EP2227584B2 - Washing/drying device - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a laundry drying apparatus having a process air channel which opens into a drum housing and which is used to convey process air from the drum housing. is provided to a condensation device and for discharging condensate water from the condensation device in the drum housing, wherein at least one water discharge channel discharges from the process air duct, which opens separately from the process air duct into the drum housing.

Such a clothes dryer emerges from the EP 1 657 341 A2 , In this laundry drying apparatus, a cooling water chamber is provided in the process air duct, in which cooling water, which flows in the process air duct, is trappable and in which a temperature sensor is arranged, through which the temperature of the cooling water is measurable. In addition, a hose and a valve are provided, through which the cooling water chamber can be emptied directly into the drum housing.

From the DE 195 22 307 C2 , according to the GB 23 02 398 A , There is a set up for drying washing machine or dishwasher, especially a laundry dryer, in which machine a condenser is provided, which consists of a substantially flowed from bottom to top with moist process air hollow body. For cooling purposes, this condenser is flushed with tap water via a valve that can be switched in one cycle. For the purpose of better utilization of the cooling water a particular annular spoiler lip is provided in the supply air of the condenser, at which forms a held in the cycle pauses of the process air flow water ring.

The process air cycle of a clothes dryer is typically formed by process air blower, heating channel, laundry drum and condenser. The condenser can be water or air cooled. The air inlet into the laundry drum is usually located in the door area above a sight glass and the air outlet from the laundry drum is located in the drum housing, ie, on a drum shell or a drum rear wall. This air outlet simultaneously serves as condensate or cooling water entering the drum from the above-arranged condenser. From the drum, the water is periodically pumped out. As a result of the construction space, an air-water countercurrent with strong turbulences and a water accumulation caused by underpressure arises in the air outlet opening. Both cause flow resistance, which can hinder the flow of air so much that when regulating the drum inlet temperature not enough heating power for a fast energy-optimized drying process can be introduced.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a way of improving the consumption of a clothes drying machine, including an air or water cooled washer dryer or a separate clothes dryer. In particular, flow-optimized air paths for the process air should be provided.

This is generally achieved in that an optimized water flow minimizes the flow resistance for the process air in the air inlet region of the condenser.

The object is achieved in particular by means of a laundry drying apparatus for operating the laundry drying apparatus according to independent claim. Preferred embodiments are in particular the dependent claims.

The laundry drying apparatus is equipped with a process air duct which opens into a drum housing and is provided for guiding process air and for draining condensate water from a condenser (and possibly cooling water) into the drum housing. Frequently, the condenser is mounted above the process air duct or this section thereof, in which case the process air pipe serves as a downpipe to the drum housing. From the process air pipe leads at least one water discharge channel. By means of the water drainage channel, a part of the guided water in the process air duct can be discharged before its mouth in the drum housing, so that less water over the length of the process air duct is available, which could hinder a process air flow. A process air duct designed in this way is optimized for flow and thus consumption. The water drainage channel is not limited to carrying only water, but may also be able to carry air, depending on the diameter and structural design. In addition, the at least one water discharge channel is arranged with respect to a direction of a process air flow so that water present in the process air channel is pressed into the water discharge channel by means of the process air flow. As a result, a water drainage through the water drainage channel is increased and so effectively reduces a process air flow resistance.

It is preferred if the at least one water discharge channel discharges from a region of high water swirling, since here a water removal can bring about a particularly great reduction of the flow resistance.

For high water discharge, it is preferred that the at least one water discharge channel is connected to a drain pump, in particular to the drain pump. It is advantageous for reducing the design effort and preferred that the at least one water drainage channel without providing a special pump a downpipe is connected to the drum housing or represents such, in particular if a water mask is interposed to prevent an air flow generated by the water discharge duct.

For effective water drainage, in particular using a pump, it is preferred that a water receiving area is provided at an orifice of the water discharge channel in the process air duct. As a result, in particular a periodically operated pump, such as the drain pump, can pump off a large amount of water in a pumping gear. The periodic operation of the drain pump is preferred to continuous operation.

It is generally preferred, in particular using a pump, if at least two water discharge channels are discharged from the process air channel. It is particularly preferred for effective and large-scale water drainage that the water drainage channels laterally offset from the process air duct.

It is preferred that the process air duct has an at least partially curved mouth portion which opens into the drum housing, wherein the at least one water discharge channel from the process air duct at the level of the mouth opening or lower goes off. As a result, a particularly effective drag reduction is achieved.

In order to adjust the water discharge quantity, in particular in the case of a pumpless water discharge channel, it is preferred that a center point of the outlet opening of the process air channel in the drum housing and a center of a discharge opening of a water discharge channel are offset in height from one another in the process air channel. Due to the height or height difference, the pressure of the process air can be adjusted to the running water.

