenser with a fan for circulating air through the condenser mounted on a vertical shaft in axial alignment with the condenser.
  • the fan can be positioned relatively near the top of the condenser to draw air upwardly, inwardly.
  • the condensate slinger ring is attached to the fan and condensate deposited thereon by a drain hose is centrifugally expelled to a collar member encircling the outside of the condenser and intercepting the path of the expelled condensate so that the condensate is deposited on the upper outside surface of the condenser.
  • the fan may be positioned lower within the cylindrical configuration of the condenser to blow air upwardly, outwardly, in which instance the slinger ring is mounted on the shaft above the fan but within the confines of the cylindrical condenser to expel condensate directly onto the inside surface of the condenser from whence it flows downwardly due to gravity and outwardly due to the air circulation to again increase the traversing path of the condensate across the condenser.
  • condensate is centrifugally delivered to the condenser irrespective of airflow so that all condensate collected is communicated to the condenser for disposal by vaporization.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an air conditioner with portions broken away to show the condensate disposal apparatus therein;
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic elevational view of another embodiment of the disposal apparatus of FIG. 1.
  • the air conditioner 10 of the present invention utilizes the well-known refrigeration system for cooling air flowing therethrough, only those components particularly adapted for the condensate disposal of the present invention are shown with the other components being well documented in the prior art.
  • the air conditioner 10 is seen in a housing 12 partitioned by a horizontal wall 14 into an upper compartment 16 and a lower compartment 18.
  • the housing contains appropriate louvers or slots for permitting airflow into and out of each compartment as generally indicated by arrows.
  • the upper compartment 16 houses the evaporator 20 which, in this instance, has an arcuate or a semicylindrical configuration and is disposed above a concentric trough-like depression 12 within the wall 14.
  • An upper dividing wall 24 is disposed adjacent the upper surface of the evaporator with the perimeter thereof contiguous with the interior walls of the housing to divide the upper compartment into a generally high pressure or discharge side and a low pressure or suction side.
  • the central portion of wall 24 is generally open and bounded by an upturned lip 26 to provide the fan ring.
  • a motor 28 is mounted within the lower compartment supported from wall 14 in any convenient manner such as supporting webs 30 screwed to brackets 32 on the motor casing.
  • the shaft 34 driven by the motor 28 extends upwardly to drive a fan 36 disposed generally within the fan ring 26 so as to draw air into the upper compartment through the evaporator 20, and discharge it through the upper louvers. As the air is cooled by the evaporator 20 it deposits water vapor thereon which collects in the trough-like depression 22.
  • the lower compartment 18 houses the condenser 38, which is seen to have an upright substantially cylindrical configuration concentric with the axis of the lower vertical shaft 40 of the motor 28.
  • the lower compartment is also divided into a high pressure or discharge side and a low pressure or suction side by a dividing wall 42.
  • the dividing wall is generally adjacent the top of the cylindrical condenser and terminates in a central opening bounded by a generally vertically upstanding annular wall member 44 terminating in an inwardly contoured top 46 forming the fan ring for fan 48 mounted on shaft 40 and disposed above the condenser and generally adjacent the ring 46.
  • wall member 44 provides an inwardly projecting annular foot portion 48 which is in intimate contact with the outside surfaces of the fins of the condenser generally adjacent their top for a purpose to be explained later.
  • annular slinger ring 50 is attached to the blades of the fan 48 generally at their lower outermost portion to provide a condensate impeller and, for this purpose, has an outwardly extending annular lip or shelf portion 52 which is disposed generally intermediate the height of the annular wall 44.
  • a drain tube 54 extends from an aperture in the lowermost portion of the condensate drain trough 22 to just above the shelf portion 52 to direct the condensate from the trough to the shelf.
  • the condensate deposited on the ring 50 is thus impelled outwardly by virtue of the centrifugal force and deposited on wall 44, which is in the normal path of such outwardly impelled condensate. From there the condensate flows downwardly and across the foot portion 52 to the upper outside surface of the condenser where, because of the intimate contact between the foot portion and the condenser fins, it is transferred to the condenser to flow down the fins. Because the air passing through the spaces between the fins is flowing inwardly, the condensate is forced inwardly thereby as it also flows downwardly, resulting in a general diagonal flow path giving the condensate sufficient exposure to the warm surface of the condenser and the air passing therethrough to be vaporized.
  • the above arrangement is termed draw through in that the fan is positioned to draw air through the condenser.
  • FIG. 2 the same principle is shown in what is referred to as a blow through arrangement wherein the condenser is on the discharge or downstream side of the condenser fan.
