ES2642135T3 - Equipment for providing heating power for an apparatus for treating laundry and apparatus for treating laundry - Google Patents

Description

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EQUIPMENT TO PROVIDE HEATING POWER FOR AN APPLIANCE TO TREAT THE COLADA AND APPARATUS TO TREAT THE COLADA

DESCRIPTION

Equipment and procedure for providing heating power for an apparatus for treating laundry and apparatus for treating laundry.

The invention relates to equipment and a method for providing heating power for an apparatus for treating laundry, as well as an apparatus for treating laundry, for example an automatic washer or a clothes dryer.

Appliances for treating laundry, such as automatic washing machines or clothes dryers, are heated with electric heaters.

Documents EP 2 460 927 A1, DE 10 2014 002471 A1, EP 2 664 868 A2 and EP 2 682 036 A2 certainly refer generally to heat pumps in domestic appliances. Of course, no distributor device is described, in order to function according to the state of service, to connect various interfaces with the vaporizer.

The invention formulates the objective of achieving improved equipment and an improved method of providing heating power for an apparatus for treating laundry and an apparatus for treating improved laundry.

According to the invention, this objective is achieved by means of equipment to provide heating power for an apparatus for treating laundry and by means of an apparatus for treating laundry with the features of the main claim. Advantageous variants and refinements of the invention result from the following secondary claims.

The advantages that can be achieved with the invention are that the heat necessary for the service of the apparatus for treating laundry can be taken from the surrounding air. This is an advantage over electrically heated devices, in which all the heating energy is taken from the electricity grid, since the electric current is currently the most expensive kind of energy and damages the environment due to the expulsion of CO2 of power plants. The energy efficiency as a whole is, in an apparatus that uses the approach described here, better than in an apparatus that obtains all the heat it needs from an electric heater.

A device for providing heating power for an apparatus for treating laundry, for example in the form of an automatic washing machine or a clothes dryer, has the following characteristics:

an air interface of the entrance side environment, to provide ambient air;

an interface for the inlet treatment fluid, to provide treatment fluid from

a laundry treatment chamber of the apparatus for treating laundry;

a vaporizer, configured to vaporize a liquid cooling medium using the surrounding air and provide it as a gas cooling medium;

a blender, configured to heat the treatment liquid using the gas cooling medium and provide it as a heated treatment liquid and

an interface of the treatment fluid on the outlet side, to evacuate the heated treatment fluid to the laundry treatment chamber.

Under an apparatus for treating laundry can be understood as an apparatus in which laundry can be treated, for example textile garments. Under laundry treatment it can be understood, for example, to wash or dry. During operation of the apparatus for treating the laundry, the laundry may be located in the laundry treatment chamber and treated using the treatment fluid. The interface of the treatment fluid on the inlet side is suitable for receiving treatment fluid from the laundry treatment chamber or other reservoir. Under treatment fluid it can be understood for example air or a liquid, for example a detergent liquid for washing. The heating power can be used to heat the treatment fluid. Thus the equipment is suitable for providing thermal energy for the apparatus for treating laundry. A heat pump can be used to provide the heating power, which takes the energy necessary to heat the surrounding air treatment fluid. The vaporizer, the blender and a cooling medium circuit that includes the cooling medium can be part of such a heat pump. By using the technology of heat pumps for a washing process and / or a drying process, little electrical energy is consumed. According to the invention, the treatment fluid interface of the inlet side is made as a process air interface of the inlet side to provide process air from the laundry treatment chamber as the treatment fluid. Correspondingly, the treatment fluid interface of the outlet side is performed as a process air interface of the outlet side to evacuate the heated process air into the laundry treatment chamber. In this way, the air can be taken from the laundry treatment chamber, heated and returned to the laundry treatment chamber, to heat the

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same. According to the invention, the treatment fluid interface of the inlet side is realized as a circulation interface of the inlet side to provide treatment fluid from the laundry treatment chamber as the treatment fluid. Correspondingly, the treatment fluid interface of the outlet side is performed as a circulation interface of the outlet side to evacuate the heated treatment liquid into the laundry treatment chamber. In this way, liquid can be taken, for example water or a detergent liquid for washing from the laundry treatment chamber, heated and returned to the laundry treatment chamber, to treat laundry. According to one embodiment, it can be the apparatus for treating laundry a clothes dryer. If a heat pump is used for the drying process, this greatly increases the energy efficiency of the clothes dryer. If the heat pump is also used to heat the washing liquid during washing, another efficiency increase results. According to the invention, such an apparatus is used to treat the laundry in a first service state to wash the laundry that is in the laundry treatment chamber and in a second service state to dry the laundry that is found in the laundry treatment chamber. According to the invention, the device is presented with a distributor device on the input side. The dispensing device on the input side is configured to connect the air interface of the input side environment with the vaporizer in a first service state and in the second service state connect the process air interface of the input side with the vaporizer. In this regard, the vaporizer is configured to vaporize in the first state of service the liquid cooling medium using the surrounding air and provide it as a gaseous cooling medium and in the second state of service vaporize the liquid cooling medium using the process air and provide it as a medium gas refrigerant. In this way, the vaporizer can be used in the first state of service to extract the heat necessary to wash the laundry from the surrounding air and in the second state of service it is used to extract moisture from the process air.

