EP2735637A1 - Machine à laver-sèche linge - Google Patents

Machine à laver-sèche linge Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2735637A1
EP2735637A1 EP12194467.2A EP12194467A EP2735637A1 EP 2735637 A1 EP2735637 A1 EP 2735637A1 EP 12194467 A EP12194467 A EP 12194467A EP 2735637 A1 EP2735637 A1 EP 2735637A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
water
phase
washing
drying
cycle
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP12194467.2A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Francesco Cavarretta
Massimiliano Vignocchi
Andrea Zattin
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.)
Electrolux Home Products Corp NV
Original Assignee
Electrolux Home Products Corp NV
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Electrolux Home Products Corp NV filed Critical Electrolux Home Products Corp NV
Priority to EP12194467.2A priority Critical patent/EP2735637A1/fr
Priority to PCT/EP2013/074637 priority patent/WO2014082970A1/fr
Publication of EP2735637A1 publication Critical patent/EP2735637A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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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
    • D06F25/00—Washing machines with receptacles, e.g. perforated, having a rotary movement, e.g. oscillatory movement, the receptacle serving both for washing and for centrifugally separating water from the laundry and having further drying means, e.g. using hot air 
    • 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

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method for operating a washing cycle and a subsequent drying cycle in a laundry washer-dryer with a heat pump system according to the preamble of claim 1. Further, the present invention relates to a laundry washer-dryer with a heat pump system.
  • a laundry washer-dryer with heat pump technology achieves an efficient way to save energy during the drying cycle.
  • the laundry washer-dryer allows a combined washing and drying cycle. After the laundry has been filled into the laundry washer-dryer by the user, the washing cycle and the subsequent drying cycle can be performed automatically. The user can take the washed and dried laundry from the laundry washer-dryer, after the drying cycle has been finished. It is not necessary, that the user has to open the door of the laundry washer-dryer between the washing cycle and the drying cycle.
  • both heat pump cooling and heating powers are used as the drying air flows in a close loop and therefore it must be continuously cooled down and dehumidified, to drain water from the laundry, and then heated up .
  • the same heat pump system is used to warm up the washing water instead of using a different heater, e.g. an electrical resistance.
  • the compressor of the heat pump system is hence switched off when the water is warmed up to the desired temperature level, and it stays off for a long time, i.e. through the washing, the rinsing and the spinning steps before being switched on again for the drying phase.
  • the heap pump system requires time to reach steady state working condition in terms of refrigerant pressure and refrigerant temperature to effectively remove moisture for the laundry.
  • this time interval i.e. transitory phase, which usually lasts at least 30 minutes after the activation of the compressor, the refrigerant temperature raise to reach the steady state working condition.
  • the transitory phase reduces the overall efficiency of the drying process and increase the duration of the drying phase.
  • It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method for operating the washing cycle and the subsequent drying cycle in a laundry washer-dryer comprising: a tub and a drum for storing laundry rotatably arranged inside the tub; a water circulation line to supply the tub and the drum with water in said washing cycle; an air circulation channel including a blower for blowing air through the tub and the drum in said drying cycle; and a heat pump system having an evaporator and a condenser for the water circulation line and the air circulation channel, and a single compressor for circulating a refrigeration fluid through said evaporator and condenser.
  • the heat pump system comprises a respective evaporator and a respective condenser for each of said water circulation line and said air circulation channel.
  • the object of the present invention is achieved by the method according to claim 1.
  • the heat pump system is operated to heat water at the rinsing phase.
  • the idea underlying the present inventions relates to the management of the compressor of the washer-dryer using the heat pump system for both the washing and drying phase in order to further improve the energy performances.
  • a single compressor operated for both the refrigeration circuits respectively used for the water circulation line and the air circulation channel, is started during the first part of the main washing phase to efficiently heat up the water, so as to replace the electrical heater of the known art, and then it is switched on during the last part of the washing phase, namely to heat up rinse water.
  • the washing cycle ends with at least one rinse step with heated water, which means that the compressor is energized during said rinse step, at the beginning of the following drying cycle the compressor is still warm from the previous hot rinsing step, and being the refrigerant temperature relative high when the compressor is energized again at the start of the drying cycle, the heat pump transitory phase is reduced thereby providing an energy consumption saving and a drying time shortening.
  • the rinse with heated water immediately precedes the drying cycle, i.e. the last rinse is performed with heated water, the temperature of the clothes and the water contained therein are higher, then the air flowing through the clothes can trap more humidity, thus further reducing the drying time and hence the energy consumption.
