JPH04250199A - Operating method of cloth dryer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a machine outside temperature rising in the case of disposing a cloth dryer in a closed room. CONSTITUTION:In a dehumidifying cloth dryer, an air cooling type heat exchanger and a water cooling type heat exchanger are provided. When the machine outside temperature reaches a preset higher temperature limit during the use of the air cooling type heat exchanger, the operation of the air cooling type heat exchanger is stopped and switched to the water cooling type heat exchanger. When the machine outside temperature reaches a preset lower temperature limit, the operation of the water cooling type heat exchanger is stopped and again switched to the operation of the air cooling type heat exchanger, and air cooling and water cooling are alternately repeated and operated. Since the operation is switched to the water cooling type when the machine outside temperature is raised by the exhaust heat from the air cooling type heat exchange, the machine outside temperature is never raised to a determined value or higher, and the dyer is safe.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of operating a dehumidifying clothes dryer.

0002

[Prior Art] As an example, a clothes dryer is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.
As shown in Figure 9, there is a door (2) on the front for loading and unloading clothes to be dried.
A motor (22) is suspended near one side of the ceiling inside an outer box (20) having a
0). And the motor (
22) and the rotating shaft of the rotating drum (23) and the rotating shaft of the double-blade fan (24) provided behind the exhaust hole on the back side of the belt (25) via pulleys (34) and (35), respectively.
Connect with.

[0003] Also, a belt (33) is wrapped around another pulley (32) provided on the rotating shaft of the motor (22) and the outer periphery of the rotating drum (23).

[0004] A filter (26) that can be attached and removed from the front opening of the rotating drum (23) is provided in the exhaust hole on the back surface of the rotating drum (23).

[0005] The outer periphery of the double-blade fan (24) is sealed with a felt-like sealing material (27) so that rotation is not inhibited, and as a result, air does not interact between the front and back surfaces of the double-blade fan (24). It becomes a separate room.

An intake port (28) is provided on the back of the outer box (20) to take in outside air for cooling, and a drain port (29) is provided on the bottom surface for discharging moisture removed from the material to be dried. A semiconductor heater (30) such as a PTC heater is disposed in front of (23) on the front lower surface of the outer box (20).

An operation panel (31) is provided below the front door (21) of the outer box (20), which has a control switch for setting the drying operation time and a progress display section for displaying the progress of the drying operation. Ta. A control board incorporating a display lamp, a microcomputer, and other electronic components is mounted inside this operation panel (31).

The fan case (36) that houses the fan (24) has an exhaust pipe (36) that communicates with the heater (30).
37), and this fan case (36) and exhaust pipe (
37), but if you forget to install the lint filter (26), or even if it is installed, fine dust and fan (24) may pass through the lint filter (26). ) is rubbed against the sealing material (27), and the fine powder generated from this is transferred to the heater (30).
), a bag-shaped filter (38) made of a mesh cloth formed into a cylindrical bag shape is installed in the middle of the circulation air passage in order to prevent it from adhering to the air passage and causing clogging.

Further, as shown in FIG. 9, a fan (24) is attached to a support plate (39) provided on the open back surface of the outer box (20).
A fan cover plate (4) on a donut disk that covers the period of the blade
0) and apply sponge tape (41) to the outer periphery of the back side of the fan case (36).

The open surface on the back of the outer box (20) is closed by a back cover (42), and the air intake port (28) is formed in this back cover (42), and its position is similar to that of the back cover (42). ), and faces the blades of the fan (24) inside the fan case (36) when the back cover (42) is attached.

When the back cover (42) is attached in this manner, the sponge tape (41) comes into contact with the surface of the back cover (42) to form a seal.

In order to carry out the drying operation in this way, the door (21) is opened, the clothes to be dried are put into the rotating drum (23), and the control switch on the operation panel (31) is pressed. Once the drying time and degree of drying are set, the motor (22) is energized and rotates. As a result, the rotating drum (28) starts rotating due to the belt, and at the same time,
The rotation of the motor (22) is also transmitted to the double-winged fan (24) via the belt (25), causing it to rotate. Also, the heater (30) is energized and generates heat.

The air inside the outer box (20) is heated by the heater (30) by the rotation of the double-blade fan (24), becomes dry hot air, and is sent into the rotating drum (23) and applied to the items to be dried. It will be done. As a result, the material to be dried is heated and the hot air becomes moist hot air containing moisture evaporated from the material to be dried. Outside air and double wing fans (2
4) Indirect contact via.

[0014] In this way, the double-blade fan (24) functions as a heat exchanger, and the warm air is cooled by the cold outside air.
As a result, water is removed and sent to the heater (30) again, and the removed water is passed from the drain port (29) to the outer box (2).
0) It is discharged outside, and this circulation is repeated to perform drying operation.

