BE1030320B1 - Heat pump dryer with steam generator - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a laundry treatment device (1) with the following features: a treatment chamber, preferably a drum (3) for receiving laundry, which has an air inlet (6) and an air outlet (7); a unit with - a heat pump; - An additional heating element (23) located in the process air duct (8, 8a). - The laundry treatment device further comprises - a steam generator (20) with - a nozzle (24) for distributing the water emerging from the supply line (21) in the process air duct (8, 8a), the nozzle (24) being behind the heating element in the direction of flow of the process air (23) is arranged.

Description

Description

Heat pump dryer with steam generator

The invention relates to a laundry treatment device with the following features: a treatment chamber, preferably a drum, for receiving laundry, which has an air inlet and an air outlet; a unit with - a heat pump with a condenser as a heating device and an evaporator as

condensation device; - a fan for conveying process air through a circuit leading through the treatment chamber and the heating device; - a process air duct to connect the unit with the air inlet and the

Air outlet of the treatment chamber; - an additional heating element located in the process air duct; - A control device for activating and deactivating the actuators to carry out an automatic treatment process.

Some of the laundry is not visually dirty but is contaminated with odors and pollutants. As a rule, the laundry is washed after a certain amount of time or use and then dried in the dryer or on the line. The washing and subsequent

Drying requires a lot of time, energy and manual work on the part of the user.

EP 2 415 926 A2 discloses a tumble dryer with a steam generator

Laundry treatment. The heating element is used as a steam generator to heat the process air, with a pipe running from the water tank close to the heating element in order to have one

Supply water to the subarea. The water is distributed by:

Pipe is guided in a zigzag manner over the said portion of the heating element.

The approach presented here sets itself the task of creating an improved one

Laundry treatment device with a steam generator to create.

According to the invention, this object is achieved, among other things, by a laundry treatment device with the features of claim 1. Advantageous refinements and further developments of the invention result from the dependent claims.

The approach presented here creates a simple way of specifically post-treating the laundry to be treated, for example smoothing it and/or gently removing and transporting odorous substances from the item to be treated and/or adding fragrances.

The laundry treatment device has a steam generator with - a water tank for holding or storing water; - a supply line for directing the water from the water tank into the

Channel section in which the heating element is arranged; = a metering element which is connected upstream of the supply line

Showering water or blocking the flow of water through the pipe; - a nozzle for distributing the water emerging from the supply line in the

Process air duct, with the nozzle behind the in the flow direction of the process air

Heating element is arranged.

This eliminates the existing additional heating element, which is used to quickly heat up the

Process air is used, in addition to generating steam. That's what it becomes

Heating element activates, causing it to heat up, allowing water from the supply line to flow onto the

Heating element is guided. The end of the supply line does not protrude directly

Heating element, since a distribution element is arranged between the end of the line and the heating element in order to fan out or atomize the water jet within the process air duct and distribute it onto the front surface of the heating element. Because the fanned out water jet is directed against the direction of the process air flow

When the heating element is sprayed, it swirls intensively and finely before it reaches the heating element or the hot surface of the heating element. Due to the intensive turbulence, droplets, i.e. unevaporated water particles, are prevented from being conveyed away from the heating element into the treatment chamber.

A general advantage is that the steam is in the channel before entering the

Treatment chamber is generated and with the flowing process air into the

treatment chamber. In the treatment chamber, the steam develops its effect on the items of laundry swirling around there, for example smoothing, odor-removing and/or cleaning and/or disinfecting. By fanning out the water jet directed at the heating element, an even distribution is achieved, thereby reliably ensuring complete evaporation of the water supplied. Overall, a good quality of steam is achieved, with the formation of water droplets in the

Process air is avoided.

The heating element is preferably designed as a flat component, preferably with cooling fins, and is vertical, i.e. along the flow direction of the process air flow, in the rear

Air duct attached. The nozzle projects into the air duct section in which the heating element is located, with a distance, preferably in the range of 1cm to 5cm, being arranged between the nozzle and the additional heater in order to distribute the water flowing out of the nozzle or to fan out the water flow. This causes the emerging water jet to fan out,

in order to apply water to a larger area of the front surface of the additional heater.

