Patent Description:
To heat heating water of a boiler, a burner that is a heat source exchanges heat with the heating water by heating air. Exhaust gas produced as a result is condensed as a temperature thereof decreases, and a phase of the exhaust gas may be changed into a form of condensate.

The condensate is generally acidic due to components of the exhaust gas, and expedites corrosion of components of the boiler when it is continuously preserved in an interior the boiler. Accordingly, it is necessary to discharge the condensate in an appropriate method.

Meanwhile, while the condensate is discharged in the method, the exhaust gas that has not been condensed but is left in a gaseous state also may be discharged together with the condensate. However, unlike the condensate, because the exhaust gas is diffused into the air while being discharged, it causes serious environmental contamination, and may cause carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide when it is introduced into the interior, and thus may influence the safety of residential environments and life spaces.

Accordingly, to discharge the condensate but not to discharge the exhaust gas, various trap apparatuses have been used in the field of boilers. <CIT> and <CIT> disclose condensate trap apparatuses using ball.

The present disclosure has been made in an effort to solve the above-mentioned problems, and provides a condensate trap apparatus that discharges condensate but does not discharge exhaust gas, and a buoyant body therefor.

According to the invention, a condensate trap apparatus includes an inlet, through which condensate is introduced, a storage space, in which the condensate introduced from the inlet is stored, a discharge part including an outlet that discharges the stored condensate from the storage space, and a buoyant body including a closed part formed to be convex toward a vertically lower side such that the buoyant body is seated on the discharge part to close the outlet, and a columnar support part extending vertically upwards from the closed part. The discharge part further includes an annular discharge packing surrounding the outlet, extending from an edge of the outlet to be inclined toward a radial outside of the outlet and a vertically upper side such that an outer surface of the buoyant body contacts the discharge packing when the buoyant body is seated on the discharge part to close the outlet. The discharge packing has a dual structure including an annular first contact part disposed on an outermost side with respect to a radial direction of the outlet and contacting the closed part and an annular second contact part located to be spaced apart from the first contact part inwards, and contacting the closed part.

According an embodiment, a buoyant body seated on a discharge part including an outlet configured such that condensate stored in a storage space is discharged from the storage space includes a closed part formed to be convex toward a vertically lower side to be seated on the discharge part to close the outlet, and having a shape of a portion of a sphere, a columnar support part extending from the closed part to a vertically upper side, and having an outer surface that is continuous to an outer surface of the closed part, and a head part disposed at an end of the support part and formed to be convex toward a vertically upper side.

Accordingly, the buoyant body may float better in the condensate, and may discharge the condensate smoothly.

Because the buoyant body floats stably, whereby the buoyant body may be prevented from turning over while an operation of the buoyant body is repeated.

Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the exemplary drawings. Throughout the specification, it is noted that the same or like reference numerals denote the same or like components even though they are provided in different drawings. Further, in the following description of the present disclosure, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it may make the subject matter of the present disclosure rather unclear.

In addition, terms, such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b) or the like may be used herein when describing components of the present disclosure. The terms are provided only to distinguish the components from other components, and the essences, sequences, orders, and the like of the components are not limited by the terms. When it is described that one element is connected, coupled, or electrically connected to another element, the element may be directly connected or coupled to the other element, but a third element may be connected, coupled, or electrically connected between the elements.

To adjust discharge of condensate, a trap apparatus in a scheme of discharging the condensate only when an outlet blocked by a buoyant body is opened after the condensate passes through a membrane may be considered. In the trap apparatus, when the condensate floats to a specific water level or more, the buoyant body is spaced apart from the outlet to open the outlet so that the condensate is discharged.

However, a pressure in an interior of a body of the trap apparatus increases due to a structure thereof as the trap apparatus is used, and the trap apparatus may be consistently used smoothly only when the pressure is solved by a bypass line.

