LAUNDRY SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A LAUNDRY SYSTEM

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a laundry system for the energy-reduced treatment of laundry and a method therefor, comprising several laundry treatment machines which are equipped to treat the laundry with hot steam, and wherein a waste heat collection device is provided by which the waste heat of each of the laundry treatment machines can be absorbed, and wherein a central heat pump is provided which has an evaporator unit and a condenser unit, wherein the evaporator unit is connected to the waste heat collection device. STATE OF THE ART

[0002] From DE 10 2006 020 003 A1, a laundry system for energy-efficient laundry treatment is known, wherein several laundry treatment machines are installed that treat the laundry with hot steam, and a waste heat recovery system is provided through which the waste heat from each of the laundry treatment machines can be absorbed. This heat is fed to a heat exchanger to provide, for example, hot water with which the laundry treatment machines can be operated again. Laundry treatment machines of the type of interest here can be, for example, dryers, ironing machines, or so-called tunnel finishers.

[0003] The waste heat from laundry treatment machines can be present in the form of higher-temperature wastewater, and exhaust air from the machines can also be captured via the waste heat collection system. If the wastewater and / or the exhaust air at this elevated temperature is fed into a heat exchanger, the heat it contains can be used for other applications.

[0004] CN 1 07 964 775 A discloses a waste heat recovery and heating system for a laundry room, wherein the system uses heat pumps that utilize the heat from the exhaust air of a mangle to generate superheated steam, which is then transferred to a flash evaporator. A central heat pump unit is not disclosed, and in particular, multiple laundry treatment machines are not mentioned.

[0005] DE 10 2009 004 085 A1 discloses a method for the central recovery of heat energy dissipated by laundry machines via a waste heat collection line, wherein at least a portion of the energy is extracted from the dissipated heat energy and the recovered energy is reused, wherein the heat energy from several laundry machines and, if applicable, from the laundry facility is combined and at least a portion of the energy is extracted from the collected heat energy. It is not disclosed that superheated steam is generated by the heat pump.

[0006] German patent DE 10 2013 213 978 A1 discloses a system for the local use of waste heat from a high-temperature battery in buildings via a cooling system coupled to it, wherein the cooling system is designed to guide a fluid heat transfer medium and the heat transfer medium is designed to transport waste heat from the high-temperature battery to a local heat consumer in a building. Reference is not made to heat consumers such as laundry machines.

[0007] Due to rising energy costs, particularly in the form of gas and oil, which are conventionally used as fuels for generating superheated steam, newer systems are needed to operate laundry facilities in an energy-efficient manner, especially based on the use of electricity as the primary energy source. A laundry system according to the present invention is understood to be a complete laundry facility in which several laundry treatment units are operated simultaneously or sequentially, but in a network. Such laundry systems typically include a superheated steam generator operated with conventional oil- or gas-fired combustion systems to produce the superheated steam from supplied water.

[0008] Waste heat collection systems are often known in the form of pipelines that can supply the waste heat from the wastewater and / or exhaust air to a heat exchanger in order to further utilize the heat contained therein.

[0009] Laundry systems are energy-intensive, and the use of photovoltaics, wind power, and hydropower as renewable energy sources is beneficial for their operation. In particular, electricity from so-called volatile energy sources should be used as efficiently as possible, without, however, using the electricity continuously for the direct heating of water to generate steam. REVELATION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The object of the invention is to improve a laundry system for the energy-reduced treatment of laundry, so that the laundry system can be operated with electricity from renewable energy sources, in particular without further procurement of fossil fuels.

[0011] This problem is solved starting from a laundry system according to the preamble of claim 1 and starting from a method according to claim 10, each with the characterizing features. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

[0012] To solve the aforementioned problem, the invention provides the technical teaching that the condenser unit is set up to provide the superheated steam, wherein a central superheated steam storage tank is provided for storing the superheated steam, wherein a water line is connected to the condenser unit and a steam line is connected from the condenser unit to the superheated steam storage tank.

[0013] The core concept of the invention is the central integration of a single heat pump as part of the laundry system. This heat pump generates the superheated steam required to supply the laundry treatment machines. Simultaneously, the heat pump extracts thermal energy from the waste heat of the laundry treatment machines. This is achieved by connecting the heat pump's evaporator unit to the waste heat recovery system. This allows wastewater and / or exhaust air at elevated temperatures to be used to operate the evaporator unit and to evaporate the heat pump's working fluid, particularly a refrigerant. In this way, the thermal energy exiting the laundry treatment machines after the laundry process can be used to generate the superheated steam.The heat pump has a compressor that can be powered by electricity, allowing the laundry system to utilize volatile energy sources such as photovoltaics, wind power, and / or hydropower. A conventional energy source, for example, from a utility company, can also be connected as an option. In particular, photovoltaics and / or wind power can be installed and operated locally with the laundry system.

