Condensate management apparatus and system
View Patent ↗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.
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.