CONDENSATE BYPASS SYSTEM FOR AIR CONDITIONERS

PRIORITY

[0001]This disclosure relates in general to air conditioners and, not by way of limitation, to provisioning a way to drain the condensate, among other things.

[0002]Condensation is normal for properly running air conditioning (AC) systems. As the AC system's evaporator coil cools warm air that passes over it, absorbing heat and moisture from the air, condensation forms. As this condensation drips down, it collects in a drain pan and (if it's properly maintained and not clogged) through the condensate drain line and out of the home.

[0003]The AC system condensation pan collects condensate water from the evaporator and sends it to an external drain however overtime condensate pans can crack which can lead to water running through the unit and spilling out causing damage to the unit and to the home. If bacteria, algae, or fungus build up in the drain line, it can become clogged. It is also not uncommon for drain lines to become dislodged or outdoor drain line components to become obstructed. When this happens, your condensation pan will overflow, causing water to leak.

[0004]Excess condensation, like sweating ducts and drips from outside the AC system cabinet indicates a potential problem and points to a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system issue that requires emergency HVAC repair service. Without prompt attention, excess condensation could overwhelm your air conditioner's drainage system, causing damage within your home. This damage can range from high humidity levels that lead to mold and mildew proliferation and spots, to structural damage from drainage water that accumulates and puddles.

SUMMARY

[0005]In one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a system of controlling flow of condensate in the air conditioner by incorporating a solenoid valve in path of a drain line. The system includes a tray which collects the condensate dripping from coils and a pump which drains the condensate through a condensate egress. The solenoid valve fluidly couples the condensate to the condensate egress when in the first position. The solenoid valve fluidly couples the condensate to a coil in the second position, whereby the condensate is configured to cool the coil when the valve is in the second position during normal operation. The system can use any water flow control that is pressure resistant to control flow of condensate in the air conditioner.

[0006]In an embodiment, a system of controlling flow of condensate in an air conditioner. The system comprises of a tray for collecting condensate, a pump fluidly coupled with the tray, a coil and a condensate egress. The system comprises a valve fluidly coupled with the pump, wherein the valve has a first position and a second position. The valve fluidly couples the condensate to the condensate egress when in the first position. The valve fluidly couples the condensate to the coil in the second position, whereby the condensate cools the coil when the valve is in the second position during normal operation.

[0007]In another embodiment, a method of controlling flow of condensate in an air conditioner. The method comprises of receiving a mode of an operation from a user interface. A pump channels the flow of the condensate to an outdoor coil to an indoor coil if the air conditioner is set on a heating mode, and the pump channels the flow of the condensate to the indoor coil to the outdoor coil if the air conditioner is set on a cooling mode. In another step, sensing a level of the condensate from a plurality of sensors and in response to the sensing, deciding a position of a valve, that is fluidly coupled to a pump, to route the condensate by opening or closing the valve. In another step, controlling the valve to re-route the condensate to a condensate tray positioned over a coil.

[0008]In yet another embodiment, a system of controlling flow of condensate in an air conditioner. The system comprises of a tray for collecting condensate, a pump fluidly coupled with the tray, a coil and a condensate egress, wherein the condensate egress is a misting nozzle. The system comprises a valve fluidly coupled with the pump, wherein the valve has a first position and a second position. The valve fluidly couples the condensate to the condensate egress when in the first position. The valve fluidly couples the condensate to the coil in the second position, whereby the condensate cools the coil when the valve is in the second position during normal operation.

[0009]Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating various embodiments, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to necessarily limit the scope of the disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010]The present disclosure is described in conjunction with the appended figures:

[0011]FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an embodiment of an air conditioner with a solenoid valve to redirect condensate from a misting nozzle;

[0012]FIG. 2A illustrates a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the air conditioner that is saddle-shaped with an outdoor unit and an indoor unit;

[0013]FIG. 2B illustrates a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the air conditioner that is saddle-shaped with condensate flowing from the indoor unit toward the outdoor unit;

[0014]FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a solenoid valve placed on a condensate pathway;

[0015]FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the solenoid valve redirecting condensate to an outdoor coil;

[0016]FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the solenoid valve that controls the flow of liquid upon receiving a signal; and

[0017]FIG. 6 illustrates a flow chart of an embodiment of the air conditioner with a solenoid valve to redirect condensate from a misting nozzle.