[0014] A water source is provided to supply the heat pump and generate the superheated steam. This source preferably supplies water at room temperature and in a liquid state to the condenser unit, where it evaporates in or on the unit. The generated superheated steam can, for example, have a temperature of 135°C to 165°C and a pressure above normal atmospheric pressure, such as 2 bar. The wastewater and / or exhaust air used to evaporate the working fluid in the evaporator unit can then undergo further treatment before being discharged as cooled wastewater.

[0015] For the laundry system according to the invention, the hot steam storage tank is provided for storing the hot steam, wherein water is supplied to the condenser unit via a water line and hot steam is conveyed from the condenser unit to the hot steam storage tank via a steam line.

[0016] The steam storage tank is designed to supply all laundry treatment machines in the laundry system with hot steam, even if individual machines are not connected. The steam storage tank may have insulation that isolates the stored steam from the surrounding environment, resulting in a time lag of several hours between the use of waste heat from the wastewater and exhaust air of the laundry treatment machines via the heat pump and the supply of hot steam until it is finally drawn from the storage tank.

[0017] It is particularly advantageous if a waste heat storage tank is installed, into which wastewater and / or exhaust air from the laundry treatment machines can be routed via the waste heat collection system and stored, and from which wastewater and / or exhaust air can be routed to the evaporator unit. This allows warm wastewater or warm exhaust air to be stored in the waste heat storage tank as an alternative to storing superheated steam in the superheated steam storage tank, for example, over a weekend, overnight, or for other periods.

[0018] It is therefore advantageous if the waste heat collection system, in conjunction with the pipe system, includes a waste heat storage tank in which the wastewater and / or exhaust air can be stored. The waste heat storage tank can be particularly well insulated, allowing the waste heat from the laundry treatment machines, for example, to be stored for use from one workday to the next. This makes it conceivable that the heat pump could also be operated using the waste heat from the laundry treatment machines from the previous day. The waste heat storage tank in the waste heat collection system is also advantageous if the heat pump is to be operated dependent on the availability of volatile energy sources.If volatile energy is available, especially at lower costs, the thermal energy that has already been stored in the waste heat storage can be used for the spontaneous operation of the heat pump, so that, especially in the case of cyclical operation of the laundry system, for example from working day to working day, the thermal energy from the wastewater and / or the exhaust air of a previous cycle can be used for a subsequent cycle, especially from one working day to the next or, for example, on a weekend when solar energy and / or wind energy are particularly available.

[0019] Furthermore, it is advantageous if the collected waste heat from the laundry treatment machines has a temperature of 65°C to 75°C and / or 70°C, and / or if the temperature of the superheated steam supplied by the condenser unit via the steam line has a temperature of 135°C to 165°C and / or, for example, 150°C. It is also conceivable to supply the superheated steam to the hot steam storage tank at a temperature higher than the operating temperature of the superheated steam in the laundry treatment machine. This allows the superheated steam to remain in the hot steam storage tank for a longer period, and the temperature can drop slightly due to heat loss, so that hot steam at a temperature corresponding to the process temperature for the laundry treatment machine can ultimately be drawn off the hot steam storage tank.

[0020] Another key aspect of the invention, which can significantly contribute to the energy efficiency of the laundry system's operation, concerns the use of a thermal battery for heat storage, which can additionally supply superheated steam to the superheated steam storage tank. Thermal batteries can be designed to store superheated steam for extended periods, for example, at temperatures up to 400°C. If steam is to be stored in the thermal battery, it can be stored at elevated pressure, for example, only about 2 bar, even at temperatures that can be used directly for operating the laundry treatment machines. In this way, superheated steam can be supplied from the thermal battery to the superheated steam storage tank and transferred as needed.Thermal batteries of the type of thermal battery of interest here are not electrical batteries and serve to absorb and store heat, for example via a fluid that can be supplied or removed. Thus, water can be evaporated in or with a thermal battery, particularly to generate superheated steam with the parameters of interest here.

