KR100754876B1 - Drum washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

A drum type washing machine is provided to improve performance of a heat pump by aligning the heat pump with a heat exchanger and to cool down the heat exchanger and a compressor by using air flowing in from external of a body cabinet. A drum type washing machine comprises a heat pump(50), a casing(7), a heat exchanger(60), a cooling duct(70), and a cooling fan(80). The heat pump has a compressor, an evaporator(51), and a condenser(53). The condenser generates hot air flowing into an inlet pipe. The casing is installed in a body cabinet and receives the evaporator and the condenser. The casing guides air discharged from an outlet to an inlet pipe(3). The heat exchanger is placed in the casing and performs heat-exchange of the air discharged from the outlet pipe with the air flowing in from an external of the body cabinet. The cooling duct guides the air, flowing in from the external of the body cabinet and passed through the heat exchanger, to the compressor. The cooling fan blows the air flowing in the cooling duct to the compressor.

Description

Drum Washing Machine {DRUM WASHING MACHINE}

1 is a perspective view of a drum washing machine according to the present invention,

2 is a perspective view of the cooling duct and the cooling fan installed in accordance with the present invention;

3 is a perspective view of a heat exchanger according to the present invention;

4 is a perspective view of a heat exchanger formed with a heat exchange passage according to a first embodiment of the present invention viewed from above;

5 is a perspective view of a heat exchanger formed with a heat exchange passage according to a second embodiment of the present invention viewed from above;

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing the air flow diagram inside the drum washing machine according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

1: Drum Washing Machine 2: Main Cabinet

3: inlet pipe 6: outlet pipe

7: casing 10: drum

51: evaporator 52: compressor

53 condenser 60 heat exchanger

61: first heat exchanger 61a: first heat exchange flow path

62: second heat exchanger 62a: second heat exchange flow path

70: cooling duct 80: cooling fan

The present invention relates to a drum washing machine, and more particularly, to a drum washing machine having a cooling device for simultaneously using a heat pump and a heat exchanger and cooling the heat pump and the heat exchanger.

In general, a drum washing machine is a type of washing machine that uses a small amount of water to rotate a washing tank by 360 °, resulting in the washing of the laundry by falling, that is, the laundry falling from the top to the bottom. The drum washing machine has various functions such as rinsing, dehydration and drying as well as washing.

In particular, the drying function of the drum washing machine is to dry the laundry by supplying the air heated by the heater into the drum, or by supplying the generated air to the drum using a heat pump.

On the other hand, the drum washing machine using a heater goes through a condensation process using condensate to increase the drying efficiency of the hot and humid air generated during the drying of the laundry contained in the drum. In addition, the drum washing machine using the heat pump uses a cooling fan for cooling the compressor to improve the performance efficiency of the heat pump.

However, a drum washing machine using a heater has a problem in that condensed water must be used and a difference in condensation efficiency occurs even when condensed water is used. In addition, a drum washing machine using a heat pump has a problem in that drying efficiency is lowered when high temperature and high humidity air flowing out from the drum passes through an evaporator or a condenser.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a drum washing machine which can improve the drying efficiency without using condensed water.

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The object of the present invention is a drum washing machine having a main cabinet, a drum accommodated in the main cabinet, an inlet tube and an outlet tube through which air for drying laundry contained in the drum flows in and out. And a heat pump having a condenser and generating hot air flowing into the inlet pipe. A casing provided inside the main cabinet to accommodate the evaporator and the condenser and to guide the air discharged from the outlet pipe to the inlet pipe; A heat exchanger accommodated in the casing and mutually exchanging air flowing out from the outlet pipe and air introduced from the outside of the main cabinet; A cooling duct introduced from the outside of the main cabinet to guide the air heat exchanged in the heat exchanger to the compressor; It is achieved by a drum washing machine comprising a cooling fan for blowing air flowing through the cooling duct to the compressor.

The heat exchanger may include a first heat exchanger having a first heat exchange flow path for guiding the air flowing out of the outlet pipe to the inlet pipe, and a second guide of air introduced from the outside of the main body cabinet to the cooling duct. It may include a second heat exchange unit is formed a heat exchange passage.

