WO2013182401A1

WO2013182401A1 - Laundry dryer with air-cooled condenser

Info

Publication number: WO2013182401A1
Application number: PCT/EP2013/060281
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yavuz Sahin; Mehmet Kaya; Ertan Cetinkaya; Murat Goktas
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2012-06-05
Filing date: 2013-05-17
Publication date: 2013-12-12
Also published as: EP2855755A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a laundry dryer (1) comprising a body (2), a drum (3) wherein the laundry is placed, a drying duct (4) wherein the processing air (PA) is circulated, a drying fan (5) which circulates the processing air (PA) in the drying duct (4), a heater (6) which heats the processing air (PA), a condenser (7) which dehumidifies the processing air (PA), a cooling fan (8) which cools the condenser (7), one or more than one motor (9) which provides the drying fan (5), the cooling fan (8) and the drum (3) to be rotated, a cooling duct (10) which directs the air sucked from the outside environment by the cooling fan (8) onto the condenser (7) and a control unit (11) which regulates the drying process.

Description

LAUNDRY DRYER WITH AIR-COOLED CONDENSER

The present invention relates to a laundry dryer comprising an air-cooled condenser.

In laundry dryers wherein the drying air is circulated within a closed cycle, the drying air activated by a fan dehumidifies the laundry by being passed over the laundry and the water vapor in the air is condensed at the condenser. The drying air dehumidified at the condenser is then heated by being passed over the heater, thus hot and dry air is delivered onto the laundry. When the desired level of dryness is obtained, the laundry over heats and the user cannot take the hot laundry out of the dryer. In order to bring the temperature of the laundry to a degree so that the user may touch it, the heater is deactivated at the end of the drying process and the laundry airing process is performed by continuing to operate the fan circulating the drying air. Thus, the laundry is cooled down to a temperature level so that the user may touch it. At the last phase before the airing process of the laundry drying process, it becomes difficult to perform the drying process, thus the efficiency of the condenser decreases. High amount of electric energy is consumed by the heater that heats the drying air in order that the water remaining inside the pores of the laundry is evaporated and the desired level of dryness is obtained. During the airing process, the drum is continued to be rotated even if the heater is deactivated, the processing air operates the fan and a significant amount of energy is consumed.

In the European Patent no. EP2072656, a laundry dryer is explained which comprises an air-cooled condenser and the energy consumption of which is decreased.

In the laundry dryer explained in the European Patent No EP1108812, a processing air fan is used for circulation of the processing air and a cooling fan is used for cooling the condenser. Both of the fans are rotated by a single motor. In a portion of the drying cycle duration, the cooling fan is rotated in the reverse direction to decrease the volumetric flow of air delivered onto the condenser.

In the International Patent Application No. WO2008052906, a method is explained that is used for operating a laundry dryer and wherein energy is saved. In the applied method, at the heating phase at the beginning of the drying process, the processing air fan is operated intermittently.

The aim of the present invention is the realization of a laundry dryer which comprises an air-cooled condenser and wherein energy is saved by decreasing the time of drying process.

In the laundry dryer realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, the processing air providing the laundry to be dried is sent to the drum by means of a drying duct and a drying fan. The drying air is dehumidified by an air-cooled condenser and the processing air is heated by a heater. The condenser is cooled by means of a cooling fan and a cooling duct. At the end of the drying process, the heater is deactivated, the drying fan and the cooling fan are continued to be operated, thus the laundry is aired. The laundry dryer, furthermore, comprises an opening arranged on the drying duct and a shutter that is brought to the open position during the airing process, thus providing dry air to be received into the drying duct from outside. The air received from outside is mixed with the processing air and the amount of moisture in the process air is decreased. During the airing process at the end of the drying process, the capacity of the processing air for dehumidifying the laundry is increased.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the shutter is placed before the drying fan on the drying duct according to the processing air flow and air is efficiently sucked through the opening into the drying duct.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the shutter is located at the lower side of the drying duct and opens towards the gap between the drying duct and the body base during the airing process.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the shutter is located at the upper side of the drying duct and opens towards the gap between the drying duct and the drum during the airing process.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the cooling duct extends in the body, parallel and adjacent to the drying duct, and the shutter opens towards the outside of the drying duct and inside of the cooling duct during the airing process, thus providing transfer of air from the cooling duct to the drying duct.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the shutter is opened and closed on the opening by a driving mechanism with a thermo-actuator, solenoid valve, electric motor, etc.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the driving mechanism actuates the shutter by means of a crank connected to the middle portion of the shutter.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a sealing element is placed onto the shutter or at the edges of the opening.

