Water heater appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10281171-B2
Application number	US-201615350152-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2016
Priority date	Nov 14, 2016
Publication date	May 7, 2019
Grant date	May 7, 2019

Abstract

A drain pump assembly for discharging condensate from a water heater appliance is provided. The drain pump assembly includes a condensate collection tray positioned below an evaporator of the water heater appliance for collecting condensate. A condensate level sensor is configured for measuring a level of condensate within the condensate collection tray and is in operative communication with a drain pump. The drain pump is configured for discharging collected condensate from the condensate collection tray when the level of condensate exceeds a first threshold and turning off after the condensate level drops below a second threshold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A water heater appliance defining a vertical direction, the water heater appliance comprising:
a tank for holding water;
a machinery compartment;
an evaporator disposed within the machinery compartment, the evaporator being configured to absorb heat and produce condensate;
a condensate collection tray disposed under the evaporator along the vertical direction and being configured for collecting the condensate from the evaporator;
a drain pump comprising a pump inlet in fluid communication with the condensate collection tray, the drain pump being configured for discharging the condensate from the condensate collection tray through a condensate discharge line; and
a condensate level sensor configured for measuring a level of condensate within the condensate collection tray, the condensate level sensor comprising:
a sensor column extending from a bottom to a top along the vertical direction, wherein a column inlet is positioned proximate the bottom of the sensor column and a venting aperture is positioned proximate the top of the sensor column;
a continuity sensor configured to determine when the level of condensate is above a predetermined threshold; and
a float positioned within the sensor column and configured to move along the vertical direction with the level of the condensate in the sensor column, wherein the float seals off the venting aperture when the float reaches the top of the sensor column such that condensate remains within the sensor column until the seal is broken when the condensate drops below the column inlet.

2. The water heater appliance of claim 1 , wherein the drain pump is positioned within the machinery compartment of the water heater appliance.

3. The water heater appliance of claim 2 , wherein the drain pump is positioned within the condensate collection tray.

4. The water heater appliance of claim 1 , wherein the condensate collection tray has a sloped bottom that defines a low region where the condensate collects.

5. The water heater appliance of claim 4 , wherein the pump inlet is positioned proximate the low region of the condensate collection tray.

6. The water heater appliance of claim 1 , wherein the condensate collection tray defines a condensate discharge port, and wherein the drain pump is in fluid communication with the condensate discharge port.

7. The water heater appliance of claim 1 , wherein the drain pump is a peristaltic pump.

8. The water heater appliance of claim 1 , wherein a check valve is positioned on the condensate discharge line to prevent backflow of the condensate into the condensate collection tray.

9. The water heater appliance of claim 1 , wherein the condensate level sensor includes a high level sensor and a low level sensor, and wherein the drain pump is configured to turn on when the float contacts electrical leads of a continuity sensor and turn off when the float breaks contact with the electrical leads.

10. The water heater appliance of claim 9 , wherein the continuity sensor is an electrical continuity sensor having two contacts that form a closed circuit when the condensate in the sensor column exceeds the predetermined threshold, and wherein the drain pump is configured to operate while the electrical continuity sensor forms the closed circuit.

11. The water heater appliance of claim 1 , wherein the float is a resilient, buoyant ball that is compressed into the top of the sensor column and held in place by hydrostatic tension until the level of condensate drops to the column inlet at the bottom of the sensor column.

12. A drain pump assembly for discharging condensate from a water heater appliance, the drain pump assembly comprising:
a condensate collection tray positioned below an evaporator of the water heater appliance;
a drain pump comprising a pump inlet in fluid communication with the condensate collection tray, the drain pump being configured for discharging condensate from the condensate collection tray through a condensate discharge line; and
a condensate level sensor configured for measuring a level of condensate within the condensate collection tray, the drain pump being configured to turn on when the level of condensate reaches a first threshold and turn off when the level of condensate drops below a second threshold, wherein the condensate level sensor comprises:
a sensor column extending from a bottom to a top along the vertical direction, wherein a column inlet is positioned proximate the bottom of the sensor column and a venting aperture is positioned proximate the top of the sensor column; and
a float positioned within the sensor column and configured to move along the vertical direction with the level of the condensate in the sensor column, wherein the float seals off the venting aperture when the float reaches the top of the sensor column such that condensate remains within the sensor column until the seal is broken when the condensate drops below the column inlet.

13. The drain pump assembly of claim 12 , wherein the drain pump is positioned within the condensate collection tray in a machinery compartment of the water heater appliance.

14. The drain pump assembly of claim 12 , wherein the condensate level sensor comprises
a continuity sensor configured to determine when the level of condensate is above the first threshold.

15. The drain pump assembly of claim 14 , wherein the continuity sensor is an electrical continuity sensor having two contacts that form a closed circuit when the float contacts the two contacts, and wherein the drain pump is configured to operate while the electrical continuity sensor forms the closed circuit.

16. The drain pump assembly of claim 12 , wherein the float is a resilient, buoyant ball that is compressed into the top of the sensor column and held in place by hydrostatic tension until the level of condensate drops to the column inlet at the bottom of the sensor column.

17. A method for discharging condensate from a condensate collection tray of a water heater appliance, the method comprising:
positioning the condensate collection tray under an evaporator of the water heater appliance;
collecting condensate in the condensate collection tray;
determining that a level of the condensate has reached a first threshold using a sensor column having a float positioned therein and configured for closing an electrical continuity sensor when the float reaches a top of the column;
activating a drain pump to discharge condensate from the condensate collection tray; and
stopping the drain pump when a trigger event occurs.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
determining that a level of the condensate has reached a second threshold, wherein the trigger event occurs in response to determining that a level of the condensate has reached the second threshold.

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
determining that the drain pump has been activated for a predetermined amount of time, wherein the trigger event occurs in response to determining that the drain pump has been activated for the predetermined amount of time.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the float is a resilient, buoyant ball that is compressed into the top of the sensor column and held in place by hydrostatic tension until the level of condensate drops to the column inlet at the bottom of the sensor column.

Assignees

• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Shaffer Timothy Scott
• Nelson Jonathan

Classifications

• F24F2013/227

  Condensate pipe for drainage of condensate from the evaporator · CPC title

• F24D19/088

  Draining arrangements · CPC title

• F24H4/04 Primary

  Storage heaters · CPC title

• F24F13/222

  for evacuating condensate · CPC title

• F25D21/14

  Collecting or removing condensed and defrost water; Drip trays · CPC title