[0015]

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] As a means for removing moisture contained in the humid warm air discharged from the exhaust hole on the back surface of the rotating drum, a double-winged fan is used as a heat exchanger. The cold outside air from inside the room taken into the outer box is used as cooling air to cool the humid warm air, so the temperature of the cooled air after heat exchange that cools the circulating air increases, and this cooling When air is discharged outside the machine from the exhaust port, the temperature of the room in which the clothes dryer is installed rises, causing discomfort to the user.

Furthermore, if a clothes dryer is used in a closed room, the temperature inside the dryer may become high, which may cause deformation of parts or burns to the user.

The purpose of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned disadvantages of the conventional example, to prevent the temperature rise in the room in which the clothes dryer is installed, and to prevent the inside of the dryer from becoming high temperature even when it is installed in a closed room. To provide a method for operating a clothes dryer that can prevent such problems and ensure safety.

[0018]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a clothes dryer that includes a rotating drum in an outer box, and a circulation fan and a heater that supply heated circulating air to the rotating drum. , an air-cooled heat exchanger and a water-cooled heat exchanger are installed side by side as means for dehumidifying the circulating air in the circulating air path in which the circulation fan and heater are installed, and when the air-cooled heat exchanger is in use, the If the outside air temperature rises above the set value, the air-cooled heat exchanger will stop operating and automatically switch to the water-cooled heat exchanger, and if the outside air temperature subsequently falls below the set value. stops the operation of the water-cooled heat exchanger,
The gist of this is to automatically switch to an air-cooled heat exchanger.

[0019]

According to the present invention, during operation using an air-cooled heat exchanger, moisture contained in the circulating air inside the dryer is heat exchanged with outside air taken in from outside the dryer. The outside air after heat exchange becomes warm air and is discharged outside the machine, resulting in an increase in the temperature inside the room where the clothes dryer is installed.

[0020] When the indoor temperature exceeds a predetermined value, the operation of the air-cooled heat exchanger is stopped and the operation is automatically switched to the operation of the water-cooled heat exchanger. As a result, when hot air is no longer exhausted indoors and the indoor temperature drops below a predetermined level, the operation of the water-cooled heat exchanger is stopped and the air-cooled type is automatically switched again. Therefore, the room temperature and the temperature inside the dryer do not rise above a predetermined value.

[0021]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a clothes dryer in which the operating method of the present invention is implemented, and FIG. 2 is an external perspective view. A circulation fan (7) is arranged behind the exhaust hole on the back side of the rotating drum (5), a heater (6) is arranged below the front of the rotating drum (1), and a circulation fan ( A fan casing (7a) that houses the heater (7) and a heater case (6a) that houses the heater (6) communicate with each other to form a circulating air path (14).

[0023] An air-cooled heat exchanger (1) and a water-cooled heat exchanger (
2) were installed in parallel. In the diagram (3) is an air-cooled heat exchanger (1)
(4) shows an electromagnetic valve installed in a water supply pipe directly connected to a water tap, etc.

The air-cooled heat exchanger (1) and the water-cooled heat exchanger (2) can be operated selectively at the discretion of the user, and as shown in FIG. (9) was provided on the operation panel (31) provided on the front surface of the outer box (20). Further, although not shown, a temperature sensor for detecting the outside temperature of the clothes dryer while the clothes dryer is in operation is attached to, for example, the outer surface of the outer box (20).

FIG. 3 shows a rotation diagram of the operation control, and switches (10a) (11a) (12a) (6a) (13a)
are connected in series to a rotating drum (5), a drum motor for rotation (10), and a motor for a circulation fan (7) (
11) The motor (12) of the air cooling fan (3), the heater (6), and the relay (13) for opening and closing the electromagnetic valve (4) are each connected in parallel to the power source.

[0026] Furthermore, these motors (10) (11)
(12) The heater (6) and the relay (13) are automatically controlled on and off by the output from the control device using a microcomputer (not shown), etc.
Output signals from the drying switch button (9), the temperature sensor, etc. are introduced into this control device.

Next, usage and operation will be explained.

[0028] When the user selects to perform drying operation using the air-cooled heat exchanger (1), the drying switch button (9) is pressed.
Press to select air cooling type.

When the ON signal from the drying switch button (9) is input to the control device, the switch (12 a) of the motor (12) of the air cooling fan (3) is activated by the control device.
is turned on and the motor (12) rotates.

At the same time, the switch (10a) of the drum motor (10) and the switch (11a) of the motor (11) of the circulation fan (7) are turned on, and the rotating drum (5) and circulation fan (7) rotate. .

[0031] Then, switch (6a) of heater (6) is turned on.
) turns on, the heater (6) is energized, the circulating air sent to the heater (6) is heated by the circulation fan (7), hot air is supplied to the clothes in the rotating drum (5), and the moisture in the clothes is removed. Evaporation occurs and drying operation is performed.

The air that has evaporated from the clothes in the rotating drum (5) and has become moist warm air is passed through the circulation fan (7).
) is sent to the air-cooled heat exchanger (1), where it exchanges heat with the cold indoor outside air sucked into the outer box (20) by the air-cooling fan (3), and the moisture condenses into dew. It is ejected from the aircraft.