[0021] Within the scope of the invention, it is also conceivable that the superheated steam storage unit is formed by the thermal battery itself. The thermal battery and the superheated steam storage unit can therefore be designed as a single, integrated component. For example, thermal batteries are known from the company Energynest AS (Norway), and these thermal batteries utilize special thermal concrete as their thermal storage medium. Pipes run through this concrete, storing the thermal fluid, such as superheated steam. The thermal concrete has a very high specific heat capacity, allowing the heat introduced into the special concrete to be stored for extended periods, particularly with special insulation of the concrete and pipework assembly. The thermal battery can also incorporate its own electric heating element to generate the superheated steam or to maintain its temperature with minimal energy input.A thermal battery, such as the one that can be used here, is known, for example, from EP 3 090 229 B1.

[0022] If the steam storage tank and the thermal battery are separate, the steam from the heat pump can be supplied to the steam storage tank, and steam from the thermal battery can also be supplied to the steam storage tank alternately or simultaneously. This is particularly useful when the heat pump and / or the thermal battery are supplied with volatile energy. In this case, the steam storage tank can be heated during periods of good, and therefore often inexpensive, energy supply, while during periods of poor volatile energy supply, such as so-called "dark doldrums" (periods of low wind and solar power generation), the steam can be supplied to the steam storage tank predominantly or exclusively via the thermal battery, while the heat pump remains off.

[0023] The object of the invention is further achieved by a method for operating a laundry system for the energy-reduced treatment of laundry, comprising several laundry treatment machines by means of which the laundry is treated with hot steam, and wherein a waste heat collection device is provided by which the waste heat from each of the laundry treatment machines is absorbed, and wherein a central heat pump is provided which has an evaporator unit and a condenser unit, wherein the waste heat collection device is connected to the evaporator unit. According to the invention, the hot steam is further supplied to the laundry treatment machines by means of the condenser unit of the heat pump.

[0024] Furthermore, the process can be enhanced by the inclusion of a superheated steam storage tank. Water is supplied to the condenser unit via a water line and evaporated there. A steam line connects the condenser unit to the superheated steam storage tank, transferring the generated superheated steam from the condenser unit to the storage tank. The laundry treatment machines then receive the superheated steam from the storage tank precisely when needed. Valves can be installed in the pipelines between the storage tank and the laundry treatment machines to deliver the correct amount of superheated steam to the machines at the required time.

[0025] Therefore, a superheated steam storage tank can be set up to store the superheated steam. Water is supplied to the condenser unit via a water line and evaporated there. Finally, a steam line runs from the condenser unit to the superheated steam storage tank, transferring the generated superheated steam from the condenser unit to the storage tank. The superheated steam storage tank can also be so well insulated that the superheated steam still has a sufficiently high temperature for operating the laundry system on the following day. This allows superheated steam to be stored in the storage tank when, for example, energy is cheaper. The heat pump, for instance, can be operated when inexpensive, volatile energy is available, and the superheated steam in the storage tank can be stored until it is needed by the laundry treatment machines.

[0026] It is also advantageous to install a thermal battery to supply superheated steam to the superheated steam storage tank, which can be supplied with superheated steam from the heat pump as well as from the thermal battery. The superheated steam storage tank and the thermal battery can also be installed as a single unit; in particular, the thermal battery can have a storage volume sufficient to function as a superheated steam storage tank.

[0027] Advantageously, a control unit is installed that is equipped with a data line to receive availability information regarding the availability of renewable and / or conventional energy. In addition, the control unit can receive weather data, particularly concerning wind and / or solar radiation. Furthermore, the control unit can be supplied with the operating data and operating times of the laundry system. The control unit can also include an AI module.

[0028] The control unit is specifically designed to control the heat pump and / or the flow of wastewater and / or exhaust air to the heat pump and / or the transfer of superheated steam from the heat pump to the superheated steam storage tank and / or the transfer of superheated steam from the thermal battery to the superheated steam storage tank. This allows the most important components of the laundry system to be operated as energy-efficiently and cost-effectively as possible using the control unit.

[0029] Specifically, it is planned that a valve will be installed in the wastewater collection line between the waste heat storage tank and the heat pump, and / or a valve in the steam line between the heat pump and the superheated steam storage tank, and / or a valve in the steam line between the thermal battery and the superheated steam storage tank, and / or an electrical switching point in the electrical line between the energy sources, i.e., wind energy, solar energy, hydropower, and / or conventional energy, with each valve and electrical switching point being controllable by the control unit. This allows the fluid flows of the superheated steam and the cost-optimized activation of the energy source to be controlled.