For this, the device can also present a distributor device on the output side. The dispensing device on the outlet side may be configured to connect a vaporizer outlet interface with an outlet air interface on the outlet side to evacuate the ambient air in the first service state and in the second service state the interface Vaporizer outlet with a blender input interface. In this way the process air, to which moisture has been extracted in the vaporizer, can be conducted in the second state of service to the blender and reheated in the blender before being brought back to the treatment chamber.

According to another embodiment, the equipment may present another vaporizer, which may be connected to drive the process air between the process air interface of the inlet side and the blender. In this way, a vaporizer can be provided, for example, which is optimized to extract thermal energy from the surrounding air and another vaporizer, which is optimized to extract moisture from the process air.

In this case, a switching device may be provided, which can be configured to conduct the liquid cooling medium to the vaporizer in a first operating state and in a second service state to conduct the liquid cooling medium to the other vaporizer, the other vaporizer being configured to in the second state of service, vaporize the liquid cooling medium using the process air and provide it as a gas cooling medium. In this way, no separate cooling medium circuit is needed.

According to one embodiment, the interface of the treatment fluid of the inlet side can be realized as a process air interface of the inlet side to provide process air from the laundry treatment chamber such as the treatment fluid and the interface of treatment fluid from the outlet side as an interface of the process side of the outlet side to evacuate the heated process air into the laundry treatment chamber. Additionally, the equipment can present a circulation interface of the inlet side to provide treatment liquid from the laundry treatment chamber, a circulation interface of the outlet side to evacuate the treatment liquid to the laundry treatment chamber and a circulation pump for pumping the treatment liquid from the circulation interface of the inlet side to the circulation interface of the outlet side. In this way the treatment liquid can be transferred by pumping, while the process air is heated using the blender.

Then another blender may be provided, which is arranged between the circulation interface of the inlet side and the circulation interface of the outlet side and that can be configured to heat the treatment liquid using the gas cooling medium and provide it as a treatment liquid heated to the output side circulation interface. In this way, both the process air and the treatment liquid can be heated using the surrounding air.

An apparatus for the treatment of the corresponding laundry, for example an automatic washing machine or a clothes dryer, has the following characteristics:

a laundry treatment chamber, to treat the laundry and

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a device such as said, the treatment fluid interface of the inlet side and the treatment fluid interface of the outlet side of the equipment with the laundry treatment chamber being coupled.

In this way, the approach described advantageously in this context can be used with an apparatus for treating laundry.

A procedure for providing heating power for an apparatus for treating laundry, for example an automatic washing machine or a clothes dryer, includes the following steps:

provision of surrounding air through an air interface of the input side environment; supply of treatment fluid from a laundry treatment chamber of the apparatus for treating laundry through a treatment fluid interface of the inlet side; vaporization of a liquid cooling medium using the surrounding air and supply of the cooling medium as a gas cooling medium;

heating of the treatment fluid using the gas cooling medium and contribution of the treatment fluid as a heated treatment fluid and

evacuation of the heated treatment fluid to the laundry treatment chamber through a treatment fluid interface on the outlet side.

Examples of embodiments of the invention are simply schematically depicted in the drawings and will be described in more detail below. It shows in

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a schematic representation of an apparatus for treating laundry with equipment to provide heating power according to the state of the art;

a schematic representation of an apparatus for treating laundry with equipment to provide heating power according to the state of the art;

a representation of an apparatus for treating laundry with equipment to provide heating power according to an example of embodiment of the present invention; a representation of the apparatus for treating the laundry shown in Figure 3 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

a representation of the apparatus for treating the laundry shown in Figure 3 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

a representation of an apparatus for treating the laundry with an equipment to provide heating power according to an exemplary embodiment to understand the invention; a representation of the apparatus for treating the laundry shown in Figure 6 according to an exemplary embodiment to understand the invention;

a representation of the apparatus for treating the laundry shown in Figure 6 according to an exemplary embodiment to understand the invention;

a sequential diagram of a procedure for providing heating power according to an embodiment example and

a representation of an apparatus for treating laundry in the form of a clothes dryer.

Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of an apparatus for treating laundry 100 with equipment 102 to provide heating power according to the state of the art. The apparatus for treating laundry 100 can be for example an automatic washing machine or a clothes dryer with a laundry treatment chamber 104. An operator of the apparatus for treating laundry 100 pieces can enter the laundry treatment chamber 104. of laundry to try. During the operation of the apparatus for treating the laundry 100 a treatment fluid is used to treat the laundry pieces that are inside the laundry treatment chamber 104, for example to clean them or to dry them. As a treatment fluid, for example, air or a detergent liquid is used for washing.

The equipment 102 is coupled by a treatment fluid interface of the inlet side 106 and a treatment fluid interface of the outlet side 108 with the laundry treatment chamber 104. Through the interface of the treatment fluid of the side Inlet 106, the equipment 102 can be aspirated from the treatment fluid of the laundry treatment chamber 104. Through the treatment fluid interface of the outlet side 108, the treatment fluid from the equipment 102 can be returned to the treatment chamber. laundry treatment 104. Thus, the equipment 102 may be traversed by the treatment fluid.

During operation of the equipment 102, the treatment fluid passes through the equipment 102, then heating, the energy necessary to heat the treatment fluid being extracted from the surrounding air. To this end, the device 102 presents an air interface of the environment of the inlet side 110 to provide ambient air. The surrounding air is then taken from an environment of the apparatus for treating the laundry 100.

The equipment 102 also includes a vaporizer 112 and a blender 114, which are coupled to each other by means of a refrigerant medium circuit 116. By means of the refrigerant medium circuit 116, refrigerant medium is conducted conducted by the refrigerant medium circuit 116 through the vaporizer 112 , from vaporizer 112 to blender 114, through blender 114 and back to vaporizer 112. In a

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conduction of the refrigerant medium circuit 116, by means of which the refrigerant medium is conducted from the vaporizer 112 to the liquor 114, a compressor can be arranged and in a conduit of the refrigerant medium circuit 116, through which the refrigerant medium is conducted From the blender 114 to the vaporizer 112, a throttle valve may be arranged. The vaporizer 112, the blender 114 and the cooling medium circuit 116 are part of a heat pump system, which is configured to heat the treatment fluid using the surrounding air. For this purpose, it presents the vaporizer 112, in addition to the interfaces for the cooling medium, two other interfaces, through which the surrounding air is conducted through the vaporizer 112. The vaporizer 112 is configured to vaporize the cooling medium in the state liquid using the thermal energy of the surrounding air and provide it as a gas cooling medium. The gas cooling medium is conducted through the refrigerant medium circuit 116 to the blender 114. The blender 114 has, in addition to the interfaces for the cooling medium, two other interfaces, through which the treatment fluid is conducted through the Blender 114, to be heated by absorbing thermal energy provided by the cooling medium. Then the cooling medium inside the blender 114 passes to the liquid state. The liquid cooling medium is conducted through the cooling medium circuit 116 back to the vaporizer 112.

Thus, according to this embodiment, the air interface of the inlet side environment 110 is connected through a line with an interface of the vaporizer 112, the interface of the treatment fluid of the outlet side 106 through a line with a interface of the blender 114 and the interface of the treatment fluid of the outlet side 108 through a conduit with another interface of the blender 114. To evacuate the surrounding air, the equipment 102 can present an interface of the surrounding air of the outlet side 118 , which through a line is connected to another interface of the vaporizer 112. Thus, the air from the cooled environment in the vaporizer 112 can be transferred back to the environment of the apparatus for treating the laundry 100.

According to an example of embodiment, the vaporizer 112 or other vaporizer is used to dehumidify process air provided by the laundry treatment chamber 104. For this purpose, the process air can be taken to the vaporizer 112, instead of the surrounding air dehumidify If two vaporizers are used, then the cooling medium can be conducted, to dehumidify the process air, through that of the vaporizers that is intended to dehumidify the process air.

Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of an apparatus for treating laundry 100 with equipment 102 to provide heating power according to the state of the art. In contrast to the embodiment described on the basis of Figure 1, the equipment 102 shown in Figure 2 shows two blenders 114, 214, as well as two interfaces of the treatment fluid of the inlet side 206, 207 and two interfaces of the fluid of output side treatment 208, 209.

