EP2513368B1 - Appareil électroménager comprenant un système d'expansion - Google Patents

Appareil électroménager comprenant un système d'expansion Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2513368B1
EP2513368B1 EP10782275.1A EP10782275A EP2513368B1 EP 2513368 B1 EP2513368 B1 EP 2513368B1 EP 10782275 A EP10782275 A EP 10782275A EP 2513368 B1 EP2513368 B1 EP 2513368B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
process air
refrigerant
household appliance
expansion
temperature
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Not-in-force
Application number
EP10782275.1A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP2513368A2 (fr
Inventor
Pilar Balerdi Azpilicueta
Iñaki OTERO GARCIA
Roberto San Martin Sancho
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
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BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
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Publication date
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Publication of EP2513368A2 publication Critical patent/EP2513368A2/fr
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Publication of EP2513368B1 publication Critical patent/EP2513368B1/fr
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Classifications

    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F58/00—Domestic laundry dryers
    • D06F58/20—General details of domestic laundry dryers 
    • D06F58/206—Heat pump arrangements
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F2103/00—Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F2103/28—Air properties
    • D06F2103/32—Temperature
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F2103/00—Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F2103/50—Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers related to heat pumps, e.g. pressure or flow rate
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F34/00—Details of control systems for washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F34/14—Arrangements for detecting or measuring specific parameters
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F58/00—Domestic laundry dryers
    • D06F58/02—Domestic laundry dryers having dryer drums rotating about a horizontal axis
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F58/00—Domestic laundry dryers
    • D06F58/20—General details of domestic laundry dryers 

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a household appliance comprising a treatment chamber for treating articles, a process air guide for guiding process air through said treatment chamber, said process air guide comprising a blower for driving the process air, a heater for heating the process air and placed upstream of said treatment chamber, and a heat pump, wherein said heater is a heat source for transferring heat from a refrigerant circulating through said heat pump to the process air, and wherein said heat pump further comprises a heat sink for transferring heat into the refrigerant, a compressor for compressing the refrigerant, an expansion system for expanding the refrigerant, said expansion system having a variable restriction defined to determine a flow rate of a condensate at given pressure and temperature conditions, a refrigerant guide for circulating the refrigerant through said heat pump in a closed circuit, a control unit connected to said expansion system and a sensor unit associated to said heat pump, for controlling the restriction of said expansion system in response to signals communicated to said control unit by said sensor unit.
  • a household appliance of this generic type is disclosed in US 2007/0107255 A1 .
  • a household appliance of this generic type is disclosed in WO 2008/107266 A1 .
  • the appliance disclosed is a household laundry dryer whose heat pump is a compressor-type heat pump which is characterized by having a refrigerant which is guided in a closed refrigerant guide.
  • the refrigerant is made to evaporate in the heat sink, and to release heat from the associated heat source, the refrigerant is made to liquefy in the heat source.
  • the gaseous refrigerant is compressed as it passes from the heat sink to the heat source, and the liquid refrigerant is expanded in an expansion system as it returns from the heat source to the heat sink.
  • a special selection of the compressor comprised by the heat pump and the refrigerant is made.
  • a cleaning device to clean a heat sink of a heat pump in a laundry dryer is disclosed.
  • a heat sink in a laundry dryer is subject to operational degradation by small particulates comprising fragments of fibers and the like, normally termed lint or fluff, and abstracted from the laundry being dried by the process air.
  • lint or fluff small particulates comprising fragments of fibers and the like
  • a lint filter is placed into the process air guide upstream of the heat sink to catch a major portion of the lint from the process air.
  • a small but considerable fraction of the lint will escape from being caught by the lint filter, and precipitate onto the heat sink together with condensate formed from humidity contained in the process air which is formed upon extracting heat from the process air.
  • WO 2008/110449 A1 exhibits a household appliance having a heat pump and having a process air guide which is partly open.
  • a heat pump may be applied in a household appliance in addition to more usual electric or gas burner heaters and air-to-air heat exchangers. Such appliances may be termed "hybrids".
  • the heat sink and the heat source of a heat pump comprised by a household appliance can be arranged in a forked process air guide to have the process air to pass them as two part flows in parallel, in contrast to more usual practice requiring the undivided process air flow to pass the heat sink and the heat source in sequence.
  • the heat pumps are equipped with components whose operational characteristics are fixed by dimensioning and construction. Normal use of such household appliances will occur under a variety of ambient conditions defined by the placement of the appliances and the seasons of the year. In addition, normal use in itself will also incur a variety of operating conditions.
