WO2016107699A1

WO2016107699A1 - A laundry washing and/or drying machine comprising an air-cooled condenser

Info

Publication number: WO2016107699A1
Application number: PCT/EP2015/077472
Authority: WO
Inventors: Oyku Sinem OZER; Fatih KASAP; Yavuz Sahin; Mehmet Kaya
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2014-12-31
Filing date: 2015-11-24
Publication date: 2016-07-07

Abstract

The present invention relates to a laundry washing and drying machine (1) comprising a drum (2) wherein the laundry is placed; an air circulation duct (3) wherein the process air (PA) cycle providing the drying of the laundry during the drying process after the washing process is performed; a first fan (4) providing the circulation of the process air (PA); two air-cooled condensers (5) condensing the process air (PA); an outer air line (6) and a second fan (7) that enable the condensers (5) to be cooled by delivering the cooling air (CA) received from the outer environment to the condensers (5); at least one drying duct (8) that is disposed inside the condenser (5), through which the process air (PA) passes; at least one cooling duct (9) that passes through the condensers (5) and over which the cooling air (CA) coming from the outer air line (6) and guided by the second fan (7), and a valve (10) connected to the water mains (S).

Description

A LAUNDRY WASHING AND/OR DRYING MACHINE COMPRISING AN AIR-COOLED CONDENSER

The present invention relates to a laundry washing and/or drying machine comprising an air-cooled condenser.

In laundry washing and/or drying machines, air-cooled condensers are widely used, which realize the condensation process by using the outer environment air in the drying process after washing. The humid process air that comes from over the laundry and passes through the process air duct is condensed in the condenser cooled by means of the outside environment air, thus the air that is dried by being dehumidified is delivered again onto the laundry through the process air duct. In widely used cross-flow plate type condensers, the outer environment air heats up along the condenser and the temperature difference between the outer environment air and the process air decreases. This situation causes the amount of humidity condensing in the condenser to decrease and prevents the desired efficiency in the drying process.

In the state of the art European Patent Application No. EP2169107, a spraying device is described, providing the condenser disposed in a dryer to be washed and thus cleaned of fiber and lint at the end of the drying process.

The aim of the present invention is the realization of a laundry washing and drying machine, the drying performance of which is improved.

The laundry washing and drying machine realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof comprises a drum; an air circulation duct wherein the process air cycle providing the drying of the laundry in the drum is performed; a first fan providing the circulation of the process air; two air-cooled condensers condensing the process air; an outer air line and a second fan that enable the condensers to be cooled by delivering the cooling air received from the outer environment to the condensers; at least one drying duct that is disposed inside the condenser, through which the process air passes; at least one cooling duct that passes through the condensers and whereon the cooling air coming from the outer air line by means of the second fan is guided, and a valve connected to the water mains. While the drying process continues in the laundry washing and drying machine, the process air getting humid by passing over the laundry in the drum is sent to the condenser by means of the first fan and the air circulation duct and passes through the drying ducts. The condenser condenses and dehumidifies the process air and the heater heats the process air. The cooling air passes through the cooling ducts in the condenser and the process air passes through the drying ducts. The cooling channels decreases the temperature of the humid process air passing through the drying ducts with which the cooling ducts have a heat-transfer relation and condenses the process air, and the dry process air is sent onto the laundry in the drum. The laundry washing and drying machine comprise a chamber separating the two condensers, a water spraying device extending between the valve and the chamber, and a control unit that activates the valve during the drying step, thus enabling water to be sprayed from the water spraying device to the chamber.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the condenser is divided into two partitions so that the chamber remains therebetween. In this embodiment, each partition of the condenser works as a separate condenser.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the port of the water spraying device opens towards the chamber so as to aim the cooling ducts over which the cooling air passes. Thus, the temperature of the cooling air is efficiently decreased.

The laundry washing and drying machine 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 washing and drying machine.

Figure 2a – is the top view of the condensers and the chamber in an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2b – is the front view of the condensers and the chamber in an embodiment of the present invention.

