Splash guard with fastener-free attachment for multi-poise furnace coils

Abstract

Condensate formed on a horizontally oriented multi-poise evaporator coil is directed to a condensate pan located under a bottom coil slab using a splash guard having a top member configured to be attachable to a back end of the bottom coil slab and a guard member configured to be attachable to a side of the bottom coil slab.

1 . A splash guard configured to be attachable to a bottom coil slab of a horizontally oriented A-frame evaporator coil for catching and directing a condensate to a condensate pan, the splash guard comprising: 
 a top member configured to be attachable to a back end of the bottom coil slab;    a guard member configured to be attachable to a side of the bottom coil slab, the guard member comprising: 
 a bottom portion having a first end and a second end, wherein the bottom portion is connected to the top member at the first end of the bottom portion;  
 a first side wall extending from the bottom portion; and  
 a second side wall extending from the bottom portion.  
   
   
   
       2 . The splash guard of  claim 1  wherein the first side wall includes a slit configured to engage with a tube sheet attached to the bottom coil slab.  
   
   
       3 . The splash guard of  claim 1  wherein the first side wall includes a tab configured to be received in a notch on a tube sheet attached to the bottom coil slab.  
   
   
       4 . The splash guard of  claim 1  wherein the guard member includes an extension at a second end of the bottom portion, wherein the extension is configured to be attachable to a wire.  
   
   
       5 . The splash guard of  claim 1  wherein the top member includes at least one slot configured to receive a tab formed on a tube sheet attached to the bottom coil slab.  
   
   
       6 . The splash guard of  claim 5  wherein the splash guard is configured to be attachable to a two-row coil slab or a three-row coil slab.  
   
   
       7 . The splash guard of  claim 5  wherein the top member is configured to attach to a bottom portion of an air seal attached across a back end of a top coil slab and the back end of the bottom coil slab.  
   
   
       8 . The splash guard of  claim 7  wherein the at least one slot on the top member is configured to align with a slot on the bottom portion of the air seal, and the tab formed on the tube sheet is configured to pass through both the slot on the bottom portion of the air seal and the slot on the top member to secure the splash guard to the evaporator coil.  
   
   
       9 . A system for disposing of a condensate formed on an evaporator coil, the system comprising: 
 a multi-poise evaporator coil configurable horizontally, the evaporator coil comprising a top coil slab and a bottom coil slab;    a condensate pan located under the bottom coil slab; and    a splash guard attached to a side of the bottom coil slab for catching the condensate formed on the top coil slab and directing the condensate to the condensate pan.    
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9  further comprising a splitter positioned between the top coil slab and the bottom coil slab for catching the condensate formed on the top coil slab and directing the condensate to a first end or a second end of the splitter, and then through the bottom coil slab onto the splash guard.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 9  further comprising an air seal having a top portion and a bottom portion, wherein the top portion is configured to attach across an end of the top coil slab, and the bottom portion is configured to attach across an end of the bottom coil slab.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11  further comprising: 
 a first gasket located between the top portion of the air seal and the end of the top coil slab; and    a second gasket located between the bottom portion of the air seal and the end of the bottom coil slab.    
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 9  further comprising: 
 a wire having a first end coupled to the splash guard and a second end coupled to the condensate pan.    
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 9  further comprising: 
 a second splash guard positioned on a second side of the bottom coil slab.    
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14  further comprising: 
 a second wire having a first end coupled to the second splash guard and a second end coupled to the condensate pan.    
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the splash guard comprises: 
 a top member attached to a back end of the bottom coil slab;    a bottom member having a first end and a second end, wherein the bottom member is connected to the top member at the first end;    a first side wall extending from the bottom member, the first side wall attached to a tube sheet on the bottom coil slab; and    a second side wall extending from the bottom member.    
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the first side wall includes a slit configured to attach the first side wall to the tube sheet of the bottom coil slab.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the first side wall includes a tab configured to be received into a notch on the tube sheet of the bottom coil slab.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the top member is attached to a bottom portion of an air seal.  
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 19  wherein the top member includes a slot configured to align with a slot on the bottom portion of the air seal, and a tab on the tube sheet of the bottom coil slab is configured to be received through both the slot on the bottom portion of the air seal and the slot on the top member of the splash guard.