  • operation of a laundry dryer with a heat pump will include a starting phase wherein the components of the appliance and the laundry to be dried itself will be brought to their proper operating temperatures, a quasi-stationary phase where the majority of the drying operation is performed, and a terminating phase where the laundry is almost as dry as desired and the extraction of the residual humidity from the laundry needs to rise the temperature of the process air passing the laundry above the level that had been continued through the quasi-stationary phase.
  • a layout of the heat pump needs to be found which allows to operate the heat pump through all of these phases, while coping with variable ambient conditions as well.
  • a household appliance is specified in the independent claim attached.
  • Preferred embodiments of the household appliance according to the present invention are specified in dependent claims and the subsequent specification.
  • a household appliance comprising a treatment chamber for treating articles, a process air guide for guiding process air through said treatment chamber, said process air guide comprising a blower for driving the process air, a heater for heating the process air and placed upstream of said treatment chamber, and a heat pump, wherein said heater is a heat source for transferring heat from a refrigerant circulating through said heat pump to the process air, and wherein said heat pump further comprises a heat sink for transferring heat into the refrigerant, a compressor for compressing the refrigerant, an expansion system for expanding the refrigerant, said expansion system having a variable restriction defined to determine a flow rate of a condensate at given pressure and temperature conditions, and a refrigerant guide for circulating the refrigerant through said heat pump in a closed circuit.
  • a control unit connected to said expansion system and a sensor unit associated to said heat pump, for controlling the restriction of said expansion system in response to signals communicated to said control unit by said sensor unit.
  • said sensor unit comprises an ambient temperature sensor for sensing an ambient temperature of said appliance, said control unit is preset to set said restriction to a nominal value if the ambient temperature is essentially equal to a given normal ambient temperature, and said control unit is preset to set said restriction to a value exceeding said nominal value if the ambient temperature is essentially different from said normal ambient temperature.
  • variable expansion system replaces known expansion systems with fixed dimensional and constructional parameters, to yield operational flexibility for the household appliance in view of adaptation to varying ambient and operational requirements.
  • An effective operational parameter of the expansion system is a restriction which is measured as a pressure drop generated by the liquid refrigerant flowing through at a nominal temperature and a nominal mass flow.
  • a restriction which is measured as a pressure drop generated by the liquid refrigerant flowing through at a nominal temperature and a nominal mass flow.
  • the invention will allow a household appliance to adapt to a variety of ambient temperatures, to assure proper operation at ambient temperatures varying between 5 °C and 35 °C, with 23 °C being a nominal temperature.
  • changes in operational parameters occurring through a process for treating articles in the appliance may be adapted to, by modifying characteristics of the heat pump as given by the restriction of the expansion system, to better adapt the functional layout and settings of the heat pump to pertinent operational conditions and thus obtain better operational efficiency and possibly shorter duration of treatment processes.
  • the household appliance comprises a control unit connected to said expansion system and a sensor unit associated to said heat pump, for controlling the restriction of said expansion system in response to signals communicated to said control unit by said sensor unit.
  • the expansion system may be controlled in response to pertinent operational conditions of the heat pump.
  • the expansion system may have a restriction that is controllable by electronic means.
  • the control unit may be a standalone electronic circuit, or it may be included in a system control unit which performs overall control of the appliance, including interfacing with a user to display operational information, select operational programs for treating of articles placed into the appliance, and set operational parameters for such programs.
  • said sensor unit comprises an ambient temperature sensor for sensing an ambient temperature of said appliance.
  • an ambient temperature sensor for sensing an ambient temperature of said appliance. This enables to take the pertinent ambient conditions into account for operating the appliance including the heat pump, and it also allows for modification of the mode of operation in response to ambient conditions.
  • the ambient temperature is a functional parameter for the heat pump as it affects that dissipation. According to the invention, the ambient temperature may be accounted for in operating the heat pump.
  • said control unit is preset to set said restriction to a nominal value if the ambient temperature is essentially equal to a given normal ambient temperature, and wherein said control unit is preset to set said restriction to a value exceeding said nominal value if the ambient temperature is essentially different from said normal ambient temperature.
  • a preferred setting for operation may provide to set the expansion system to a normal restriction at a normal ambient temperature which may be a usual ambient temperature to be encountered in a normal household, and to increase the restriction over the normal restriction both at ambient temperatures higher and lower than the normal ambient temperature.