[0030] Depending on the operating schedule of the laundry system, it can be controlled, for example, whether the wastewater and exhaust air remain at low temperatures in the heat storage tank when the laundry system is not in operation, such as over a weekend, and little renewable energy is available. Conversely, if a larger share of renewable energy is available even over the weekend, the heat pump can be operated even when the laundry system is not running, in order to empty the waste heat storage tank and fill the hot steam storage tank with hot steam. The same applies to the thermal battery, which can be heated by the electric heater, particularly when a large share of renewable energy is available. The control unit can adjust the flow of hot steam from the thermal battery or the heat pump to ensure minimal energy consumption, not just for the current operating point of the laundry system.Not only are costs incurred, but factors such as the availability of a larger or smaller share of renewable energy in the coming days are also taken into account. The same can be observed, for example, in the price of conventional energy, which is then used when, for instance, the price of electricity is low and little renewable energy is available.

[0031] This principle can also be learned and progressively optimized by the control unit over a longer period of time; in particular, the control unit can have an AI module, thus enabling or utilizing artificial intelligence.

[0032] The control unit can, for example, use the remaining heat in the waste heat storage tank of the waste heat collection system and the current temperature of the thermal battery to decide whether the superheated steam is generated primarily by the thermal battery or primarily by the heat pump. If the waste heat storage tank still contains a significant amount of thermal energy, it may be more energy-efficient, even with available renewable energy, not to immediately switch on the electric heating of the thermal battery, but rather to first utilize the remaining heat in the waste heat storage tank, as this heat would otherwise be lost.

[0033] The control unit can be capable of learning about the resulting energy consumption over a longer period of use, particularly through the use of artificial intelligence. This manifests itself, for example, in the optimization of the use of heat in the waste heat storage, the optimization of the energy to be kept in the hot steam storage and / or in the thermal battery, resulting in a minimum of total energy to be drawn for the operation of the laundry system over a longer period.

[0034] Therefore, it is also conceivable that current or future electricity costs from wind, solar, hydropower, and / or conventional energy sources could be taken into account by the control unit when planning the operation of the laundry system. This information can be transmitted to the control unit via an interface or retrieved online via the internet. For example, the thermal battery and / or the steam storage tank can be charged by the heat pump at a time well before the laundry system is scheduled to resume operation, when energy costs are currently lower. This only requires sufficient insulation of the thermal battery and / or the steam storage tank so that they can store heat for an extended period. PREFERRED EXAMPLE OF THE INVENTION

[0035] Further measures improving the invention are described in more detail below, together with a description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, with reference to the figures. The figures show: Figure 1 shows a schematic view of the laundry system according to the invention with several laundry treatment machines, a centrally located heat pump, and a hot steam storage tank. Figure 2 shows an embodiment of the laundry system according to the invention. Figure 1 with a thermal battery in which hot steam can be generated directly, as well as with several different types of energy sources, Figure 3 an embodiment of the laundry system according to Figure 1 with a thermal battery in which hot steam can be generated via a heat exchanger, as well as with several different energy sources and

[0036] The in Figure 1The schematically depicted laundry system 100 comprises, by way of example, three laundry treatment machines 10, 11, 12, which constitute, for example, a mangle, a drum dryer, and a tunnel finisher. Such laundry treatment machines 10, 11, 12 require superheated steam 13 as a process medium for treating the laundry, particularly after a washing cycle. The superheated steam 13 can, for example, have an overpressure of 2 bar at a temperature of 135°C.

[0037] To provide this superheated steam 13, an example of a pipe network is shown which connects the laundry treatment machines 10, 11, 12 with a superheated steam storage tank 18 in which the superheated steam 13 is stored and can be transferred centrally to the individual laundry treatment machines 10, 11, 12.

[0038] The laundry system 100 according to the invention comprises a central heat pump 15, which has an evaporator unit 16 and a condenser unit 17. Furthermore, the heat pump 15 has the additional components of a compressor 28 and an expansion valve 29, which are known per se, and the heat pump 15 with its main components is shown and described only schematically.

[0039] The condenser unit 17 serves to generate the superheated steam 13 and to supply the superheated steam storage tank 18. Water is supplied to the condenser unit 17 via a water line 19 from a water source 26, where it is evaporated. The superheated steam 13 thus generated is supplied to the superheated steam storage tank 18 via the steam line 20.

[0040] The heat source for operating the evaporator unit 16 of the heat pump 15 is obtained from hot wastewater and hot exhaust air from the laundry treatment machines 10, 11, and 12 by means of a waste heat recovery device 14, through which the waste heat from the laundry treatment machines 10, 11, and 12 is transferred to the evaporator unit 16. The temperature of the wastewater and exhaust air can be, for example, 70°C.