Through a process air interface on the inlet side 206, process air is conducted from the laundry treatment chamber 104 to the blender 114, is heated in the blender 114 and is conducted through an air interface of process of the outlet side 208 back to the laundry treatment chamber 104. Through a circulation interface of the input side 207, treatment liquid is conducted from the laundry treatment chamber 104 to the other blender 214, it is heated in the other blender 214 and is conducted through a circulation interface of the outlet side 209 back to the laundry treatment chamber 104.

The gas refrigerant medium used within the blenders 114, 214 can be provided by the vaporizer 112, as described on the basis of Figure 1, the same being coupled through an expanded or switchable cooling circuit with the blenders 114, 214. Alternatively, a proprietary vaporizer and its own refrigeration circuit can be associated with each of the blenders 114, 214.

Figure 3 shows a representation of an apparatus for treating laundry 100 with equipment 102 to provide heating power according to an embodiment of the present invention. The equipment 102 may correspond to an example of embodiment of the equipment described based on Figure 1. The equipment 102 is configured to, in a first operating state, heat the treatment fluid, here process air, using ambient air and In a second state of service, dehumidify the process air.

The apparatus for treating the laundry 100 has, in addition to the equipment 102, a laundry treatment chamber 104. According to an exemplary embodiment, the laundry treatment chamber 104 is a wash basin. The equipment 102 is coupled through an input process air interface 206, an output side process air interface 208, a circulation interface on the input side 207 and a circulation interface on the output side 209, with the laundry treatment chamber 104. Through an air interface around the inlet side 110 and an air interface around the outlet side 118, surrounding air can be conducted through the equipment 102.

As described in relation to Figure 1, the device 102 has a vaporizer 112 and a blender 114. The vaporizer 112 is configured to, depending on the operating status of the equipment 102, extract

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Thermal air from the surrounding air provided through the surrounding air interface of the inlet side 110 or to extract thermal from the process air supplied through the process air interface from the inlet side 206 and in this way dehumidify it. To this end, the equipment 102 has a distributor device on the inlet side 320, which is configured to, depending on the operating state, connect the ambient air interface 110 or the process air interface 206 with the vaporizer 112. The medium refrigerant vaporized in the vaporizer 112, is conducted through a refrigerant medium circuit 116 to the blender 114 and is used by the blender 114 to heat the process air. The process air is then conducted in a first service state directly from the process air interface of the inlet side 206 to the blender 114 and in a second service state through the vaporizer 112 to the blender 114. For this purpose it is provided, according to this exemplary embodiment, a distributor device of the outlet side 332, which is configured to in the first state of service conduct the ambient air carried through the vaporizer 112 to the air interface of the outlet side environment 118 and in In the second operating state, the process air carried through the vaporizer 112 through the blender 114 to the process air interface on the outlet side 208. The distributing devices 320, 322 are made according to an example of embodiment as flappers.

In the refrigerant medium circuit 116, a compressor 324 between the vaporizer 112 and the liquefactor 114 is arranged in the direction of the flow to the blender 114. and the vaporizer 112 in the refrigerant medium circuit 116.

A process air blower, 328 is arranged in pipes of a process air duct 330, to move the process air between the process air interface of the inlet side 206 and the process air interface of the outlet side 208. An ambient air blower 332 is arranged in the conduits of an ambient air duct 334, to move the surrounding air between the surrounding air interface of the inlet side 110 and the surrounding ambient air interface output 118. A circulation pump 336 is arranged in conduits of a circulation circuit 338, to move the treatment liquid between the circulation interface of the inlet side 207 and the circulation interface of the outlet side 209.

The said first service state of the equipment 102 can be used for a washing process and the second service state can be used for a drying process of an apparatus for treating laundry 100 in the form of a clothes dryer 100. In the dryer Clothes 100 heat is provided on the one hand for the drying process and on the other hand for the washing process. When drying, this is done in the known manner for a dryer: Heat is taken from the wet process air through the vaporizer 112 and "pumped" by the compressor 324 at a higher temperature, whereby heat can be transferred to through the blender 114 back to the process air. When washing, heat is taken from another energy source and transmitted to the washing liquid with a higher temperature. Advantageously, the described heat pump can then have the least possible complexity. This is achieved according to an exemplary embodiment using the structural components that are used where possible to wash and dry.

To control the distribution devices 320, 322, as well as the transport equipment 324, 328, 332, 336, the equipment 102 or the apparatus for treating the laundry 100 can be presented with a control equipment, which is configured to control the distribution devices 320 , 322, as well as the transport equipment 324, 328, 332, 336 depending on a service state of the apparatus for treating laundry 100.