The laundry treatment device can, for example, be used as a dryer or washer-dryer

Be designed as a drying cabinet. The treatment chamber is also referred to below as:

Drum referred to, whereby the drum is used when it is during the

Treatment of the items to be cleaned is rotated to mix the items to be cleaned. In a drying cabinet, the treatment chamber is the treatment room in which the

Items to be cleaned are hung out, with the treatment room not being moved during the treatment process. For example, under the items to be cleaned

Textiles can be understood. The cleaning process can, for example, be a

Map a cleaning program that a user of the cleaning device can select and set accordingly. The cleaning process can be done using

Facilities of the laundry treatment device are carried out automatically. The drum can be shaped as a rotatable receptacle. The additional heating element can be an electrical heating device that can be activated independently of the heat pump and, for example, comprises at least one heating resistor. The supply device can be designed, for example, as a controllable valve or as a pump, so that the amount of water to be supplied to the additional heater can be supplied in a controlled manner.

The laundry treatment device can, for example, be designed as a household appliance, but also in connection with a commercial or professional one

Device. Furthermore, it can be designed as a drum dryer, comprising a housing and a drum arranged in the housing, drivable by means of a motor, rotatably mounted over a horizontal or inclined axis, which forms the treatment chamber.

In an overall expedient embodiment, the heating element is in the channel in an at least predominantly vertical section in front of the air inlet of the chamber and the

Nozzle arranged above the heating element. The nozzle is preferably at a distance from the

Top of the additional heating element arranged. This causes the protruding into the canal

Nozzle not exposed to excessive heating when additional heater is on.

In a further, overall advantageous embodiment, the heating element comprises heating fins for transferring the heat to the process air flowing past. The cooling fins are preferably also aligned vertically. This means that the air flow is not or only slightly affected.

In an overall expedient embodiment, the metering element is a pump or valve, which can be activated by means of the control device in order to convey water to the heating element.

Especially the version with a valve and the arrangement of the water tank above the

Heating element is very easy and reliable to design because when the valve is open

Water reaches the nozzle due to gravity and is fanned out and/or atomized there. Harnessing gravity to provide water flow applies to everyone

Explanations.

In an overall practical design, the laundry treatment device is a

Condensation dryer, comprising a collecting container for condensate, which at

Drying process occurs, whereby the collecting container forms the water tank and that

Condensate can be used to generate steam. This will be the case

The condensate produced during the drying process is used to generate steam, so that the

User does not have to refill any or only a little water into the tank. In another

Design or further development, the water tank forming the water source is designed separately and can be filled with water, demineralized water or conditioned water, for example with care additives, disinfectants or fragrances. This means that different media can be used to generate steam, regardless of what is to be collected

Condensate, used to generate steam.

In an overall advantageous embodiment, the nozzle is dimensioned to fan out the water entering the nozzle. The fanned out emerging from the nozzle outlet

The water jet has an angle in the range of 90° to 170°, preferably 100 to 160°.

This applies water mist to a large area of the heating element, so that rapid and even evaporation occurs when the heating element is heated.

For all versions, the heating element is set to a temperature in order to generate steam

Heated in the range from 120°C to 170°C. The distance from the nozzle outlet to the front side of the

Heating element is preferably in the range of 1 cm to 5 cm. This makes a good one

Distribution of the water and an even distribution of the spray mist on the

Cross-sectional area of the heating element and complete evaporation of the water is achieved.

In a preferred development, the nozzle is dimensioned to form a flat jet that strikes the heating element over its entire width. The area

Water jet or mist jet is particularly advantageous if the channel section in which the heating element is located is flat. This prevents the

Water jet reaches the inside of a wall of the channel section.

In a further development, the nozzle is dimensioned such that the flat jet emerges obliquely from the nozzle at an angle in the range of 5° to 45°, preferably 5° to 15°, relative to the vertical. This allows the jet to strike the heating element at an angle, so that part of the water jet or mist hits the end face and the other remaining portion hits a longitudinal surface of the heating element, which is in

Flow direction extends within the channel section. The nozzle and the heating element can also be positioned relative to one another in such a way that the entire, fanned-out jet impinges obliquely on the longitudinal surface of the heating element, so that all mist droplets striking the surface evaporate quickly and completely. 5 The volume flow of the water to be supplied is designed to a value in the range between 100 ml/min to 160 ml/min, preferably 120 ml/min to 150 ml/min, particularly preferably in the range 150 ml/min. The dosing pump is designed or configured accordingly.