In the laundry dryer of the present invention, during the airing process at the end of the drying process the heater is deactivated and the amount of moisture in the processing air is decreased by receiving dry ambient air from outside by means of the shutter that opens on the drying duct. The operation time of the heater, and hence the time of the airing process at the end of the drying process decrease, thus providing energy saving.

The laundry dryer realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

Figure 1 - is the schematic view of a laundry dryer.

Figure 2 - is the schematic view of a laundry dryer in another embodiment of the present invention.

The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

Laundry dryer
Body
Drum
Drying duct
Drying fan
Heater
Condenser
Cooling fan
Motor
Cooling duct
Control unit
Opening
Shutter
Driving mechanism
Crank
Sealing element

The laundry dryer (1) comprises a body (2), a drum (3) wherein the laundry is placed, a drying duct (4) wherein the processing air (PA) is circulated, a drying fan (5) which circulates the processing air (PA) in the drying duct (4), a heater (6) which heats the processing air (PA), a condenser (7) which dehumidifies the processing air (PA), a cooling fan (8) which cools the condenser (7), one or more than one motor (9) which provides the drying fan (5), the cooling fan (8) and the drum (3) to be rotated, a cooling duct (10) which directs the cooling air (CA) sucked from the outside environment by the cooling fan (8) onto the condenser (7) and a control unit (11) which regulates the drying process.

In the laundry dryer (1), the processing air (PA) activated by means of the drying fan (5) exits the drum (3), passes through the drying duct (4), the condenser (7) and the heater (6), and is sent back to the drum (3) in a dehumidified and heated state. The condenser (7) is cooled with the cooling air (CA) sucked by the cooling fan (8) from the outside and delivered through the cooling duct (10) and reduces the moisture of the processing air (PA) passing therethrough.

In the laundry dryer (1), the airing process wherein the laundry is cooled is performed by the control unit (11) at the end of the drying process. During the airing process, the heater (6) is deactivated by the control unit (11), and the drying fan (5), the cooling fan (8) and the drum (3) are continued to be rotated by means of the motor (9). During the airing process, the moisture remaining on the laundry in the drum (3) is removed, and furthermore, the laundry is provided to be cooled to a temperature level that the user may touch it.

The laundry dryer (1) of the present invention comprises an opening (12) arranged on the drying duct (4) and facing the inside of the body (2), and a shutter (13) that opens/closes on the opening (12) and that enables the ambient air to be sucked into the drying duct (4).

Throughout the drying process, the shutter (13) is kept in the closed position by the control unit (11) while the heater (6) operates, and the ambient air is prevented from entering the drying duct (4). The shutter (13) is changed to the open position by the control unit (11) during the airing process performed after the heater (6) is stopped. Thus, the ambient air inside the body (2) or outside the body (2) is provided to enter the drying duct (4) and to be mixed with the processing air (PA).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the shutter (13) is located before the drying fan (5) on the drying duct (4) and the suction effect of the drying fan (5) is utilized for sucking air into the drying duct (4) from the outside.

In the laundry dryer (1) of the present invention, throughout the drying process, the shutter (13) is kept in the closed position while the heater (6) operates, and the ambient air is prevented from entering the drying duct (4). During the airing process performed at the end of the drying process, the heater (6) is deactivated and the shutter (13) is opened by the control unit (11), thus providing the ambient air to be sucked into the drying duct (4). Thus, during the airing process, the dry ambient air received from the outside of the drying duct (4) is mixed with the processing air (PA) passing through the drying duct (4), the amount of moisture in the processing air (PA) is reduced, the time of the airing process is shortened by increasing the capacity of the processing air (PA) to dehumidify the laundry, and the drying efficiency is improved. The operation time of the heater (6) is shortened and energy saving is provided.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the shutter (13) is located at the lower side of the drying duct (4), opens towards the gap (B1) between the drying duct (4) and the body (2) base during the airing process, and provides the ambient air in the gap (B1) to pass into the drying duct (4) to be mixed with the processing air (PA).

