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
  • D06F2101/00—User input for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
• • 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
• • 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
  • D06F2103/24—Spin speed; Drum movements
• • 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
  • D06F2103/38—Time, e.g. duration
• • 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
  • D06F2103/00—Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
  • D06F2103/54—Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers related to blowers or fans
• • 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
  • D06F2105/00—Systems or parameters controlled or affected by the control systems of washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
  • D06F2105/30—Blowers
• • 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
  • D06F34/00—Details of control systems for washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
  • D06F34/14—Arrangements for detecting or measuring specific parameters

Definitions

• the invention relates to a heat pump laundry treatment apparatus, in particular a heat pump dryer or a heat pump washing machine having a dryer function, comprising a heat pump system and a cooling fan unit for cooling a compressor of the heat pump system.
• the invention relates to a method of operating such a heat pump laundry treatment apparatus.
• EP 2 212 463 Bl discloses a heat pump laundry dryer comprising an open loop cooling channel for cooling the compressor of the heat pump system.
• the open loop cooling channel contains a blower to be activated and controlled by a control unit according to the signals of a temperature sensor.
• This temperature sensor is disposed adjacent to the condenser section of the heat pump system's refrigerant loop. It is an object of the invention to provide a heat pump laundry treatment apparatus and a method of operating a heat pump laundry treatment apparatus in such a manner that its cooling fan unit offers an efficient cooling function.
• a heat pump laundry treatment apparatus comprises a control unit controlling the operation of the heat pump laundry treatment apparatus.
• the heat pump laundry treatment apparatus - in the following description denoted in brief "apparatus" - is in particular configured as a heat pump laundry dryer or a heat pump washing machine having a drying function.
• the apparatus comprises a laundry treatment chamber for treating laundry using process air.
• the process air is circulated in a process air circuit arranged within the housing of the apparatus.
• the apparatus also comprises a heat pump system having a refrigerant loop, in which the refrigerant fluid is circulated through a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger.
• a compressor circulates the refrigerant fluid through the refrigerant loop and a cooling fan unit is arranged for cooling the compressor.
• the control unit is adapted to control the operation of the apparatus, wherein the operation comprises at least the following method features:
• this operation control of the cooling fan unit is prioritized in comparison to its general or basic control by the control unit.
• a minimum cooling fan activation time (and consequently a minimum conveyance capacity) is ensured independent from specific apparatus and/or ambient conditions.
• This ensured minimum cooling capacity is advantageously used for ensuring a sufficient cooling of power units (and/or at least electronic parts, e.g. an electronic inverter, of these power units) in electrical/electronic communication with the compressor even when cooling of the compressor is not intended or required according to some specific operation modes of the apparatus.
• cooling of the compressor power units, particularly of their inverter occurs automatically by the cooling flow of the cooling fan unit which is generated for cooling the compressor according to the specific cooling requests in several operation modes.
• it is not necessary to cool the compressor for example in a warm-up phase of the heat pump system
• the power units and particularly their inverter are not cooled.
• the cooling fan unit is activated in such a manner that at least the above mentioned minimum cooling capacity is ensured.
• Monitoring the conveyance capacity (which can also be denoted as cooling capacity) has the advantage that operating the control of the cooling fan unit is possible in a cost-saving manner without an additional temperature sensor adapted to provide a temperature signal to the control unit. For example no temperature sensor assigned to the power units and/or converter of the compressor or drum drive/process air blower motor is required.
• the cooling fan unit is able to convey air from said air inlet(s) through the apparatus cabinet over the compressor to be cooled and through said outlet(s) out of the apparatus cabinet.
• This conveyance can be achieved e.g. by sucking at least a 5 portion of the conveyed cooling air through said air inlet(s) and by exhausting at least a portion of the conveyed cooling air through said air outlet(s).
• the air conveyance occurs within the cabinet without any specific air channel such that the conveyed cooling air can at least partially freely circulate within the cabinet.
• air circulation removes heat and/or humidity from the cabinet and prevents potential overheating of electronic parts (e.g. an electronic board, control unit etc.).
• potential condensate on electronic parts, electric parts, display glass and/or their potential malfunction due to humidity is prevented.
