US-12618587-B1 - Condensate management apparatus and system

US12618587B1US 12618587 B1US12618587 B1US 12618587B1US-12618587-B1

Abstract

A condensate management apparatus and system is presented to manage condensate from an HVAC system in the event of a condensate pump failure. The apparatus includes a modified pump collection tank having multiple outer walls extending perpendicularly between a periphery of the base and the top edge. An elevated platform is disposed in the modified pump collection tank and includes a support surface configured to support a conventional condensate pump assembly. One or more sidewalls of the elevated platform extends perpendicularly between the base and the support surface. A trough is defined by the sidewall and the outer walls and is configured to retain condensate from the HVAC system in the event the conventional condensate pump assembly fails. A drain outlet is disposed in the outer wall and is in fluid communication with the trough to direct liquid condensate towards an auxiliary condensate pump assembly.

Inventors

James P Curran
Christopher J Curran

Assignees

James P Curran
Christopher J Curran

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20240304

Claims (7)

1 . A condensate management apparatus to manage a liquid condensate from an HVAC system in the event of a condensate pump failure, the condensate management apparatus comprising: a modified pump collection tank comprising a base, a top edge, and a plurality of outer walls extending substantially perpendicularly between a periphery of the base and the top edge; an elevated platform disposed in the modified pump collection tank comprising a support surface and at least one sidewall extending substantially perpendicularly between the base and the support surface, the support surface configured to support a conventional condensate pump assembly of an HVAC system such that at least a portion of the conventional condensate pump assembly is elevated above the top edge; a trough disposed within the modified pump collection tank and defined by the at least one sidewall and the plurality of outer walls, wherein the trough is configured to retain liquid condensate from the HVAC system in the event the conventional condensate pump assembly fails; and a drain outlet disposed in one of the plurality of outer walls and in fluid communication with the trough, wherein the drain outlet is configured to direct the liquid condensate towards an auxiliary condensate pump assembly.
2 . The condensate management apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the drain outlet is substantially aligned with the support surface.
3 . The condensate management apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the drain outlet is in fluid communication with the auxiliary condensate pump assembly via an inlet port.
4 . The condensate management apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the drain outlet is elevated relative to the inlet port such that the liquid condensate moves towards the auxiliary condensate pump assembly via gravity.
5 . The condensate management apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the trough substantially surrounds the elevated platform and the conventional condensate pump assembly.
6 . The condensate management apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a float assembly coupled to the conventional condensate pump assembly and disposed in the trough, wherein the float assembly is configured to trigger an alarm in response to a level of the liquid condensate exceeding a predetermined threshold.
7 . The condensate management apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the alarm comprises at least one of an audible alarm, an electronic notification, and a telephone call.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to condensate pumps for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a novel condensate pump assembly system designed to divert condensate from a failed condensate pump to a functional auxiliary condensate pump, thereby mitigating potential issues such as heat loss, frozen pipes, and flooding. BACKGROUND Conventional HVAC systems rely on condensate pumps to manage and remove excess liquid condensate produced during the heating and cooling process. The condensate pump plays a crucial role in maintaining optimal functioning of the entire HVAC system. However, when this pump malfunctions or fails, it can lead to severe consequences, including a disrupted heat supply, frozen pipes, and potential flooding. The absence of a fail-safe mechanism for condensate pumps in existing HVAC systems failures poses significant risks. In some instances, failure of a condensate pump may result in an automatic shutdown of the HVAC system, leading to uncomfortable indoor temperatures and potential damage to the building infrastructure. In systems without an automatic shut-off feature, continuous condensate production can overwhelm the non-functioning pump, causing overflow and potential flooding. Existing solutions tend to involve complex and expensive HVAC system modifications, rendering them impractical for widespread adoption or retrofitting. Accordingly, there is a need for a cost-effective, simple, and easily implemented solution that addresses the shortcomings of current HVAC condensate pump failure scenarios. Further what is needed is a novel condensate management system that is compatible with existing HVAC systems, allowing for easy integration without the need for extensive modifications or additional wiring. Beneficially, such a system would prevent potential disruptions in heat supply, minimize the risk of frozen pipes, and eliminate the potential for flooding in the event of a condensate pump failure. In the present disclosure, where a document, act or item of knowledge is referred to or discussed, this reference or discussion is not an admission that the document, act or item of knowledge or any combination thereof was at the priority date, publicly available, known to the public, part of common general knowledge or otherwise constitutes prior art under the applicable statutory provisions; or is known to be relevant to an attempt to solve any problem with which the present disclosure is concerned. While certain aspects of conventional technologies have been discussed to facilitate the present disclosure, no technical aspects are disclaimed and it is contemplated that the claims may encompass one or more of the conventional technical aspects discussed herein. BRIEF SUMMARY According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a condensate management apparatus is presented to manage condensate from an HVAC system in the event of a condensate pump failure. The apparatus includes a modified pump collection tank having a base, a top edge, and multiple outer walls extending perpendicularly between a periphery of the base and the top edge. An elevated platform is disposed in the modified pump collection tank and includes a support surface and at least one sidewall extending substantially perpendicularly between the base and the support surface. The support surface is configured to support a conventional condensate pump assembly of an HVAC system such that at least a portion of the conventional condensate pump assembly is elevated above the top edge. A trough is disposed within the modified pump collection tank and defined by the sidewall and the outer walls. The trough is configured to retain liquid condensate from the HVAC system in the event the conventional condensate pump fails. A drain outlet is disposed in one of the outer walls and is in fluid communication with the trough to direct the liquid condensate towards an auxiliary condensate pump assembly. In some embodiments, the drain outlet is substantially aligned with the support surface. In certain embodiments, the drain outlet is in fluid communication with the auxiliary condensate pump assembly via an inlet port. The drain outlet may be elevated relative to the inlet port such that the condensate moves towards the auxiliary condensate pump assembly via gravity. In some embodiments, the elevated platform substantially surrounds the elevated platform and the conventional condensate pump assembly. In some embodiments, a float assembly is coupled to the conventional condensate pump assembly and disposed in the trough. The float assembly may be configured to trigger an alarm in response to a level of the liquid condensate exceeding a predetermined threshold. In certain embodiments, the alarm includes an audible alarm, an electronic notification, and/or a telephone call. According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a condensate management s