The present disclosure relates, in general, to heat exchanger system and, more specifically relates, to a drain assembly for the heat exchanger system.
Indoor heat exchanger coils in residential split air-conditioning (“AC”) systems are typically configured as an N-coil, an A-coil, or a V-coil. Present day indoor heat exchanger coils include a drain pan at a center of a base thereof to collect condensate formed on the coil. The drain pan is supported by internal edges of a cabinet of an indoor unit of the split air-conditioning system and the indoor heat exchanger coil is disposed on the drain pan. As such, an entire load of the coil is incident on the drain pan and is transferred to the cabinet. Typically, the drain pan is a plastic molded component. In order to withstand such high load of the coil, the drain pan is designed to include a large cross-sectional area, which demands increased use of plastic material during molding, thereby increasing cost of the drain pan. Additionally, an increase in weight of the drain pan adds to a total weight of the indoor heat exchanger and may render a process of assembling the indoor heat exchanger within the cabinet, complex.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a drain assembly for a heat exchanger system is disclosed. The drain assembly includes a bracket, a drain pan detachably coupled to the bracket, and a support member detachably coupled to the drain pan. The drain pan defines one or more drain channels extending longitudinally therealong. The support member includes a central portion and two or more arms extending outwardly from the central portion, the two or more arms configured to support a heat exchanger thereon. With such arrangement, at least a portion of the drain pan is disposed between the support member and the bracket.
In an embodiment, the bracket includes a first portion at a first end thereof, a second portion at a second end thereof, and a third portion extending between the first portion and the second portion. The first portion is configured to be removably coupled to a first side of a cabinet of the heat exchanger system and the second portion is configured to be removably coupled to a second side of the cabinet. The third portion is configured to support the drain pan thereon. In an embodiment, each of the first portion and the second portion is disposed at an angle with respect to the third portion. In some embodiments, the bracket comprises a metal material.
In an embodiment, the drain pan further includes a longitudinal portion disposed adjacent to the one or more drain channels, an inclined portion extending from an end of the longitudinal portion, and at least one drain opening in fluid communication with the one or more drain channels. The longitudinal portion is configured to receive at least a portion of the bracket. The inclined portion abuts a first portion of the bracket.
In an embodiment, a height of the longitudinal portion is greater than a height of a peripheral wall of the drain pan. In some embodiments, the drain pan is a molded plastic component.
In an embodiment, each arm of the two or more arms of the support member is inclined at a predefined angle to a central portion of the support member. In some embodiment, the predefined angle is in a range of about 50 degrees to about 80 degrees. In an embodiment, each arm of the two or more arms of the support member is configured to transfer a load of the heat exchanger to the bracket via the drain pan. In an embodiment, the support member is a sheet metal component.
In an embodiment, each arm of the two or more arms of the support member extends toward the one or more drain channels of the drain pan such that condensate from the heat exchanger is directed to the one or more drain channels of the drain pan.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of assembling a drain assembly in a heat exchanger system is disclosed. The method includes removably coupling a bracket with a cabinet of the heat exchanger system, aligning a longitudinal portion of a drain pan with the bracket, placing the longitudinal portion of the drain pan on the bracket such that an inclined portion of the drain pan abuts an inclined portion of the bracket, and detachably coupling a support member to the drain pan such that at least a portion of the drain pan is disposed between the support member and the bracket. The support member comprising a central portion and two or more arms extending outwardly from the central portion, the two or more arms being configured to support a heat exchanger thereon.
In an embodiment, the method further includes removably coupling a first portion of the bracket with a first side of a cabinet of the heat exchanger system and removably coupling a second portion of the bracket with a second side of the cabinet.
In an embodiment, the method further includes adjusting each arm of the support member to a predefined angle with respect to the central portion of the support member, based on a configuration of a heat exchanger in the heat exchanger system.