• the cooling fan unit comprises at least one blower and at least one motor for driving the blower.
• the cooling fan unit can be configured cost-saving by standard parts.
• the conveyance capacity is monitored in real-time. This can be done o continuously or repeatedly.
• the operation of monitoring the conveyance capacity can be performed in an indirect way of in a direct way, in the latter case, for example, by a flow rate sensor and/or measuring device.
• control unit comprises a counter for counting the activation 5 or ON-times of the cooling fan unit. For this purpose a count value is used.
• monitoring of the conveyance capacity can be easily implemented by monitoring (and comparing) said count value over a predefined time period. Particularly, the count value is compared with a predefined minimum count value which corresponds to the minimum conveyance capacity value.
• the conveyance capacity of the cooling fan unit is defined or represented by
• a duty cycle ratio of switching the cooling fan unit ON and OFF, and/or the conveyance rate of the cooling fan unit is a duty cycle ratio of switching the cooling fan unit ON and OFF, and/or the conveyance rate of the cooling fan unit.
• the duty cycle ratio can be represented e.g. by the ratio of two sums, wherein one sum is the sum of the total ON-times (i.e. activation of the cooling fan unit) and the other sum is the sum of the total OFF-times (i.e. cooling fan unit is switched OFF) within a predefined time period.
• one sum is the sum of the total ON-times (i.e. activation of the cooling fan unit) and the other sum is the sum of the total OFF-times (i.e. cooling fan unit is switched OFF) within a predefined time period.
• the sum of OFF-times can be automatically determined by the sum of ON-times and the predefined time period.
• the conveyance rate is preferably determined by the flow rate of the blowing cooling air generated by the cooling fan unit.
• the conveyance capacity or the conveyance rate is modified (i.e. particularly increased) by a fan speed and/or a motor speed of the cooling fan unit.
• the conveyance rate depends on the fan and/or motor o speed which in turn may be controlled (monitored) by the power, voltage and/or current supplied to the fan motor.
• the conveyance capacity is monitored over a predefined time period and the conveyance capacity to be compared with the minimum conveyance 5 capacity value is represented by the average of the conveyance capacity over the
• the minimum conveyance capacity value is determined depending on one or more input variables and/or at least one environment parameter of the apparatus o environment.
• the input variables are particularly represented by
• the minimum conveyance capacity value may be determined depending on signals provided by a flow rate sensor and/or measuring device.
• a flow rate sensor and/or measuring device may be arranged in proximity of the air inlet from which the cooling fan unit is able to take air from outside the apparatus.
• a previous operation time of the apparatus is a useful input variable since a long operation time causes increasing waste heat from the components within the apparatus cabinet and consequently the minimum conveyance capacity value can be adapted reasonably to the expected waste heat volume.
• a user selectable input variable means a variable selected by the user of the apparatus. This variable is preferably dependent on at least one of the following features: a selected cycle or program, a selected cycle option (ECO, NIGHT, FAST), desired final humidity, laundry amount, laundry type. o
• the working parameter of the laundry drum is preferably represented by the motor power or motor speed of the drum motor.
• the working parameter of the process air fan is constituted particularly by a fan speed or fan flow rate.
• the working parameter of the electric driving motor is e.g. the machine power supply (particularly voltage and/or current) or a motor speed.
• the electric driving motor itself is represented e.g. by a laundry drum motor, a blower o motor and/or a compressor motor.
• the working parameter of the compressor is constituted e.g. by its compressor power, a compressor speed and/or a status of the compressor motor. 5
• Another input variable is represented by the power supply (particularly voltage and/or current) supplied to the apparatus.
• the working parameter of the heat pump system may include the temperature and/or pressure of the coolant circulating in the pump system in any section thereof.
• the drying progress status parameter or a status parameter of the laundry to be treated may be constituted, for example, by sensed/estimated laundry humidity, sensed/estimated laundry amount, or sensed/estimated laundry type.
• the environment parameter of the apparatus environment may be, for example, the
• the conveyance capacity of the cooling fan unit is controlled to be increased by an amount which is the difference between the predefined minimum conveyance capacity value and the detected conveyance capacity.
• the 5 detected conveyance capacity is the conveyance capacity detected during monitoring.
• the monitoring occurs during a predefined time period.
• the minimum conveyance capacity is defined as a minimum value for the predefined time period, wherein a monitored conveyance capacity is the integral of the conveyance o capacity of the cooling fan unit over the predefined time period of monitoring.
• a monitored conveyance capacity is the integral of the conveyance o capacity of the cooling fan unit over the predefined time period of monitoring.
