GE RAG6 Manuel De Montage
32
Condensate Disposal Systems
Cooling Condensate
Air conditioners produce condensate water as a result of
lowering the humidity of the area being conditioned. When
the indoor coil temperature is below the dew point, moisture
in the air condenses into water droplets on the coil. This
water drains to a pan located under the indoor coil and is
routed through the barrier, the sheet metal separating the
indoor and outdoor sides of the unit, to the base pan on the
outdoor side. It is then picked up and dispersed against the
outdoor coil, which is hot when the unit is in the air
conditioning mode. The water is evaporated into the
atmosphere by contact with the hot outdoor coil. This
evaporation process also helps lower the temperature of the
outdoor coil and improves the operating efficiency of the
unit.
Slinger Ring Systems
Packaged Terminal units employ various means of
dispersing the condensate water against the outdoor coil.
One of the most popular, and most effective, means is by the
use of a “slinger ring”. A “slinger ring” is a ring around the
circumference of the outdoor fan. The design of the unit
positions the slinger ring very close to the bottom of the base
pan so water in the base pan is lifted by the rotating ring.
Water picked up by the slinger ring will be dispersed into the
air stream and deposited on the hot outdoor coil where it
evaporates.
All Zoneline Series Packaged Terminal Air Conditioners
and Packaged Terminal Heat Pumps utilize a slinger ring
for cooling condensate disposal.
Certification Test Requirements
ARI requires that all certified Packaged Terminal Air
Conditioners and Packaged Terminal Heat Pumps pass a
cooling condensate disposal test. One stipulation of the ARI
test is that “the test start with condensate collection pan
brimful”. In order to pass the ARI Condensate Disposal Test
the unit must operate continuously for four hours without
condensed water blowing, dripping, or running off the unit
casing during the test or after the unit has been turned off.
Under extremely high outdoor humidity conditions or
extreme operating conditions, such as exceptionally high air
infiltration (a door or window left open while the unit is
running, for instance) it is possible for any air conditioner
to be unable to dissipate all the cooling condensate
generated.
All Zoneline Series Packaged Terminal Air Conditioners
and Packaged Terminal Heat Pumps meet the condensate
disposal requirements of ARI standards 310-90 and 380-90.
Heat Pump Condensate
During the operation of a unit in the heat pump, or “reverse
cycle”, mode the outdoor coil becomes the cold coil and the
indoor coil becomes the hot coil due to reversing the flow of
the refrigerant. When the temperature of the outdoor coil is
below the dew point, condensation will form on the outdoor
coil just as it does on the indoor coil during cooling
operation. Since the dew point is humidity as well as
temperature related, there may be more condensate on days
when the relative humidity is high.
Heat Pump Condensate Disposal
Since the outdoor coil is cold during heat pump operation,
the condensate water cannot be deposited on the outdoor
coil as the water would cause frost to form on the coil. This
frost would block the air flow through the coil and greatly
diminish the ability of the heat pump to extract heat from
Air conditioners produce condensate water as a result of
lowering the humidity of the area being conditioned. When
the indoor coil temperature is below the dew point, moisture
in the air condenses into water droplets on the coil. This
water drains to a pan located under the indoor coil and is
routed through the barrier, the sheet metal separating the
indoor and outdoor sides of the unit, to the base pan on the
outdoor side. It is then picked up and dispersed against the
outdoor coil, which is hot when the unit is in the air
conditioning mode. The water is evaporated into the
atmosphere by contact with the hot outdoor coil. This
evaporation process also helps lower the temperature of the
outdoor coil and improves the operating efficiency of the
unit.
Slinger Ring Systems
Packaged Terminal units employ various means of
dispersing the condensate water against the outdoor coil.
One of the most popular, and most effective, means is by the
use of a “slinger ring”. A “slinger ring” is a ring around the
circumference of the outdoor fan. The design of the unit
positions the slinger ring very close to the bottom of the base
pan so water in the base pan is lifted by the rotating ring.
Water picked up by the slinger ring will be dispersed into the
air stream and deposited on the hot outdoor coil where it
evaporates.
All Zoneline Series Packaged Terminal Air Conditioners
and Packaged Terminal Heat Pumps utilize a slinger ring
for cooling condensate disposal.
Certification Test Requirements
ARI requires that all certified Packaged Terminal Air
Conditioners and Packaged Terminal Heat Pumps pass a
cooling condensate disposal test. One stipulation of the ARI
test is that “the test start with condensate collection pan
brimful”. In order to pass the ARI Condensate Disposal Test
the unit must operate continuously for four hours without
condensed water blowing, dripping, or running off the unit
casing during the test or after the unit has been turned off.
Under extremely high outdoor humidity conditions or
extreme operating conditions, such as exceptionally high air
infiltration (a door or window left open while the unit is
running, for instance) it is possible for any air conditioner
to be unable to dissipate all the cooling condensate
generated.
All Zoneline Series Packaged Terminal Air Conditioners
and Packaged Terminal Heat Pumps meet the condensate
disposal requirements of ARI standards 310-90 and 380-90.