  • said sensor unit specified in the preceding chapter comprises a state sensor for sensing a state of said heat pump.
  • said state sensor is a temperature sensor for sensing a process temperature within said refrigerant guide.
  • the process temperature is a temperature of the refrigerant upon exiting said heat sink, and said control unit is preset to control said expansion system for retaining a given superheat in the refrigerant exiting said heat sink.
  • said expansion system comprises at least two expansion units which are variably engageable into said refrigerant guide by said control unit.
  • said expansion system comprises an expansion unit which comprises a first expander and a valve controllable by said control unit and connected in series
  • the expansion system may include a second expander connected in parallel to said expansion unit.
  • a plurality of expansion units connected in parallel to one another may be provided in the expansion system, thereby providing n extended range of variability of the restriction, to improve adaptability of the system to various operational requirements.
  • said expansion unit comprises a multiplicity of first expanders, wherein said first expanders are connected in parallel to one another through a multi-way distribution valve controllable by said control unit, thus simplifying the switching means while retaining a high measure of variability.
  • said expansion system comprises a variable expansion valve.
  • said expansion valve is a thermostatic expansion device.
  • said thermostatic expansion device has an associated temperature sensor coupled to said process air guide at an exit of said treatment chamber for sensing an air temperature of the process air upon exiting said treatment chamber, and wherein said thermostatic expansion device is provided to vary said restriction from a relatively low restriction at a low air temperature to a relatively high restriction at a high air temperature.
  • said expansion system is a multiplicity of thermostatic expansion devices, and wherein said thermostatic expansion devices are connected in parallel to one another through a multi-way distribution valve controllable by said control unit.
  • variable valves for use as expansion units are preferred though they may require providing an electronic control which may be a standalone unit or a part of an electronic system control unit as explained hereinabove.
  • a variable expansion device may be applied which is marketed as a self-contained unit including sensor and control means, to vary a restriction in response to a state variable, which is in general a temperature, as sensed by the sensor means.
  • the sensor means may be applied as a state sensor or ambient temperature sensor as explained hereinabove.
  • further modes of control may be implemented by using such variable expansion device.
  • thermostatic expansion device is familiar to a person of ordinary skill in the art due to the application of such devices in self-controlled refrigeration circuits in freezers or refrigerators. Yet, the property of being “thermostatic” is not really a property of the expansion device itself but of the complete refrigeration circuit that includes the device.
  • a typical drying process as executed in a common laundry drying appliance may be considered.
  • the drying process will start with heating phase where the components included in the process air circuit will change their temperatures to operating values, and the articles to be dried will be heated to an elevated operational temperature.
  • the duration of the process short it is desired to keep the heating phase short.
  • a relatively high restriction in the expansion system is desired to attain a relatively high pressure of the refrigerant in the heat source leading to an elevated condensation temperature of the refrigerant, to an elevated temperature difference between the refrigerant and the process air in the heat source and to an increased heat transfer into the process air in consequence.
  • the highly restricted flow of refrigerant will reduce the amount to be evaporated in the heat sink, and the resultant cooling of the process air in the heat sink as well.
  • a quasi-stationary phase will follow on the heating phase.
  • the restriction of the expansion system may be set to a reduced nominal value - that may still be dependent on ambient conditions as explained hereinabove.
  • the drying process approaches its end, all humidity has been evaporated from the surfaces of the articles to be dried, and remaining humidity must be extracted from deep within the textile fibres making up the articles.
  • said process air guide within the inventive appliance is substantially closed in itself to guide the process air in a substantially closed circuit, thereby rendering the appliance a closed-circuit dryer or condensation-type dryer.
  • said heat sink is a cooler placed in said process air guide for cooling the process air after exiting said treatment chamber for extracting humidity from said process air, again in compliance with the features of a condensation-type dryer. More preferred said cooler has a condensate collector placed hereunder for collecting condensate precipitating from the process air within said cooler, to collect the humidity abstracted from the articles by operating the inventive appliance.
  • said treatment chamber is a rotatable drum for tumbling the articles placed therein for treatment.
  • Fig. 1 shows a household appliance 1 which is incorporated as a laundry dryer 1.
  • the laundry dryer 1 comprises a treatment chamber 2 which is configured as a drum 2, wherein the articles 3 to be dried, presently pieces of laundry 3, are placed. Details and accessories like a door and a drive as commonly associated with such drum 2 are not shown for the sake of simplicity.