[0018]In the appended figures, similar components and/or features may have the same reference label. Further, various components of the same type may be distinguished by following the reference label by a dash and a second label that distinguishes among the similar components. If only the first reference label is used in the specification, the description is applicable to any one of the similar components having the same first reference label irrespective of the second reference label.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019]The ensuing description provides preferred exemplary embodiment(s) only, and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the disclosure. Rather, the ensuing description of the preferred exemplary embodiment(s) will provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing a preferred exemplary embodiment. It is understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit and scope as set forth in the appended claims.

[0020]Referring to FIG. 1, a block diagram of an embodiment of an air conditioner with a solenoid valve to redirect condensate from a misting nozzle is shown. A system 100 to control flow of the condensate in the air conditioner includes a pump 102, a solenoid valve 104, a misting nozzle 106, level sensors 108, an indoor condensate stray 110-1, and an outdoor condensate tray 110-2. The pump 102 serves as a condensate pump designed to remove the condensate (e.g., water) produced in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, refrigeration, condensing boiler furnace, or steam system. The pump 102 is used to force out the condensate produced from latent water vapor in conditioned (cooled or heated) air of a zone. The term ‘zone’ as used herein refers to an area where the air conditioner is set up to either cool or heat up the enclosure. Condensate pumps are electrically powered centrifugal pumps. Condensate pumps are used to remove condensate water from the HVAC systems that cannot be done via gravity, so the water must be pumped. Output of the pump 102 is usually routed to a sewer, plumbing drain, or the outside via condensate drain line. In this embodiment, the air conditioner disposes off excess condensate with the misting nozzle 106.

[0021]The misting nozzle 106 is a type of condensate egress which sprays the condensate in the form of fine mist in an environment outside the zone. The misting nozzle 106 prevents accumulation of the condensate and reduces microbial buildup inside the zone. The solenoid valve 104 is a fluid pathway control mechanism. The solenoid valve 104 can be adjusted to either a first position or a second position. When the solenoid valve 104 is adjusted to the first position, the solenoid valve 104 allows the condensate to flow towards the misting nozzle 106. Else when the solenoid valve 104 is adjusted to the second position, the solenoid valve 104 allows the condensate to flow towards the condensate trays 110. In some aspects of the present disclosure. The air conditioner have a control system programed to manage the operation of the air conditioner. The solenoid valve 104 does not require additional control circuitry and can be electrically controlled by internal logic of the air conditioner The solenoid valve 104 may further either be energized to permit flow of the condensate or de-energized to restrict the flow of the condensate. The condensate flows from the indoor condensate tray 110-1 to the outdoor condensate tray 110-2 based on a mode of operation of the air conditioner selected by a user. Particularly, the air conditioner can operate in a heating mode or a cooling mode. When the air conditioner is in the heating mode, the condensate is produced in an outside unit and carried out to the indoor condensate tray 110-1. When the air conditioner is in the cooling mode the condensate is generated in the indoor unit and carried out to the outdoor condensate tray 110-2. In some other aspects of the present disclosure, the solenoid valve 104 may be manually adjustable.

[0022]The level sensors 108 (cumulatively referring to first and second level sensors represented as 108-1 and 108-2, respectively) are configured to monitor, maintain, and measure fluid levels. Once the sensor detects the fluid level, the sensor converts the perceived data into an electric signal. The level sensors 108 indicate the level of condensate that is accumulated within the condensate drain line. Depending upon the output of the level sensors 108, the control system determines the position of the solenoid valve 104 to direct the flow of the condensate. The system 100 can be used in a variety of applications associated with movement of any fluid (such as water) across an air conditioner coil. It could be applied in other types of water handling systems.