The surrounding air is used as a source of heat, which is aspirated, cooled and delivered back to the environment. The heat pump is composed, as already described, by compressor 324, throttle valve 326, for example in the form of a capillary or an expansion valve, the blender 114 and the vaporizer 112. When drying is carried out use a procedure known to the dryer. For washing, there are in the process air duct 320, for example, flaps 320, 322, which can also connect the air flow to a surrounding air duct.

Advantageously, the described equipment can be made using known equipment, such as a heat pump 112, 114, 324, 326, flaps on the distributing devices 320, 322, as well as process air and air blowers of the environment 328, 332.

In this way, a procedure for operating a clothes dryer 100 with heat pump 112, 114, 324, 326 for washing and drying can be performed.

Figure 3 shows the complete structure of the equipment 102. In the following figures 4 and 5 both classes of Drying and Washing service are represented. In the Drying service class, the process air is conducted through the vaporizer 112. In the Washing service class the clamps of the distributing devices 320, 322 are placed such that the surrounding air is conducted with the blower 332 through the vaporizer 112. The process air is only conducted through the blender 114 and the laundry tray 104 in the circuit.

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According to an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus for treating the laundry 100 or the equipment 102 may have at least one other heating element, by means of which the process air and additionally or alternatively the treatment liquid can be heated. The other heating element can be used as support for the heat pump. This may be appropriate, for example, when the treatment liquid must be heated to high temperatures, for example, to temperatures above 60 ° C. Such additional heating can be carried out, as shown in Figure 10, by means of a heater for the treatment liquid and / or a heating channel for the process air.

Figure 4 shows a representation of the apparatus for treating laundry 100 shown in Figure 3 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. An interconnection of the devices of the device 102 is shown for the first service state, which represents the stage of the Washing process.

The distributor device of the input side 320 has two inputs and two outputs and is connected for the washing process stage such that the surrounding air interface 110 is connected through the distributor device of the input side 320 with the vaporizer 112 and the process air interface of the input side 206 is connected by the distributor device of the input side 320 with an input of the distributor device of the output side 322.

The dispensing device on the outlet side 322 has two inputs and two outputs and is connected for the washing process stage such that an outlet of the vaporizer 112 is connected with an input of the surrounding air blower 332 and the input of the distributor device of the outlet side 322, connected to the dispensing device on the input side 320, with an inlet of the process air blower 328. The outlet of the surrounding air blower 332 is connected to the process air interface on the side of outlet 118 and the blower outlet of the process air 328 is connected to an inlet of the blender.

The surrounding air blower 332 can be mounted before the vaporizer 112. The same also applies to the process air blower 328, which can be mounted on the inlet side flap 320.

The process conduction for the washing process stage is thus according to an example of embodiment as follows:

The process air is heated and heat is transferred to the laundry and washing detergent. The vaporizer 112 is connected by means of flaps of the distributing devices 320, 322 in the air duct out of the process air circuit 330 and is connected in the air path corresponding to the surrounding air. The process air from the laundry bowl 104 is returned directly to the blender 114. The vaporizer 112 extracts heat from the surrounding air through an additional air duct.

According to an exemplary embodiment, equipment 102 may be provided exclusively for the Washing process stage. In this case, passage ducts can be used instead of the switchable distributor devices 320, 322.

Figure 5 shows a representation of the apparatus for treating laundry 100 shown in Figure 3 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. An interconnection of the devices of the device 102 is shown for the second service state, which represents the stage of the Drying process.

Of the distributor device of the inlet side 320, only one inlet and one outlet are used in this operating state, the inlet being connected with the process air interface of the inlet side 206 and the outlet with the inlet of the vaporizer 112. A duct The connection between the other inlet and the other outlet of the distributor device on the input side 320 is interrupted, for example when a clamp of the distributor device on the input side 320 is closed.

Of the dispensing device of the outlet side 322, only one inlet and one outlet are used in this operating state, the inlet being connected with the outlet of the vaporizer 112 and the outlet with the inlet of the process air blower 328. A duct of The connection between the other input and the other output of the distributor device on the output side 322 is interrupted, for example, when a clamp of the distributor device on the output side 322 is closed.

The process conduction for the drying process stage is thus, according to an example of embodiment, as follows:

The flaps of the distributing devices 320, 322 are positioned such that the process air is conducted through the vaporizer 112. The drying process takes place as in a heat pump dryer. The surrounding air flow is then disconnected.

Figure 6 shows a representation of an apparatus for treating laundry 100 with equipment 102 to provide heating power according to an embodiment. The equipment 102 can be an example of the realization of the equipment described based on figure 1. The equipment 102 is configured to, in

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a first service state, heat the treatment fluid, here process air, using ambient air and in a second service state, dehumidify the process air.