  • Drum 2 is rotatable about an axis 4 for tumbling the pieces of laundry 3 through process air flowing along to extract humidity from the pieces of laundry 3.
  • Process air for drying the pieces of laundry 3 is guided by a process air guide 5.
  • Process air guide 5 comprises a blower 6 which drives the process air in a substantially closed circuit.
  • substantially closed means that process air guide 5 is kept at a pressure substantially equal to the pressure in the ambient of the appliance 1, but is not hermetically sealed against the ambient however without any functionally relevant leak by which air should be exchanged between process air guide 5 and ambient.
  • the process air guide 5 includes a heater 7 or heat source 7 placed upstream of drum 2 for heating the process air prior to entering drum 2. Downstream of drum 2, the process air guide 5 includes a cooler 8 or heat sink 8 wherein heat is extracted from the process air after leaving drum 2.
  • Process air guide 5 may include further components according to common practice. In particular, temperature sensors and a lint filter may be present but are not shown in Fig. 1 for the sake of simplicity.
  • Heat source 7 and heat sink 8 are embodied as heat exchangers 7 and 8 to exchange heat with the process air passing through. Heat source 7 and heat sink 8 are also included in a heat pump 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. This provides to recover heat extracted from the process air in the heat sink 8 by pumping such heat to the heat source 7 where it is transferred back into the process air. While such heat pump process cannot function on its own, but necessarily needs an input of additional energy to be effective as provided by the laws of thermodynamics, such process greatly reduces the energy input required to evaporate all humidity from the pieces of laundry 3 contained in drum 2.
  • the heat pump 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 includes, beside heat source 7 and heat sink 8, a compressor 9 for compressing a refrigerant which is circulated through the heat pump 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 in a closed circuit, an expansion system 10 to effect a reduction of internal pressure within the circulating refrigerant and a refrigerant guide 11 which guides the refrigerant as it is circulated.
  • the refrigerant may be selected from a variety of chemical compounds and compositions which are known in the art to be suitable for the purpose.
  • the refrigerant may be a hydrocarbon compound like propane (R290 in terms of the commonly used ASHRAE standards), a fluorinated hydrocarbon compound like R134a and R152a or a mixture of such fluorinated hydrocarbon compounds like R407C and R410A; the compounds indicated in terms of the commonly used ASHRAE standards.
  • the refrigerant will exit the heat sink 8 in gaseous form, to be guided to the compressor 9 by refrigerant guide 11.
  • the compressor 9 will compress the gaseous refrigerant and forward it to heat source 7. In the heat source 7, the refrigerant will release heat to the process air flowing through, and condense to liquid form in consequence.
  • the liquid refrigerant passes through the expansion system 10 which is familiarly embodied as a throttle or restriction.
  • the most common form of a device which is usable as an expansion system 10 is a capillary 10, namely a tube of considerable length with a very small cross section.
  • Expansion system 10 serves to reduce the internal pressure of the liquid refrigerant.
  • the refrigerant enters heat sink 8 in liquid form, and will absorb heat from the process air flowing through. The heat absorbed into the liquid refrigerant will make the refrigerant evaporate to gaseous form, thus completing a whole cycle of circulation. Due to the differences in internal pressure of the refrigerant between heat source 7 and heat sink 8, the condensation of the refrigerant will occur at a considerably higher temperature then its evaporation, as a prerequisite for the heat pump process which serves to operate the laundry dryer 1.
  • a special feature of the appliance shown in Fig. 1 is that the expansion system 10 has a restriction defined to determine the flow rate of a condensate at given pressure and temperature conditions which is variable by operation of a dedicated control unit 14.
  • control unit 14 is connected to a sensor unit 15, 16 comprising a state sensor 15 to determine a temperature of the refrigerant as it exits heat sink 8 and an ambient temperature sensor 16 which determines a temperature of the ambient of the appliance 1.
  • control unit 14 will set the restriction of expansion system 10 to vary the operating conditions of heat pump 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 in response to these signals.
  • the expansion system 10 with its variable restriction allows appliance 1 to adapt to a variety of ambient temperatures, to assure proper operation at ambient temperatures varying between 5 °C and 35 °C, with 23 °C being a nominal temperature.
  • changes in operational parameters occurring through a process for treating the articles 3 in the appliance 1 may be adapted to, by modifying characteristics of the heat pump 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 as given by the restriction of the expansion system 10, to better adapt the functional layout and settings of the heat pump 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 to pertinent operational conditions and thus obtain better operational efficiency and possibly shorter duration of treatment processes.
