Anti-Condensate Pans for HVAC Units

Eliminate air conditioner condensate where no drain line is available

Application

Well-designed HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems include one or more condensate drain pans. Air conditioning units are designed to take warm air from inside a building andmake it cooler. Warm humid air entering the system has moisture that will be removed as part of the heat transfer process. During operation, evaporator coils in the air conditioner become cold and absorb heat from the air, making it cooler. Condensate forms on the coils as the cool, dry air exits the system returns to the home or office. A condensate pan is located
under the coils to catch condensate as it falls. Air conditioners may also have an automatic defrost cycle to intermittently heat the coils, preventing the condensate from forming ice.

Standard drain pans have a hole in a low point of the pan to allow water to escape. These must be in readily accessible areas where they can be inspected. If the drain in the pan becomes clogged or if there is damage to the pan, water does not drain as intended. Instead, it can cause damage to roofs, floors, walls, or personal property. Standard drain pans cannot be used on indoor units without access to plumbing, or portable units where permanent drain connections are not possible. Because drain pans are required, a solution must be utilized for systems where plumbing/drains are not available.

Solution

BriskHeat’s Evapoway™ Electric Condensate Evaporator Pans are designed to be used on systems where permanent drain lines from a pan may not be practical. When condensate from air conditioner evaporator coils fall into an Evapoway™ pan, it does not drain, but is evaporated by a heating element in the pan. The original Evapoway™ pan features high-wattage tubular heating elements available up to 3000 watts. It has high-limit safety, float switch operation, and should be used in non-low-point refrigeration applications. The PTC-style anti-condensate pan takes advantage of new positive thermal coefficient technology that can reliably supply wattage at a lower level suitable for low flash point refrigerants. Once condensate water is introduced to the heating element, wattage will be provided at the nominal value as the resistance is self-regulated to a lower value resulting in a lower sheath temperature.

A variety of sizes are available as replacements in older equipment. Different heating elements are available to match the voltage and evaporation rate required for a system. The evaporators are durable and reliable because they are made from the highest quality components, including NSF certified pans constructed of 22- gauge stainless steel. This product line has successfully passed rigorous testing and is UL recognized in the United States and Canada.