CONDENSATE DISCHARGE DEVICE FOR COMBUSTION APPARATUS

DISPOSITIF DE DECHARGE DES CONDENSATS POUR APPAREILS DE COMBUSTION

English Abstract

CONDENSATE DISCHARGE DEVICE FOR
COMBUSTION APPARATUS
Abstract of the Disclosure
A condensate discharge device for combustion
apparatus which automatically drains condensate from
the combustion chamber or flue while preventing escape
of gaseous products of combustion. The device includes
a housing having an inlet in its upper end connected to
the combustion conduit containing the waste gases of
combustion. An outlet tube is disposed in an opening
in the lower end of the housing in alignment with the
inlet and the upper end of the outlet tube projects a
substantial distance above the lower surface of the
housing and provides a seat. A hollow plastic ball
rests on the seat to prevent escape of gases from the
housing. Condensate generated by cooling of the com-
bustion gases flows into the housing and when the con-
densate accumulates to a level above the seat, the ball
will float to permit the discharge of the condensate
while preventing discharge of the gaseous products of
combustion.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an
exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as
follows:


1. In a combustion system, a conduit to conduct waste
gases of combustion and having a drain opening in a lower
portion thereof, a housing having an inlet in its upper end
communicating with said drain opening, said housing having
an aperture in the lower end thereof, an outlet tube
disposed in said aperture and aligned with said inlet, the
upper end of said outlet tube projecting upwardly from the
bottom of the housing to provide a seat and the space
between the seat and the bottom of said housing defining a
sump, and a spherical float disposed within the housing and
mounted to rest on the set to prevent discharge of gas
through said outlet tube, cooling of said waste gases in
said conduit generating condensate which flows through said
drain opening to said housing, an accumulation of condensate
above the level of said seat causing said spherical float to
lift from said seat to permit discharge of condensate
through said outlet tube while preventing discharge of gas
through said outlet tube.


2. The device of claim 1, wherein said housing is cup-
shaped and has a generally cylindrical wall and a bottom
surface and having an open upper end, a plug secured within





Claim 2 continued...



the open upper end of said housing, said inlet being
disposed in said plug.



3. The system of claim 1, wherein said float is
aligned beneath said inlet so that condensate entering said
inlet will strike said float and be deflected outwardly
toward said sump.

Description

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CONDENSATE DISCHARGE DEVICE FOR
COMBUSTION APPARATUS
l Background of the Invention
In high energy efficient water heaters and
furnaces, waste gases o combustion are passed in heat
transfer relation with water or air to extract heat
from the combustion gases. Cooling of the combustion
gases through heat transfer results in the production
of substatial quantities of condensate and it is neces-
sary to discharge the condensate without allowing
escape of the combustion gases into the surrounding
building.
In the past, various types of condensate
discharge devices have been employed in steam or com-
h pressed air systems to permit the discharge of conden-
sate while preventing escape of the gas. One form of
condensate discharge device, as used in the past has
been an S-trap. While devices of this type are effec-
tive to discharge condensate without permitting the gas
to enter the environment, foreign materials or contam-
inants tend to collect in the trap and eventually clog
the line and prevent proper operation.
Other types of condensate discharge devices
are cornplicated structures requiring numerous moving
parts which can be subject to corrosion by contarninates
in the waste gas.
Summary of the Invention
The invention is directed to an improved
condensate discharge device for a combustion apparatus
which automatically drains condensate ~rom the combus-
tion system, while preventing escape of gaseous pro- f
ducts of coml>ustion into the erlvirorlln~llt. i~
In accordallce with the iovelltion, tlle ~levice
inc~lldes a housill(l having all inLet in its u~ r ~nd
wl~ich i~ corlnectc~l ~r~ c l~w~ I ~nd ol 1 ~Ic ~ omhu-t i ~n