[0023]Referring to FIG. 2A, a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the air conditioner that is saddle-shaped with the outdoor unit 202 and the indoor unit 204 is shown. The thermostat, typically mounted on a wall in a central location within the zone, monitors and controls the indoor air's temperature. The cooling process starts when the thermostat senses the air temperature needs to be lowered and sends signals to the air conditioning system components both the indoor unit 204 and the outdoor unit 202 to start running. The fan from the indoor unit 204 pulls hot air from inside the zone through return air ducts. This air passes through filters where dust, lint and other airborne particles are collected. The filtered, warm indoor air then passes over the cold evaporator coil. As the liquid refrigerant inside the evaporator coil converts to gas, heat from the indoor air is absorbed into the refrigerant, thus cooling the air as it passes over the coil. The indoor unit's 204 blower fan then pumps the chilled air back through the duct out into the various living areas. The refrigerant gas leaves the zone through a copper tube and passes into the compressor in the outdoor unit 202. The compressor pressurizes the refrigerant gas and sends the refrigerant into the outdoor unit's 202 condenser coil. A large fan pulls outdoor air through the condenser coil, allowing the air to absorb heating energy from the zone and release it outside. During this process, the refrigerant is converted back to a liquid. It then travels through a copper tube back to the indoor unit 204 where it passes through an expansion device, which regulates the flow of refrigerant into the evaporator coil. The cold refrigerant then absorbs heat from the indoor air and the cycle continues.

[0024]When the refrigerant has dissipated most of its heat, it turns back into a liquid before being passed through an expansion valve. The condenser is located in the outdoor unit 202 which is located outside the zone. Thus, all the heat stays outside the zone. This process of heat transfer can be reversed by a reversing valve. When the air conditioner is in the heating mode, the reversing valve is flipped. This reverses the direction of the flow of the refrigerant. The hot condenser coils become the hot evaporator coils and instead of the hot air, the cold air is pumped out of the zone through the system.

[0025]Referring to FIG. 2B, a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a saddle-shaped air conditioner that is saddle-shaped with the condensate flowing from the indoor unit 204 toward the outdoor unit 202 is shown. A condensate tube 206 fluidly couples the indoor unit 204 and the outdoor unit 202. The condensate tube 206 is a drain line made up of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic that carries the condensate outside the air conditioner and drains the condensate into a sink. Typically, the condensate is generated by condensation from warm air in contact with cold surfaces or objects. The condensate trays 110 (cumulatively referring to the indoor condensate tray 110-1 and the outdoor condensate tray 110-2) collect the condensate within the HVAC system. The condensate tube 206 removes excess moisture from the air. The drain line is responsible for removing condensation that forms on your air conditioner's evaporator coil, which can otherwise accumulate and cause water damage in the infrastructure of the zone.

[0026]Referring to FIG. 3, a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the solenoid valve 104 placed on a condensate pathway is shown. The solenoid valve 104 connects the pump 102 to the condensate trays 110. In an exemplary scenario, when the solenoid valve 104 is adjusted in the first position, the condensate flows in a first direction 302 (i.e., towards the outdoor unit 202). In such case, the condensate is drained through the misting nozzle 106. In some aspects of the present disclosure, the solenoid valve 104 may be replaced by any pressure resistant fluid control system capable of performing operations same as the solenoid valve 104, without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the air conditioner can use the ball valve which uses a rotary ball and spherical bore to restrict or permit the flow of the condensate through the condensate tube 206.

[0027]Referring to FIG. 4, a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the solenoid valve redirecting condensate to an outdoor condensate coil is shown. In another exemplary scenario, the air conditioner is the cooling mode, and thus the condensate is produced around the indoor evaporator coils. In such a case, the solenoid valve 104 is adjusted in the second position. The solenoid valve 104 connects the pump 102 to the condensate trays 110. The condensate flows in a second direction 404 (i.e., towards the outdoor unit 202. The condensate drained through the outdoor condensate tray 110-2. A node 402 is another location for the solenoid valve 104. In another embodiment, the solenoid valve 104 is placed at the node 402 and retains its functionality.

[0028]In one embodiment, the misting system in the air conditioner directs a fine spray of water into the air surrounding the condenser coils in the outdoor unit 202. These coils contain refrigerant, which, as it cools, condenses into a liquid. The air conditioner has a fan that helps encourage this cooling process. The misting system speeds up the cooling by lowering the air temperature around the coils through the evaporation of water molecules. This permits the air conditioner to operate with better efficiency, while not impacting the cost of the system. The additional components needed are a solenoid valve, extra tubing, and a plastic condensate tray above the outdoor coil. The air conditioners which pump condensate from the indoor condensate tray 110-1, to the outdoor coil only have one flow path. Because the packaged window heat pump (PWHP) disposes of excess condensate with a misting nozzle, there is an additional pathway which needs to be considered.