[0033] At this time, the cooling outside air, which has undergone heat exchange with the circulating air in the heat exchanger (1) and has become warm air, is discharged from the exhaust port to the outside of the machine. This outside air temperature is detected by a temperature sensor. As shown in Figure 4, if the clothes dryer is installed in an open room, the temperature of the air outside the machine will stabilize as the rotating drum (5) and main body warm up after the start of operation, as shown by curve (A). The temperature rises until then, but after that it becomes stable.

However, recently, due to housing conditions, clothes dryers are often placed inside a closet (8) as shown in FIG. (8) Close the door and drive. When drying operation is performed using the air-cooled heat exchanger (1) as described above in such a state, the warm air after heat exchange is blown into the closet (8), causing a curve (B) inside the closed space. ), the air temperature outside the machine gradually rises and becomes high as the operation progresses.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 6, when the temperature outside the machine increases and the temperature outside the machine detected by the temperature sensor reaches the high temperature limit temperature (D) set in advance in the control device, the control device As a result, the air cooling fan (3) turns off, and the switch (1) of the relay (13) for opening and closing the valve of the water-cooled heat exchanger (2) turns off.
3a) is turned on, the relay (13) is energized, the electromagnetic valve (4) is opened, and water is supplied to the water-cooled heat exchanger (2).

In this way, the operation of the air-cooled heat exchanger (1) is stopped, and the operation of the water-cooled heat exchanger (2) is started instead.

The water supplied from the tap enters the heat exchange tube of the water-cooled heat exchanger (2), where it exchanges heat with the circulating air and condenses moisture in the circulating air. The condensed water condenses and is discharged outside the machine, and the cooling water after heat exchange is also separately discharged outside the machine.

During the heat exchange of the circulating air by the water-cooled heat exchanger (2), the waste heat due to the heat exchange is not released into the air outside the machine unlike in the case of the air-cooled type, so that the heat exchanger (2) shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, the air temperature outside the aircraft begins to gradually decrease.

When the outside air temperature reaches the low temperature limit temperature (C) preset in the control device, the electromagnetic valve (
4) is closed to stop the operation of the water-cooled heat exchanger (2), and the air-cooled fan (3) is turned on again to restart the operation of the air-cooled heat exchanger (1).

In this way, drying operation is performed by automatically switching between air cooling and water cooling alternately.

[0041]

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, the method of operating the clothes dryer of the present invention is such that the clothes dryer is operated by automatically switching between the air-cooled heat exchanger and the water-cooled heat exchanger depending on the temperature of the air outside the machine. This prevents the temperature outside the machine from rising abnormally and reaching high temperatures, and prevents deformation of parts and burns to the user due to high temperatures even when the clothes dryer is installed in a closed room. This can improve safety.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a clothes dryer in which a method of operating a clothes dryer according to the present invention is implemented.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of a clothes dryer in which the present invention is implemented.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of operation control of a clothes dryer in which the present invention is implemented.

FIG. 4 is a characteristic curve diagram of outside air temperature.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an example of installing a clothes dryer.

FIG. 6 is a characteristic curve diagram of external temperature when air-cooled and water-cooled heat exchangers are used alternately.

FIG. 7 is an external perspective view showing a conventional example of a clothes dryer.

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal side view showing a conventional example of a clothes dryer.

FIG. 9 is a rear view showing a conventional example of a clothes dryer.

[Explanation of symbols]

(1) Air-cooled heat exchanger (2)
Water-cooled heat exchanger (3) Air-cooled fan (4)
Solenoid valve (5) Rotating drum
(6) Heater (6a) switch
(7) Circulation fan (7a)
Fan casing (8) Closet (
9) Drying switch button (10) Drum motor (10a) switch
(11) (12) Motor (11a) (12a)
Switch (13) Open/close relay (13a) Switch
(14) Circulation air path (20) Outer box
(21) Door (22
) Motor (2
3) Drum (24) Double wing fan
(25) Belt (26)
Filter (27)
Seal material (28) Intake port
(29) Drain port (30) Semiconductor heater (31) Operation panel (32) Pulley
(33) Belt (34) Pulley
(35) Pulley (
36) Fan case (3
7) Exhaust pipe (38) Bag-shaped filter
(39) Support plate (40) Fan patch plate (41) Sponge tape

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A clothes dryer comprising a rotating drum in an outer box, and a circulation fan and a heater for supplying heated circulating air to the rotating drum, wherein the circulation fan and heater are arranged in a circulation air path. An air-cooled heat exchanger and a water-cooled heat exchanger are installed side by side as a means of dehumidifying the circulating air.If the air temperature outside the machine rises above the set value while the air-cooled heat exchanger is in use, the air-cooling If the air temperature outside the machine drops below the set value, the water-cooled heat exchanger will stop operating and the air-cooled heat exchanger will automatically switch to the water-cooled heat exchanger. A method of operating a clothes dryer characterized by automatically switching to a heat exchanger.