In an overall practical design, the nozzle is on the one facing outwards

Wall of the process air duct section accommodating the heating element, preferably of the rear process air duct section, is attached. The nozzle preferably penetrates this

Wall so that the connection line is connected to the nozzle outside the process air duct. Sealing means are preferably present in order to sealingly accommodate the nozzle in said wall of the process air duct section.

In an overall expedient embodiment, the metering element and the nozzle are designed to spray the water to the heating element in such a way that the water drops or the spray reaches the surface of the heating element while the process air flows through the

Channel flows. This means that the steam is supplied to the process air before it is released

Treatment chamber and thus the laundry to be treated reaches.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown purely schematically in the drawings

And is described in more detail below. Show it

Fig. 1: a schematic representation of the components of the heat pump and

Fig. 2: a detailed, perspective view of the channel section

Steam generation and

Fig. 3: a perspective sectional view of the channel section for steam generation.

Fig. 1 shows the heat pump dryer 1 according to the invention in a schematic

Sectional view. Here it can be seen that the heat pump device 13 has one

Refrigerant circuit includes, in which refrigerant in a pipe system with a

Evaporator 15, a compressor 14 for compressing the refrigerant, a condenser 16 and a throttle 15a circulates, the heat exchanger comprising the evaporator 15 and the

Heating contains the condenser 16 of the heat pump 13. The evaporator 15 and the

Condensers 16 are arranged in channel 8 in such a way that the moist process air PL comes out of the

Outlet 7 of the treatment chamber 3 in channel 8 first flows through the evaporator 15 so that it is dehumidified due to the cooling and the resulting condensation.

It then flows through the downstream condenser 16, which acts as a heater and heats the process air PL, so that the heated process air PL is admitted into the drum 3 through the air inlet 6 and thus fed to the textiles to be treated. In the

Condensate is collected in the collecting pan 18 and pumped to the collecting container 4 by means of the condensate pump 17. In another embodiment, the container 4 can also be designed as a tank for fresh water if steam is to be generated with fresh water. To generate steam, the treatment device 1 includes a steam generator 20, to which the tank 4 can also be assigned. A pump is attached to the tank or in the supply line 21 as a metering element 22, which can be activated and deactivated by the control device 19 in order to convey water through the line 21 to the nozzle 24 and to atomize it from the nozzle 24 and to the additional heating element 23 support financially. In order to generate steam, the additional heating element 23 is activated so that the surface is hot and the water jet or spray S striking it evaporates. So the steam is in the

Air duct section 8a is generated in front of the inlet 6 of the air duct 8, which is directly the

Treatment chamber 3 is connected upstream. The nozzle 24 is arranged above the heating element 23 ı5 and is designed to distribute the water flowing in at certain points across the surface.

The bottom-side functional module 5 also includes the motor 10, which here drives the fan 9 and the drum 3. The fan 9 is preferably a radial fan with curved blades

Blades are designed so that it causes a higher volume flow in a preferred direction than in the opposite direction of rotation. Designed as a rotatable drum 3

Treatment chamber is mounted in the housing 2 or on a supporting structure by means of a horizontal or inclined axis of rotation 40.

Fig. 2 shows a perspective interior view of the treatment chamber 3 in

Flow direction upstream channel section 8a, in which the additional heating element 23 is located. The additional heating element 23 includes a block 23b with an electrically operable resistance heating element. When electrical energy is supplied, this and the surrounding metal block 23b heat up. Cooling fins 23a are attached to the block 23b, preferably along the flow direction of the process air PL therein

Canal section 8a. Above the additional heating element 23, the nozzle 24 is attached to or in the outer wall 80a (not shown) of the channel section 8a. The outside wall is removed in this view and the nozzle 24 is shown schematically.

The nozzle 24 is positioned in such a way that the outlet opening of the nozzle 24 is at a distance from the front-side surface 23c of the heating element 23.

