US3429329A - Drain apparatus for automatically draining condensate - Google Patents
Drain apparatus for automatically draining condensate Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US3429329A US3429329A US584222A US3429329DA US3429329A US 3429329 A US3429329 A US 3429329A US 584222 A US584222 A US 584222A US 3429329D A US3429329D A US 3429329DA US 3429329 A US3429329 A US 3429329A
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- valve
- diaphragm
- air
- discharge
- drain pipe
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
Images
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16T—STEAM TRAPS OR LIKE APPARATUS FOR DRAINING-OFF LIQUIDS FROM ENCLOSURES PREDOMINANTLY CONTAINING GASES OR VAPOURS
- F16T1/00—Steam traps or like apparatus for draining-off liquids from enclosures predominantly containing gases or vapours, e.g. gas lines, steam lines, containers
- F16T1/12—Steam traps or like apparatus for draining-off liquids from enclosures predominantly containing gases or vapours, e.g. gas lines, steam lines, containers with valves controlled by excess or release of pressure
- F16T1/14—Steam traps or like apparatus for draining-off liquids from enclosures predominantly containing gases or vapours, e.g. gas lines, steam lines, containers with valves controlled by excess or release of pressure involving a piston, diaphragm, or bellows, e.g. displaceable under pressure of incoming condensate
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- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T137/00—Fluid handling
- Y10T137/2931—Diverse fluid containing pressure systems
- Y10T137/3003—Fluid separating traps or vents
- Y10T137/3021—Discriminating outlet for liquid
- Y10T137/304—With fluid responsive valve
- Y10T137/3052—Level responsive
- Y10T137/3056—Weight or pressure
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T137/00—Fluid handling
- Y10T137/2931—Diverse fluid containing pressure systems
- Y10T137/3003—Fluid separating traps or vents
- Y10T137/3102—With liquid emptying means
- Y10T137/3105—Self-emptying
Definitions
- the invention relates to automatic drain apparatus to discharge condensate and the like which collects in the condensed water at the bottom of air receivers, after coolers, separators and line traps.
- An enclosed chamber is connected at one end to a leg of a drain pipe at the bottom of a tank to be drained of condensate and at the other end to one side of a weighted diaphragm in an air pilot valve.
- the other side of the diaphragm of the air pilot valve is connected on one side to the tank and on the other to the back of a diaphragm in a discharge valve also connected to the drain pipe.
- This invention relates to automatic drain apparatus for draining liquids from a gas storage or supply source and particularly to a drain apparatus to discharge condensate and the like which collects in the condensed water at the bottom of air receivers, after coolers, separators and line traps.
- the apparatus of the invention is employed with a tank having a generally large diameter discharge orifice so that the condensate collecting in the bottom of the tank in which compressed air is employed is discharged into a generally large diameter drain pipe.
- the drain pipe is connected to a discharge valve and intermediate the discharge valve and the entrance to the drain pipe is located the apparatus which effects automatic opening and closing of the discharge valve and constitutes the basis of the invention.
- the apparatus in question consists of an enclosed chamber which is connected at one end to the drain pipe and at the other to an air pilot valve.
- the air pilot valve consists of a weighted diaphragm, one side of which is exposed to the trapped air in the chamber and the other side of which is connected by a conduit t the tank and is exposed to the compressed air in the tank.
- the differential head between the leg and the chamber exerts pressure on the air trapped in the chamber, the weight of the diaphragm is thus overcome and the air pilot valve closes to shut off flow of compressed air to the back of the discharge valve.
- This reduces the pressure on the discharge valve allowing the emulsion and fluid in the drain pipe under the pressure of the compressed air to pass through the valve and thus be drained from the drain pipe.
- the conduit from the air pilot valve to the discharge valve has a bleeder orifice so that air can bleed therefrom when the supply of compressed air to the discharge valve is shut off to thereby discharge the air in the conduit and permit opening of the discharge valve.
- An equalizing line connects the drain pipe to the tank in which the compressed air is contained to insure that the pressure on each side of the diaphragm will be equalized when the apparatus is placed in operation by opening of a manually operated valve in the drain pipe t permit flow of the condensate and foreign material through the drain pipe to the discharge valve.
- FIGURE 1 is a sectional view through the apparatus of the invention with parts in elevation and the air pilot valve in open position;
- FIG. 2 is a similar view with the air pilot valve in closed position.
- the drawings illustrate the automatic drain apparatus of the invention employed with a tank 1 in which compressed air is stored. As the compressed air is used up and additional air is supplied, moisture and condensate collect in the bottom of tank 1 which it is necessary to discharge to a drain.