The apparatus for treating the laundry 100 has, in addition to the equipment 102, a laundry treatment chamber 104. According to an exemplary embodiment, the laundry treatment chamber 104 is a wash basin. The equipment 102 is coupled through an input process air interface 206, an output side process air interface 208, a circulation interface on the input side 207 and a circulation interface on the output side 209, with the laundry treatment chamber 104. Through an air interface around the inlet side 110 and an air interface around the outlet side 118, surrounding air can be conducted through the equipment 102.

The device 102 has a vaporizer 112, another vaporizer 612 and a liquefactor 114. The vaporizer 112 is configured to, in the first operating state of the equipment 102, extract thermal energy from the surrounding air provided through the surrounding air interface from the inlet side 110. The other vaporizer 112 is configured to, in the second operating state of the equipment 102, extract thermal energy from the process air supplied through the process air interface of the inlet side 206 and thus dehumidify it For this, the device 102 presents a switching device 620, which is configured to, depending on the operating state, connect the vaporizer 112 or the other vaporizer 612 to the cooling medium circuit 116. For example, the switching device 620 can be realized as a switching valve The vaporized cooling medium in the vaporizer 112 or in the other vaporizer 612, according to the operating state, is conducted, through the refrigerant medium circuit 116, to the blender 114 and is used by the blender 114 to heat the process air. In the first service state, the surrounding air is conducted through the vaporizer 112, to vaporize the cooling medium conducted through the vaporizer 112. The process air is conducted in the first service state through the other vaporizer not fed with coolant medium to the blender 114 and in it is heated using the coolant medium. In the second state of service, the process air is conducted through the other vaporizer 612 supplied with cooling medium and thus ready for service, to the blender 114.

In the refrigerant medium circuit 116, a compressor 324 between the vaporizers 112, 612 and the liquor 114 is arranged in the direction of the flow to the blender 114. In the direction of the flow to the vaporizer 112 a throttle valve 326 is arranged between the blender 114 and vaporizer 112 in the refrigerant medium circuit 116. In the direction of the flow to the other vaporizer 612, another throttle valve 626 is arranged between the blender 114 and the other vaporizer 612 in the refrigerant medium circuit 116. Alternatively a variable throttle valve (for example electronic expansion valve) can be used before the three-way valve 620.

A process air blower 328 is arranged in pipes of a process air duct 330, to move the process air between the process air interface of the inlet side 206 and the process air interface of the outlet side 208 An air blower of the environment 332 is arranged in tubenas of an air duct of the environment 334, to move the surrounding air between the surrounding air interface of the inlet side 110 and the surrounding air interface of the outlet side 118. A circulation pump 336 is arranged in conduits of a circulation circuit 338, to move the treatment liquid between the circulation interface of the inlet side 207 and the circulation interface of the outlet side 209.

The said first service state of the equipment 102 can be used for a washing process and the second service state can be used for a drying process of an apparatus for treating laundry 100 in the form of a clothes dryer 100. In the dryer Clothes 100 heat is provided on the one hand for the drying process and on the other hand for the washing process. When drying, this is done in the known manner in the dryer: Heat is taken from the humid process air through the vaporizer 112 and "pumped" by the compressor 324 at a higher temperature, whereby heat can be transferred to through the blender 114 back to the process air. When washing, heat is taken from another energy source and transmitted to the washing liquid with a higher temperature. Advantageously, the described heat pump can then have the least possible complexity. This is achieved according to an exemplary embodiment using the structural components that are used where possible to wash and dry.

The surrounding air is used as a source of heat, which is aspirated, cooled and delivered back to the environment. The heat pump is composed, as already described, by compressor 324, two throttle valves 326, 626, for example in the form of capillaries or expansion valves or an expansion valve before the switching valve 620, the Blender 114 and two vaporizers 112, 612.

The drying process takes place as in a heat pump dryer, with the switching valve 620, which in the direction of the flow of the cooling medium is arranged behind the blender 114, such that the cooling medium flows through the vaporizer 112 in the process air path 330.

When washing, the switching valve 620 is connected after the blender 114 to the vaporizer 612, through which blower blows the surrounding air 332, for example from the housing of the apparatus for treating

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wash 100 or through an air duct from the front. Advantageously, the equipment 102 described can be made using known equipment, such as a heat pump 112, 612, 114, 324, 326, 626, a switching device 620, for example in the form of a switching valve, as well as air blowers. process and surrounding air 328, 332.