Hereinafter, a structure of a condensate trap apparatus <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure capable of solving the problems will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<FIG> is a perspective view of the condensate trap apparatus <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. <FIG> is a longitudinal view of the condensate trap apparatus <NUM> according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. <FIG> is an exploded view of the condensate trap apparatus <NUM> according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, the condensate trap apparatus <NUM> according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may include an inlet <NUM>, a storage space <NUM>, a discharge part <NUM>, and a buoyant body <NUM>, and may further include a cover <NUM>. A plate-shaped cover <NUM> is covered on a case <NUM> of the discharge part <NUM> that functions as an outer wall that surrounds overall elements to constitute an integral housing, and other elements may be accommodated in an interior thereof. A groove may be formed at a circumference of an upper end of the case <NUM>, and an annular case packing <NUM> may be inserted into the groove. The case packing <NUM> has a wing structure, and seals an interior of the case <NUM> when the cover <NUM> is covered.

In the embodiment of the present disclosure, it is expressed that the case <NUM> has a three-dimensional shape as if substantially two rectangular parallelepipeds were stuck to each other, but the shape is not limited thereto. In the specification, a vertical direction refers to a height direction of the case <NUM> illustrated in the drawings. That is, the case <NUM> may have a shape that is opened in the vertical direction, and the cover <NUM> may be coupled to an opened portion of the case <NUM> along the vertical direction to cover the opened portion. A horizontal direction refers to a direction that is perpendicular to the vertical direction.

The inlet <NUM> is an opening, through which the condensate produced by the boiler is introduced, and may be formed at a location, at which an introduction pipeline and the cover <NUM> are connected to each other, and communicates an interior of the introduction pipeline and the storage space <NUM>. The introduction pipeline is a pipeline configured such that the condensate obtained when exhaust gas of the boiler is condensed in an interior thereof flows therethrough. The condensate that flows in the introduction pipeline is delivered to the storage space <NUM> through the inlet <NUM>. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, it is illustrated that the inlet <NUM> is formed in the vertical direction while passing through a portion of the cover <NUM>, but a location of the inlet <NUM> is not limited thereto.

The storage space <NUM> is a space that accommodates the condensate introduced from the inlet <NUM>. As the condensate is continuously introduced into the storage space <NUM>, a level of the condensate in the storage space <NUM> may become gradually higher.

The condensate trap apparatus <NUM> according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may further include the separation preventing wall <NUM> that defines the storage space <NUM>. The separation preventing wall <NUM> is a partition wall that surrounds the buoyant body <NUM> and of which at least a portion of an inner surface is spaced apart from an outer surface of the buoyant body <NUM>, and extends along the vertical direction and vertically upper and lower sides may be opened. The separation preventing wall <NUM> may have a uniform height in the vertical direction such that an inside and an outside of the separation preventing wall <NUM> are not communicated with each other along the horizontal direction that is perpendicular to the vertical direction that is a direction, in which an outlet <NUM> is opened.

To provide the shape, the separation preventing wall <NUM> may have a tubular side wall <NUM>. Because the side wall <NUM> surrounds the buoyant body <NUM>, the buoyant body <NUM> may elevate due to a buoyant force of the condensate in the vertical direction, but a location of the buoyant body <NUM> is restricted by the separation preventing wall <NUM> such that the buoyant body <NUM> is not separated in another direction that is not parallel to the vertical direction.

A lower wall <NUM> may be disposed on a lower side of the side wall <NUM> of the separation preventing wall <NUM>. The lower wall <NUM> includes a low wall opening that is opened in the vertical direction such that a discharge packing <NUM> surrounding the outlet <NUM> is inserted thereinto.

A fixing boss <NUM> may be formed in the separation preventing wall <NUM>, and may be coupled to a fixing recess <NUM> formed at a portion of an inner surface of the case <NUM>. As the fixing boss <NUM> and the fixing recess <NUM> are coupled to each other, a relative location of the separation preventing wall <NUM> and the case <NUM> may be fixed. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, it is illustrated that the fixing boss <NUM> protrudes from a lower side of the separation preventing wall <NUM> toward a vertically lower side and is coupled to the fixing recess <NUM> formed on, among inner surfaces of the case <NUM>, a surface located on a lower side, but a location and a structure thereof are not limited thereto. For example, the fixing boss may be formed in the case <NUM> and the fixing recess may be formed in the separation preventing wall <NUM> to perform the same function.