Fig. 3 shows a perspective sectional view of the steam-generating

Canal section 8a. You can see the outward-facing rear wall 80a of the said

Canal section. This channel section 8a is preferably attached to the back of the drum 3 (FIG. 1) and is flat in order to provide a sufficiently large cross section for given housing dimensions. The nozzle 24 is above the upper end face 23c of the

Heating element 23 is arranged and penetrates the rear channel wall 80a. The

Distance of the outlet 24a to the top 23c of the heating element 23 is in a range of 2 cm to 5 cm. In the situation shown, water S is fanned out from the

Outlet 24a sprayed in the direction of heating element 23. The spray jet S is fanned out and so flat that it is directed obliquely onto the longitudinally extending area of the

Heating element 23 or the ribs 23a extending in the longitudinal direction.

All direction and position information refers to the operational position of the treatment device 1.

Claims (13)

Patent claims 1. Laundry treatment device (1) with the following features: a treatment chamber, preferably a drum (3) for receiving laundry, which has an air inlet (6) and an air outlet (7); a unit with - a heat pump (13) with a compressor (14) condenser (16) as a heating device and an evaporator (15) as a condensation device; - a fan (9, 10) for conveying process air (PL) through a circuit leading through the treatment chamber (3) and the heating device (16); - a process air duct (8) for connecting the unit (13) to the air inlet (6) and the air outlet (7) of the treatment chamber (3); - an additional heating element (23) located in the process air duct (8, 8a); - a control device (19) for activating and deactivating the actuators (10, 14, 23) to carry out an automatic treatment process, further comprising - a steam generator (20) with - a water source, preferably a water tank (4) for receiving or storing Water; - a supply line (21) for guiding the water from the water tank (4) into the channel section (8a) in which the heating element (23) is arranged; - a metering element (22) which is connected upstream of the supply line (21) to allow the water to pass through or to block the flow of water through the line (21); - a nozzle (24) for distributing the water emerging from the supply line (21) in the process air channel (8, 8a), the nozzle (24) being arranged behind the heating element (23) in the flow direction of the process air. 2. Laundry treatment device according to claim 1, which is designed as a drum dryer, comprising a housing (2) and a drum arranged in the housing (2), drivable by means of a motor (10) and rotatably mounted via a horizontal or inclined axis (5). 3), which forms the treatment chamber. 3. Laundry treatment device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the heating element (23) in the channel (8a) is arranged in an at least predominantly vertical section in front of the air inlet (6) of the chamber (3) and the nozzle (24) above the heating element (23). is. 4. Laundry treatment device according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the heating element (23) comprises cooling fins (23a) for transferring the heat to the process air (PL) flowing past. 5. Laundry treatment device according to claim 4, wherein the heating element (23) are arranged in the process air channel (8a) in such a way that they extend longitudinally to the direction of the process air (PL) flowing through the channel (8a). 6. Laundry treatment device according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the metering element (22) is a pump or valve which can be activated by means of the control device (19) in order to convey water to the nozzle (24). 7. Laundry treatment device according to one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a collecting container (4) for condensate which arises during the drying process, the collecting container (4) forming the water source or the water tank and the condensate can be used to generate steam. 8. Laundry treatment device according to one of claims 1 to 7, comprising a collecting container for condensate which arises during the drying process, wherein the water tank (4) forming the water source is designed separately and can be filled with water and / or a care product. 9. Laundry treatment device according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the nozzle (24) is dimensioned to fan out the water entering the nozzle (24), the fanned water jet (S) having an angle in the range 90 ° to 170 °, preferably 100° to 160°. 10. Laundry treatment device according to claim 9, wherein the nozzle (24) is dimensioned to form a flat jet (S). 11. Laundry treatment device according to claim 10, wherein the nozzle (24) is dimensioned such that the flat jet (S) emerges obliquely from the nozzle (24) at an angle in the range of 5° to 45°, preferably 5° to 15° related to the vertical. 12. Laundry treatment device according to one of claims 3 to 11, wherein the nozzle (24) on the outward-facing wall (80a) of the process air duct section (8a) in which the heating element (23) is located, preferably of the rear process air duct section (8a), is appropriate. 13. Laundry treatment device according to one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the metering element (22) and the nozzle (24) are designed to spray the water to the heating element (23) in such a way that the water drops or the spray mist the surface of the heating element (23 ) is reached while the process air (PL) flows through the channel (8a).