  • a rinse with heated water provides more benefits in connection to rising performances, since solubility of washing residuals, e.g. organic species like surfactants and soils residuals, in washing liquor is strictly related to the water temperature. Raising the water temperature increases the solubility of washing residuals and improves the removal of contaminants with respect to a traditional cold rinse. Consequently, the improved rinse performances achieves environmental advantages such as the reduction in the water used for rinsing, but also the allergenic impact of the residuals possibly kept in the clothes can be highly minimized .
  • solubility of washing residuals e.g. organic species like surfactants and soils residuals
  • a higher temperature of last rinse water (to about 40°C) provides a reduced viscosity of the water itself, making easier the removal thereof by spinning. Therefore, an improved spinning efficiency can shorten the spinning phase, thus allowing an additional energy saving.
  • the present invention relates further to a laundry washer-dryer with a heat pump system, wherein the laundry washer-dryer is provided for a method described above.
  • the laundry washer-dryer comprises a control unit programmed or programmable for performing the method described above.
  • cold water is used to designate water directly supplied from the water network or from a suitable reservoir without any kind of heating and with a certain network pressure.
  • hot or heated water is used to designate water having a temperature raised to an appropriate value, suitable for effectively performing steps of a washing cycle, i.e. washing or rinsing. Temperatures may change in view of the washing conditions and according to user's choices.
  • FIG 1 illustrates a schematic flow chart diagram of a method for operating a washing cycle 10 and a subsequent drying cycle 20 in a laundry washer-dryer according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
  • the first step of the method is a selection of the operation mode.
  • the selection 12 for example via control panel of the washer-dryer, the user can select the cycle or cycles to be activated.
  • the washing cycle 10 and the subsequent drying cycle 20 are activated by the cycle selection 12 so that the machine performs a complete washing-drying cycle without any further intervention of the user.
  • the washing cycle 10 without drying cycle 20 or the drying cycle 20 without washing cycle 10 may be activated.
  • the amount of laundry loaded into the drum is suitable for performing an effective drying without the need for the user to remove laundry before starting the drying cycle.
  • the washing cycle 10 includes a washing phase 14 and at least one subsequent rinsing phase 16.
  • the water is heated at a selected temperature and the laundry may be handled by a cleaning agent.
  • a washing phase is carried out by hot water heated through a heat pump system, which will be detailed hereinafter.
  • the laundry is rinsed by water.
  • the subsequent rinsing phase 16 may be carried out only once, or it may be repeated for several times, according to a selected rinsing program.
  • the single rinse, at least one rinse or all the rinses or possibly the last rinse of the rinsing phase 16 are performed by heated water. Therefore, in the rinsing phase, water is heated to a temperature of about 40°C, preferably to a temperature in the range from 35°C to 50°C. Higher temperatures may be foreseen in special washing and rinsing condition, up to 80°C.
  • the last step of the washing cycle 10 is a spinning phase 18, through which the rinse water is mechanically removed from the laundry. After the spinning phase 18, the washing cycle 10 is concluded.
  • the second part of the method is the drying cycle 20.
  • the drying cycle 20 includes a drying phase 22 and possibly a cooling-down phase 24.
  • the drying phase 22 is carried out by heating and dehumidifying an air flow in a closed loop by a heat pump system, wherein the laundry is crossed by such an air flow to extract water from it, until a certain degree of dryness.
  • a heat pump evaporator cools down and dehumidify the air flow exiting the drum and a heat pump condenser heat up the air flow before entering again into the drum At the evaporator of the heat pump system, the excess water is drained away.
  • the heat pump compressor is still relatively warm and the refrigerant temperature and the internal temperature of the compressor component (electric motor) are relatively high (in any case higher that ambient temperature) from the previous rinsing phase 16. In this manner the transitory phase is drastically reduced.
  • the rinse by heated water reduces the time interval for reaching the steady state of the heat pump system during the drying phase 22. This is particularly advantageous, if the drying cycle starts after the rinsing phase 16 with heated water and preferably if a complete washing-drying cycle has been selected by the user.
  • the heat pump system includes a single compressor, some exchangers thermally coupled with the washing water and with the drying air, and a proper valve system to force the refrigerant flowing into the desired exchangers according to the phase, i.e. washing or drying.
  • Said heat exchangers embody condensers, where a refrigeration fluid is condensed to heat another fluid on the other side of the exchanger, and an evaporators, where said refrigeration fluid is evaporated cooling down the other fluid and possibly to make water in a gaseous flow to condensate and precipitate.
  • the refrigeration line also includes an expansion device, wherein the pressure exerted by the compressor is dissipated.
  • Said heat exchangers can be of the air-liquid or of the liquid-liquid kind.
  • a laundry washer-dryer according to the present embodiment of the invention is indicated as 1. It comprises a boxed chassis 2 enclosing a tub, schematically indicated as 3 in which a drum 4 is rotatably engaged, connected to a motor system, not visible in the drawings, to receive a spin at an appropriate and selectable speed.
