Modular drain pan assembly, with seamless floor, for horizontally positioned dual-pass cooling coils

Abstract

A modular drain pan assembly with one-piece construction, having no seams in the condensate collection area and using multiple small drain pans with drip caps to avoid leakage between individual pans.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A combination modular drain pan assembly and horizontally positioned cooling coil comprising in combination:
 at least one horizontally positioned cooling coil,   a single piece of material formed into an integral seamless assembly of at least two adjacent sloped drain pan modules with seamless floors,   said integral seamless assembly of said at least two adjacent sloped drain pan modules positioned under a substantially horizontally positioned cooling coil,   said integral seamless assembly of said at least two adjacent sloped drain pan modules capturing and routing condensate to drain connections.   
     
     
         2 . The combination modular drain pan assembly and horizontally positioned cooling coil as in  claim 1  further comprising:
 a respective drip umbrella provided between each said adjacent sloped drain pan modules to prevent water leakage between each said respective adjacent sloped drain pan module of said at least two adjacent sloped drain pan modules. 
 
     
     
         3 . The combination modular drain pan assembly and horizontally positioned cooling coil as in  claim 2  wherein each said respective drip umbrella has an upside-down “V” cross section bridging the top edges of said adjacent drain pan modules of said at least two adjacent sloped drain pan modules. 
     
     
         4 . The combination modular drain pan assembly and horizontally positioned cooling coil as in  claim 2  wherein each respective drain pan module has a width which is proportionately a portion of a predetermined width of said substantially horizontally positioned cooling coil. 
     
     
         5 . The combination modular drain pan assembly and horizontally positioned cooling coil as in  claim 4  wherein said integral seamless assembly of at least two adjacent sloped drain pan modules with seamless floors is made of metal bent to form said at least two adjacent sloped drain pan modules. 
     
     
         6 . The combination modular drain pan assembly and horizontally positioned cooling coil as in  claim 4  wherein said integral seamless assembly of at least two adjacent sloped drain pan modules with seamless floors is made of plastic. 
     
     
         7 . The combination modular drain pan assembly and horizontally positioned cooling coil as in  claim 6  wherein said plastic integral seamless assembly of at least two adjacent sloped drain pan modules with seamless floors is made of a molded plastic resin. 
     
     
         8 . The combination modular drain pan assembly and horizontally positioned cooling coil as in  claim 6  wherein said plastic integral seamless assembly of at least two adjacent sloped drain pan modules with seamless floors is made of a vacuum formed plastic resin. 
     
     
         9 . The modular drain pan assembly as in  claim 1  wherein said at least one horizontally positioned cooling coil is a plurality of horizontally positioned cooling coils. 
     
     
         10 . The combination modular drain pan assembly and horizontally positioned cooling coil as in  claim 1  further comprising at least one heat exchanger positioned above said at least one horizontally positioned cooling coil. 
     
     
         11 . The combination modular drain pan assembly and horizontally positioned cooling coil as in  claim 10  further comprising a manifold having respective air inlet and outlet regions, said manifold positioned above said at least one heat exchanger for introduction of said inlet air therein and for expelling said outlet air therefrom, after said inlet air communicates with said at least one cooling coil and said air reversal plenum prior to said inlet air becoming said outlet air by then traversing said cooling coil, said at least one heat exchanger and said manifold. 
     
     
         12 . The combination modular drain pan assembly and horizontally positioned cooling coil as in  claim 10  wherein said at least one heat exchanger is a plate type heat exchanger. 
     
     
         13 . The combination modular drain pan assembly and horizontally positioned cooling coil as in  claim 10  wherein said at least one heat exchanger is a heat pipe heat exchanger. 
     
     
         14 . The combination modular drain pan assembly and horizontally positioned cooling coil as in  claim 1  wherein said housing is a pre-assembled housing having at least one recess for insertion of said at least one horizontal cooling coil therein. 
     
     
         15 . The combination modular drain pan assembly and horizontally positioned cooling coil as in  claim 14  wherein each said horizontal cooling coil is slidably insertable upon side angle profile supports within said recess of said pre-assembled housing. 
     
     
         16 . The combination modular drain pan assembly and horizontally positioned cooling coil as in  claim 15  further comprising said horizontal cooling coil being retained by a plurality of baffles and opposite end plates accommodating said slidably insertable horizontal cooling coil therein; wherein further said end plates and said baffles each having at least one elastomeric seal sealing said end plates and said baffles to an interior surface of said recess of said pre-assembled housing accommodating said insertable horizontal cooling coil therein, whereby said insertable horizontal cooling coil is slidably removable from said recess of said pre-assembled housing for repair or maintenance thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The combination modular drain pan assembly and horizontally positioned cooling coil as in  claim 11  wherein said manifold is triangular in crossection, wherein the apex of said triangular cross sectional manifold extends axially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said at least one cooling coil; said manifold having a series of inlet plenums for inlet of said incoming air stream, said inlet apertures adjacent to a series of outlet plenums , each said inlet plenum and said outlet plenum being triangular in crossection and having an apex extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of said at least one cooling coil, said at least one cooling coil having a coolant manifold extending horizontal and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said at least one cooling coil. 
     
     
         18 . The combination modular drain pan assembly and horizontally positioned cooling coil as in  claim 12  wherein said at least one plate type heat exchanger is a plurality of plate type heat exchangers. 
     
     
         19 . The combination modular drain pan assembly and horizontally positioned cooling coil as in  claim 12  wherein said plate type heat exchanger is a cross flow plate type heat exchanger, comprising a heat exchange body having a diamond shaped crossection, said cross flow plate type heat exchanger heat exchanger having a longitudinal axis extending horizontally and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said cooling coils, each said cooling coil having at least one drain pan thereunder. 
     
     
         20 . The combination modular drain pan assembly and horizontally positioned cooling coil in  claim 13  wherein said at least one heat pipe heat exchanger is a plurality of heat pipe heat exchangers. 
     
     
         21 . The combination modular drain pan assembly and horizontally positioned cooling coil as in  claim 16  wherein said at least one elastomeric seal is a plurality of seals providing a sealed fit for each said cooling coil in a variable dimension region between a top of each said cooling coil and a bottom of a respective heat exchange area above each said cooling coil. 
     
     
         22 . The combination modular drain pan assembly and horizontally positioned cooling coil as in  claim 21  wherein each said variable dimension region has a height taller than a height of each respective seal, wherein when each said cooling coil is inserted above a respective coil support, said respective cooling coil is raised by said respective coil support to provide a tight fit for said respective seal between said top of said respective cooling coil and said bottom of said respective heat exchange area.