The separation preventing wall <NUM> is fixed by the fixing boss <NUM> and the fixing recess <NUM> while an outer surface of the separation preventing wall <NUM> and an inner surface of the case <NUM> are spaced apart from each other. A first discharge space <NUM> that is a space formed between the outer surface of the separation preventing wall <NUM> and the inner surface of the case <NUM> will be described below in detail in a description of a trap structure of the discharge part <NUM>.

Because the cover <NUM> is covered, the storage space <NUM> may be a space defined by the side wall <NUM> and the lower wall <NUM> of the separation preventing wall <NUM>, and the cover <NUM>. In this situation, to maintain waterproofness of a border of the side wall <NUM> and the cover <NUM>, the condensate trap apparatus <NUM> according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a prevention wall packing <NUM>.

The annular prevention wall packing <NUM> may be disposed on a vertically upper side of the side wall <NUM> of the separation preventing wall <NUM>. The prevention wall packing <NUM> is disposed to prevent the condensate from overflowing to another location of the interior of the condensate trap apparatus <NUM> as the condensate that is more than an accommodation capacity of the interior space is introduced when the cover <NUM> covers the separation preventing wall <NUM>. Accordingly, when the cover <NUM> is covered, the flexible prevention wall packing <NUM> is disposed between the separation preventing wall <NUM> and the cover <NUM>, whereby materials are prevented from being introduced and discharged through an aperture between the separation preventing wall <NUM> and the cover <NUM>.

For the operation, the prevention wall packing <NUM> includes an annular part <NUM> inserted into an annular groove formed at an upper end of the side wall <NUM>, and a wing part <NUM> protruding from the annular part <NUM> to a radially inner side and a vertically upper side. When being covered by the cover <NUM>, the wing part <NUM> is elastically deformed to block the above-described aperture while contacting a lower surface of the cover <NUM>.

Because the waterproofness may be maintained even though the separation preventing wall <NUM> and the cover <NUM> are not firmly coupled to each other at the border thereof as the prevention wall packing <NUM> is disposed, a coupling member such as a screw for coupling the corresponding part when the condensate trap apparatus <NUM> is assembled may not be necessary.

The buoyant body <NUM> is an element that may close the outlet <NUM> when it is seated on the discharge part <NUM> or open the outlet <NUM> when it is spaced apart from the discharge part <NUM> while floating in the condensate. The buoyant body <NUM> includes a closed part <NUM>, a support part <NUM>, and a head part <NUM>, and may be formed in a shape of an acorn. Although a spherical buoyant body may be considered, the buoyant body of the shape occupies a small volume in the storage space <NUM> and thus a buoyant force applied by the condensate is small, so that the buoyant body may not float smoothly when a high pressure is applied.

The closed part <NUM> is a portion of the buoyant body <NUM> seated on the discharge part <NUM>. The closed part <NUM> has a shape that is convex toward a vertically lower side, and may close the outlet <NUM> when it is seated on the discharge packing <NUM> of the discharge part <NUM>. The closed part <NUM> may have a shape of a portion of a sphere.

The support part <NUM> extends from the closed part <NUM> to a vertically upper side. The support part <NUM> may have a columnar shape. The support part <NUM> may have an outer surface that is continuous from an outer surface of the closed part <NUM>. Accordingly, because the support part <NUM> extends from the closed part <NUM> of the above-described shape, the support part <NUM> may have a cylindrical shape.

The head part <NUM> is a portion of the buoyant body <NUM> that is disposed at an upper end of the support part <NUM> and is convex toward the vertically upper side. The head part <NUM> also may have an outer surface that is continuous from an outer surface of the support part <NUM>, and may have a shape of a portion of a sphere. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the head part <NUM> and the support part <NUM> are expressed to be convex along opposite directions and a radius of curvature of a profile of the head part <NUM> in a longitudinal section thereof is larger than a radius of curvature of a profile of the closed part, but the shape thereof is not limited thereto.