  • the state sensor 15 is a temperature sensor 15 for sensing a process temperature within refrigerant guide 11.
  • the process temperature is a temperature of the refrigerant upon exiting heat sink 8
  • control unit 14 is preset to control the expansion system 10 for retaining a given superheat in the refrigerant exiting heat sink 8.
  • normal operation of the appliance 1 including the heat sink 8 wherein the refrigerant enters the heat sink 8 in a liquid state to be evaporated while flowing through the heat sink 8 to form a gas, which gas will be heated by a certain amount to a temperature which is above the boiling temperature of the refrigerant under the pressure condition given.
  • the difference from the boiling temperature to the temperature of the gaseous refrigerant as it exits heat sink 8 is defined to be the superheat.
  • the superheat will change under changing operational conditions.
  • the sensor unit 15, 16 comprises ambient temperature sensor 16 for sensing an ambient temperature of appliance 1.
  • This enables to take the pertinent ambient conditions into account for operating the appliance 1 including heat pump 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and it also allows for modification of the mode of operation in response to ambient conditions.
  • the ambient temperature is a functional parameter for operation as it affects that dissipation.
  • the ambient temperature may be accounted for in operating the heat pump 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 by stetting the restriction at the expansion device 10.
  • control unit 14 is preset to set the restriction to a nominal value if the ambient temperature is essentially equal to a given normal ambient temperature, and control unit 14 is preset to set said restriction to a value exceeding said nominal value if the ambient temperature is essentially different from said normal ambient temperature.
  • a preferred setting for operation may provide to set the expansion system 10 to a normal restriction at a normal ambient temperature which may be a usual ambient temperature to be encountered in a normal household, and to increase the restriction over the normal restriction both at ambient temperatures higher and lower than the normal ambient temperature.
  • a thermal load on the heat pump 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 is high, and compressor 9 may run into unduly high thermal load.
  • the expansion system 10 may be embodied as a valve 10 whose restriction may be varied continuously by electronic means.
  • control unit 14 could be an electronic circuit which could operate independently of other components of the appliance 1, or, as an alternative, be incorporated into an electronic appliance control unit 17 which is commonly used both for operational control of appliance 1 as well as for interfacing with a user or operator by displaying process-related information and receiving through suitable input means, control information for selecting a program for a predefined drying process or setting a parameter relating to such program. Display and input means are not shown for the sake of simplicity.
  • Common practice also provides for self-contained units including an expansion system 10 and a control unit 14, for example in the form of a "thermostatic expansion device", which are commonly used in freezers and refrigerators.
  • Fig. 2 shows an example of an expansion system 10 comprising two expansion units 18, 19, each of which comprising a first expander 18, possibly a capillary 18, and a switch valve 19 connected in series. Both expansion units 18, 19 are connected in parallel, and a second expander 20 is connected in parallel to both units 18, 19. Both switch valves 19 may be switched from closed to open by control unit 14, thus providing a total of four different restrictions available to define operating parameters for the heat pump 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 as exemplified in Fig. 1 .
  • Fig. 3 shows an alternative expansion system 10 for use in refrigerant guide 11 between heat source 7 and heat sink 8.
  • the expansion system 10 comprises expansion units 18, each made up from a single expander 18, and all expanders 18 connected to a distribution valve 21 controllable by control unit 14 which may selectively invoke each of the expanders 18 for use in the heat pump 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 as exemplified in Fig. 1 .
  • Fig. 4 shows another example of a variable expansion system 10 incorporated into a thermostatic expansion device.
  • This device includes a continuously variable valve 10 included into refrigerant guide 11. Further, it includes a process air temperature sensor 22 which is presently connected to the process air guide 5 to sense a temperature of the process air as it exits the treatment chamber 2.
  • the process air temperature sensor 22 is presently simply a bulb which is filled with a working fluid 24 that will serve to sense a temperature that it is exposed to. In principle, the temperature sensor 22 may be placed at any location as deemed useful for its operation to control the variable valve 10.
  • the temperature sensor 22 is connected to a chamber 14 serving as the control unit 14.
  • a movable diaphragm 23 separates a room filled by the working fluid and communicating with the interior of the bulb 22 from a part of the room filled by air.
  • the diaphragm 23 contacts a pushrod 25 which in turn serves to set the restriction of the variable valve 10.
  • the working fluid 24 will expand or contract and move diaphragm 23 correspondingly.