The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

Laundry washing and drying machine
Drum
Air circulation duct
First fan
Condenser
Outer air line
Second fan
Drying duct
Cooling duct
Valve
Control unit
Chamber
Water spraying device
Port

The laundry washing and drying machine (1) comprises a drum (2) wherein the laundry is placed; an air circulation duct (3) wherein the process air (PA) cycle providing the drying of the laundry during the drying process after the washing process is performed; a first fan (4) providing the circulation of the process air (PA); two air-cooled condensers (5) condensing the process air (PA); an outer air line (6) and a second fan (7) that enable the condensers (5) to be cooled by delivering the cooling air (CA) received from the outer environment to the condensers (5); at least one drying duct (8) that is disposed inside the condenser (5), through which the process air (PA) passes; at least one cooling duct (9) that passes through the condensers (5) and over which the cooling air (CA) coming from the outer air line (6) and guided by the second fan (7), and a valve (10) connected to the water mains (S).

The laundry washing and drying machine (1) of the present invention comprise a chamber (12) between the two condensers (5), a water spraying device (13) with one end connected to the valve (10) and the other end extending into the chamber (12), and a control unit (11) that opens the valve (10) during the drying step, thus enabling water to be sprayed from the water spraying device (13) into the chamber (12). The water sprayed into the chamber (12) contacts the cooling ducts (9) and lowers the temperature of the cooling air (CA) that passes through the cooling ducts (9) and/or fills into the chamber (12). Thus, the difference between the cooling air (CA) and the process air (PA) is increased and the process air (PA) is enabled to be condensed in a quick manner in the drying ducts (8) that transfer heat to the cooling ducts (9). With the activation of the water spraying device (13) during the drying process, the air-cooled condenser (5) becomes air- and water-cooled, thus providing an efficient and fast drying.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the water spraying device (13) comprises a port (14) by which the water on the water spraying device (13) is sprayed, and is positioned so that the port (14) faces the chamber (12).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the control unit (11) keeps the valve (10) closed for a heating time (twp) predetermined by the manufacturer and opens the valve (10) at the end of the heating time (twp) and keeps the valve (10) open for a heat keeping time (tsp) predetermined by the manufacturer. In the laundry washing and drying machine (1), the temperature of the process air (PA) should raise to a certain value for the activation of the drying process. The water spraying device (13) is activated when the process air (PA) reaches the predetermined temperature, thus improving the efficiency of the laundry washing and drying machine (1).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the control unit (11) keeps the valve (10) open for an additional cooling time (tap) predetermined and saved in its memory by the producer according to the program settings selected by the user. For example, in programs such as ironing dryness which do not require full dryness, the valve (10) is kept open for shorter time periods, thereby decreasing the energy consumption of the laundry washing and drying machine (1).

By means of the present invention, the feature of cooling with water is provided for the air-cooled condenser (5) and the laundry is enabled to be quickly dried. Thus, the process air (PA) heating up along the condensers (5) is cooled by the water sprayed from the water spraying device, and the temperature difference between the process air (PA) and the cooling air (CA) is increased, thereby increasing the condensation effectiveness of the condenser (5).

Claims

A laundry washing and drying machine (1) comprising a drum (2) wherein the laundry is placed; an air circulation duct (3) wherein the process air (PA) cycle providing the drying of the laundry during the drying process after the washing process is performed; a first fan (4) providing the circulation of the process air (PA); two air-cooled condensers (5) condensing the process air (PA); an outer air line (6) and a second fan (7) that enable the condensers (5) to be cooled by delivering the cooling air (CA) received from the outer environment to the condensers (5); at least one drying duct (8) that is disposed inside the condenser (5), through which the process air (PA) passes; at least one cooling duct (9) that passes through the condensers (5) and over which the cooling air (CA) coming from the outer air line (6) and guided by the second fan (7), and a valve (10) connected to the water mains (S), characterized by a chamber (12) between the two condensers (5), a water spraying device (13) with one end connected to the valve (10) and the other end extending into the chamber (12), and a control unit (11) that opens the valve (10) during the drying step, thus enabling water to be sprayed from the water spraying device (13) into the chamber (12).
A laundry washing and drying machine (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the water spraying device (13) that comprises a port (4) by which the water is sprayed and that is positioned so that the port (14) faces the chamber (12).
A laundry washing and drying machine (1) as in Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterized by the control unit (11) that keeps the valve (10) closed for a heating time (twp) predetermined by the producer and that keeps the valve (10) open for a heat keeping time (tsp) predetermined by the producer.
A laundry washing and drying machine (1) as in Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterized by the control unit (11) that keeps the valve (10) open for an additional cooling time (tap) predetermined and saved in its memory by the producer according to the program settings selected by the user.