  • the fan ring 56 is disposed generally adjacent the lower end of the condenser 38 so the fan 58 flows air upwardly, outwardly through the condenser.
  • a disk 60 is mounted on the motor shaft 40 at some intermediate position and the drain tube 54 is directed to discharge the condensate onto the disk.
  • an outer annular ring 62 of a generally porous material such as foamed polyurethane, is attached to the outside face of the condenser 38 along the height generally subjected to the expelled condensate.
  • foamed polyurethane a generally porous material
  • the majority of the condensate would be deposited on the condenser 38 at or adjacent the inside surface and would flow downwardly, outwardly in the direction of airflow to again traverse the fins in substantially a diagonal path to increase the exposure of the condensate to the condenser surface and promote vaporization therefrom.
  • each embodiment discloses the condenser disposed within a sump area or depression 64 to accumulate the condensate not vaporized therefrom and maintains it in intimate heat transfer relationship with the condenser for subcooling the condenser. In that such instances are infrequent, the accumulated condensate would also eventually be vaporized therefrom.
  • the above described condensate disposal apparatus arrangement for air conditioners in addition to mechanically distributing the condensate for efficient vaporization from the condenser, thereby increasing the capacity of the condenser, also distributes sufficient moisture of a distilled nature to the condenser surface to provide some waterflow thereover which tends to wash the surface of the condenser and retard corrosive action thereon, thereby permitting the use of a relatively inexpensive material such as aluminum in the condenser.
  • it provides an efficient condensate distribution that will expose all collected condensate to the condenser fins for evaporation of the condensate to obviate the requirement of any outside drain tubes for elimination of the condensate.
  • An improved air conditioning 'unit including a housing having a first compartment enclosing a condenser and a'second compartment enclosing an evaporator, said second compartment being disposed generally above said first compartment and including means for collecting condensate from said evaporator, a motor for rotating a shaft coupled to fan means disposed within said first compartment for moving air from one side of said condenser to the other side and wherein the improvement comprises means for depositing said collected condensate on said one side of said condenser including:
  • said condenser having a cylindrical configuration and disposed within said first compartment on a vertical axis generally common to the axis of rotation of said fan means;
  • a ring member attached to the blades of said fan adjacent their outer end for rotation therewith and having an annular shelf portion extending outwardly beyond the blade ends with said drain disposed so as to deposit said condensate on said shelf portion to be centrifugally expelled therefrom when said fan rotates.
  • disk means drivingly coupled to said shaft and disposed above said fan generally intermediate the top and bottom of said cylindrical condenser.
  • Condensate disposal apparatus for an air conditioning unit having a housing enclosing an evaporator disposed in one compartment of said housing above a condenser disposed in a second compartment of said housing wherein said condenser has a cylindrical configuration disposed on a substantially vertical axis generally common to the rotational axis of fan means for forcing air across said condenser from one side to the other side, said disposed apparatus cooperatively associated with a shaft of a motor housed within one of said compartments with said apparatus comprising:
  • drain means communicating with said collecting means and extending therefrom into said second compartment for draining said condensate from said collecting means;
  • ring-like means including an annular portion in general horizontal alignment with said receiving means and stationarily mounted in liquid flow communication with said condenser for intercepting the normal path of said centrifugally expelled condensate and directing it to said condenser for subsequent vaporization therefrom.
  • Condensate disposal apparatus wherein said fan means is positioned above said condenser and said means for receiving and expelling said condensate comprises a collar member attached to the bottom of the blades of said fan adjacent their outer ends for rotation therewith and having an annular lip portion extending outwardly beyond the blade ends; and
  • said drain means disposed so as to deposit condensate on said lip.
  • Condensate disposal apparatus wherein said fan means is disposed within the cylindrical configuration of said condenser generally adja cent the lowermost end and said condensate receiving and expelling means comprises:
  • disk means drivingly coupled to said shaft and dis posed above said fan intermediate the ends of said cylindrical condenser.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Devices For Blowing Cold Air, Devices For Blowing Warm Air, And Means For Preventing Water Condensation In Air Conditioning Units (AREA)
  • Vaporization, Distillation, Condensation, Sublimation, And Cold Traps (AREA)
  • Air-Conditioning Room Units, And Self-Contained Units In General (AREA)
US465636A 1974-04-30 1974-04-30 Condensate disposal apparatus for an air conditioner Expired - Lifetime US3898865A (en)