The buoyant body <NUM> may further include a guide wing <NUM>. The guide wing <NUM> is a portion of the buoyant body <NUM> that prevents the support part <NUM> from being biased from a state, in which the support part <NUM> is arranged along the vertical direction, when the support part <NUM> floats in the condensate or is seated on the discharge packing <NUM>.

The guide wing <NUM> is an element that protrudes from an outer surface of at least one of the support part <NUM> or the closed part <NUM>, and an outer end of which is disposed adjacent to the separation preventing wall <NUM>. A plurality of guide wings <NUM> may be provided to protrude from an outer surface of the support part <NUM> or the closed part <NUM> radially or to be spaced apart from each other by a specific interval along a circumference of the support part <NUM> or the closed part <NUM>. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, a total of four guide wings <NUM> are provided, but the number of the guide wings <NUM> is not limited thereto.

The guide wings <NUM> may extend along a vertical direction. Accordingly, as illustrated, the guide wings <NUM> may be disposed over both of the support part <NUM> and the closed part <NUM>. While the guide wing <NUM> extends along the vertical direction, an outermost surface of the guide wing <NUM> may have a shape that is parallel to an inner surface of the separation preventing wall <NUM>.

The buoyant body <NUM> may further include a weight <NUM> formed of a material having a density that is higher than that of a material constituting the support part <NUM>, at a lower end of the closed part <NUM>. The weight <NUM> may be disposed at the above-described location as a buoyant body boss <NUM> protruding from a lower end of the closed part <NUM> to a vertically lower side is inserted into a recess. Because a density of the weight <NUM> is higher than a density of the material that constitutes the support part <NUM>, a center of weight of the entire buoyant body <NUM> may become lower as compared with a case, in which there is no weight <NUM>. Accordingly, the buoyant body <NUM> may float or be submerged more stably.

The weight <NUM> may be inserted into the outlet <NUM> when the buoyant body <NUM> closes the outlet <NUM>. Accordingly, even when the buoyant body <NUM> floats and the outlet <NUM> is opened, a situation, in which the buoyant body <NUM> is turned over and cannot return to a normal driving location and a normal posture again, may be prevented. A location of the weight <NUM> may be identified in <FIG> as follows.

Because the buoyant body <NUM> has the above-described shape, a higher buoyant force is applied from the condensate to the buoyant body <NUM> than to a spherical buoyant body, so that the condensate may be discharged as the buoyant body <NUM> floats more easily under a high pressure. Furthermore, because a support structure is present, the buoyant body <NUM> may stably move while not causing a problem of overturning even while the buoyant body <NUM> repeatedly floats or is submerged.

<FIG> is a plan view of the condensate trap apparatus <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in a state in which the cover <NUM> thereof is removed. <FIG> is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating a situation, in which the buoyant body <NUM> of the condensate trap apparatus <NUM> is submerged to be seated on the discharge packing <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. <FIG> is an enlarged view illustrating a portion that is adjacent to the buoyant body <NUM> and the discharge packing <NUM>.

The discharge part <NUM> will be described with reference to <FIG>. The discharge part <NUM> is an element including structures that discharge the condensate stored in the storage space <NUM>. The discharge part <NUM>, accordingly, includes the outlet <NUM> that discharges the condensate from the storage space <NUM>.

The outlet <NUM> is an opening that is opened in a direction that is perpendicular to a lower wall opening formed in the lower wall <NUM> of the separation preventing wall <NUM>, and discharges the condensate from the storage space <NUM> when being opened. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the outlet <NUM> communicates the storage space <NUM> and the first discharge space <NUM>, which will be described below.

