Condensate liquid management system for air conditioner

• US 5,682,757 A
• Filed: 08/01/1996
• Issued: 11/04/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Uusi LLC (Nartron Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Smart Power Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Peterson, Gregory E.
• Primary Examiner(s): DOERRLER, WILLIAM CHARLES
• Application Number:
  US08/689,000
• Time in Patent Office: 460 Days
• Field of Search: 62/272, 62/277, 62/280, 62/279, 62/290, 62/150, 62/259.2, 62/305, 62/238.6
• US Class Current: 62/259.2
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/22 Means for preventing condensation or evacuating condensate
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 21/14 Collecting or removing condensed and defrost water; Drip trays
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/003 for cooling refrigerating machinery
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2321/1412 using condenser heat or heat of desuperheaters

Abstract

An air conditioning system includes a compressor, a motor adapted for driving the compressor, a condenser in communication with the compressor, an expansion device, an evaporator which precipitates a condensate, and an electronic system controller. A liquid management system for the air conditioning system includes a reservoir for accumulating condensate precipitated from the evaporator and means for distributing the condensate for cooling at least one selected system component. A method of cooling an air conditioning system is also provided. The method includes capturing the condensate precipitated from the evaporator; distributing the condensate to various system components for cooling.

Claims

1. An air conditioning system, comprising:

a compressor;

a motor adapted for driving the compressor;

a condenser in fluid communication with the compressor and including a condenser fan;

an expansion device in fluid communication with the condenser;

an air cooled evaporator having an inlet in fluid communication with the expansion device and an outlet coupled to the compressor to form a closed loop system which when operated precipitates a condensate from the cooling air on the evaporator, the evaporator including an evaporator fan;

an electronic system controller in electrical communication with said motor and with said condenser fan and said evaporator fan; and

a liquid management system including a reservoir for accumulating said condensate precipitated on said evaporator and means for distributing the condensate for cooling said system controller.

2. An air conditioning system, comprising:

a compressor;

a motor adapted for driving the compressor;

a condenser in fluid communication with the compressor and including a condenser fan;

an expansion device in fluid communication with the condenser;

an air cooled evaporator having an inlet in fluid communication with the expansion device and an outlet coupled to the compressor to form a closed loop system which when operated precipitates a condensate from the cooling air on the evaporator, the evaporator including an evaporator fan;

an electronic system controller in electrical communication with said motor and with said condenser fan and said evaporator fan; and

a liquid management system including a reservoir for accumulating said condensate precipitated on said evaporator and means for distributing the condensate for cooling at least one selected system component;

wherein said at least one system component comprises said system controller and said condenser arranged in series condensate flow relationship with respect to each other.

3. An air conditioning system, comprising:

a compressor;

a motor adapted for driving the compressor;

a condenser in fluid communication with the compressor and including a condenser fan;

an expansion device in fluid communication with the condenser;

an air cooled evaporator having an inlet in fluid communication with the expansion device and an outlet coupled to the compressor to form a closed loop system which when operated precipitates a condensate from the cooling air on the evaporator, the evaporator including an evaporator fan;

an electronic system controller in electrical communication with said motor and with said condenser fan and said evaporator fan; and

a liquid management system including a reservoir for accumulating said condensate precipitated on said evaporator and means for distributing the condensate for cooling said system controller and said condenser arranged in parallel condensate flow relationship with respect to each other.

4. An air conditioning system, comprising:

a compressor;

a motor adapted for driving the compressor;

a condenser in fluid communication with the compressor and including a condenser fan;

an expansion device in fluid communication with the condenser;

an air cooled evaporator having an inlet in fluid communication with the expansion device and an outlet coupled to the compressor to form a closed loop system which when operated precipitates a condensate from the cooling air on the evaporator, the evaporator including an evaporator fan;

an electronic system controller in electrical communication with said motor and with said condenser fan and said evaporator fan;

a liquid management system including a reservoir for accumulating said condensate precipitated on said evaporator and means for distributing the condensate for cooling at least one selected system component; and

a microprocessor in electrical communication with said expansion device, wherein said at least one system component comprises said microprocessor.

5. An air conditioning system, comprising:

a compressor;

a motor adapted for driving the compressor;

a condenser in fluid communication with the compressor;

an expansion device in fluid communication with the condenser;

an air cooled evaporator having an inlet in fluid communication with the expansion device and an outlet coupled to the compressor to form a closed loop system which when operated precipitates a condensate from the cooling air on the evaporator;

a liquid management system including a reservoir for accumulating said condensate precipitated on said evaporator and means for distributing said condensate for cooling said system controller.

6. An air conditioning system, comprising:

a compressor;

a motor adapted for driving the compressor;

a condenser in fluid communication with the compressor;

an expansion device in fluid communication with the condenser;

an air cooled evaporator having an inlet in fluid communication with the expansion device and an outlet coupled to the compressor to form a closed loop system which when operated precipitates a condensate from the cooling air on the evaporator;

a liquid management system including a reservoir for accumulating said condensate precipitated on said evaporator and means for distributing said condensate for cooling said system controller and said condenser arranged in series condensate flow relationship with respect to each other.

7. An air conditioning system, comprising:

a compressor;

a motor adapted for driving the compressor;

a condenser in fluid communication with the compressor;

an expansion device in fluid communication with the condenser;

an air cooled evaporator having an inlet in fluid communication with the expansion device and an outlet coupled to the compressor to form a closed loop system which when operated precipitates a condensate from the cooling air on the evaporator;

a liquid management system including a reservoir for accumulating said condensate precipitated on said evaporator and means for distributing said condensate for cooling said system controller and said condenser arranged in parallel condensate flow relationship with respect to each other.

8. An air conditioning system, comprising:

a compressor;

a motor adapted for driving the compressor;

a condenser in fluid communication with the compressor;

an expansion device in fluid communication with the condenser;

an air cooled evaporator having an inlet in fluid communication with the expansion device and an outlet coupled to the compressor to form a closed loop system which when operated precipitates a condensate from the cooling air on the evaporator;

a liquid management system including a reservoir for accumulating said condensate precipitated on said evaporator and means for distributing said condensate for cooling at least one selected system component; and

a microprocessor in electrical communication with said expansion device, wherein said at least one system component comprises said microprocessor.

9. A method of cooling an air conditioning system, including a compressor;

a motor adapted for driving the compressor;

a condenser in fluid communication with the compressor, said condenser having a condenser fan;

an expansion device in fluid communication with the condenser;

an evaporator in fluid communication with the expansion device, said evaporator precipitating a condensate; and

an electronic motor controller in electrical communication with said motor;

the method comprising;

capturing said condensate precipitated from said evaporator;

distributing said condensate to said electronic motor controller for cooling said electronic motor controller; and

distributing said condensate to said condenser for cooling said condenser.