Priority Applications (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US465636A US3898865A (en) 1974-04-30 1974-04-30 Condensate disposal apparatus for an air conditioner
CA223,762A CA1015561A (en) 1974-04-30 1975-04-03 Condensate disposal apparatus for an air conditioner
GB1636175A GB1457386A (en) 1974-04-30 1975-04-21 Condensate disposal apparatus for an air contitioner
IT41602/75A IT1029072B (it) 1974-04-30 1975-04-29 Condizionatore d aria
JP50051619A JPS50147143A (fr) 1974-04-30 1975-04-30

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US465636A US3898865A (en) 1974-04-30 1974-04-30 Condensate disposal apparatus for an air conditioner

Publications (1)

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US3898865A true US3898865A (en) 1975-08-12

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Family Applications (1)

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US465636A Expired - Lifetime US3898865A (en) 1974-04-30 1974-04-30 Condensate disposal apparatus for an air conditioner

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US3898865A (fr)
JP (1) JPS50147143A (fr)
CA (1) CA1015561A (fr)
GB (1) GB1457386A (fr)
IT (1) IT1029072B (fr)

Cited By (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4111000A (en) * 1976-01-19 1978-09-05 Hitachi, Ltd. Room air conditioner
US5337580A (en) * 1992-12-23 1994-08-16 Carrier Corporation Room air conditioner
US5538075A (en) * 1988-05-02 1996-07-23 Eubank Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc. Arcuate tubular evaporator heat exchanger
US5619863A (en) * 1994-08-20 1997-04-15 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Outdoor unit of a separate type air conditioner
US6216482B1 (en) * 1998-05-08 2001-04-17 Fu-Qiang Liu Air conditioner with lower noise indoors
US6272878B1 (en) * 1998-11-16 2001-08-14 Lg Electronics Inc. Window type air conditioner
EP0981030A3 (fr) * 1998-08-13 2001-10-31 BSH Fabricacion, S.A. Dispositif de conditionnement d'air transportable
US20050115262A1 (en) * 2003-11-21 2005-06-02 John Stanko Compact chassis room air conditioner
US20100293993A1 (en) * 2002-09-24 2010-11-25 Rini Daniel P Method and Apparatus for Highly Efficient Compact Vapor Compression Cooling
CN103206758A (zh) * 2013-04-17 2013-07-17 上海应用技术学院 户外轻便型空调扇
US20150101360A1 (en) * 2008-10-24 2015-04-16 Mervyn LeBlanc Air Conditioner Condensing Unit For Corrosive Environments
US20160178249A1 (en) * 2014-12-18 2016-06-23 Lg Electronics Inc. Outdoor device for an air conditioner
US11085653B2 (en) 2016-10-16 2021-08-10 Premium Home Comfort, Inc. Air conditioner and an air conditioner housing

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2120380B (en) * 1982-04-30 1985-11-20 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd Air-conditioning machine
JP2020003179A (ja) * 2018-06-29 2020-01-09 ダイキン工業株式会社 屋外空気調和装置
GB2614057B (en) 2021-12-17 2024-08-14 Dyson Technology Ltd A fan assembly

