Refrigeration – Processes – Separating or preventing formation of undesirables
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-30
2001-07-10
Doerrler, William (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
Processes
Separating or preventing formation of undesirables
C062S275000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06257002
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the handling of normally undesirable condensate and is directed more particularly to an assembly and method for disposing of condensate to a drain line or potable water system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many processes involve the cooling of air, either for the direct purpose of cooling and/or dehumidifying the air, such as in dehumidification, air conditioning, or refrigeration, or as an indirect result of heating using an air-source heat pump, as, for example, heating water using a heat pump water heater. Depending on the temperature and moisture content of the air, and the degree to which it is cooled, some of the moisture in the air being cooled condenses. The condensate formed must then be disposed of. Normally, this is accomplished using a drain line leading to a drain. Draining condensate can, however, be difficult in many applications. For example, there may be no drain conveniently located to which a condensate drain line can be plumbed, or the drain may be situated such that condensate cannot drain by gravity.
In U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/059,878, filed Apr. 14, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,946,927, in the names of John T. Dieckmann et al, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/111,248, filed Jul. 3, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,906,109 in the names of John T. Dieckmann et al, there are shown and described heat pump water heater and storage tank assemblies in which disposal of condensate is discussed. The aforesaid applications are incorporated herein by reference. As noted therein, one can design an air-cooling apparatus such that condensate is not formed. This is accomplished by limiting the cooling capacity of the cooling apparatus, either by limiting its maximum cooling capacity, or by shutting off, or lowering, its cooling capacity when conditions are conducive to condensate formation. Either alternative usually imposes unacceptable cooling-capacity limits for air conditioning and refrigeration, and eliminates one of the desired functions of air conditioning, i.e., dehumidification. It also restricts the capacity that can be achieved by a heat pump using practical air-flow rates through an air-cooling coil and completely defeats the purpose for dehumidification applications. Alternatively, one can re-evaporate the condensate that forms. This approach, however, imposes several disadvantages, including a) increased cost and complexity of the apparatus, b) reduced reliability of the apparatus associated with increased design complexity, such as the need for float switches and/or other moving parts, and c) increased energy consumption required to evaporate the condensate. For air-conditioning applications, this counteracts the desired dehumidification function of the air conditioner. For dehumidification applications, this completely defeats the purpose.
Where the drain is located at a higher elevation relative to the air-cooling coil, and gravity will not drain condensate, a condensate pump can be used to pump the condensate to the drain. However, a conventional condensate pump and the associated apparatus tend to be costly and are subject to reliability problems due to the use of moving parts such as a float switch, motor, and mechanical pump.
There is thus a need for a condensate disposal device and method for use with air-cooling coils, which device heats and pressurizes the condensate and injects the pressurized condensate to a drain line, potable water system or other water reservoir.
There is further a need for a condensate disposal device and method for use with air-cooling coils, which device does not require a conventional condensate pump.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is, therefore, to provide an assembly and method for handling condensate emanating from an air-cooling and/or dehumidifying, and/or heating apparatus, heating and pressurizing the condensate, and disposing of the condensate in a drain line, potable water system, or other water reservoir (hereinafter “water reservoir”)
A further object of the invention is to provide an assembly and method for handling condensate as described immediately above, in which the heating apparatus sterilizes the condensate for disposing of the condensate in a potable water system.
A further object of the invention is to provide an assembly for handling condensate that cannot be directed through gravity to an appropriate drain, the assembly being adapted to pressurize the condensate and inject the condensate under pressure into an appropriate water reservoir.
With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, a feature of the present invention is the provision of a condensate handling assembly comprising a collection container for receiving and retaining condensate, a heating container for receiving condensate from the collection container, and a heating device for raising the temperature of condensate in the heating container to pressurize the condensate in the heating container. A transfer conduit interconnects the collection container and the heating container, and a one-way valve is disposed in the transfer conduit for permitting flow of condensate from the collection container to the heating container. A level sensor, pressure sensor, or equivalent (hereinafter, “level sensor”), senses the level of condensate in the collection container and activates the heating device upon the condensate in the collection container reaching a selected level. A discharge conduit extends from the heating container and is in communication with a selected water reservoir, and a one-way valve is disposed in the discharge conduit for releasing condensate from the heating container for flow to the water reservoir upon pressure of the condensate in the heating container exceeding pressure in the water reservoir.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, there is provided a method for handling condensate, the method comprising the steps of collecting condensate in a collection container, transferring the condensate in the collection container to a heating container until the heating container is filled to a selected level, heating the condensate in the heating container to raise pressure in the heating container, continuing the collection of condensate in the collection container while heating condensate in the heating container, and flowing heated and pressurized condensate from the heating container to a water reservoir having a pressure lower than the pressure in the heating container.
The above and other features of the invention, including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts and method steps, will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims. It will be understood that the particular device and method embodying the invention are shown by way of illustration only and not as limitations of the invention. The principles and features of this invention may be employed in various and numerous embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3675442 (1972-07-01), Swanson
patent: 5113668 (1992-05-01), Wash, III et al.
patent: 5327743 (1994-07-01), Coltrin
patent: 5669221 (1997-09-01), LeBleu et al.
patent: 5694785 (1997-12-01), Balentine
patent: 06101862 (1994-04-01), None
Dieckmann John T.
Williams Richard C.
Zogg Robert A.
Arthur D. Little Inc.
Doerrler William
Jiang Chen-Wen
Pandiscio & Pandiscio
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