- the apparatus of the invention for discharge of the condensate consists of a drain pipe 2 connected by the vertical leg 3 at one end to the tank 1 and at the other end to a drain, not shown, through the balanced discharge valve 4.
- the vertical leg 3 is of relatively large diameter as is the orifice, not shown, in tank 1 with which pipe 2 is connected.
- the discharge valve 4 at the drain end of line 2 has a valve 5 actuated by pressure from compressed air supplied or cut off from behind the diaphragm 6 to effect actuation of the valve to or from valve seat 7.
- the spring 8 is located between the diaphragm 6 and the valve body and normally holds the valve 5 closed.
- the application or release of pressure behind the diaphragm 6 depends upon the build up of condensate in the drain pipe and is effected by means of the opening and closing of the air pilot valve 9.
- the housing of air pilot valve 9 has an outlet 10 which is connected to the back of the diaphragm 6 of discharge valve 4 by conduit 11.
- the inside of valve 9 is separated into an upper chamber 12 and a lower chamber 13 by the weighted diaphragm 14.
- Compressed air is supplied to the upper chamber 12 through inlet 15 of the valve 9 and by means of conduit 16 which is connected to tank 1 at one end and to drain pipe 2 at the other end and intermediately to inlet 15 of valve 9.
- Conduit 16 has a manually operated valve 17 therein between the air pilot valve 9 and tank 1 to control the flow of compressed air through the conduit.
- Conduit 16 also is provided with a check valve 18 located between the air pilot valve 9 and drain pipe 2 to permit flow of compressed air from tank 1 to drain pipe 2 but to check the flow of trapped air from drain pipe 2 to tank 1.
- the compressed air supplied to upper chamber 12 flows through the outlet 10 of valve 9 when the outlet is open and thence through conduit 11 to the back of the diaphragm 6 of discharge valve 4.
- a bleeder valve 19 is provided in conduit 11 so that air may bleed from conduit 11 when outlet 10 of valve 9 is closed by diaphragm 14.
- Diaphragm 14 is tensioned toward the outlet 10 by the backing spring 21 but normally rests in a lowermost position by gravity due to the weight in the diaphragm and in such position outlet 10 is open. When the diaphragm 14 is in its uppermost position, it closes outlet 10 under the tension of spring 21 and abuts the stop 22 as can be observed in FIG. 2.
- the lower chamber 13 of air pilot valve 9 is connected by conduit 23 to the chamber member 24 which contains trapped air, and chamber member 24 is in turn connected to drain pipe 2.
- Member 24 is made of transparent plastic material, or the like, so that if condensate is observed to fill the chamber then this is an indication that the diaphragm 14 of air pilot valve 9 has been ruptured.
- the manual valve 26 in drain pipe 2 is opened and condensate is then free to pass through pipe 2 from tank 1 to discharge valve 4. This results in air being trapped in chamber 24.
- a differential head will be developed between the fluid in leg 3 and chamber member 24.
- Pressure is then exerted on the air trapped in chamber member 24 of a suificient amount to overcome the weight in diaphragm 14 of air pilot valve 9 and the diaphragm 'will then move upwardly as may be observed in FIG. 2 and close outlet and cut off the flow of compressed air to discharge valve 4.
- the air in conduit 11 will bleed out of the bleeder or needle vent valve 19.
- valve 5 of discharge valve 4 can assume a throttling position or go wide open depending upon emulsion thickness, viscosity and consistency of the material discharged.
- the automatic drain apparatus of the invention has been described with respect to removal of condensate and foreign material from tanks in which compressed air is con-fined in an intermittent discharge to substantially eliminate the clogging of the discharge orifice in the tank.
- it has general application in the removal of liquids from a gas supply or gas storage source in which the gas, including compressed air, is located or is flowmg.