  • This movement is transmitted to the variable valve 10 by pushrod 25, and will cause a change of the restriction of the variable valve 10 in response to a change in temperature of the process air.
  • an adaptation of the operation of the heat pump 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 in response to the process air temperature at the exit of drum 2 is effected.
  • a typical drying process executed in drying appliance 1 will start with heating phase where the components included in the process air circuit 2, 5, 6, 7, 8 will change their temperatures from ambient temperatures to operating values, and the articles 3 to be dried will be heated to an elevated operational temperature.
  • a relatively high restriction in expansion system 10 is set to attain a relatively high pressure of the refrigerant in the heat source 7 leading to an elevated condensation temperature of the refrigerant, to an elevated temperature difference between the refrigerant and the process air in the heat source 7 and to an increased heat transfer into the process air in consequence.
  • the highly restricted flow of refrigerant will reduce the amount to be evaporated in heat sink 8, and the resultant cooling of the process air in heat sink 8 as well.
  • a quasi-stationary phase will follow on the heating phase in the drying process.
  • the restriction of the expansion system 10 may be set to a reduced nominal value - that may still be dependent on ambient conditions as explained herein above.
  • the drying process approaches its end, all humidity has been evaporated from the surfaces of the articles 3 to be dried, and remaining humidity must be extracted from deep within the textile fibres making up the articles 3.
  • a self-contained variable expansion device 10 or a plurality of such devices 10, in particular selectable via distribution valve 21 in response to ambient conditions, may be applied in appliance 1 for such purpose.
  • the function of such device 10 would be to reduce the restriction upon an increase in temperature. If the requirements particular for the terminal phase should be taken into account as well, addition of a switchable expander as shown in Fig. 4 may be effective.
  • process air guide 5 within the appliance 1 is substantially closed in itself to guide the process air in a substantially closed circuit, thereby rendering the appliance 1 a closed-circuit dryer or condensation-type dryer. Yet, this should not be regarded as a mandatory feature.
  • novel features disclosed herein will lend themselves well to another type of appliance wherein the process air guide 5 is not substantially closed in itself, or where even plural process air circuits 5 parallel to each other are implemented.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Detail Structures Of Washing Machines And Dryers (AREA)
  • Drying Of Solid Materials (AREA)
  • Control Of Washing Machine And Dryer (AREA)
  • Air Conditioning Control Device (AREA)
  • Freezing, Cooling And Drying Of Foods (AREA)

Claims (17)

  1. Appareil électroménager (1) comprenant une chambre de traitement (2) pour traiter des articles (3), un guide d'air de traitement (5) pour guider un air de traitement à travers ladite chambre de traitement (2), ledit guide d'air de traitement (5) comprenant une soufflante (6) pour entraîner l'air de traitement, un dispositif de chauffage (7) pour chauffer l'air de traitement et placé en amont de ladite chambre de traitement (2), et une pompe à chaleur (7, 8, 9, 10, 11), dans lequel ledit dispositif de chauffage (7) est une source de chaleur (7) pour transférer une chaleur d'un réfrigérant circulant à travers ladite pompe à chaleur (7, 8, 9, 10, 11) jusqu'à l'air de traitement, et dans lequel ladite pompe à chaleur (7, 8, 9, 10, 11) comprend en outre un puits de chaleur (8) pour transférer une chaleur jusque dans le réfrigérant, un compresseur (9) pour compresser le réfrigérant, un système d'expansion (10) pour expanser le réfrigérant, ledit système d'expansion (10) ayant une restriction variable définie pour déterminer un débit d'un condensat à des conditions données de pression et de température, un guide de réfrigérant (11) pour faire circuler le réfrigérant à travers ladite pompe à chaleur (7, 8, 9, 10, 11) dans un circuit fermé, une unité de commande (14) connectée audit système d'expansion (10) et une unité de capteurs (15, 16) associée à ladite pompe à chaleur (7, 8, 9, 10, 11), pour commander la restriction dudit système d'expansion (10) en réponse à des signaux communiqués à ladite unité de commande (14) par ladite unité de capteurs (15, 16), caractérisé en ce que ladite unité de capteurs (15, 16) comprend un capteur de température ambiante (16) pour détecter une température ambiante dudit appareil (1), ladite unité de commande (14) est préréglée pour régler ladite restriction à une valeur nominale si la température ambiante est sensiblement égale à une température ambiante normale donnée, et ladite unité de commande (14) est préréglée pour régler ladite restriction à une valeur excédant ladite valeur nominale si la température ambiante est sensiblement différente de ladite température ambiante normale.