Heat Pump Condensate
During the operation of a unit in the heat pump, or “reverse
cycle”, mode the outdoor coil becomes the cold coil and the
indoor coil becomes the hot coil due to reversing the flow of
the refrigerant. When the temperature of the outdoor coil is
below the dew point, condensation will form on the outdoor
coil just as it does on the indoor coil during cooling
operation. Since the dew point is humidity as well as
temperature related, there may be more condensate on days
when the relative humidity is high.
Heat Pump Condensate Disposal
Since the outdoor coil is cold during heat pump operation,
the condensate water cannot be deposited on the outdoor
coil as the water would cause frost to form on the coil. This
frost would block the air flow through the coil and greatly
diminish the ability of the heat pump to extract heat from
the outdoor air. Rather than allow this problem to occur
heat pump units must dispose of the condensate in another
manner.
Temperature Activated Drain Valve
The most widely used method of disposing of heat pump
condensate is with a “Temperature Activated Drain Valve”.
This is a device mounted in the base pan of a heat pump
unit with a bellows that expands on temperature rise and
contracts with temperature drop. A shaft with a rubber plug
on the end is connected to the bellows. When the outdoor
temperature remains above a certain temperature, the
bellows is expanded and the plug fits tightly into a hole in
the bottom, or base pan, of the unit. When the plug is
blocking the hole, as it should be during cooling operation,
the condensate water is contained in the base pan. At
temperatures when heating is required, the bellows
contracts, the rubber plug is retracted from the hole and the
heat pump condensate water is allowed to drain into the
wall case. The valve is fully open at 49°F.
Drain Kits
Although the Zoneline units are designed to dissipate all of
the condensate generated during normal cooling operation
there may be times when abnormal operating conditions
cause more condensate than the unit can dissipate. Heat
pumps also generate condensate that the unit may not be
designed to dissipate. For these reasons, if condensate
dripping from the wall case is objectionable, an internal or
external drain system should be installed. See pages 33 and
34 for information covering the drain systems and the
RAD10 kit available to connect to the wall case.
Internal Condensate Removal (ICR) System
GE has developed an Internal Condensate Removal (ICR)
System for Packaged Terminal Heat Pumps. This system has
been offered as an option on Zoneline Packaged Terminal
Heat Pumps since 1982, and thousands of them are in use.
During heat pump operation the ICR system utilizes a small
pump to lift the water from the base pan and pump it into a
collector tray positioned above the indoor coil. The water
drains from the collector tray and drips onto the warm
indoor coil where it is evaporated into the room atmosphere.
If an excess amount of water is pumped to the indoor side, it
is routed back to the outdoor portion of the base pan.
The ICR system has proven to be an effective means of
minimizing the amount of heat pump condensate dripping
from the unit. However, if the restrictions of a particular
installation will allow absolutely no drippage of condensate
water from the wall case, the installation of an internal or
external drain system is recommended.
Units with ICR may not be installed in seacoast or corrosive
environment applications.
heat pump units must dispose of the condensate in another
manner.
Temperature Activated Drain Valve
The most widely used method of disposing of heat pump
condensate is with a “Temperature Activated Drain Valve”.
This is a device mounted in the base pan of a heat pump
unit with a bellows that expands on temperature rise and
contracts with temperature drop. A shaft with a rubber plug
on the end is connected to the bellows. When the outdoor
temperature remains above a certain temperature, the
bellows is expanded and the plug fits tightly into a hole in
the bottom, or base pan, of the unit. When the plug is
blocking the hole, as it should be during cooling operation,
the condensate water is contained in the base pan. At
temperatures when heating is required, the bellows
contracts, the rubber plug is retracted from the hole and the
heat pump condensate water is allowed to drain into the
wall case. The valve is fully open at 49°F.
Drain Kits
Although the Zoneline units are designed to dissipate all of
the condensate generated during normal cooling operation
there may be times when abnormal operating conditions
cause more condensate than the unit can dissipate. Heat
pumps also generate condensate that the unit may not be
designed to dissipate. For these reasons, if condensate
dripping from the wall case is objectionable, an internal or
external drain system should be installed. See pages 33 and
34 for information covering the drain systems and the
RAD10 kit available to connect to the wall case.
Internal Condensate Removal (ICR) System
GE has developed an Internal Condensate Removal (ICR)
System for Packaged Terminal Heat Pumps. This system has
been offered as an option on Zoneline Packaged Terminal
Heat Pumps since 1982, and thousands of them are in use.
During heat pump operation the ICR system utilizes a small
pump to lift the water from the base pan and pump it into a
collector tray positioned above the indoor coil. The water
drains from the collector tray and drips onto the warm
indoor coil where it is evaporated into the room atmosphere.
If an excess amount of water is pumped to the indoor side, it
is routed back to the outdoor portion of the base pan.
The ICR system has proven to be an effective means of
minimizing the amount of heat pump condensate dripping
from the unit. However, if the restrictions of a particular
installation will allow absolutely no drippage of condensate
water from the wall case, the installation of an internal or
external drain system is recommended.
Units with ICR may not be installed in seacoast or corrosive
environment applications.