  • a control unit governs the operation of this motor system and of further functional system of the washer-dryer, according to the options selected in the selecting mode 12 ( FIG. 1 ).
  • the drum 4 is provided for receiving the laundry to be washed and possibly dried.
  • FIGS. 2 and 4 are provided to depict the washing cycle 10.
  • a water circulation line 40 receives water from a water supply, e.g. a water tap at a certain network pressure, and it may include a water pump 5 which would be appropriately motorized. However, the pressure network may be sufficient to ensure an appropriate water circulation through the water circulation line, thus avoiding the needing of a water pump.
  • a supply valve (not shown) may be used to check the water supply and to control the water pressure at the water inlet.
  • the water line 40 possibly passes through a detergent drawer 41, to eventually collect a dosed detergent therefrom.
  • the water flowing in the water circulation line 40 is heated by a heat pump system as previously indicated.
  • the heat pump system includes the compressor 31, a first heater 32, a first cooler 33 which is in fluidly communication with a liquid tank 35, i.e. a water reservoir providing a certain thermal capacity, which act as a heat sink, and an expansion means 34, such as a capillary tube or an expansion valve. These components are placed along a first refrigeration line 30 forming a closing loop.
  • the compressor may includes a cooling fan (not shown).
  • the water circulation line 40 passes through said first heater 32.
  • the first heater 32 heats up the water in the circulation line 40 thereof.
  • the first cooler 33 absorbs heat from the liquid tank 35 where the water contained tends to ice.
  • FIGS. 3 and 5 are in turn provided to depict the drying cycle 10.
  • An air circulation channel 50 preferably but not exclusively forming a closed loop, is indicated by arrows, powered by an appropriately motorized blower 55.
  • the heat pump system further includes a second refrigeration line 60 including a second heater 62, a second cooler 63 and a second expansion valve 64, such as a capillary tube or an expansion valve.
  • the air channel 50 and the second refrigerant line 60 are thermally coupled by the second cooler 63 and the second heater 62 which are provided as air-refrigerant heat exchangers.
  • the second heater 32 heat up the air in the channel 50 thereof.
  • the hot air is passed through the drum 4 and the laundry contained therein, to capture water converting it into humidity.
  • the humid air is circulated through the second cooler 63, wherein the water trapped into the air is condensed and collected to a suitable reservoir possibly provided with a drain water pump (not shown), provided for removing condensed water.
  • the above air circuit 50 also comprises a lint filter (not shown) arranged between the drum 4 and the second cooler 63.
  • FIG. 6 shows the compressor activation time in a prior art machine (see top diagram), and according to the present invention (see bottom diagram).
  • the compressor is energized a first time at the start of the washing phase of the washing cycle wherein the washing water is heated up and the compressor is de-energized when the same washing phase is concluded (for example when a predetermined temperature of the washing water has been reached).
  • the compressor is energized again a second time at the start of the drying phase of the drying cycle, wherein the drying air flow is heated up to remove moisture from the laundry.
  • a relatively long time interval elapses between the deactivation of the compressor at the end of the washing phase and the second activation of the compressor at the beginning of the drying phase.
  • the compressor is energized again during the rinsing phase of the washing cycle in order to perform at least one hot water rinse.
  • the time interval between the deactivation of the compressor at the end of the rinsing phase and the activation of the compressor at the beginning of the drying phase is very short so that the refrigerant temperature and the internal temperature of the compressor component (electric motor) are higher than the ambient temperature. Therefore the transitory phase of the drying phase is heavily reduced and the steady state working condition is reached quicker, thereby reducing the overall drying cycle time and improving the energy efficiency of the heat pump system during the drying cycle.
  • the preferred embodiment shown in figures 2 to 5 discloses a heat pump system having a first heater 32 and a first cooler 33 for heating up the washing water and rinsing water and a second heater 62 and a second cooler 63 for heating up the drying air.
  • a single heater for heating up washing/rinsing water and drying air
  • the heater can include a single heat exchanger having fins for the heat exchange with the drying air and having a piping for water circulation in thermal connection with the refrigerant piping.
  • the heat pump system can includes a single cooler adapted to exchange heat with the drying air during the drying cycle and with ambient air during the washing/rinsing water heating up, appropriate flap can alternatively put the cooler in fluid communication with the drying air or ambient air.
  • the present invention can also be embedded in a computer program product which comprises all the features enabling the implementation of the method described herein. Further, when loaded in computer system, said computer program product is able to carry out these methods.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Detail Structures Of Washing Machines And Dryers (AREA)
  • Control Of Washing Machine And Dryer (AREA)
EP12194467.2A 2012-11-27 2012-11-27 Machine à laver-sèche linge Withdrawn EP2735637A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP12194467.2A EP2735637A1 (fr) 2012-11-27 2012-11-27 Machine à laver-sèche linge
PCT/EP2013/074637 WO2014082970A1 (fr) 2012-11-27 2013-11-25 Lave-linge/sèche-linge