The annular discharge packing <NUM> is disposed to surround the outlet <NUM>. The discharge packing <NUM> including the discharge part <NUM> has a part that extends to be inclined toward a radial center of the outlet <NUM> and a vertically upper side. Accordingly, when the buoyant body <NUM> is seated on the discharge packing <NUM>, an outer surface of the buoyant body <NUM> contacts the discharge packing <NUM>, whereby the outlet <NUM> is closed by blocking the condensate that flows to the outlet <NUM>. Furthermore, as the buoyant body <NUM> floats and is spaced apart from the discharge packing <NUM>, the outlet <NUM> may be opened.

The discharge packing <NUM> may be formed of a material having elasticity to contact the buoyant body <NUM> better and thus maintain the waterproofness. The discharge packing <NUM> may include an extension part <NUM> that is a part extending from the outlet <NUM> to be inclined toward a radial center of the outlet <NUM> and the vertically upper side, a first contact part <NUM>, and a second contact part <NUM>.

The first contact part <NUM> is a portion that is disposed on an outermost side with respect to a radial direction of the outlet <NUM> to contact the closed part <NUM>. Because the first contact part <NUM> is disposed on an outermost side of the extension part <NUM> with respect to the radial direction, it is disposed at an upper end of the extension part <NUM> with respect to the vertical direction. The first contact part <NUM>, in a longitudinal sectional view of <FIG>, may have a cross-section that protrudes from the extension part <NUM> to a vertically upper side. Accordingly, the buoyant body <NUM> that is submerged and is seated on the discharge packing <NUM> may be seated on the first contact part <NUM>.

The second contact part <NUM> is a portion that is spaced apart from the first contact part <NUM> with respect to the radial direction, and, like the first contact part <NUM>, has a shape that protrudes from the extension part <NUM> to the vertically upper side, in a longitudinal section thereof. The second contact part <NUM> has an annular shape, and contacts the outer surface of the buoyant body <NUM> when the buoyant body <NUM> is seated on the discharge packing <NUM>.

The discharge packing <NUM> may have a waterproof structure of a dual structure including the first contact part <NUM> and the second contact part <NUM>. Because the discharge packing <NUM> has the dual structure, the waterproofness of the outlet <NUM> is maintained better in a state, in which the buoyant body <NUM> is seated on the discharge packing <NUM>.

The discharge packing <NUM> may include a packing flange <NUM>, a packing column part <NUM>, and a packing stopper <NUM>. The packing column part <NUM> that has an annular shape to surround the outlet <NUM> may be inserted into the lower wall opening to complete assembly of the discharge packing <NUM>. Then, the annular packing stopper <NUM> disposed at a lower end of the packing column part <NUM> may have a cross-section that is convex toward a vertically lower side in a longitudinal section thereof such that the packing column part <NUM> is inserted into the lower wall opening more easily. Accordingly, when the discharge packing <NUM> is pressed to the vertically lower side in a state, in which the packing stopper <NUM> contacts the lower wall opening, the discharge packing <NUM> may be easily inserted.

A diameter of the packing stopper <NUM> may be larger than a diameter of the packing column part <NUM>. Accordingly, when the discharge packing <NUM> is pressed to the vertically lower side for assembly, like a snap-fit, the packing stopper <NUM> may pass through the lower wall opening of the packing stopper <NUM> and be disposed on the vertically lower side of the lower wall <NUM>. At the same time, the packing column part <NUM> may be disposed on an inside of the lower wall opening. Because the packing stopper <NUM> stops the discharge packing <NUM>, the discharge packing <NUM> may be prevented from being separated upwards.

The packing flange <NUM> may be formed from the packing column part <NUM>. The packing flange <NUM> is a portion that protrudes from the packing column part <NUM> in a radially outer side, and is disposed adjacent to the vertically upper side of the packing column part <NUM>. Accordingly, the packing flange <NUM> may be seated on an inner side of the lower wall <NUM> when the discharge packing <NUM> is assembled. Because the packing flange <NUM> stops the discharge packing <NUM>, the discharge packing <NUM> may be prevented from being separated on the vertically lower side. That is, because the lower wall <NUM> is disposed between the packing stopper <NUM> and the packing flange <NUM>, the discharge packing <NUM> may be fixed to the lower wall <NUM>.