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1914812A (en) * 1932-09-02 1933-06-20 United American Bosch Corp Humidifier
US2405411A (en) * 1944-01-31 1946-08-06 Gen Motors Corp Refrigerating apparatus
US2561278A (en) * 1948-08-02 1951-07-17 Calumet And Hecla Cons Copper Removable refrigerating apparatus
US2667765A (en) * 1952-01-22 1954-02-02 Int Harvester Co Window mounted air conditioning unit
US2737788A (en) * 1952-11-20 1956-03-13 Hunter Fan And Ventilating Com Room air conditioning unit
US3416329A (en) * 1966-12-08 1968-12-17 Thomas George Marshall Air conditioning unit

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1914812A (en) * 1932-09-02 1933-06-20 United American Bosch Corp Humidifier
US2405411A (en) * 1944-01-31 1946-08-06 Gen Motors Corp Refrigerating apparatus
US2561278A (en) * 1948-08-02 1951-07-17 Calumet And Hecla Cons Copper Removable refrigerating apparatus
US2667765A (en) * 1952-01-22 1954-02-02 Int Harvester Co Window mounted air conditioning unit
US2737788A (en) * 1952-11-20 1956-03-13 Hunter Fan And Ventilating Com Room air conditioning unit
US3416329A (en) * 1966-12-08 1968-12-17 Thomas George Marshall Air conditioning unit

Cited By (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4111000A (en) * 1976-01-19 1978-09-05 Hitachi, Ltd. Room air conditioner
US5538075A (en) * 1988-05-02 1996-07-23 Eubank Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc. Arcuate tubular evaporator heat exchanger
US5337580A (en) * 1992-12-23 1994-08-16 Carrier Corporation Room air conditioner
US5619863A (en) * 1994-08-20 1997-04-15 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Outdoor unit of a separate type air conditioner
US6216482B1 (en) * 1998-05-08 2001-04-17 Fu-Qiang Liu Air conditioner with lower noise indoors
EP0981030A3 (fr) * 1998-08-13 2001-10-31 BSH Fabricacion, S.A. Dispositif de conditionnement d'air transportable
US6272878B1 (en) * 1998-11-16 2001-08-14 Lg Electronics Inc. Window type air conditioner
US20100293993A1 (en) * 2002-09-24 2010-11-25 Rini Daniel P Method and Apparatus for Highly Efficient Compact Vapor Compression Cooling
US8024942B2 (en) * 2002-09-24 2011-09-27 Rini Technologies, Inc. Method and apparatus for highly efficient compact vapor compression cooling
US7082780B2 (en) * 2003-11-21 2006-08-01 Electrolux Home Products, Inc. Compact chassis room air conditioner
US20050115262A1 (en) * 2003-11-21 2005-06-02 John Stanko Compact chassis room air conditioner
US20150101360A1 (en) * 2008-10-24 2015-04-16 Mervyn LeBlanc Air Conditioner Condensing Unit For Corrosive Environments
US9170037B2 (en) * 2008-10-24 2015-10-27 Leblanc And Associates, Inc Air conditioner condensing unit for corrosive environments
CN103206758A (zh) * 2013-04-17 2013-07-17 上海应用技术学院 户外轻便型空调扇
CN103206758B (zh) * 2013-04-17 2015-07-22 上海应用技术学院 户外轻便型空调扇
US20160178249A1 (en) * 2014-12-18 2016-06-23 Lg Electronics Inc. Outdoor device for an air conditioner
US10156387B2 (en) * 2014-12-18 2018-12-18 Lg Electronics Inc. Outdoor device for an air conditioner
US11085653B2 (en) 2016-10-16 2021-08-10 Premium Home Comfort, Inc. Air conditioner and an air conditioner housing

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CA1015561A (en) 1977-08-16
GB1457386A (en) 1976-12-01
IT1029072B (it) 1979-03-10
JPS50147143A (fr) 1975-11-26

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