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1 system or conduit. An outlet tube is mounted within an
opening in the lower end of the housing in alignment
with the inlet, and the upper end of the tube projects
upwardly from the lower surface of the housing to provide
a seat. Mounted on the seat is a hollow plastic ball
which prevents discharge of gas through the outlet.
Condensate generated by cooling of the com-
' bustion gases in the combustion system will flow
through the inlet into the housing and when the conden-
sate accumulates to a level above the seat, the ball
will float to pennit the discharge of the condensate
while preventing the discharge of the waste gases of
; combustion.
The condensate discharge~device of the
invention is of simple and inexpensive construction
having only a single moving part, which is the float
ball, and no adjustment is required for its operation.
The housing, outlet tube and ball are prefer-
ably formed of plastic material so that the entire unit
~ 20 is non-corrosive.
; The space between the upper end of the outlet
tube and the lower end of the housing defines a sump
wherein contaminants are collected, thereby preventing
the contaminants from accumulating on the valve seat
and insuring proper sealing o~ the ball valve to the
seat.
nue to the design of the unit, the ball is
self-centering, and after discharge of the accumulated
condensate, the ball will automatically reseat itself
vn the upper end of the outlet tube.
~ Other objects and advantages will appedr in
- the course of the following descripti-)n.
Descriptiorl of the l)rawin-~s
__ _
The drawir~gs illustrate the bcst ~nc)cic
pre~sently contempLated of ~arryinc~ out the invention.



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1 In the drawings:
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the condensate
discharge device of the invention as associated with a
combustion system; and
~ ig 2 is a line taken along line 2-2 of
Fig. 1.
Description of the Illustrated Embodiment
The drawings illustrate a condensate
discharge device 1 which is connected to a conduit 2
containing waste gases of combustion. The conduit 2
can take the form of a combustion chamber, heat ex-
changer, flue or the like, through which the waste
gases of combustion are passed to the atmosphere.
A nipple 3 connects the lower end of the
conduit 2 to the device 1 and condensate generated by
cooling of the waste gases in conduit 2 will flow
` through nipple 3 into the device 1.
The discharge device l includes a cup-shaped
housing 4 having an open end which is enclosed by a
plug 5 which is bonded to the open end of the housing
by an adhesive or the like. Plug 5 is provided with a
threaded opening 6 which receives the lower end of
nipple 3.
Mounted within an opening in the lower end of
housing 4 is a generally L-shaped outlet tube 7. The
inner end of tube 7 projects a substantial distance
above the lower surface 8 of housing 4 and defines a
seat 9. A spherical ~loat 10 normally rests on seat 9
and prevents the discharge of gases from housing l to
the exterior. ~all 10 is hollow and is preferably
~ formed of plastic material, having a speci~ic gravity
- less than 1.0, so that as con~iellsate accumulates within
the housing 4, the ball will ~loat on the condensate to
open the seat g and pl-~rmit the conriensate to drain
through the outlet tube. In practice, the ball is


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1 provided with a specific gravity so that it will float
to open the valve seat when the condensate has accum-
ulated to a level about 1/4 inch above the seat 9.
The space between seat 9 and the lower end 8
of housing 4 defines a reservoir or sump 11 and contam-
inates in the condensate will be collected in sump 11
and thus will not accumulate on the seat 9 to distrupt
proper seating of the ball on the seat.
All of the components of the discharge
device, including the housing 4, outlet tube 7, ball 10
and plug 5 are preferably formed of plastic material so
that the entire unit is non-corrosive. The device is
of simple and inexpensive construction, being gravity
actuatedj and includes only one moving part which is
- 15 the spherical float or ball. Furthermore, the device
is operable without adjustment.
The hollow plastic ball being light in weight
provides improved response to accumulated condensate.
The in-line construction of the inlet and
outlet facilitates plastic molding and the incoming
condensate entering the housing through nipple 3 tends
to flush and rotate the ball, thereby cleaning the ball
and removing contamination to insure proper seating of
the ball on the seat 9. As a further advantage, the
incoming condensate is deflected outwardly by the ball
and is directed toward the sump 11, thereby providing
some agitation of the condensate in the sump. Agita-
tion of the condensate results in some o~ the contam-
inants in the sump being suspended in the liquid and
c~r~ied out throuyh the outlet tul-e.




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/ Various modes of carrying out the invention
are contemplated as being within the scope of the
following claims particularly pointing out and
distinctly claiming the subject matter which is
S regarded as the inventionO