In another embodiment of the present invention, the shutter (13) is located at the upper side of the drying duct (4), opens towards the gap (B2) between the drying duct (4) and the drum (3) base during the airing process, and provides the ambient air in the gap (B2) heating up due to the waste heat of the drum (3) to pass into the drying duct (4) to be mixed with the processing air (PA).

In another embodiment of the present invention, the cooling duct (10) extends close to the drying duct (4), preferably under the drying duct (4) and inside the body (2), and during the airing process, the shutter (13) opens towards the outside of the drying duct (4) and inside the cooling duct (10), at least partially directing the cooling air (CA) inside the cooling duct (10) towards the drying duct (4) and provides the cooling air (CA) to be mixed with the processing air (PA).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry dryer (1) comprises a driving mechanism (14) which provides the shutter (13) to be opened/closed on the opening (12) in the drying duct (4).

In another embodiment of the present invention, the driving mechanism (14) comprises a thermo-actuator.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the driving mechanism (14) comprises a solenoid valve.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the driving mechanism (14) comprises an electric motor.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the driving mechanism (14) comprises a crank (15) which provides the shutter (13) to close the opening (12) in a balanced manner by pressing onto the middle portion of the shutter (13).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry dryer (1) comprises a sealing element (16) which is placed onto the shutter (13) or at the edges of the opening (12) and provides the shutter (13) to close the opening (12) in a leak-proof manner.

In the laundry dryer (1) of the present invention, during the airing process at the end of the drying process the heater (6) is deactivated and the amount of moisture in the processing air (PA) is decreased by receiving dry ambient air from outside by means of the shutter (13) that opens on the drying duct (4). Te time of the airing process is shortened by increasing the capacity of the processing air (PA) to dehumidify the laundry, and the drying efficiency is improved. The operation time of the heater (6) is shortened and energy saving is provided.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited by the embodiments disclosed above and a person skilled in the art can easily introduce different embodiments. These should be considered within the scope of the protection disclosed by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

A laundry dryer (1) comprising a body (2), a drum (3) wherein the laundry is placed, a drying duct (4) wherein the processing air (PA) is circulated, a drying fan (5) which circulates the processing air (PA) in the drying duct (4), a heater (6) which heats the processing air (PA), a condenser (7) which dehumidifies the processing air (PA), a cooling fan (8) which cools the condenser (7), a cooling duct (10) which directs the cooling air (CA) sucked from the outside environment by the cooling fan (8) onto the condenser (7) and a control unit (11) which regulates the drying process, characterized in that an opening (12) arranged on the drying duct (4) and facing the inside of the body (2), and a shutter (13) that opens/closes on the opening (12) and that enables the ambient air to be sucked into the drying duct (4).
A laundry dryer (1) as in Claim 1, characterized in that the shutter (13), during the drying process, that is kept in the closed position while the heater (6) is operated, and that is changed to the open position during the airing process performed after the heater (6) is deactivated, thus providing the ambient air inside the body (2) or outside the body (2) to enter the drying duct (4) and to be mixed with the processing air (PA).
A laundry dryer (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the shutter (13) which is located before the drying fan (5) on the drying duct (4).
A laundry dryer (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized in that the shutter (13) that is located at the lower side of the drying duct (4) and that opens towards the gap (B1) between the drying duct (4) and the body (2) base during the airing process.
A laundry dryer (1) as in any one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the shutter (13) that is located at the upper side of the drying duct (4) and that opens towards the gap (B2) between the drying duct (4) and the drum (3) during the airing process.
A laundry dryer (1) as in any one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the cooling duct (10) that is located near the drying duct (4) and that extends inside the body (2) and by the shutter (13) that opens towards the outside of the drying duct (4) and the inside of the cooling duct (10) during the airing process.
A laundry dryer (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized in that a driving mechanism (14) which provides the shutter (13) to be opened/closed.
A laundry dryer (1) as in Claim 7, characterized in that the driving mechanism (14) that comprises a thermo-actuator.
A laundry dryer (1) as in Claim 7, characterized in that the driving mechanism (14) that comprises a solenoid valve.
A laundry dryer (1) as in Claim 7, characterized in that the driving mechanism (14) that comprises an electric motor.
A laundry dryer (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized in that the driving mechanism (14) which comprises a crank (15) providing the shutter (13) to close the opening (12) in a balanced manner by pressing onto the middle portion of the shutter (13).
A laundry dryer (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized in that a sealing element (16) which is placed onto the shutter (13) or at the edges of the opening (12).