Because the outlet <NUM> and the buoyant body <NUM> that closes the outlet <NUM> are disposed immediately after the inlet <NUM> is disposed, an element that solves a pressure through a bypass is not separately necessary.

The discharge part <NUM> may further include a "U"-shaped trap. To form the trap, the discharge part <NUM> may further include the first discharge space <NUM> and a second discharge space <NUM>.

The first discharge space <NUM> means a space that accommodates the condensate discharged through the outlet <NUM>. Accordingly, the first discharge space <NUM> and the storage space <NUM> may be communicated with each other through the outlet <NUM>.

To allow the first discharge space <NUM> to accommodate the condensate discharged from the storage space <NUM>, at least a portion of the first discharge space <NUM> may be disposed on a lower side of the storage space <NUM>. A portion of the first discharge space <NUM> disposed on the lower side of the storage space <NUM> may receive the condensate from the storage space <NUM> and accommodate the condensate.

The first discharge space <NUM> may surround the separation preventing wall <NUM>. The first discharge space <NUM> may be a space formed between an outer surface of the separation preventing wall <NUM> and an inner surface of the case <NUM>. The first discharge space <NUM> may include a space between the inner surface of the case <NUM> and the lower wall <NUM> and a space between the inner surface of the case <NUM>, and a discharge partition wall <NUM> and the side wall <NUM>. As the level of the condensate accommodated in a space between the inner wall of the case <NUM> and the lower wall <NUM> becomes higher after the condensate is delivered to the corresponding space, the condensate may be filled in the space between the inner surface of the case <NUM>, and the discharge partition wall <NUM> and the side wall <NUM>.

A condensate passage <NUM>, through which the condensate flows out from the first discharge space <NUM>, may be disposed on an upper side of the outlet <NUM> with respect to the vertical direction. Accordingly, because the condensate is not discharged unless the condensate is filled in the first discharge space <NUM> to a specific level or more due to the shape of the first discharge space <NUM>, a "U"-shaped trap, in which the exhaust gas is prevented from being discharged by the condensate due to a head, may be further formed. Because the trap by the buoyant body <NUM> and the "U"-shaped trap are disposed together, the condensate trap apparatus <NUM> according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may have a safer trap structure.

Because a porous mesh is disposed in the condensate passage <NUM>, it may filter out foreign substances of a specific size or more, which are carried by the condensate that passes through the condensate passage <NUM>.

The second discharge space <NUM> is a space, in which the condensate delivered from the first discharge space <NUM> is accommodated. Accordingly, the discharge partition wall <NUM> that partitions the second discharge space <NUM> and the first discharge space <NUM> may be present, and the condensate passage <NUM> that communicates the first discharge space <NUM> and the second discharge space <NUM> to deliver the condensate from the first discharge space <NUM> to the second discharge space <NUM> may be formed in the discharge partition wall <NUM>.

The discharge partition wall <NUM> is formed in the interior of the case <NUM> to partition the first discharge space <NUM> and the second discharge space <NUM>. The discharge partition wall <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>, extends along one direction that is perpendicular to the vertical direction, in a cross-section taken on a plane that is perpendicular to the vertical direction, and may have a portion protruding in a direction that becomes farther away from the side wall <NUM> of the separation preventing wall <NUM> at a center thereof.

A portion of an upper end of the discharge partition wall <NUM> may contact the cover <NUM> when the cover <NUM> is covered, and another portion of the upper end of the discharge partition wall <NUM> may be spaced apart from the cover in the vertical direction when the cover <NUM> is covered to form the condensate passage <NUM>. Among them, a portion that contacts the cover <NUM> may be a partition wall boss <NUM>.