It is also preferred, in particular in the case of a pump-less water discharge channel, that a hole axis of the mouth opening of the process air channel into the drum housing and a hole axis of the discharge opening of a water discharge channel are offset in height from one another.

It is further preferred that the at least one water discharge channel goes away from the curved pipe section of the process air pipe, since here strong water vortices typically form.

For effective flow resistance reduction, it is advantageous and preferred that a diameter of the process air duct at least in the region of its mouth opening into the drum housing and a diameter of the water discharge channel in the region of its drain opening a ratio of about 2: 1 to 1: 1, or even more, to each other exhibit.

It is also advantageous and preferred that the water discharge channel is connected via a water mask with the drum housing.

A particularly preferred variant of the laundry drying device according to the invention is characterized in that the process air duct has a distributor which adjoins a cooler, the water drainage duct being connected to the distributor. The cooler serves to condense out moisture from the flowing process air, and the manifold connecting the process air duct to the radiator under any necessary deflection of the process air and adjustment between mutually different flow cross sections while ensuring a largely uniform flow to the radiator. It makes sense to design the arrangement of manifold and radiator so that at least a portion of the condensate formed in the radiator flows counter to the manifold and thus the inflowing process air. In this case, the water discharge channel appears as a particularly effective means to collect the condensate reached in the manifold and remove controlled. In the context of this variant of the laundry drying apparatus according to the invention, it is therefore particularly preferred that the distributor is arranged vertically below the cooler and has a sloping wall closing it vertically downwards, the water discharge channel opening into the distributor in the wall.

FIG 1

zeigt als Schnittdarstellung in Querschnittsansicht einen Waschtrockner.

FIG 2

zeigt als Schnittdarstellung in Querschnittsansicht ein Prozessluftrohr gemäß einer ersten Ausführungsform im Bereich einer Einmündung in eine Wäschetrommel;

FIG 3

zeigt als Schnittdarstellung in Querschnittsansicht ein Prozessluftrohr gemäß einer zweiten Ausführungsform im Bereich einer Einmündung in die Wäschetrommel;

FIG 4

zeigt als Schnittdarstellung in Querschnittsansicht das Prozessluftrohr aus FIG 3.

FIG. 5

zeigt eine Ansicht eines Kühlers mit einem Verteiler im Prozessluftkanal.

In the following, the invention will be described schematically with reference to exemplary embodiments.

FIG. 1

shows a sectional view in cross-sectional view of a washer-dryer.

FIG. 2

shows a sectional view in cross-sectional view of a process air pipe according to a first embodiment in the region of an opening in a laundry drum;

FIG. 3

shows a sectional view in cross-sectional view of a process air pipe according to a second embodiment in the region of an opening in the laundry drum;

FIG. 4

shows a sectional view in cross-sectional view of the process air tube FIG. 3 ,

FIG. 5

shows a view of a radiator with a manifold in the process air duct.

FIG. 1 shows components of a laundry drying apparatus in the form of a washing machine, which is in the state after a wash and before a drying cycle. The automatic washing machine has a drum housing 1, in which a laundry drum 2 for receiving laundry 3 is rotatably mounted. By means of a fresh water supply line 4, which opens into a dispenser 5, water is supplied with or without detergent additive to the drum housing 1 and forms there the free fleet 6. The aufwärmbare a heater 7 free fleet 6 can by means of a drain pump 8 through a drain channel 9 to the outside be drained.

In addition, a circulating air or process air duct 10 for the process air is connected to the tub 1. The upper part 11 of the process air duct 10 is connected to the pressure side of a process air blower 12 and opens at its other end in the drum housing 1 above the filling opening (not shown here) of the laundry drum 2. The lower part 13 of the process air duct 10 is to the suction side of the process air blower 12 connected and opens in a lower portion in the drum housing 1. This orifice 14 is still above the level that is ever reached by the liquor during washing or rinsing. In the upper channel part 11, a heating element, not shown here, is typically arranged for heating the process air.

In the course of the lower part 13 of the process air channel 10, a condensation device 15 is further attached, which has a cooler 16 substantially. The cooler is cooled by fresh air, which is sucked from the environment of the washer-dryer by a cooling air blower 17 and fed to the cooler 16 via the cooling air inflow channel 18. After flowing through the radiator 16 and receiving heat energy from the process air, the cooling air is conducted via a cooling air outflow channel 19 to an exhaust air outlet 20. When cooling the process air in the condenser condensate condensate can be discharged via a downpipe 21 from the radiator housing to the drum housing 1. The downpipe 21 is designed here as part of the process air duct 10.