  2. Appareil électroménager (1) selon la revendication 1, dans lequel ladite unité de capteurs (15, 16) comprend un capteur d'état (15) pour détecter un état de ladite pompe à chaleur (7, 8, 9, 10, 11).
  3. Appareil électroménager (1) selon la revendication 2, dans lequel ledit capteur d'état (15) est un capteur de température (15) pour détecter une température de traitement à l'intérieur dudit guide de réfrigérant (11).
  4. Appareil électroménager selon la revendication 3, dans lequel la température de traitement est une température du réfrigérant à la sortie dudit puits de chaleur (8), et dans lequel ladite unité de commande (14) est préréglée pour commander ledit système d'expansion (10) pour retenir une chaleur de surchauffe donnée dans le réfrigérant sortant dudit puits de chaleur (8).
  5. Appareil électroménager (1) selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel ledit système d'expansion (10) comprend au moins deux unités d'expansion (18, 19, 21) qui sont engageables de façon variable dans ledit guide de réfrigérant (11) par ladite unité de commande (14).
  6. Appareil électroménager (1) selon la revendication 5, dans lequel ledit système d'expansion (10) comprend une unité d'expansion (18, 19, 21) qui comprend un premier expanseur (18) et une vanne (19) pouvant être commandée par ladite unité de commande (14) et connectée en série.
  7. Appareil électroménager (1) selon la revendication 6, comprenant un deuxième expanseur (20) connecté en parallèle à ladite unité d'expansion (18, 19, 21).
  8. Appareil électroménager (1) selon l'une des revendications 6 et 7, comprenant une pluralité d'unités d'expansion (18, 19, 21) connectées en parallèle les unes aux autres.
  9. Appareil électroménager (1) selon l'une des revendications 6 et 7, dans lequel ladite unité d'expansion (18, 19, 21) comprend une multiplicité de premiers expanseurs (18), dans lequel lesdits premiers expanseurs (18) sont connectés en parallèle les uns aux autres par l'intermédiaire d'une vanne de distribution multivoies (21) pouvant être commandée par ladite unité de commande (14).
  10. Appareil électroménager (1) selon l'une des revendications 1 à 4, dans lequel ledit système d'expansion (10) comprend une vanne d'expansion variable (10).
  11. Appareil électroménager (1) selon la revendication 10, dans lequel ladite vanne d'expansion (10) est un dispositif d'expansion thermostatique (10).
  12. Appareil électroménager (1) selon la revendication 11, dans lequel ledit dispositif d'expansion thermostatique (10) a un capteur de température (22) associé couplé audit guide d'air de traitement (5) à une sortie de ladite chambre de traitement (2) pour détecter une température d'air de l'air de procédé à la sortie de ladite chambre de traitement (2), et dans lequel ledit dispositif d'expansion thermostatique (10) est prévu pour faire varier ladite restriction d'une restriction relativement faible à une basse température d'air à une restriction relativement haute à une température d'air élevée.
  13. Appareil électroménager (1) selon l'une des revendications 10 à 12, dans lequel ledit système d'expansion (10) est une multiplicité de dispositifs d'expansion thermostatiques (10), et dans lequel lesdits dispositifs d'expansion thermostatiques (10) sont connectés en parallèle les uns aux autres par l'intermédiaire d'une vanne de distribution multivoies (21) pouvant être commandée par ladite unité de commande (14).
  14. Appareil électroménager (1) selon l'une des revendications précédentes, dans lequel ledit guide d'air de traitement (5) est sensiblement fermé sur lui-même.
  15. Appareil électroménager (1) selon la revendication 14, dans lequel ledit puits de chaleur (8) est un dispositif de refroidissement (8) placé dans ledit guide d'air de traitement (5) pour refroidir l'air de traitement après la sortie de ladite chambre de traitement pour extraire une humidité dudit air de traitement.
  16. Appareil électroménager selon la revendication 15, dans lequel ledit dispositif de refroidissement (8) a un collecteur de condensat (13) placé sous celui-ci pour collecter un condensat précipitant de l'air de traitement à l'intérieur dudit dispositif de refroidissement (8).
  17. Appareil électroménager (1) selon l'une des revendications précédentes, dans lequel ladite chambre de traitement (2) est un tambour rotatif (2) pour séchage rotatif des articles (3) placés dans celui-ci pour traitement.