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP12194467.2A EP2735637A1 (fr) 2012-11-27 2012-11-27 Machine à laver-sèche linge

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2735637A1 true EP2735637A1 (fr) 2014-05-28

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ID=47355831

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP12194467.2A Withdrawn EP2735637A1 (fr) 2012-11-27 2012-11-27 Machine à laver-sèche linge

Country Status (2)

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EP (1) EP2735637A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2014082970A1 (fr)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2016180611A1 (fr) * 2015-05-12 2016-11-17 BSH Hausgeräte GmbH Lave-linge séchant et procédé de fonctionnement d'un lave-linge séchant
EP3276071A1 (fr) * 2016-07-29 2018-01-31 LG Electronics Inc. Machine à laver et à sécher le linge comportant une pompe à chaleur et son procédé de commande d'opération de séchage
US11028527B2 (en) 2019-09-27 2021-06-08 Whirlpool Corporation Laundry treating appliance for drying laundry

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2007289455A (ja) * 2006-04-26 2007-11-08 Hitachi Appliances Inc 洗濯乾燥機
WO2007144340A1 (fr) * 2006-06-12 2007-12-21 Arcelik Anonim Sirketi Machine à laver
JP2008161639A (ja) * 2007-01-04 2008-07-17 Hitachi Appliances Inc 洗濯乾燥機
JP2010069194A (ja) * 2008-09-22 2010-04-02 Panasonic Corp 物品洗浄乾燥装置
EP2390397A1 (fr) * 2010-05-25 2011-11-30 Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. Procédé de fonctionnement d'un cycle de lavage et cycle de séchage successif dans une laveuse-sécheuse de linge

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2007289455A (ja) * 2006-04-26 2007-11-08 Hitachi Appliances Inc 洗濯乾燥機
WO2007144340A1 (fr) * 2006-06-12 2007-12-21 Arcelik Anonim Sirketi Machine à laver
JP2008161639A (ja) * 2007-01-04 2008-07-17 Hitachi Appliances Inc 洗濯乾燥機
JP2010069194A (ja) * 2008-09-22 2010-04-02 Panasonic Corp 物品洗浄乾燥装置
EP2390397A1 (fr) * 2010-05-25 2011-11-30 Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. Procédé de fonctionnement d'un cycle de lavage et cycle de séchage successif dans une laveuse-sécheuse de linge

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2016180611A1 (fr) * 2015-05-12 2016-11-17 BSH Hausgeräte GmbH Lave-linge séchant et procédé de fonctionnement d'un lave-linge séchant
EP3276071A1 (fr) * 2016-07-29 2018-01-31 LG Electronics Inc. Machine à laver et à sécher le linge comportant une pompe à chaleur et son procédé de commande d'opération de séchage
CN107663760A (zh) * 2016-07-29 2018-02-06 Lg电子株式会社 具有热泵的洗衣干燥机及其干燥操作控制方法
US10584440B2 (en) 2016-07-29 2020-03-10 Lg Electronics Inc. Washing drying machine having heat pump and drying operation control method thereof
US11028527B2 (en) 2019-09-27 2021-06-08 Whirlpool Corporation Laundry treating appliance for drying laundry
US11692300B2 (en) 2019-09-27 2023-07-04 Whirlpool Corporation Laundry treating appliance for drying laundry

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2014082970A1 (fr) 2014-06-05

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