[0029]Referring to FIG. 5, a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the solenoid valve 104 that controls the flow of fluid upon receiving a signal is shown. The solenoid valve 104 includes a solenoid base 502 (or shaft), a solenoid coil 504, a solenoid core 506, a diaphragm 508, a valve body 510, and a spring 512. The solenoid base 502 holds the solenoid core 506 which is an electromagnet contained by the solenoid coil 504. The solenoid body 510 is the lower portion of the solenoid valve 104 that hosts the diaphragm 508, the springs 512 and the valve body 510 connects with the condensate tube 206. The springs 512 are attached to the diaphragm and lifts this piston when the solenoid coil 504 is energized. When the solenoid coil 504 is energized by the electric signal from the control system, the solenoid valve 104 opens. When the solenoid coil 504 is de-energized, the solenoid valve 104 closes. An orifice (not shown) is the opening in the diaphragm 514 that provides a path for the fluid to flow. The orifice is controlled (i.e., opened or closed) by the diaphragm 514. A bypass (not shown) connects a chamber above the diaphragm 514 and an outlet of the solenoid valve 104. The bypass is closed by the solenoid core 506 and opens when the solenoid coil 504 is energized. When this occurs, the pressure above the diaphragm 514 drops and the flow through the solenoid valve 104 is established. This principle of operation requires pressure difference between the solenoid valve's 104 inlet and outlet and is therefore not applicable at pressures near zero.

[0030]After the solenoid valve 104 has been energized for a pre-defined period, the solenoid coil's 504 temperature rises. The amount of heating is affected by ambient and fluid temperature. In extreme cases overheating causes damage to the wire insulation and the solenoid valve 104 becomes defective. The solenoid valve 104 is also waterproof, thus allowing its use in any environment. Standard solenoids are encapsulated in special thermoplastic resin which prevents the intrusion of damp and protects the winding from mechanical damage.

[0031]Referring to FIG. 6, a flow chart of an embodiment of the air conditioner with a solenoid valve to redirect condensate from a misting nozzle is shown. At block 602 the air conditioner receives settings to be operated on, by a user. The user primarily decides the mode of operation and the temperature the air conditioner is supposed to achieve. The settings of operation range from basic temperature value to numerous options offered by the standard air conditioners in the market. At block 604, a control system of the air conditioner determines whether the mode of operation of the air conditioner is heating or cooling.

[0032]When the control system determines that the mode of operation of the air conditioner is the cooling mode, the control system receives the amount of condensate accumulated in the indoor condensate tray 110-1 from the level sensor 108-1 working as a low-level sensor, at block 610. If when the condensate level is greater than a minimum threshold, the solenoid valve 104 is closed at block 616, thus directing the condensate to the misting nozzle 106. The minimum threshold of the condensate is the amount of condensate desired to open the solenoid valve 104 and carry the condensate to the outdoor condensate tray 110-2 over the coils in the outdoor unit 202. If the condensate level has not reached the minimum threshold the controller moves to block 612.

[0033]At block 612, the condensate level is checked by the level sensor 108. The level sensor 108, working as a high-level sensor, senses if the condensate level is greater than a maximum threshold. The maximum threshold is the amount of the condensate accumulated that can be directed to the condensate tray 110 and evaporated over the coils. If the condensate is greater than the maximum threshold the solenoid valve 104 is closed and the condensate is drained through the misting nozzle, at block 616. If the condensate has not exceeded the maximum threshold the solenoid valve 104 is opened, and the condensate flows towards the condensate tray 110.

[0034]If the mode is set to heating, the controller senses a humidity level of the zone via a humidity sensor, at block 606. While in heating mode, the condensate is produced in the outdoor coils and is lead to the indoor condensate tray 110-1 where the condensate absorbs the heat from the indoor coils and evaporates. The vapors of the condensate become part of the air inside the zone, increasing the humidity level of the zone. The humidity level of the zone is kept in check to ensure the satisfaction of the user. If the humidity level set by the user or preprogrammed in the air conditioner is achieved, the solenoid valve 104 is de-energized. The condensate is redirected to the misting nozzle located on the outside unit, at block 616.