- automatic drain apparatus for automatically draining liquid from a gas storage and supply source which has a drain pipe with a vertically extending leg secured to said source to receive the liquid collecting in said source, a discharge valve secured to the drain pipe and disposed to open and close to control the discharge of liquid from the pipe, a first conduit connected to said source and to the drain pipe, a pilot valve connected to the first conduit and having a weighted diaphragm therein separating the pilot valve into two chambers with one of the chambers connected to the first conduit and exposing one side of the diaphragm to the gas carried -by said conduit from said source, a second conduit connecting the other of said chambers to the drain pipe and exposing said other side of the diaphragm to gas trapped in the second conduit by liquid collected in the drain pipe from said source, an outlet in the pilot valve leading from the chamber connected to the first conduit, a third conduit connecting the outlet of the pilot valve to the discharge valve so that the pressure of gas from said source on the discharge valve maintains the discharge valve closed when the outlet of the pilot
Description
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US58422266A | 1966-10-04 | 1966-10-04 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US3429329A true US3429329A (en) | 1969-02-25 |
Family
ID=24336415
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US584222A Expired - Lifetime US3429329A (en) | 1966-10-04 | 1966-10-04 | Drain apparatus for automatically draining condensate |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US3429329A (en) |
Cited By (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3695284A (en) * | 1970-06-18 | 1972-10-03 | Electrolux Ab | Valve structure for controlling flow of liquid into a pneumatic liquid disposal system |
US4222403A (en) * | 1978-10-12 | 1980-09-16 | Fuji Kinzoku Kohsaku Co., Ltd. | Automatic drain exhaust valve |
US4411285A (en) * | 1980-05-20 | 1983-10-25 | Submarine Products Limited | Demand valve |
US5042518A (en) * | 1990-10-25 | 1991-08-27 | Singhe Upenda W | Liquid elimination system for vacuum line |
US5531241A (en) * | 1994-05-23 | 1996-07-02 | Rasmussen; John | Condensate trap and drain for systems under pressure |
US6675795B2 (en) * | 2001-02-12 | 2004-01-13 | Carrier Corporation | Freeze resistant method for draining furnace condensate in low temperature environments |
US20050274414A1 (en) * | 2004-06-10 | 2005-12-15 | Po-Sung Kuo | Drain device for high negative pressure exhaust system |
US20130108971A1 (en) * | 2011-11-01 | 2013-05-02 | Varidigm Corporation | Rooftop high-efficiency gas furnace control with condensate management |
Citations (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2877791A (en) * | 1955-08-15 | 1959-03-17 | Fisher Governor Co | Flexible diaphragm flow control valve |
US2907340A (en) * | 1954-08-06 | 1959-10-06 | Stanley G Harwood | Valve mechanism for diverse fluids |
US2941376A (en) * | 1956-10-17 | 1960-06-21 | Messerli Walter | Devices for the controlled dispensation of a liquefied gas from a pressure container |
US2949925A (en) * | 1958-03-06 | 1960-08-23 | Stewart Warner Corp | Water separator for compressed air lines |
-
1966
- 1966-10-04 US US584222A patent/US3429329A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Patent Citations (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2907340A (en) * | 1954-08-06 | 1959-10-06 | Stanley G Harwood | Valve mechanism for diverse fluids |
US2877791A (en) * | 1955-08-15 | 1959-03-17 | Fisher Governor Co | Flexible diaphragm flow control valve |
US2941376A (en) * | 1956-10-17 | 1960-06-21 | Messerli Walter | Devices for the controlled dispensation of a liquefied gas from a pressure container |
US2949925A (en) * | 1958-03-06 | 1960-08-23 | Stewart Warner Corp | Water separator for compressed air lines |
Cited By (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3695284A (en) * | 1970-06-18 | 1972-10-03 | Electrolux Ab | Valve structure for controlling flow of liquid into a pneumatic liquid disposal system |
US4222403A (en) * | 1978-10-12 | 1980-09-16 | Fuji Kinzoku Kohsaku Co., Ltd. | Automatic drain exhaust valve |
US4411285A (en) * | 1980-05-20 | 1983-10-25 | Submarine Products Limited | Demand valve |
US5042518A (en) * | 1990-10-25 | 1991-08-27 | Singhe Upenda W | Liquid elimination system for vacuum line |
US5531241A (en) * | 1994-05-23 | 1996-07-02 | Rasmussen; John | Condensate trap and drain for systems under pressure |
US6675795B2 (en) * | 2001-02-12 | 2004-01-13 | Carrier Corporation | Freeze resistant method for draining furnace condensate in low temperature environments |
US20050274414A1 (en) * | 2004-06-10 | 2005-12-15 | Po-Sung Kuo | Drain device for high negative pressure exhaust system |
US20130108971A1 (en) * | 2011-11-01 | 2013-05-02 | Varidigm Corporation | Rooftop high-efficiency gas furnace control with condensate management |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: GEOSOURCE INC., HOUSTON, TX., A DE CORP. Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:A.O. SMITH CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:004262/0195 Effective date: 19760116 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY, A DE BANKING CORP Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:SMITH METER, INC.;REEL/FRAME:004281/0318 Effective date: 19840531 Owner name: WADE WILLIAM J. Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:SMITH METER, INC.;REEL/FRAME:004281/0318 Effective date: 19840531 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: SMITH METER INC., A CORP OF DE Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:GEOSOURCE INC., A CORP OF DE;REEL/FRAME:004279/0619 Effective date: 19840601 |