Condensate trap apparatus and buoyant body therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12169045-B2
Application number	US-202017605797-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 20, 2020
Priority date	May 3, 2019
Publication date	Dec 17, 2024
Grant date	Dec 17, 2024

Abstract

A condensate trap apparatus according to the present invention comprises: an inlet hole for inflowing a condensate; a storage space for storing the condensate introduced from the inlet hole; an outlet unit including a discharge hole for discharging the stored condensate from the storage space; and a buoyant body including a closing portion which is convex vertically downward so as to close the discharge hole by being seated on the outlet unit, and a support of a pillar type extending vertically upward from the closing portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A condensate trap apparatus comprising:
an inlet, through which condensate is introduced;
a storage space, in which the condensate introduced from the inlet is stored;
a discharge part including an outlet configured to discharge the stored condensate from the storage space; and
a buoyant body including a closed part formed to be convex toward a vertically lower side such that the buoyant body is seated on the discharge part to close the outlet, a columnar support part extending vertically upwards from the closed part, and a weight formed of a material having a density that is higher than that of a material constituting the support part, at a lower end of the closed part.

2. The condensate trap apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the closed part has a shape of a portion of a sphere, and
wherein the support part has an outer surface that is continuous from an outer surface of the closed part to have a cylindrical shape.

3. The condensate trap apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a separation preventing wall surrounding the buoyant body, disposed to be spaced apart from an outer surface of the buoyant body to define the storage space, and extending vertically upwards and downwards to prevent separation of the buoyant body.

4. The condensate trap apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the separation preventing wall has a uniform height while surrounding the buoyant body such that an inside and an outside of the separation preventing wall are not communicated with each other along a direction that is perpendicular to a direction, in which the outlet is opened.

5. The condensate trap apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the buoyant body further includes:
a guide wing protruding from an outer surface of the support part or the closed part toward an outside such that the support part is not inclined from a state, in which the support part is arranged along a vertical direction, and an outer end of the guide wing is disposed adjacent to the separation preventing wall.

6. The condensate trap apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the guide wing extends along the vertical direction.

7. The condensate trap apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the discharge part further includes:
an annular discharge packing surrounding the outlet, extending from an edge of the outlet to be inclined toward a radial outer side of the outlet and a vertically upper side such that an outer surface of the buoyant body contacts the discharge packing when the buoyant body is seated on the discharge part to close the outlet.

8. The condensate trap apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the discharge packing has a dual structure including:
an annular first contact part disposed on an outermost side with respect to a radial direction of the outlet and contacting the closed part; and
an annular second contact part located to be spaced apart from the first contact part inwards, and contacting the closed part.

9. The condensate trap apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the weight is inserted into the outlet when the buoyant body closes the outlet.

10. The condensate trap apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the buoyant body further includes:
a head part disposed at an end of the support part and formed to be convex toward a vertically upper side.

11. The condensate trap apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the discharge part further includes:
a first discharge space, in which the condensate discharged through the outlet is accommodated;
a second discharge space, in which the condensate delivered from the first discharge space is accommodated;
a drainage communicating the second discharge space and an outside such that the condensate accommodated in the second discharge space is discharged to the outside; and
a discharge partition wall provided with a condensate passage, through which the condensate flows from the first discharge space to the second discharge space, and configured to partition the first discharge space and the second discharge space, and
wherein the condensate passage is located on an upper side of the outlet with respect to a vertical direction.

12. The condensate trap apparatus of claim 11 ,
wherein the drainage is located on the upper side of the outlet with respect to the vertical direction.

13. The condensate trap apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the drainage is disposed to be adjacent to a bottom surface of the second discharge space, and
wherein the bottom surface of the second discharge space has a gradient such that a portion thereof that is adjacent to the drainage is located on a lowermost side with respect to the vertical direction.

14. The condensate trap apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising:
an auxiliary line communicated with the second discharge space to deliver other water generated by a boiler that produces the condensate to the second discharge space, and
wherein a location, at which the auxiliary line is communicated with the second discharge space, is located on an upper side of the drainage with respect to the vertical direction.

15. A buoyant body seated on a discharge part including an outlet configured such that condensate stored in a storage space is discharged from the storage space, the buoyant body comprising:
a closed part formed to be convex toward a vertically lower side to be seated on the discharge part to close the outlet, and having a shape of a portion of a sphere;
a columnar support part extending from the closed part to a vertically upper side, and having an outer surface that is continuous to an outer surface of the closed part;
a head part disposed at an upper end of the support part and formed to be convex toward a vertically upper side; and
a weight formed of a material having a density that is higher than that of a material constituting the support part, at a lower end of the closed part.

Assignees

• Kyungdong Navien Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park Jun Kyu
• Woo Hyun Tak

Classifications

• F24H8/006 Primary

  Means for removing condensate from the heater · CPC title

• F16T1/383

  Valve closing members or valve seats · CPC title

• F16T1/22

  of closed-hollow-body type · CPC title

• F24D2200/046

  Condensing boilers · CPC title

• F16T1/20 Primary

  with valves controlled by floats · CPC title