Condensate management system for an air conditioner appliance

Abstract

An air conditioner unit includes a bulkhead mounted within a cabinet to define an indoor portion and an outdoor portion, an indoor heat exchanger positioned within the indoor portion, an outdoor heat exchanger positioned within the outdoor portion, a condensate collection reservoir positioned under the outdoor heat exchanger for collecting condensate that drips off the outdoor heat exchanger, and a pump fluidly coupled to the condensate collection reservoir for selectively pumping the condensate out of the condensate collection reservoir.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air conditioner unit defining a vertical, a lateral, and a transverse direction, the air conditioner unit comprising:
 a bulkhead mounted within a cabinet to define an indoor portion and an outdoor portion;   an indoor heat exchanger positioned within the indoor portion;   an outdoor heat exchanger positioned within the outdoor portion;   a condensate collection reservoir positioned under the outdoor heat exchanger for collecting condensate that drips off the outdoor heat exchanger; and   a pump fluidly coupled to the condensate collection reservoir for selectively pumping the condensate out of the condensate collection reservoir.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein the pump is placed inside the condensate collection reservoir. 
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein the pump comprises an intake conduit positioned within the condensate collection reservoir and a discharge conduit for discharging the condensate. 
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 3 , further comprising a base pan, wherein the discharge conduit extends out of the base pan. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 3 , wherein the discharge conduit directs the condensate onto the indoor heat exchanger. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein the pump comprises a heater for heating the condensate drawn from the condensate collection reservoir. 
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 6 , wherein the heater is thermally coupled to an intake conduit of the pump. 
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 6 , further comprising an ambient temperature sensor and a controller configured to:
 obtain an ambient temperature using the ambient temperature sensor;   determine that the ambient temperature falls below a predetermined temperature threshold; and   activate the heater while operating the pump in response to determining that the ambient temperature falls below the predetermined temperature threshold.   
     
     
         9 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 8 , wherein the predetermined temperature threshold is 32° F. 
     
     
         10 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein the pump is a hot water recirculating pump. 
     
     
         11 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , further comprising a base pan, wherein the condensate collection reservoir is defined by the base pan. 
     
     
         12 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 11 , wherein the base pan defines one or more pan holes, and wherein the pump discharges the condensate through the one or more pan holes. 
     
     
         13 . A condensate management system for an air conditioner unit, the air conditioner unit comprising a bulkhead mounted within a cabinet to define an indoor portion and an outdoor portion, an indoor heat exchanger positioned within the indoor portion, and an outdoor heat exchanger positioned within the outdoor portion, the condensate management system comprising:
 a condensate collection reservoir positioned under the outdoor heat exchanger for collecting condensate that drips off the outdoor heat exchanger; and   a pump fluidly coupled to the condensate collection reservoir for selectively pumping the condensate out of the condensate collection reservoir.   
     
     
         14 . The condensate management system of  claim 13 , wherein the pump is placed inside the condensate collection reservoir. 
     
     
         15 . The condensate management system of  claim 13 , wherein the pump comprises an intake conduit positioned within the condensate collection reservoir and a discharge conduit for discharging the condensate. 
     
     
         16 . The condensate management system of  claim 15 , further comprising a base pan, wherein the discharge conduit extends out of or onto the indoor heat exchanger. 
     
     
         17 . The condensate management system of  claim 13 , wherein the pump comprises a heater for heating the condensate drawn from the condensate collection reservoir. 
     
     
         18 . The condensate management system of  claim 17 , wherein the heater is thermally coupled to an intake conduit of the pump. 
     
     
         19 . The condensate management system of  claim 17 , further comprising an ambient temperature sensor and a controller configured to:
 obtain an ambient temperature using the ambient temperature sensor;   determine that the ambient temperature falls below a predetermined temperature threshold; and   activate the heater while operating the pump in response to determining that the ambient temperature falls below the predetermined temperature threshold.   
     
     
         20 . The condensate management system of  claim 19 , wherein the predetermined temperature threshold is 32° F.