Compact pump for removing condensate from air conditioners

Abstract

FIELD: air conditioning.SUBSTANCE: invention relates to drying equipment for air conditioning systems, in particular to a pump for removing condensate from air conditioning systems. A compact pump for removing condensate from an air conditioner consists of an electric motor, a diaphragm pump, a control system for the electric motor, located in a housing of an elongated shape, on one end of which there are pipes for the supply and discharge of condensate, as well as a unit for detecting the presence of water, wherein the unit for detecting the presence of water is located on the housing or is made monolithic at the end, top, bottom or side, whereas these units are connected to each other by means of a flexible hose, pipe or cavity made in a monolithic housing, through which the pump pumps out water, and an electric wire through which a signal is sent to turn on and off the electric motor.EFFECT: placing the device in the limited space of the air conditioner housing.2 cl, 3 dwg

Description

[0001] The invention relates to the field of drying equipment for air conditioning systems, in particular to a pump for removing condensate from air conditioning systems.

[0002] Air conditioners are used to cool the air in a room. They work by cooling the air through tubes carrying a refrigerant (particularly freon) and returning it to the room. This interaction with the tubes creates condensation, which typically collects in special reservoirs within the air conditioner housing. This accumulated condensation must be removed from the air conditioner.

[0003] There are two ways to remove condensation from the air conditioner:

[0004] 1. By gravity through a hose to the outside. Typically, a hole is drilled in the wall to allow the hose to exit.

[0005] 2. Discharge into the premises sewer system.

[0006] While no additional devices are required for the first path, the second path, if the sewer system is located far from the air conditioner installation site, requires a device that pumps condensate from the air conditioner tank and transports it through a hose to the sewer system. Such a device must operate quietly and be discreetly located near the air conditioner (ideally, it should be concealed within the air conditioner itself).

[0007] A pump for pumping condensate from an air conditioner is known (CN102099635A; IPC F24F13 / 22, F24F13 / 24; published 2011-06-15) comprising a condensate drain hose including two check valves that are formed at adjacent locations respectively and extended to a storage tank where the generated condensate is stored and a location where the condensate is discharged, so that incoming condensate can be discharged through the check valve if a piston moves only in the direction in which the condensate is discharged midway between the storage tank and the location, and the incoming condensate cannot be discharged into the storage tank by the check valve; a pumping device comprising a cylinder having one open end and the other end connected to a position between said two check valves, and a piston inserted from the open position of the cylinder to perform reciprocating movements while maintaining watertightness;and a drive device including a crank shaft rotated by a low-speed engine, and a connecting rod having one end connected to the crank shaft and the other end connected to a piston, for converting rotational motions of the low-speed engine into rectilinear reciprocating motions of the piston.

[0008] The disadvantage of this solution is the bulkiness and noisiness of the design.

[0009] A pump for removing condensate from an air conditioner (KR200452324Y1; IPC F24F1 / 02, F24F13 / 22; published 2011-02-22) is known. It consists of a main longitudinal housing in which a plunger pump and an electrical circuit are sequentially located. At one end of the housing, there is an inlet for feeding condensate, and at the other end, an outlet for removing condensate.

[0010] The disadvantage of this solution is the placement of the inlet and outlet holes at different ends of the device, which lengthens it.

[0011] A modular condensate removal system is known (US2024328667A1; IPC F04B23 / 02, F04B49 / 025, F04B53 / 16, F24F13 / 20, F24F13 / 22; published 2024-10-03) including at least three independent modules: a pump module, a detection module and a control module. The pump module includes a pump. The detection module includes a tank for receiving condensate and is capable of detecting at least two condensate levels in the tank. The control module includes electronics for controlling the pump based on condensate levels. Each of the modules includes hydraulic and / or electrical connections to at least one other module, and at least two of the modules include reversible fastening to each other, so that at least three modules can be connected in a configuration: in series, two on top of each other, and the third in series and all three on top of each other.

[0012] The disadvantage of this solution is the bulkiness of the design.