EP10782275.1A 2009-12-14 2010-11-24 Appareil électroménager comprenant un système d'expansion Not-in-force EP2513368B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ES200931159A ES2373135B1 (es) 2009-12-14 2009-12-14 Aparato doméstico que comprende un sistema de expansión.
PCT/EP2010/068074 WO2011072999A2 (fr) 2009-12-14 2010-11-24 Appareil électroménager comprenant un système d'expansion

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2513368A2 EP2513368A2 (fr) 2012-10-24
EP2513368B1 true EP2513368B1 (fr) 2016-04-20

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EP (1) EP2513368B1 (fr)
CN (1) CN102656314B (fr)
ES (1) ES2373135B1 (fr)
PL (1) PL2513368T3 (fr)
WO (1) WO2011072999A2 (fr)

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DE102020206823A1 (de) 2020-06-02 2021-12-02 BSH Hausgeräte GmbH Haushaltsgerät, insbesondere wäschetrockner, mit einer wärmepumpe umfassend eine expansionseinrichtung
EP3952032A1 (fr) 2020-08-07 2022-02-09 BSH Hausgeräte GmbH Machine électrique comprenant des éléments de contact formant une borne
DE102020214559A1 (de) 2020-11-19 2022-05-19 BSH Hausgeräte GmbH Haushaltsgerät mit einer wärmepumpe umfassend ein steuerbares ventil

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DE102011078922A1 (de) * 2011-07-11 2013-01-17 BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH Abluft-Wäschetrocknung mit Zusatzheizung und Wärmetauscheraggregat
EP2586906B1 (fr) * 2011-10-25 2020-06-24 Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. Sèche-linge avec système de pompe à chaleur
EP2586905B1 (fr) * 2011-10-25 2020-07-22 Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. Sèche-linge avec système de pompe à chaleur
KR102009278B1 (ko) 2012-10-22 2019-08-09 엘지전자 주식회사 운전모드에 따라 변경이 가능한 팽창변을 구비한 의류건조기 및 이의 운전방법
CN104695193A (zh) * 2015-02-12 2015-06-10 珠海格力电器股份有限公司 热泵干衣机及其控制方法
DE102015203682A1 (de) 2015-03-02 2016-09-08 BSH Hausgeräte GmbH Trockner mit einer Wärmepumpe mit variabler Kältemittelmasse sowie Verfahren zu seinem Betrieb
PL3379992T3 (pl) 2015-11-24 2020-05-18 BSH Hausgeräte GmbH Urządzenie gospodarstwa domowego z pompą ciepła i sposób działania urządzenia gospodarstwa domowego
EP3173009A1 (fr) 2015-11-24 2017-05-31 BSH Hausgeräte GmbH Appareil ménager avec une pompe à chaleur et procédé pour faire fonctionner un appareil électroménager
DE102018201257A1 (de) 2018-01-29 2019-08-01 BSH Hausgeräte GmbH Gerät zum Trocknen von Wäsche und Verfahren zum Betreiben einer Wärmepumpe eines solchen Geräts
DE102019207225A1 (de) * 2019-05-17 2020-11-19 BSH Hausgeräte GmbH Gerät zum Trocknen von Wäsche und Verfahren zum Betreiben einer Wärmepumpe eines solchen Geräts

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DE102020206823A1 (de) 2020-06-02 2021-12-02 BSH Hausgeräte GmbH Haushaltsgerät, insbesondere wäschetrockner, mit einer wärmepumpe umfassend eine expansionseinrichtung
EP3919838A1 (fr) 2020-06-02 2021-12-08 BSH Hausgeräte GmbH Appareil électroménager, en particulier sèche-linge, doté d'une pompe à chaleur comprenant un dispositif d'extension
EP3952032A1 (fr) 2020-08-07 2022-02-09 BSH Hausgeräte GmbH Machine électrique comprenant des éléments de contact formant une borne
DE102020214559A1 (de) 2020-11-19 2022-05-19 BSH Hausgeräte GmbH Haushaltsgerät mit einer wärmepumpe umfassend ein steuerbares ventil

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2011072999A3 (fr) 2011-08-18
PL2513368T3 (pl) 2016-10-31
EP2513368A2 (fr) 2012-10-24
CN102656314B (zh) 2015-08-26
WO2011072999A2 (fr) 2011-06-23
ES2373135B1 (es) 2012-12-13
ES2373135A1 (es) 2012-01-31
CN102656314A (zh) 2012-09-05

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