For the drying process, the free liquor 6 is pumped out. In the case of a pure tumble dryer, the only required for washing the laundry 3 elements, such as fresh water supply line 4 and 5 Einspülschale, not available.

FIG. 2 shows the arranged below the condenser 15 section 21 of the process air duct in the form of a process air tube 10 in the region of a junction 14 in the drum housing 1, as in FIG. 1 indicated by the dashed area. More precisely, the process air pipe 21 merges vertically from above into a curved section 22, which is adjoined by a horizontal, rectilinear end section 23, at the end of which the process air pipe 21 opens at a mouth opening 14 into a side wall of the drum housing 1.

In the embodiment shown now additionally performs a water drainage channel 24 from the process air pipe 21, on a plane (height) of the orifice 14 in the curved portion 22 of the process air pipe 21. At least the guided into the process air pipe 21 part of the water drainage channel 24 is here arranged in a straight line and horizontally , A horizontal hole axis L1 of the mouth opening 14 of the process air tube 21 (which here corresponds to the longitudinal axis of the horizontal process air pipe section 23) and a likewise horizontally oriented hole axis L2 of the drain opening 25 of the water discharge channel 24 (corresponding here to the longitudinal axis of the horizontal water discharge channel section) are parallel to each other, but offset in height so that the hole axis L2 of the water discharge channel is lower than that of the process air tube 21. The associated diameter of the horizontal portion 23 of the process air pipe 21 is greater than the corresponding diameter of the water discharge channel 24, namely about twice greater. The channel section diameter or the diameter of the discharge opening 25 is at least 10 mm. The water discharge channel 24 is connected to the drum housing 1 as a water drain without special pumps (i.e., here via a downpipe) following.

During the drying operation, part of the condensate water (and possibly the cooling water) flowing in the process air pipe 21, which is indicated by the thin arrows, is discharged through the water discharge channel 24. The water drainage channel 24 is positioned as shown in the direction of air flow (thick arrows) so that the condensate or cooling water is pushed through the process air flow towards the drain opening 24 so that there is significant (though not complete) water drainage thereabove , As a result, the water vortices, which are indicated by spirals, reduced, and thus a flow resistance for the process air. In order to avoid an air flow obstructing the water flow, the further outflow to the drum housing is equipped with a water mask (not shown). By varying the height offset of both hole axes L1, L2, the amount of water remaining in the process air pipe 21 can be optimized for the cooling effect in water cooling or on the filter effect for fluff in air cooling.

Such a drying device with the waterways optimized by the second outflow channel is optimized for flow and thus consumption.

FIG. 3 shows a sectional view in cross-sectional view of a process air tube 26 according to a second embodiment in the region of a junction 14 in a drum housing; FIG. 4 the process air tube 26 as a sectional view in front view. In contrast to the first embodiment according to FIG. 2 Now go two water drainage channels 27, 28 from the process air pipe 26, namely obliquely down and to the side. However, the water drainage channels 27, 28 continue to descend on a plane (height) of the mouth opening 14, here in a region of strong to strong water vortices. How out FIG. 4 can be seen, the water discharge channels 27, 28 laterally symmetrical offset to the mouth opening 14. As a result, water is no longer pressed directly into the water drainage channels 27, 28. Rather, the flow resistance in this region of the process air tube 26 is reduced by periodically pumping off the condensate or the cooling water. The pumping is done by means of the drain pump. Optimal pumping can be achieved structurally by formed in the vortex region pockets 29, 30 for storing the water. For an air cooled condenser 15, the pumping stroke should be adjusted to achieve a reduction in process air flow resistance, but maintain a desired lint filtering effect through the water vortex. In the water-cooled case, too frequent pumping should not result in a reduction in the cooling effect of the water.

Also in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 shown embodiment, in the targeted cooling water or condensate is pumped out of the air outlet region of the process air pipe 26 is optimized flow and thus consumption value.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown.

Thus, an effective diameter of the horizontal process air pipe section and an effective diameter of the horizontal duct section diameter may also have other ratios, e.g. B. less than 2: 1, namely z. Of at least equal size (i.e., 1: 1 or 1: 1 + x, for example), or greater than 2: 1 ratio. The larger the water drainage channel is, the more likely it will usually be to carry air. In no longer negligible air flow, the water drainage channel can also be considered as another process air duct for draining condensate water.

Also, the Wasseralbleitungskanal or its mouth opening need not go off on a plane (height) of the mouth opening 14, but may in particular be lower than the mouth opening 14. Also, the drain pump of the water drainage channel does not need to correspond to the drain pump, but may also be a separately controllable pump. There may be more than two water-diverting channels. It is also possible, for example, to use drying devices based on the heat pump principle or water-cooled drying devices.

