WO2020088847A1

WO2020088847A1 - A hybrid laundry dryer

Info

Publication number: WO2020088847A1
Application number: PCT/EP2019/075614
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mutlu IPEK; Vasi Kadir Ertis; Salih GOK; Samet HOCAOGLU; Faruk KOCABIYIK
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2018-11-01
Filing date: 2019-09-24
Publication date: 2020-05-07
Also published as: EP3874085A1; EP3874085B1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a hybrid laundry dryer (1) with heat pump (17) and resistance heater (5), comprising a tub (2); an air duct (3) wherein the processing air cycle is performed; a fan (4) providing the circulation of the processing air; a resistance heater (5) which is disposed in the air duct (3) at the inlet of the drum (2); a compressor (6) which provides the refrigerant cycle, an evaporator (7) which is disposed in the air duct (3) and which condenses the humid processing air, a condenser (8) which is disposed in the air duct (3) and which heats the processing air dehumidified in the evaporator (7) and a discharge duct (9) which is disposed at the lower side of the body and wherein the water condensing in the evaporator (7) is collected, which all together form the heat pump (17) which provides the heating and dehumidification of the processing air; a detachable water tank (10) which is disposed at the upper side of the body, which receives the condensate and which is afterwards emptied by the user; and a discharge pump (11) which pumps the water in the discharge duct (9) into the water tank (10).

Description

A HYBRID LAUNDRY DRYER

The present invention relates to a hybrid laundry dryer comprising a heat pump and a heater.

In heat pump laundry dryers, the hot and humid air drawn from the drum cools down and leaves its moisture while passing over the evaporator. The air dehumidified on the evaporator passes over the condenser afterwards. The condenser enables the air to be heated, thus increasing the dehumidification capacity thereof. The air passing over the condenser is delivered back onto the laundry in the tub. Thus, the drying cycle continues until the laundry is dry. In the hybrid laundry dryer, a resistance heater is provided in the air duct in addition to the heat pump system. The operation system is the same as that of the heat pump laundry dryer, and the resistance heater is used for heating the air together with the condenser. In the hybrid laundry dryer, the air dehumidified in the evaporator is heated while passing over the condenser and then reheated again by means of the resistance heater at the fan outlet, in other words at the drum inlet to be delivered onto the laundry. Thus, the drying time is shortened with respect to heat pump laundry dryers. In the heat pump and hybrid laundry dryers, the water condensed from the humid air in the evaporator is collected in a discharge duct at the rear side of the machine. Afterwards, said water is sent to the water tank at the upper side of the machine by means of the pump. The water condensing during the drying cycle is pumped into the water tank and collected therein. The water tank has a detachable structure. At the end of the drying process, the user takes the water tank out of the machine and empties and replaces the same. Emptying the water tank is not an easy operation for the users since the water tank is heavy. Moreover, the condensate is emptied without being benefited from.

The Patent No. EP2392717 (B1) relates to a laundry washer/dryer and the discharge method of the condensate.

The aim of the present invention is the realization of a laundry dryer wherein the water collected as a result of condensation is used.

The laundry dryer realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is of hybrid type and comprises a heat pump and a resistance heater. In the embodiment of the present invention, the water collected in the water tank which receives the condensate at the end of the drying process and which is emptied by the user is sent to the air duct, wherein the processing air is circulated, by means of an auxiliary condensation system comprising a supply pump and a connection tube. The water sent to the air duct is sprayed into the air duct by means of nozzles and dehumidifies the processing air. The auxiliary condensation system is used instead of the evaporator in some drying processes wherein the heat pump is not activated and only the resistance heater is operated, and the processing air is dehumidified, thus providing the drying of the laundry. In the drying processes wherein the heat pump is active, the condensate, which is collected in the water tank and which would be emptied by the user, is used.

The laundry dryer realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figure, where:

Figure 1 - is the schematic view of the hybrid laundry dryer of the present invention.

The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

Laundry dryer
Drum
Air duct
Fan
Heater
Compressor
Evaporator
Condenser
Discharge duct
Water tank
Discharge pump
Supply pump
Connection tube
Nozzle
Discharge valve
Sensor unit
Heat pump
Auxiliary condensation system

The hybrid laundry dryer (1) with heat pump (17) and resistance heater (5), comprises a body; a tub (2) wherein the laundry to be dried is loaded; an air duct (3) wherein the processing air (drying air) cycle is performed; a fan (4) providing the circulation of the processing air; a resistance heater (5) which is disposed in the air duct (3) at the inlet of the drum (2); a compressor (6) which provides the refrigerant cycle, an evaporator (7) which is disposed in the air duct (3) and which condenses the humid processing air, a condenser (8) which is disposed in the air duct (3) and which heats the processing air dehumidified in the evaporator (7) and a discharge duct (9) which is disposed at the lower side of the body and wherein the water condensing in the evaporator (7) is collected, which all together form the heat pump (17) which provides the heating and dehumidification of the processing air; a detachable water tank (10) which is disposed at the upper side of the body, which receives the condensate and which is afterwards emptied by the user; and a discharge pump (11) which pumps the water in the discharge duct (9) into the water tank (10).

In the hybrid laundry dryer (1), the hot and humid air drawn from the drum (2) cools down and leaves its moisture while passing over the evaporator (7). The air dehumidified in the evaporator (7) heats up while passing over the condenser (8), and the temperature of the processing air at the inlet of the drum (2) is increased by operating the heater (5) if required. The water condensed from the humid air in the evaporator (7) is collected in the discharge duct (9) under the evaporator (7) and then sent from here to the water tank (10) by means of the discharge pump (11). The water condensed during the drying cycle is collected in the water tank (10), and then the water tank (10) is taken outside and emptied by the user.