• controlling of the cooling fan unit occurs by a simple control logic on the base of time values.
• the minimum conveyance capacity value is defined as a minimum operation time of the cooling fan unit over a predefined time period and the o monitored conveyance capacity is the actual operation time of the cooling fan unit within the predefined time period of monitoring.
• the actual operation time is compared with the minimum operation time. If the actual operation time is lower than the minimum operation time, then the cooling fan unit is operated (i.e. forced ON) for an operation time which is the difference between the minimum operation time and the actual 5 operation time.
• the control logic or the operation of the cooling fan unit works in such a manner that if the difference between the minimum conveyance capacity value and the monitored conveyance capacity is lower than a predefined tolerance deficit capacity, 0 then the conveyance capacity is not increased.
• the basic operation of the cooling fan unit is not changed if the cooling deficit (i.e. of ventilating or conveying air in the apparatus cabinet) is below a tolerable value.
• This operation control of the cooling fan unit prevents repeated and inefficient short-time starting and stopping of the cooling fan unit.
• the predefined tolerance deficit capacity contributes to an energy-saving 5 operation mode of the cooling fan unit.
• the predefined tolerance deficit capacity is constituted by a predefined tolerance deficit time period. In this regard, a time difference is calculated between the minimum operation time and the actual operation time of the cooling fan unit and, if this time difference is lower than the predefined tolerance deficit time period, then the cooling fan unit is not operated additionally.
• the cooling capacity of the cooling fan unit can be varied during operation of the apparatus.
• this variation occurs in dependency of at least one input variable and/or at least one environment parameter of the apparatus environment.
• the input variables are particularly represented by
• a basic control of the cooling fan unit occurs during operation of the apparatus.
• This basic control is preferably made by considering said at least one input variable and/or environment parameter for variation of the cooling capacity in dependency of them.
• An additional operation or activation of the cooling fan unit can be necessary or forced by considering the minimum conveyance capacity value (forced control of the cooling fan unit).
• the control logic is such that this forced control is prioritized over the basic control.
• the signals of a temperature sensor are considered for operating or controlling the cooling fan unit during operation of the apparatus.
• the temperature sensor detects a temperature of the heat pump system, particularly of the refrigerant fluid. Regarding the detected temperature, the cooling fan unit is activated when 5 a predetermined maximum temperature is detected and the cooling fan unit is deactivated when a predetermined minimum temperature is detected.
• the fluid temperature is detected at the outlet of the condenser and/or at the outlet of the compressor.
• a temperature detection at the outlet of the compressor is applied o preferably, since this detection is more precise and faster than at the outlet of the
• this can be configured as a refrigerant gas or a refrigerant fluid.
• Fig. 2 a flow diagram showing one embodiment of the functioning of the cooling fan unit.
• Fig. 1 shows a schematically depicted laundry treatment apparatus 2 which in this
• the tumble dryer 2 comprises a heat pump system 4, including a closed refrigerant loop 6 which comprises in the following order of refrigerant flow B: a first heat exchanger 10 acting as evaporator for evaporating the refrigerant and cooling process air, a compressor 14, a second heat exchanger 12 acting as o condenser for cooling the refrigerant and heating the process air, and an expansion device
• the heat pump system forms the refrigerant loop 6 through which the refrigerant is circulated by the compressor 14 as indicated by arrow B.
• the process air flow within the treatment apparatus 2 is guided through a compartment 18 of the home appliance 2, i.e. through a compartment for receiving articles to be treated, e.g. a drum 18.
• the articles to be treated are textiles, laundry 19, clothes, shoes or the like.
• the process air flow is indicated by arrows A in Fig. 1 and is driven by a process air blower 8.
• the process air channel 20 guides the process air flow A outside the drum 18 and includes different sections, including the section forming the battery channel 20a in which the first 5 and second heat exchangers 10, 12 are arranged.
• the process air exiting the second heat exchanger 12 flows into a rear channel 20b in which the process air blower 8 is arranged.
• the air conveyed by blower 8 is guided upward in a rising channel 20c to the backside of the drum 18.
• the air exiting the drum 18 through the drum outlet (which is the loading opening of the drum) is filtered by a fluff filter 22 arranged close to the drum outlet in or at o the channel 20.
• the optional fluff filter 22 is arranged in a front channel 20d forming
• the condensate formed at the first heat exchanger 10 is collected and guided to the condensate collector 30.
• the condensate collector 30 is connected via a drain pipe 46, a drain pump 36 and a drawer pipe 50 to an extractable condensate drawer 40. I.e. the collected condensate can be pumped from the collector 30 to the drawer 40 which is arranged at an upper portion of the apparatus 2 from where it can be comfortably withdrawn and emptied by a user.