The first heat exchange part and the second heat exchange part may be provided in plural, and the plurality of first heat exchange parts and the plurality of second heat exchange parts may mutually transfer heat between the first heat exchange path and the second heat exchange path. Can be laminated alternately.

Here, the air flowing through the first heat exchange flow passage and the air flowing through the second heat exchange flow passage are characterized in that any one of a cross flow and a counter flow flow.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings for a drum washing machine as an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

1 and 2, the drum washing machine 1 according to the present invention includes a main body cabinet 2, a drum 10 accommodated in the main body cabinet 2, and a main body cabinet 2; It includes a drive motor (not shown) provided in the lower portion to transfer the driving force to the drum 10, the door 12 is coupled to the main cabinet (2).

The main cabinet 2 forms the external appearance of the drum washing machine 1. The main body cabinet 2 is a water supply unit 20, detergent container assembly 30, the drainage unit 40, the cooling fan 80 and the cooling duct 70, and the high-temperature air flowing into the drum 10 The heat pump 50 which generate | occur | produces, the casing 7 which accommodates some components of the heat pump 50, and the heat exchanger 60 accommodated in the casing 7 are included.

The drum 10 includes a cylindrical washing tank 11 in which a dehydration hole 11a is formed on a wall surface. Here, the washing tank 11 is rotatably installed in the drum 10. The lower part of the drum 10 is disposed a drive motor for rotating the washing tank 11 in the forward or reverse direction to perform the washing, rinsing and dehydration of the laundry.

The drum 10 is connected to the inlet pipe 3 and the outlet pipe 6 through which the air of high temperature and low humidity for drying the laundry accommodated in the washing tank 11 is introduced and discharged. In addition, the inlet duct 4 for guiding the flow of air of high temperature and low humidity into the drum 10 is connected to the inlet pipe 3. On the other hand, between the inlet duct 4 and the inlet pipe 3, a blowing fan 5 for blowing air of the high temperature and low humidity introduced into the inlet pipe 3 to the inlet duct 4 is interposed.

The water supply unit 20 has a water supply valve 22 for controlling the water supply from a water supply source (not shown) connected to the outside, and a water supply pipe for flowing water introduced by the control of the water supply valve 22 into the drum 10. (21). The water supply unit 20 is provided to supply at least one of hot water and cold water into the drum 10.

The detergent box assembly 30 includes a detergent storage box 31 in which detergent is stored, and a housing 32 in which the detergent storage box 31 is slidably movable. The detergent box assembly 30 is connected to the water supply pipe 21 and discharges the detergent solution in which the detergent and water contained in the detergent box assembly 30 are mixed into the drum 10.

The drainage unit 40 includes a drain pump 41 for pumping water inside the drum 10 and a drain pipe 42 for outflowing the water pumped by the drain pump 41. The drainage unit 40 discharges water that has been washed in the washing tank 11, water that has finished the rinsing operation, and dehydrated water to the outside.

The heat pump 50 includes a compressor 52, an evaporator 51, a condenser 53 and an expansion valve (not shown). As an example of the present invention, the heat pump 50 is isolated from the casing 7 and the evaporator 51 and the condenser 53 accommodated in the casing 7 partitioned in a lower region of the main body cabinet 2. Compressor 52 is installed. The heat pump 50 sends a refrigerant compressed at high temperature and high pressure in the compressor 52 to the condenser 53 to form a cycle for discharging high temperature heat to the outside of the condenser 53 having a low temperature. For example, as an example of the present invention, the heat pump 50 flows high-temperature air generated by the high temperature heat generated by the condenser 53 to the inlet pipe 3.

The casing 7 includes the evaporator 51 and the condenser 53 described above, a heat exchanger 60 for heat-exchanging the low-temperature and low-humidity air introduced from the outside and the high-temperature, high-humidity air flowing out from the drum 10. A filter 7a is provided between the gas 60 and the evaporator 51 to filter foreign matter such as lint from air discharged from the inside of the drum 10. The casing 7 is an inflow pipe 6 for guiding the flow of the high temperature and high humidity air flowing out from the drum 10, and an inflow for flowing the high temperature and low humidity air generated from the condenser 53 into the drum 10. It is interposed between the pipes 3. The casing 7 forms a circulation passage of the inlet pipe 3 and the outlet pipe 6 connected to the drum 10. The casing 7 communicates with a cooling duct 70 to be described later.