[0013] The technical challenge is to create a compact device for removing condensate from an air conditioner.

[0014] The technical result is the ability to place the device in the limited space of the air conditioner housing.

[0015] The technical problem is solved and the technical result is achieved by a pump consisting of an electric motor with a diaphragm pump, an electric motor control system located in a single elongated housing, at one end of which the condensate inlet and outlet are located, and a water presence detection unit connected to the pump for pumping out condensate and an electric motor control system for sending a signal to turn the electric motor on and off.

[0016] The essence of the invention is explained by drawings, where Fig. 1 schematically depicts the device as a whole, Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the pump body, Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the water detection unit.

[0017] A compact pump for removing condensate from an air conditioner consists of an electric motor 1, a diaphragm pump 2, a control system 3 for the electric motor 1, all located in an elongated housing 4, on one of the ends of which there is an inlet pipe 5 and an outlet pipe 6. A water presence detection unit 7, consisting of a tank 8 and a cover 9, is in direct communication with the listed elements located in the housing 4. In the tank 8 there are pipes 10 and 11. A float 12 is located inside the tank 8. The tank 8 is connected to the housing 4 by means of a flexible hose (shown schematically by a dotted line in Fig. 1) installed on pipes 5 and 10. Also, between the cover 9 and the housing 4 there is a connection in the form of an electric wire (shown schematically by a dotted line in Fig. 1).

[0018] The device operates as follows. Condensate from the air conditioner flows through pipe 11 into tank 8. As the condensate rises, float 12 begins to rise. When a certain level is reached, a signal is transmitted via the electrical wire to turn on electric motor 1. When electric motor 1 is turned on, diaphragm pump 2 begins to pump condensate from tank 8 (at the same time, float 12 begins to fall) and sends it to the sewer system through pipe 6. When float 12 reaches its minimum value, a signal is transmitted via the electrical wire to turn off electric motor 1.

[0019] The device is connected to the power grid via a power cord (not specified), and there is a connector for this in the housing 4, but it can also be equipped with power elements in the form of batteries or accumulators built into the housing 4 or located separately.

[0020] Tank 8 has two pipes 10 located on opposite sides. This is designed to facilitate placement of the water detection unit 7 in a confined space and connection via flexible hose 13 to the membrane pump 2. The unused pipe 10 is closed with a plug.

[0021] Electric motor 1 is connected to diaphragm pump 2 via an eccentric mechanism (not shown), which, when rotating, alternately lifts the valves of the interconnected cavities. This pumps water from the cavity connected to pipe 5 to the cavity connected to pipe 6.

[0022] In this design, presence detection unit 7 is implemented as a separate element and is connected to housing 4 via flexible hoses and electrical wiring. However, it can also be mounted directly to housing 4 or be monolithic at the end, top, bottom, or side. These elements can also be connected via a flexible hose or a pipe or cavity formed directly in the monolithic housing.

[0023] To prevent overload of electric motor 1 in the event of an intensive supply of condensate in tank 8, which does not allow float 12 to drop to the required level for switching off electric motor 1, the control system 3 of the electric motor provides for an emergency shutdown of electric motor 1 and an alarm about this in the form of a sound or light signal.

Claims

1. A compact pump for removing condensate from an air conditioner, consisting of an electric motor, a diaphragm pump, a control system for the electric motor, located in a housing of an elongated shape, on one end of which there are pipes for the supply and discharge of condensate, as well as a unit for detecting the presence of water, characterized in that the unit for detecting the presence of water is located on the housing or is made monolithic at the end, top, bottom or side, while these units are connected to each other by means of a flexible hose, pipe or cavity made in the monolithic housing, through which the pump pumps out water, and an electric wire through which a signal is sent to turn on and off the electric motor.

2. A compact pump for removing condensate according to paragraph 1, characterized in that the water presence detection unit is a tank with pipes for the inlet and outlet of condensate, located on different sides, wherein one of them is closed with a plug, with a lid in which a float is located, which, upon reaching certain levels, closes or opens contacts to transmit a signal to turn on or off the electric motor.

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