Refrigeration – With means preventing or handling atmospheric condensate... – Retainer or flow director for atmospheric condensate
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-17
2002-06-18
Tapolcai, William E. (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
With means preventing or handling atmospheric condensate...
Retainer or flow director for atmospheric condensate
C062S291000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06405552
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to a basepan for a fan coil unit having spaced apart top and bottom walls formed from a plastic material and having an insulating material disposed therebetween. The top wall defines a coil support and condensate collection structure.
BACKGROUND ART
Residential and commercial air conditioners include air handling units, which include as a part thereof a heat exchanger and a fan which cooperate to direct air to be heated and/or cooled across the heat exchanger for direction to an enclosed area to be heated and/or cooled. It is well known to make such air handling units in a modular manner, wherein the modular units have common dimensions which allow them to be assembled in a variety of combinations depending upon the size of the installation and the location of the installation. The basic modules of such a system include a fan module, which typically includes a centrifugal fan and motor assembly, and a coil module which includes a heat exchange coil. The air passing through the heat exchange coil, during the air conditioning mode of operation creates condensation on the coil which drips downwardly upon the support structure for the heat exchange coil. Such support structure typically includes a condensation pan for collecting the condensate and conducting it by an appropriate outlet and pipe to a drain.
Condensate pans are generally made from a galvanized metal, and will rust with relative ease eventually resulting in leaking and water damage to underlying components of the system. Further, because the water collected in such pan is relatively cool, condensation on the lower side of the pan may result in an accumulation of water. which may also drip upon underlying components. Another undesirable characteristic of existing condensate pans is that they do not drain adequately and accordingly will collect condensate therein resulting in fungus growth, which in turn can cause odors and block drainage from the pan.
It is accordingly extremely desirable for a basepan to be fabricated from a material and in a manner which provides the following desirable characteristics: thermal insulation, acoustic insulation, resistance to corrosion, light weight, with structural integrity, good drainage of collected condensate, aesthetically pleasing, resistance to oils such as residues from fin coils and easily washable.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a support pan for a heat exchange coil in an air handling unit. The pan includes a top wall made from a polymeric/co-polymeric material. The top wall includes an outer periphery and defines a coil support region and a condensate collecting region. A bottom wall is substantially co-extensive with the top wall and has an outer periphery substantially coincident with that of the top wall. Peripheral support channels structurally engages the outer peripheries of the top wall and the bottom wall and supports the walls in substantially parallel spaced relationship with one another to define a confined space therebetween. The coil support region of the top wall includes a plurality of parallel coil support segments. Each of the support segments defines an upwardly facing support surface configured to contact and support a lower end of a coil at a predetermined elevation. The support segments are spaced from one another by a plurality of condensate collecting channels which are at an elevation lower than the predetermined elevation. The condensate collecting channels are in fluid communication with the condensate collecting region, which is at an elevation lower than that of the condensate collecting channels. An insulating material, preferably polyurethane, is disposed within the confined space between the top and bottom walls.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4856672 (1989-08-01), Sullivan
patent: 4907420 (1990-03-01), Mahanay et al.
patent: 5195332 (1993-03-01), Sullivan
patent: 5392944 (1995-02-01), Jennings
patent: 5669230 (1997-09-01), Timmons et al.
patent: 5966958 (1999-10-01), Maynard
patent: 625679 (1994-11-01), None
Barbosa de Carvalho Mauricio Fernandes
Hubert Delcy Elste
Carrier Corporation
Tapolcai William E.
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