Hereinafter, before describing the heat exchanger 60, the air flowing out from the drum 10, the air circulated to the casing 7, the air introduced from the outside of the main cabinet 2, the cooling duct 70 The temperature comparison of the flowing air is as follows.

It is known in advance that the temperature of the air is the air flowing out of the drum 10 > air circulated to the casing 7 > air flowing into the cooling duct 70 > the air flowing from the outside of the main cabinet (2).

3 to 5, the heat exchanger 60 includes a first heat exchanger 61 having a first heat exchange passage 61a for guiding air discharged from the outlet pipe 6 to the inlet pipe 3. ) And a second heat exchange part 62 having a second heat exchange flow path 62a for guiding air introduced from the outside of the main body cabinet 2 to the cooling duct 70. The heat exchanger 60 is an example of the present invention, and a plurality of first heat exchangers 61 and second heat exchangers 62 are provided. Here, in the plurality of first heat exchanger 61 and the plurality of second heat exchanger 62 provided in the heat exchanger 60, the first heat exchange passage 61a and the second heat exchange passage 62a may mutually transfer heat. Alternately stacked. In other words, the second heat exchanger 62 is laminated between the first heat exchanger 61. Heat exchanger 60 is an example of the present invention, is provided with a plastic material, the heat exchange temperature deviation is about 3 ℃. However, the heat exchanger 60 may be provided with a metal material, and the heat exchange temperature deviation of the metal material is about 5 ° C.

As shown in FIG. 3, the heat exchanger 60 heat-exchanges the air of the high temperature and high humidity in the 'A' direction, which flows out from the inside of the drum 10, with the air having a lower temperature and higher humidity than the air in the 'A' direction. Flow in the A 'direction. In addition, the heat exchanger 60 exchanges air of low temperature and low humidity in the 'B' direction introduced from the outside of the main body cabinet 2 with air having a higher temperature and higher humidity than air in the 'B' direction, thereby 'B' direction. Flow to Here, the high temperature and high humidity air in the 'B' direction is relatively higher than the air in the 'B' direction, but does not have a temperature as high as the air in the 'A' direction.

The first heat exchange flow path 61a and the second heat exchange flow path 62a are the first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 4, and are arranged orthogonal to each other and flow through the first heat exchange flow path 61a. The air flowing through the second heat exchange flow path 62a is caused to cross flow. For example, air from the left side of the drawing (solid arrow) flowing out of the drum 10 passes through the first heat exchange passage 61a and is discharged to the right side of the drawing (solid arrow) and flows in from the outside of the main cabinet 2. The air on the upper side of the drawing (dotted arrow) passes through the second heat exchange passage 62a and is discharged to the lower side of the drawing (dotted arrow).

On the other hand, the second heat exchange flow path (62a) and the second heat exchange flow path (62a) is a second embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figure 5, arranged in parallel with each other to flow the first heat exchange flow path (61a) The air flowing through the air and the second heat exchange flow path 62a is caused to flow in a counter flow. For example, the air (solid arrow) flowing out inside the drum 10 flows from the left side to the right side of the drawing through the first heat exchange flow path 61a, and the air flowing in from the outside of the main cabinet 2 (dotted line). Arrow) flows from the right side to the left side of the drawing through the second heat exchange flow path 62a.

The cooling duct 70 communicates with the casing 7. The cooling duct 70 communicates with the casing 7 and is disposed adjacent to the compressor 52. In the cooling duct 70, air introduced from the outside of the main body cabinet 2 exchanges heat with the second heat exchanger 62. Here, the air heat-exchanged in the second heat exchanger 62 rises by about 5 ° C. than the air introduced from the outside of the main body cabinet 2, and the flowed air uses a compressor 52 having a temperature of about 100 ° C. Cool.

The cooling fan 80 is an example of the present invention and is interposed between the cooling duct 70 and the compressor 52. However, the cooling fan 80 may be disposed between the heat exchanger 60 and the cooling duct 70, and may be disposed between the compressor 52. The cooling fan 80 blows air flowing through the cooling duct 70 to the compressor 52.

Looking at the operation of the drum washing machine 1 according to the present invention by such a configuration with reference to FIG.