To control the switching device 620, the control device 102 or the apparatus for treating the laundry 100 can be presented, which is configured to operate the switching device 620, as well as the transport equipment 324, 332, 336 depending on a operating status of the apparatus for treating the laundry 100, that is, to take it to a first connection position or a second connection position.

By means of heat pump 112, 612, 114, 324, 326, 626 an energy efficient equipment 102 can be realized, which in the drying process works as in a heat pump dryer, but which can also heat the detergent liquid for washing in the washing process. The surrounding air can then be used as a heat source, from which heat can be taken for the heat pump 112, 612, 114, 324, 326, 626. In this way, a procedure for operating a dryer can be performed. of clothes 100 with heat pump 112, 612, 114, 324, 326, 626 for washing and drying.

Figure 6 shows the complete structure of the equipment 102. In this regard, a basic structure for washing and drying with a separate vaporizer 112 for the washing process is shown. In the following figures 7 and 8 both classes of Drying and Washing service are represented.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus for treating the laundry 100 or the equipment 102 may have at least one other heating element, by means of which the process air and additionally or alternatively the treatment liquid can be heated. The other heating element can be used as support for the heat pump. This may be appropriate, for example, when the treatment liquid must be heated to high temperatures, for example, to temperatures above 60 ° C. Such additional heating can be carried out, as shown in Figure 10, by means of a heater for the treatment liquid and / or a heating channel for the process air.

Figure 7 shows a representation of the apparatus for treating laundry 100 shown in Figure 6 according to an exemplary embodiment. The active components of the equipment 102 are shown for the first state of service, which represents the stage of the Washing process.

The refrigerant medium circuit 116 runs from the blender 114 through the switching device 620, the throttle valve 326, the vaporizer 112 and the compressor 324, returning to the blender 114. The surrounding air is conducted by the blower 332, arranged in the flow direction before vaporizer 112, through vaporizer 112, to vaporize the cooling medium. The process air is conducted by the blower 328 disposed between the other vaporizer 612 and the blender 114 through the other vaporizer 612 not crossed by the cooling medium and the blender 114 and is heated in the blender.

The process conduction for the washing process stage is thus, according to an example of embodiment, as follows:

The switching device 620, for example in the form of a three-way valve, connects the refrigeration circuit 116 to the vaporizer 112. The vaporizer 112 extracts heat from the surrounding air. The process air flows through the inactive vaporizer (drying) 612. The process air is heated by the blender 114 and the heat is transferred to the laundry and to the washing detergent liquid that are inside the chamber to treat the laundry 104.

Figure 8 shows a representation of the apparatus for treating laundry 100 shown in Figure 3 according to an exemplary embodiment. The active components of the device 102 are shown for the second service state, which represents the stage of the Drying process.

The refrigerant medium circuit 116 runs from the blender 114 through the switching device 620, the other throttle valve 626, the other vaporizer 621 and the compressor 324, back to the blender 114. The process air is conducted by the blower 328 arranged between the other vaporizer 612 and the blender 114 through the other vaporizer 612, now run through refrigerant and the blender 114. Then the process air is dehumidified within the other vaporizer 612.

The process conduction for the drying process stage is thus, according to an example of embodiment, as follows:

The switching device 620, for example in the form of the three-way valve, connects the cooling circuit 116 to the other vaporizer 612 in the process air. The drying process takes place as in a heat pump dryer.

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Figure 9 shows a sequential diagram of a procedure for providing heating power according to an exemplary embodiment. The procedure can be performed using one of the equipment or apparatus for treating the laundry described based on the preceding embodiments.

In a stage 901, ambient air is supplied through an air interface of the input side environment. The surrounding air then serves as a source of heat. In a step 903, treatment liquid is provided from a laundry treatment chamber of the apparatus for treating the laundry through a treatment fluid interface of the inlet side. In a step 905 a liquid cooling medium is vaporized using the surrounding air and is provided as a gas cooling medium. In a step 907 the treatment fluid is heated using the gas cooling medium and is provided as a heated treatment fluid. In a step 309, the heated treatment fluid is evacuated through a fluid treatment interface from the outlet side to the laundry treatment chamber. The steps 901, 903, 905, 907, 909 can be carried out continuously and in parallel in time, to be able to continuously provide heated treatment fluid.

Figure 10 shows a representation of an apparatus for treating laundry in the form of a clothes dryer, which is made with an electric heater. The clothes dryer has a laundry tray 104, a heater 1002 for the detergent liquid, a heating channel 1003 for the process air, a blower 1004, a condensate channel 1005, a cooling water valve 1006, a 1007 detergent liquid pump and a 1008 drain.