FIG. 5 shows a in the process air duct 13 (see also FIG. 1 ) arranged cooler 16 for cooling by flowing process air. The process air flows to the cooler 16 through a manifold 31, the water discharge passage 24 is connected to the manifold 31. In this case, the manifold 31 is arranged vertically below the radiator 16 and has a vertically downwards final, inclined wall 34, wherein the water discharge channel 24 opens into the wall 34 in the manifold 31. The cooler 16 serves to condense moisture from the flowing process air, and the manifold 31 connecting the process air duct 13 to the radiator 16 under any necessary deflection of the process air and adjustment between different flow cross sections, ensuring a largely uniform flow of the radiator 16. Es It makes sense to make the arrangement of manifold 31 and radiator 16 as dargstellt so that at least a portion of the condensate formed in the radiator 16 flows counter to the manifold 34 and thus the inflowing process air. At an outlet 32, the distributor 31 is connected via a connecting piece 33, in the simplest case a seal 33, to the cooler 16, which in the present case is an air-cooled cooler 16. The water discharge channel 24 absorbs such condensate safely and performs it controlled.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

drum housing

2

washing drum

3

Laundry

4

Fresh water supply

5

dispenser tray

6

free fleet

7

heater

8th

Drain pump

9

drain channel

10

Process air duct

11

upper part of the process air duct

12

Process air fan

13

lower part of the process air duct

14

muzzle

15

condensation device

16

cooler

17

Cooling fan

18

Cooling air inlet channel

19

Cooling air outlet channel

20

exhaust air outlet

21

penstock

22

curvature region

23

rectilinear end section

24

Water drainage channel

25

drain opening

26

Process air duct or process air pipe

27

Water drainage channel

28

Water drainage channel

29

bag

30

bag

31

distributor

32

Outlet of the distributor

33

joint

34

Lower wall

L1

hole axis

L2

hole axis

Claims (13)

1. Laundry drying appliance with a process air channel (10, 21; 26), which opens into a drum housing (1) and which is provided for guidance of process air from the drum housing (1) to a condenser device (15) and for draining condensation water from the condenser device (15) into the drum housing (1), wherein at least one water drain channel (24; 27, 28), which opens separately from the process air channel (10, 21; 26) into the drum housing (1), leads away from the process air channel (10, 21; 26), characterised in that the at least one water drain channel (24) is so arranged with respect to a direction of process air flow that water in the process air channel (21) is forced by means of the process air flow into the water drain channel (24).
2. Laundry drying appliance according to claim 1, characterised in that at least two water drain channels (27, 28) lead away from the process air channel (26).
3. Laundry drying appliance according to claim 2, characterised in that the water drain channels (27, 28) lead away with lateral offset from the process air channel (26).
4. Laundry drying appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the at least one water drain channel (27, 28) is connected with a drain pump (8).
5. Laundry drying appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the at least one water drain channel (24) is connected without a pump to a downpipe to the drum housing (1).
6. Laundry drying appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the process air channel (21; 26) has an at least partly curved mouth section (22, 23) which opens into the drum housing (1), wherein the at least one water drain channel (24; 27, 28) departs from the process air channel (21; 26) at the height of the mouth opening (14) or lower.
7. Laundry drying appliance according to claim 6, characterised in that the at least one water drain channel (24; 27, 28) departs from the curved pipe section (22) of the process air pipe (21; 26).
8. Laundry drying appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a centre point of the mouth opening (14) of the process air pipe (21) in the drum housing (1) and a centre point of an outflow opening (25) of a water drain channel (24) in the process air pipe (21) are offset in height relative to one another.
9. Laundry drying appliance according to claim 8, characterised in that an aperture axis (L1) of the mouth opening (14) of the process air pipe (21) in the drum housing (1) and an aperture axis (L2) of the outflow opening (25) of a water drain channel (24) are offset in height relative to one another.
10. Laundry drying appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a diameter of the process air pipe (21; 26) at least in the region of its mouth opening (14) in the drum housing (1) and a diameter of the water drain channel (24; 27, 28) in the region of its outflow opening (25) have a ratio of approximately 2 to 1 to approximately 1 to 1.
11. Laundry drying appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the water drain channel (24) is connected with the drum housing (1) by way of a water reservoir.
12. Laundry drying appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the process air channel (21) has a distributor (31) connected with a cooler (16), wherein the water drain channel (24; 27, 28) is connected with the distributor (31).
13. Laundry drying appliance according to claim 12, characterised in that the distributor (31) is arranged vertically below the cooler (16) and has an inclined wall (34) closing it off vertically downwardly, wherein the water drain channel (24; 27, 28) opens into the distributor (31) at the wall (34).

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