[0035]If the humidity level is not reached the controller proceeds to a next step in a process i.e., block 610. The rest process is similar to that of the cooling mode with slight difference in the direction of the low of condensate. It has been established that the condensate flow from the indoor unit 204 to the outdoor unit 202 in cooling mode and vice versa in heating mode. The opening of the solenoid valve 104, at block 614, carries the condensate to the outdoor condensate tray 110-2 in cooling mode and to the indoor condensate tray 110-1 in the heating mode. The level sensor 108-1 works as the low-level sensor in cooling mode and as the high-level sensor in the heating mode. The level sensor 108-2 works as the high-level sensor in the heating mode and as the low-level sensor in the cooling mode.

[0036]In another embodiment, any type of water flow control which is pressure resistant could be used, it does not have to be the solenoid valve 104. The water flow control could be a valve that is manually adjusted and could also be positioned in the indoor unit 204, or in the outdoor unit 202. The water flow control could be controlled by internal logic. The water flow control can also be controlled by temperature sensitive materials that open or close the valve based on ambient temperature.

[0037]It is to be understood that although the advantages and features of the control method for an air fryer of the present invention are illustrated by way of example in the system 100, the specific configuration of the cooking appliance is exemplary only and does not constitute a limitation on the control method for an air fryer of the present invention. For example, in other examples of the present invention, the specific structure of the coking appliance may also be implemented as other types of structures as long as the desired cooking effect can be achieved.

[0038]Specific details are given in the above description to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it is understood that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. For example, circuits may be shown in block diagrams in order not to obscure the embodiments in unnecessary detail. In other instances, well-known circuits, processes, algorithms, structures, and techniques may be shown without unnecessary detail in order to avoid obscuring the embodiments.

[0039]Implementation of the techniques, blocks, steps and means described above may be done in various ways. For example, these techniques, blocks, steps and means may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination thereof. For a hardware implementation, the processing units may be implemented within one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), processors, controllers, micro-controllers, microprocessors, other electronic units designed to perform the functions described above, and/or a combination thereof.

[0040]Also, it is noted that the embodiments may be described as a process that is depicted as a flowchart, a flow diagram, a swim diagram, a data flow diagram, a structure diagram, or a block diagram. Although a depiction may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of the operations can be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may be re-arranged. A process is terminated when its operations are completed but could have additional steps not included in the figure. A process may correspond to a method, a function, a procedure, a subroutine, a subprogram, etc. When a process corresponds to a function, its termination corresponds to a return of the function to the calling function or the main function.

[0041]Furthermore, embodiments may be implemented by hardware, software, scripting languages, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description languages, and/or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, firmware, middleware, scripting language, and/or microcode, the program code or code segments to perform the necessary tasks may be stored in a machine readable medium such as a storage medium. A code segment or machine-executable instruction may represent a procedure, a function, a subprogram, a program, a routine, a subroutine, a module, a software package, a script, a class, or any combination of instructions, data structures, and/or program statements. A code segment may be coupled to another code segment or a hardware circuit by passing and/or receiving information, data, arguments, parameters, and/or memory contents. Information, arguments, parameters, data, etc. may be passed, forwarded, or transmitted via any suitable means including memory sharing, message passing, token passing, network transmission, etc.

[0042]For a firmware and/or software implementation, the methodologies may be implemented with modules (e.g., procedures, functions, and so on) that perform the functions described herein. Any machine-readable medium tangibly embodying instructions may be used in implementing the methodologies described herein. For example, software codes may be stored in a memory. Memory may be implemented within the processor or external to the processor. As used herein the term “memory” refers to any type of long term, short term, volatile, nonvolatile, or other storage medium and is not to be limited to any particular type of memory or number of memories, or type of media upon which memory is stored.

[0043]Moreover, as disclosed herein, the term “storage medium” may represent one or more memories for storing data, including read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic RAM, core memory, magnetic disk storage mediums, optical storage mediums, flash memory devices and/or other machine readable mediums for storing information. The term “machine-readable medium” includes, but is not limited to portable or fixed storage devices, optical storage devices, and/or various other storage mediums capable of storing that contain or carry instruction(s) and/or data.

[0044]While the principles of the disclosure have been described above in connection with specific apparatuses and methods, it is to be clearly understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation on the scope of the disclosure.