In order to dry the laundry accommodated in the drum 10, the heat pump 50 is operated to flow air of high temperature and low humidity generated from the condenser 53 to the inlet pipe 3. The air of high temperature and low humidity introduced into the inlet pipe 3 is introduced into the drum 10 via the inlet duct 4 by the blowing fan 5.

The high temperature and low humidity air introduced into the drum 10 becomes air of high temperature and high humidity while the water contained in the laundry evaporates. The high-temperature, high-humidity air containing the evaporated water of the laundry inside the drum 10 flows out to the outlet pipe 6.

The high-temperature, high-humidity air flowing into the outflow pipe 6 flows through the first heat exchange flow path 61a of the first heat exchange part 61 of the heat exchanger 60 accommodated in the casing 7, and thus, of the main cabinet 2. Heat exchange with air from outside. Meanwhile, air introduced from the outside of the main body cabinet 2 flows through the first heat exchange passage 61a of the first heat exchange portion 61 while flowing through the second heat exchange passage 62a of the second heat exchange portion 62. Heat exchange with the high temperature and high humidity air, the heat exchanged air flows to the cooling duct (70).

The air of the high temperature and high humidity inside the drum 10 via the first heat exchanger 61 of the heat exchanger 60 is changed to air having a lower temperature and higher humidity than the high temperature inside the drum 10 to filter 7a. Pass the evaporator 51 via. Then, the air passing through the evaporator 51 is condensed in the evaporator 51 to become relatively low temperature and low humidity air. The air passing through the evaporator 51 changes into air of high temperature and low humidity while passing through the condenser 53 and flows into the inlet pipe 3.

On the other hand, the low-temperature and low-humidity air of the main body cabinet 2 via the second heat exchanger 62 of the heat exchanger 60 changes into relatively high-temperature and high-humidity air and flows into the cooling duct 70 to provide a high-temperature compressor. Cool 52. Here, as an example of the present invention, a cooling fan is disposed at the 'b' position to blow air flowing through the cooling duct 70 to the compressor 52. However, the cooling fan 80 may be disposed in the 'a' or 'c' position according to the design change.

Therefore, since no condensate is used to dry the laundry, the condensation duct and the condensate injector are unnecessary. In addition, the heat pump and the heat exchanger may be disposed together to improve the performance efficiency of the heat pump, thereby improving the drying efficiency. In addition, since the heat exchanger and the compressor can be cooled by the air introduced from the outside of the main cabinet, the performance efficiency of the heat pump and thus the drying efficiency can be improved.

As described above, according to the present invention, since no condensate is used to dry the laundry, the condensation duct and the condensate injector are unnecessary.

In addition, the heat pump and the heat exchanger may be disposed together to improve the performance efficiency of the heat pump, thereby improving the drying efficiency.

In addition, since the heat exchanger and the compressor can be cooled by the air introduced from the outside of the main cabinet, the performance efficiency of the heat pump and the drying efficiency thereof can be improved.

Claims (5)

delete In the drum washing machine having a main cabinet, a drum accommodated in the main cabinet, and an inlet tube and an outlet tube through which air drying the laundry contained in the drum flows in and out, A heat pump having a compressor, an evaporator and a condenser and generating hot air flowing into the inlet pipe; A casing provided inside the main cabinet to accommodate the evaporator and the condenser and to guide the air discharged from the outlet pipe to the inlet pipe; A heat exchanger accommodated in the casing and mutually exchanging air flowing out from the outlet pipe and air introduced from the outside of the main cabinet; A cooling duct introduced from the outside of the main cabinet to guide the air heat exchanged in the heat exchanger to the compressor; And a cooling fan for blowing air flowing through the cooling duct to the compressor. The method of claim 2, The heat exchanger, A first heat exchange part having a first heat exchange flow path guiding air discharged to the outlet pipe to the inlet pipe; And a second heat exchange part having a second heat exchange flow path for guiding air introduced from the outside of the main body cabinet to the cooling duct. The method of claim 3, The first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are provided in plural numbers, respectively. And a plurality of first heat exchange parts and a plurality of second heat exchange parts are alternately stacked to mutually transfer heat between the first heat exchange flow path and the second heat exchange flow path. The method according to claim 3 or 4, And the air flowing through the first heat exchange flow passage and the air flowing through the second heat exchange flow passage are one of a cross flow and a counter flow.

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