US 12,228,328 B2
Refrigerated device with enhanced condensate evaporation
Steven T. Jackson, Fort Worth, TX (US); Austin M. Bieri, Burleson, TX (US); Henry L. Nguyen, Haltom City, TX (US); and Joseph F. Sanders, North Richland Hills, TX (US)
Assigned to ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC., Glenview, IL (US)
Filed by ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC., Glenview, IL (US)
Filed on Sep. 21, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/480,479.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/082,687, filed on Sep. 24, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0090842 A1, Mar. 24, 2022
Int. Cl. F25D 21/14 (2006.01)
CPC F25D 21/14 (2013.01) [F25D 2321/1412 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A refrigerated device, comprising:
a compartment including an access door;
a refrigeration circuit for cooling the compartment, the refrigeration circuit including an evaporator coil with an associated evaporator fan and a condenser with an associated condenser fan;
a condensate pan for capturing condensate from the evaporator coil;
wherein the condensate pan is part of a condenser unit that includes the condenser and the condenser fan, with the condensate pan locate below a floor of the condenser unit;
wherein the floor includes at least one air flow opening to the condensate pan on a pressure side of the condenser fan and at least one air flow opening to the condensate pan on a suction side of the condenser fan, wherein the at least one air flow opening on the suction side of the condenser fan is located along a space between the condenser and the condenser fan, wherein, during operation of the condenser fan, at least some air that enters the condensate pan via the at least one air flow opening on the pressure side of the condenser fan flows along the condensate pan and leaves the condensate pan, to enter the space between the condenser and the condensate pan, via the at least one air flow opening on the suction side of the condenser fan;
wherein the condenser unit further includes an air flow diverter on the pressure side of the condenser fan for directing air downward toward the at least one air flow opening on the pressure side of the fan;
wherein the condenser unit further includes both a hot gas loop in the condensate pan for heating condensate and a supplemental heater in the condensate pan for heating condensate.