• the cooling fan unit 53 comprises a blower 54 and a motor 56 for activating the blower 54.
• the cooling fan unit 53 is arranged for cooling the compressor 14 and for cooling its power unit 52 and/or parts of this power unit 52, particularly an electronic inverter as part of the power unit 52.
• cooling of the power unit 52 particularly of its inverter, occurs automatically by the cooling flow 58 which is generated for cooling the compressor 14 5 according to the specific cooling requests in several operation modes.
• a cooling of the power unit 52/inverter could be desired even if the compressor 14 is not cooled.
• the cooling fan unit 53 is activated in such a manner that at least a
• control unit 51 is at the same time the control unit for controlling and monitoring the overall operation of the apparatus 2.
• the control unit 51 receives a temperature signal from a temperature sensor 41 which is arranged at the outlet of the second heat exchanger 12 (condenser) and which is indicative of the refrigerant temperature at that position.
• the cooling fan unit 51 is operated or activated by the control unit 51 in response to the temperature signal received from the temperature sensor 41.
• the control procedure implemented by the control unit 51 and as described below is activating the fan unit 53 in (extended) periods in which the fan unit 53 is not activated or is not sufficiently enough activated alone due to cooling needs indicated by the temperature from sensor 41.
• This o additional cooling as described below can be named 'prioritized cooling' being prioritized over the cooling requirement of the compressor (via sensor 41 signal).
• the activation of fan unit 53 is preferably prioritized over the activation by the requirement for 5 cooling the other components in the apparatus cabinet (e.g. the power unit 52) by the
• step SI The functioning of the cooling fan unit 53 will be explained by the flow diagram according 0 to Fig. 2. Under a basic control mode, it is continuously checked, if the cooling fan unit 53 is activated (e.g. activated by temperature control) (step SI) to convey the cooling flow 58. The result of this checking (monitoring) is stored by the control unit 51 , i.e. it is stored how much time At the cooling fan unit 53 is "ON". This corresponds to step Sl.l in the flow diagram, i.e. a cooling fan On time T_on is increased by the monitored ON- time unit At.
• step S2 If in step S2 the value of the time value T_on is equal to the predefined ensured time value T_en or even smaller than the ensured time value T_en, then it is verified if the monitoring 5 period time T_p is elapsed (step S4). In other words, if at the end of the monitoring period time T_p the value of the time T_on is not higher than the defined ensured time value T_en, a status of the cooling fan unit 53, namely STAT_FAN, is set to "Force ON" (step S5) thus enabling a prioritized control of the cooling fan unit 53.
• the length of time in which the status STAT_FAN is set to "Force ON" is defined by a forced On time value T_f_on.
• This value T_f_on is equal to the difference between the ensured time value T_en and the monitored cooling fan On time value T_on (step S4.1). In order to avoid that the 5 cooling fan unit 53 has the status "Force ON" for an irrelevant time length there exist two verification steps S4.2 and S4.3.
• step S4.2 it is verified if the calculated forced On time value T_f_on is lower than a predefined tolerance deficit time value T_tol. If the forced On time value T_f_on is lower o than the predefined tolerance deficit time, the cooling fan unit 53 will not be activated by the status "Force ON". Thus, repeated and inefficient short-time start and stop operations of the cooling fan unit 53 are avoided.
• the predefined tolerance deficit time value T_tol in step S4.2 is lower than a predefined5 minimum ensured time value T_min_en in step S4.3.
• the cooling fan unit 53 will be "forced ON” or activated by the status "Force ON” for a time length equal to the minimum ensured time value T_min_en (step S4.4).
• the prioritized control causes that the cooling fan unit 53 is activated or
• step S7 After this activation, it is verified if the determined forced On time value T_f_on is elapsed (step S8). If not, the status STAT_FAN remains "Force ON” (step S9). If the determined forced On time value T_f_on is elapsed, the status STAT_FAN is disabled, i.e. the status STAT_FAN is set to NOT ("Force ON") (step 10). This disabled o status causes a restart of monitoring during the predefined monitoring period time T_p
• step SI 1 and under the basic control according to step SI.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Textile Engineering (AREA)
• Control Of Washing Machine And Dryer (AREA)
• Detail Structures Of Washing Machines And Dryers (AREA)

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

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ID=47191616

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Family Applications Before (1)

Country Status (5)

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• 2012
  • 2012-11-16 EP EP12192960.8A patent/EP2733256A1/de not_active Withdrawn
• 2013
  • 2013-11-14 WO PCT/EP2013/073790 patent/WO2014076161A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2013-11-14 PL PL13798598T patent/PL2920357T3/pl unknown
  • 2013-11-14 CN CN201380064311.8A patent/CN104838057B/zh active Active
  • 2013-11-14 EP EP13798598.2A patent/EP2920357B1/de active Active
  • 2013-11-14 AU AU2013346825A patent/AU2013346825B2/en active Active

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