The laundry dryer (1) of the present invention comprises an auxiliary condensation system (18) having a supply pump (12) which delivers the condensate collected in the water tank (10) to the air duct (3), a connection tube (13) and at least one nozzle (14) which is connected to the end of the connection tube (13), which extends into the air duct (3) and which sprays the water taken from the water tank (10) into the air duct (3).

In the laundry dryer (1), in some drying processes wherein the heat pump (17) is not active, for example in case quick drying is required or in the drying process after the drying process wherein the heat pump (17) is operated, the heater (5) and the auxiliary condensation system (18) are activated instead of the heat pump (17). The processing air circulated in the air duct (3) by means of the fan (4) is heated by means of the heater (5) at the inlet of the drum (2) instead of the condenser (8), the air gathering moisture while passing over the laundry is condensed by means of the water which is taken from the water tank (10) by means of the auxiliary condensation system (18) and sprayed into the air duct (3).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry dryer (1) comprises a discharge valve (15) with one inlet and two outlets which is disposed at the outlet of the discharge pump (11), which guides the water condensing in the evaporator (7) and collected in the discharge duct (9) to the water tank (10) when the heat pump (17) is active and which enables the water collected in the discharge duct (9) to be discharged via the water outlet to the outer environment when the heater (5) and the auxiliary condensation system (18) are active.

In the drying process wherein the heat pump (17) is active, the discharge valve (15) guides the water pumped from the discharge duct (9) by means of the discharge pump (11) to the water tank (10). Thus, in the next drying process, the water is collected in the water tank (10) to be used in the auxiliary condensation system (18). In the drying process wherein the heat pump (17) is not active, the heater (5) and the fan (4) are operated and the auxiliary condensation system (18) is activated. The water collected in the water tank (10) in the previous drying cycle is sent into the drying duct (3) by means of the supply pump (12) and the connection tube (13) and sprayed into the air duct (3) by means of the nozzles (14). The water condensing while the heater (5) and the auxiliary condensation system (18) are active is collected again in the discharge duct (9), and the water pumped from the discharge duct (9) by the discharge pump (11) is this time discharged via the water outlet by means of the discharge valve (15).

In another embodiment of the present invention, the auxiliary condensation system (18) sprays water by means of the nozzles (14) into the part of the air duct (3) which is before the evaporator (7) in the air flow direction and which is the narrowest cross-section of the air duct (3). Since the air flow rate increases at this region, the rate of condensation gets higher.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the laundry dryer (1) comprises a sensor unit (16), for example an ammeter, which is electrically connected to the supply pump (12), which determines the amount of water pumped from the water tank (10) into the air duct (3) and whether the water has run out by measuring the current drawn by the supply pump (12), and which provides that the supply pump (12), hence the auxiliary condensation system (18), is deactivated and the heat pump (17) is activated when the water in the water tank (10) has run out. When the sensor unit (16) detects that the water in the water tank (10) has run out and the supply pump (12) "runs idle," the supply pump (12) is stopped and the auxiliary condensation system (18) is deactivated. Then, by activating the heat pump (17), the processing air is condensed by the evaporator (7). When the auxiliary condensation system (18) is active, the water pumped from the discharge duct (9) by the discharge pump (11) is discharged by means of the discharge valve (15). When the heat pump (17) is activated, the water pumped from the discharge duct (9) by the discharge pump (11) is sent to the water tank (10) and collected therein.

In the hybrid heat pump (17) laundry dryer (1), the condensate collected in the water tank (10) is used in the dehumidification process in the next drying cycle. In some special drying processes, the heat pump (17) is not operated, and the processing air is heated only by the heater (5) and the processing air is dehumidified by the auxiliary condensation system (18). By using the condensate, savings are provided.

Claims

A laundry dryer (1) comprising a tub (2) wherein the laundry to be dried is loaded; an air duct (3) wherein the processing air cycle is performed; a fan (4) providing the circulation of the processing air; a heater (5) which is disposed in the air duct (3) at the inlet of the drum (2); a compressor (6), an evaporator (7), a condenser (8) and a discharge duct (9) wherein the water condensing in the evaporator (7) is collected, which all together form the heat pump (17); a water tank (10) which receives the condensate and which is emptied by the user; and a discharge pump (11) which pumps the water in the discharge duct (9) into the water tank (10), characterized by

- an auxiliary condensation system (18) having a supply pump (12) which delivers the condensate collected in the water tank (10) to the air duct (3), a connection tube (13) and at least one nozzle (14) which is connected to the end of the connection tube (13), which extends into the air duct (3) and which sprays the water taken from the water tank (10) into the air duct (3).
A laundry dryer (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by a discharge valve (15) with one inlet and two outlets which is disposed at the outlet of the discharge pump (11), which guides the water collected in the discharge duct (9) to the water tank (10) when the heat pump (17) is active and which enables the same to be discharged via the water outlet to the outer environment when the heater (5) and the auxiliary condensation system (18) are active.
A laundry dryer (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized by the auxiliary condensation system (18) which sprays water by means of the nozzles (14) into the part of the air duct (3) which is before the evaporator (7) in the air flow direction and which is the narrowest cross-section of the air duct (3).
A laundry dryer (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized by a sensor unit (16) which is electrically connected to the supply pump (12), which determines the amount of water pumped from the water tank (10) into the air duct (3) by measuring the current drawn by the supply pump (12), and which provides that the auxiliary condensation system (18) is deactivated and the heat pump (17) is activated when the water in the water tank (10) has run out.