According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of assembling a drain assembly in a heat exchanger system is disclosed. The method includes removably coupling a bracket with a cabinet of the heat exchanger system, and detachably coupling a support member to a longitudinal portion of a drain pan. The support member comprising a central portion and two or more arms extending outwardly from the central portion. The method further includes mounting a V-shaped heat exchanger coil on the support member to form a sub-assembly. The method also includes inserting the sub-assembly into the cabinet such that at least a portion of the drain pan is disposed between the support member and the bracket when the sub-assembly is assembled with the bracket and the cabinet.
In an embodiment, the method further includes aligning the longitudinal portion of a drain pan with a longitudinal length of the bracket.
In an embodiment, the method further includes sliding the longitudinal portion of the drain pan on the bracket until an inclined portion of the drain pan abuts an inclined portion of the bracket.
These and other aspects and features of non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific non-limiting embodiments of the disclosure in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
A better understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure (including alternatives and/or variations thereof) may be obtained with reference to the detailed description of the embodiments along with the following drawings, in which:
Reference will now be made in detail to specific embodiments or features, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, corresponding, or similar reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or corresponding parts. Moreover, references to various elements described herein, are made collectively or individually when there may be more than one element of the same type. However, such references are merely exemplary in nature. It may be noted that any reference to elements in the singular may also be construed to relate to the plural and vice-versa without limiting the scope of the disclosure to the exact number or type of such elements unless set forth explicitly in the appended claims.
Although various aspects of the disclosed technology are explained in detail herein, it is to be understood that other aspects of the disclosed technology are contemplated. Accordingly, it is not intended that the disclosed technology is limited in its scope to the details of construction and arrangement of components expressly set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The disclosed technology can be implemented and practiced or carried out in various ways. Accordingly, when the present disclosure is described as a particular example or in a particular context, it will be understood that other implementations can take the place of those referred to.
It should also be noted that, as used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. References to a composition containing “a” constituent is intended to include other constituents in addition to the one named.
Also, in describing the disclosed technology, terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. It is intended that each term contemplates its broadest meaning as understood by those skilled in the art and includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.
Ranges may be expressed herein as from “about” or “approximately” or “substantially” one particular value and/or to “about” or “approximately” or “substantially” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, the disclosed technology can include from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Further, ranges described as being between a first value and a second value are inclusive of the first and second values. Likewise, ranges described as being from a first value and to a second value are inclusive of the first and second values.
It is also to be understood that the mention of one or more method steps does not preclude the presence of additional method steps or intervening method steps between those steps expressly identified. Moreover, although the term “step” can be used herein to connote different aspects of methods employed, the term should not be interpreted as implying any particular order among or between various steps herein disclosed unless and except when the order of individual steps is explicitly required. Further, the disclosed technology does not necessarily require all steps included in the methods and processes described herein. That is, the disclosed technology includes methods that omit one or more steps expressly discussed with respect to the methods described herein.
Herein, the use of terms such as “having,” “has,” “including,” or “includes” are open-ended and are intended to have the same meaning as terms such as “comprising” or “comprises” and not preclude the presence of other structure, material, or acts. Similarly, though the use of terms such as “can” or “may” are intended to be open-ended and to reflect that structure, material, or acts are not necessary, the failure to use such terms is not intended to reflect that structure, material, or acts are essential. To the extent that structure, material, or acts are presently considered to be essential, they are identified as such.
The components described hereinafter as making up various elements of the disclosed technology are intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many suitable components that would perform the same or similar functions as the components described herein are intended to be embraced within the scope of the disclosed technology. Such other components not described herein can include, but are not limited to, similar components that are developed after development of the presently disclosed subject matter.
Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a drain assembly for a heat exchanger system which addresses problems associated with conventional drain pans. Referring to
The bracket 214 also includes a third portion 410 extending between the first portion 402 and the second portion 406 thereof. The third portion 410 is configured to receive the drain pan 202 thereon. Specifically, the third portion 410 is configured to be received in the cavity 310 defined by the longitudinal portion 304 of the drain pan 202, thereby supporting the drain pan 202 thereon. In an embodiment, each of the first portion 402 and the second portion 406 of the bracket 214 is inclined with respect to the third portion 410. Specifically, the first portion 402 is inclined at right angle to the third portion 410 and the second portion 406 is inclined at an obtuse angle with respect to the third portion 410. In an embodiment, the bracket 214 is made of a metal or an alloy.
The drain pan 202 further includes an inclined portion 412 extending from the longitudinal portion 304 and at least one drain opening 414 in fluid communication with the drain channels 206, 208. In an embodiment, an inclination of the inclined portion 412 corresponds to an inclination of the second portion 406 of the bracket 214. In an embodiment, the drain pan 202 is a molded plastic component. The drain pan 202 further includes a lateral arm 416 extending in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal portion 304. The lateral arm 416 is fluidly connected to the drain channels 206, 208 and the drain opening 414.
As such, the arms 210, 212 of the support member 204 are configured to transfer a load of the V-shaped heat exchanger coil 102 to the bracket 214 via the drain pan 202. Further, the load of the V-shaped heat exchanger coil 102 is transferred to the cabinet 104 through the bracket 214. Therefore, the drain pan 202 may not be subjected to heavy loads of the V-shaped heat exchanger coil 102. Such arrangement allows the system to achieve a small cross-sectional area of the drain pan 202, thereby reducing an amount of plastic usage in the heat exchanger system 100. In order to assemble the V-shaped heat exchanger coil 102 within the cabinet 104, the V-shaped heat exchanger coil 102 may be disposed on the support member 204 that is detachably mounted on the drain pan 202 to form a sub-assembly. This sub-assembly may then be slid along the bracket 214 to locate the V-shaped heat exchanger coil 102 within the cabinet 104. Such process reduces an overall assembly time of the heat exchanger system 100.
At step 804, the method 800 includes aligning the longitudinal portion 304 of the drain pan 202 with the bracket 214.
At step 806, the method 800 includes placing the longitudinal portion 304 of the drain pan 202 on the bracket 214 such that the inclined portion 412 of the drain pan 202 abuts the second portion 406 of the bracket 214.
At step 808, the method 800 includes detachably coupling the support member 204 to the drain pan 202 such that at least a portion of the drain pan 202 is disposed between the support member 204 and the bracket 214.
Although not specifically shown as steps in
In an embodiment, the method 800 further includes adjusting each arm of the support member 204 to a predefined angle with respect to the central portion 302 of the support member 204, based on a configuration of a heat exchanger in the heat exchanger system 100. In some embodiments, the predefined angle is in a range of about 50 degrees to about 80 degrees.
At step 904, the method 900 includes detachably coupling the support member 204 to the longitudinal portion 304 of the drain pan 202.
At step 906, the method 900 includes mounting the V-shaped heat exchanger coil 102 on the support member 204 to form a sub-assembly.
At step 908, the method 900 includes inserting the sub-assembly into the cabinet 104 such that at least a portion of the drain pan 202 is disposed between the support member 204 and the bracket 214 when the sub-assembly is assembled with the bracket 214 and the cabinet 104.
In an embodiment, the method 900 further includes aligning the longitudinal portion 304 of the drain pan 202 with a longitudinal length of the bracket 214. In an embodiment, the method 900 further includes sliding the longitudinal portion 304 of the drain pan 202 on the bracket 214 until the inclined portion 412 of the drain pan 202 abuts the second portion 406 of the bracket 214.
Referring to
The heat exchanger system of
While aspects of the present disclosure have been particularly shown and described with reference to the embodiments above, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various additional embodiments may be contemplated by the modification of the disclosed methods without departing from the spirit and scope of what is disclosed. Such embodiments should be understood to fall within the scope of the present disclosure as determined based upon the claims and any equivalents thereof.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Application Ser. No. 63/365,621, filed Jun. 1, 2022, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63365621 | Jun 2022 | US |