One such clothes dryer is heated by two electric heaters 1002, 1003, a heater 1002 for washing, as in traditional automatic washing machines and another for heating the process air for drying. A more energy efficient variant is a heat pump, which in the drying process works as in a heat pump dryer, as described by way of example based on the preceding figures.

At least one of the electric heaters 1002, 1003 can also be used together with an equipment as described based on the previous figures.

Claims (7)

5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 35 40 Four. Five fifty 55 60 65 1. Equipment (102) to provide heating power for an apparatus for treating laundry (100), in particular an automatic washing machine or a clothes dryer, with the following characteristics: an air interface of the input side environment (100), to provide ambient air; an interface for the inlet side treatment fluid (106; 206, 207), to provide treatment fluid from a laundry treatment chamber (104) of the apparatus for treating laundry (100); a vaporizer (112), configured to vaporize a liquid cooling medium using the surrounding air and provide it as a gas cooling medium; a blender (114), configured to heat the treatment fluid using the gas cooling medium and provide it as a heated treatment fluid and an interface of the treatment fluid from the outlet side (108; 208, 209) to evacuate the heated treatment fluid into the laundry treatment chamber (104), wherein the inlet treatment fluid interface of the inlet side (106; 206, 207) is made as a process air interface of the inlet side (206) to provide process air from the laundry treatment chamber ( 104) as the treatment fluid and the treatment fluid interface of the outlet side (108; 208, 209) is realized as a process air interface of the outlet side (208) to evacuate the heated process air towards the laundry treatment chamber (104) and / or in which the treatment fluid interface of the inlet side (106; 206, 207) is made as a circulation interface of the inlet side (207) to provide liquid from treatment from the laundry treatment chamber (104) as the treatment fluid and the treatment fluid interface of the outlet side (108; 208, 209) is performed as a circulation interface of the outlet side (209) for evacuate the heated treatment liquid into the bed a laundry treatment (104), characterized in that a distributor device of the inlet side (320) is configured to in a first service state couple the air interface of the inlet side environment (110) with the vaporizer (112) and in a second service state to couple the process air interface of the inlet side (206) with the vaporizer (112), the vaporizer (112) being configured to vaporize in the first state of service the liquid cooling medium using the surrounding air and provide it as a gas gaseous medium and in the second state of service, vaporize the liquid cooling medium using the process air and provide it as the gas cooling medium. 2. Equipment (102) according to claim 1, with an outlet side distributor device (322), which is configured to couple a vaporizer outlet interface (112) in the first operating state with an air interface around the outlet side (118) to evacuate the air from the environment and in the second state of service, connect the outlet interface of the vaporizer (112) with an input interface of the blender (114). 3. Equipment (102) according to claim 1, with another vaporizer (612), which is connected to drive the process air between the process air interface of the inlet side (206) and the blender (114). 4. Equipment (102) according to claim 3, with a switching device (620), which is configured to conduct the liquid cooling medium to the vaporizer (112) in a first service state and in a second service state to conduct the liquid cooling medium to the other vaporizer (612), the Another vaporizer (612) stops in the second state of service vaporizing the liquid cooling medium using the process air and providing it as the gas cooling medium. 5. Equipment (102) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the interface of the inlet side treatment fluid (106; 206, 208) is made as a process air interface of the inlet side (206) to provide process air from the laundry treatment chamber ( 104) as the treatment fluid and the treatment fluid interface of the outlet side (108; 208, 209) as an air interface of the outlet side process (208) to evacuate the heated process air to the laundry treatment chamber (104) and in which the equipment (102) has an inlet side circulation interface (207) to provide treatment liquid from the chamber of the laundry treatment (104), a circulation interface of the outlet side (209) to evacuate the treatment liquid into the laundry treatment chamber (104) and a circulation pump (336) to pump the liquid from treatment from the circulation interface of the input side (207) to the circulation interface of the output side (209). 6. Equipment (102) according to claim 5, with another blender (214), which is arranged between the circulation interface of the inlet side (207) and the circulation interface of the outlet side (209) and which is configured to heat the treatment liquid using the gaseous coolant medium and provide it as a heated treatment liquid to the circulation interface of the outlet side (209). 7. Apparatus for the treatment of laundry (100), in particular automatic washing machine or clothes dryer, with the following characteristics: a laundry treatment chamber (104) to treat laundry and an equipment (102) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the inlet treatment fluid interface 5 (106; 206, 207) and the treatment fluid interface of the inlet side output (108; 208, 209) of the equipment (102) are coupled with the laundry treatment chamber (104).