The partition wall boss <NUM> is an element formed to stop a prevention wall ring <NUM> formed on an upper side of the separation preventing wall <NUM>. The partition wall boss <NUM> has a protruding boss shape due to a difference of a relative height from another portion of the upper end of the discharge partition wall <NUM>, in which the condensate passage <NUM> is formed. The partition wall boss <NUM> may be disposed in an area of the discharge partition wall <NUM> protruding in a direction that becomes farther away from the side wall <NUM> of the above-described separation preventing wall <NUM>, but a location thereof is not limited thereto.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the separation preventing wall <NUM> may be assembled in the case <NUM> while being moved to the vertically lower side. Then, the partition wall boss <NUM> is inserted into an opening of the prevention wall ring <NUM>, and the separation preventing wall <NUM> may be coupled to the discharge partition wall <NUM>, and a relative location thereof may be fixed. However, shapes of the partition wall boss <NUM> and the prevention wall ring <NUM> are not limited thereto, and may be modified to a structure, in which they may be coupled to each other.

The second discharge space <NUM> may be a space defined by the inner surface of the case <NUM> and the discharge partition wall <NUM>. The condensate delivered to the second discharge space <NUM> may be discharged to the outside through a drainage <NUM>. The drainage <NUM> is an opening that communicates the second discharge space <NUM> and the outside. The drainage <NUM> may be located on an upper side of the outlet <NUM> with respect to the vertical direction.

<FIG> is a side view of the condensate trap apparatus <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to <FIG>, the drainage <NUM> is disposed to be adjacent to a bottom surface of the second discharge space <NUM>, and the condensate delivered to the second discharge space <NUM> is easily discharged by the drainage <NUM>.

The bottom surface of the second discharge space <NUM> may have a gradient such that a portion thereof that is adjacent to the drainage <NUM> is located on a lowermost side with respect to the vertical direction. Accordingly, a wall <NUM> located on a lower side of the inner surface of the case <NUM>, which defines the second discharge space <NUM>, may be inclined in the vertically upper side as it goes from the drainage <NUM> in a horizontal direction. According to the gradient, water may be easily discharged through the drainage <NUM>.

An auxiliary line <NUM> may be further connected to the second discharge space <NUM>. The auxiliary line <NUM> may include a safety valve line and a drain line that are necessary when the boiler is installed. That is, to deliver other water generated by the boiler that produces the condensate to the second discharge space <NUM>, the lines communicated with the second discharge space <NUM> become the auxiliary line, but the kinds of the lines included in the auxiliary line are not limited thereto.

Because the auxiliary line <NUM> is communicated with the second discharge space <NUM>, the water is not discharged to the outside separately by the lines, and the water may be discharged to the outside through one simplified exit, and thus it is easy to manage the discharged water.

Claim 1:
A condensate trap apparatus (<NUM>) comprising:
an inlet (<NUM>), through which condensate is introduced;
a storage space (<NUM>), in which the condensate introduced from the inlet (<NUM>) is stored;
a discharge part (<NUM>) including an outlet (<NUM>) configured to discharge the stored condensate from the storage space (<NUM>); and
a buoyant body (<NUM>) including a closed part (<NUM>) formed to be convex toward a vertically lower side such that the buoyant body (<NUM>) is seated on the discharge part (<NUM>) to close the outlet (<NUM>), and a columnar support part (<NUM>) extending vertically upwards from the closed part (<NUM>),
characterized in that
the discharge part(<NUM>) further includes:
an annular discharge packing (<NUM>) surrounding the outlet (<NUM>), extending from an edge of the outlet (<NUM>) to be inclined toward a radial outside of the outlet (<NUM>) and a vertically upper side such that an outer surface of the buoyant body (<NUM>) contacts the discharge packing when the buoyant body (<NUM>) is seated on the discharge part (<NUM>) to close the outlet (<NUM>),
wherein the discharge packing (<NUM>) has a dual structure including:
an annular first contact part (<NUM>) disposed on an outermost side with respect to a radial direction of the outlet (<NUM>) and contacting the closed part (<NUM>); and
an annular second contact part (<NUM>) located to be spaced apart from the first contact part inwards, and contacting the closed part (<NUM>).