[0041] A particularly advantageous feature of the waste heat collection system 14 is a waste heat storage tank 21, in which, especially with appropriately good insulation, the waste heat from the machines 10, 11, and 12 can be stored. This allows heat from the waste heat storage tank 21 to be supplied to the heat pump 15 even some time after the operation of the laundry treatment machines 10, 11, and 12. For example, the temperature of the wastewater and / or exhaust air in the waste heat collection system 14 can be 70°C, so that as the wastewater and / or exhaust air cools, the heat is transferred to the evaporator unit 16 of the heat pump 15 to evaporate the working fluid 25 of the heat pump 15. The cooled wastewater can then be discharged, as indicated by an arrow.

[0042] Figure 2 The laundry system 100 is shown with its essential components, which are already associated with Figure 1These are the laundry treatment machines 10, 11, and 12, which are supplied with superheated steam 13 from the superheated steam storage tank 18. The superheated steam 13 for supplying the superheated steam storage tank 18 is supplied to the superheated steam storage tank 18 via the steam line 20 from the heat pump 15. The heat pump 15, together with the evaporator unit 16 and the condenser unit 17, is designed as a single unit integrated within the laundry system 100. The evaporator unit 16 obtains heat from the waste heat recovery unit 14, in particular directly from the waste heat storage tank 21, in which the wastewater and / or the exhaust air from the waste heat recovery unit 14 are received and stored, while the condenser unit 17 evaporates water and thus generates superheated steam 13.

[0043] The illustration shows a further supply of superheated steam 13 to the superheated steam storage unit 18, for which, according to a further aspect of the invention, a thermal battery 22 is provided. The thermal battery 22 is a non-electrical heat storage device and can comprise a heat storage material and, for example, fluid lines through which a hot medium can flow in order to heat the heat storage material, for example, to several hundred degrees Celsius. Alternatively, or preferably, the heat storage material of the thermal battery 22 can also be heated directly by means of an integrated electric heater 40. The heat storage material is designed and insulated in such a way that it can store the supplied heat for a long period of time, i.e., it maintains the temperature.The heat introduced can thus be extracted again at a later time via a medium in the fluid lines of the thermal battery 22, whereby the superheated steam 13 can be formed by means of or from the medium.

[0044] For example, the thermal battery 22 is first supplied with water from a water source 27, this is then heated at the heat storage material and converted into superheated steam 13, which is finally released to the superheated steam storage 18.

[0045] Thermal batteries are characterized by their ability to store heat for extended periods, and thermal batteries 22 of the type of interest here can be supplied, for example, by the company Energynest AS (Norway). These consist of a pipe system arranged in a cuboid shape, and the pipes are encased in thermal concrete. This material has the property of storing heat for a very long time, and with appropriate external insulation of the thermal battery 22, once generated, the hot steam 13 in the thermal battery 22 can maintain its temperature for a particularly long time or cool down only very slowly. The temperatures of the thermal storage material in thermal batteries 22 can reach up to 500°C and above.

[0046] Furthermore, the graphic shows several energy sources, namely both volatile and conventional energy sources. For example, wind energy 32, solar energy 33, and hydropower 34 represent renewable energy sources, and a conventional energy source 35 is also shown, for example, based on nuclear power or fossil fuels, which can be used when energy from wind energy 32, solar energy 33, or hydropower 34 is temporarily unavailable.

[0047] The operation of the laundry system 100 allows for the utilization of a large proportion of renewable energy 32, 33, 34 in a particularly effective manner with the equipment shown, especially the waste heat storage unit 21 and the thermal battery 22. Provided that this energy is available, particularly at reduced costs, the thermal battery 22 can be charged independently of the time by intensely heating its heat storage material. It is also conceivable to operate the heat pump 15, and in particular the compressor 28, when inexpensive, volatile energy from the energy sources 32, 33, 34 is available. This is made possible by the waste heat storage unit 21, so that even with a time delay in the absorption of heat from the laundry treatment machines 10, 11, 12 and its storage in the waste heat storage unit 21, the heat pump 15 can be operated independently of the operation of the laundry system 100.Therefore, the conventional energy source 35 can only be used if the laundry treatment machines 10, 11, 12 need to be operated and the volatile energy sources are not available.

[0048] Also shown is a control unit 39, which receives availability information about the availability of renewable energy and / or conventional energy via a data line 41. The control unit 39 is configured to control the heat pump 15 and / or the inflow of wastewater and / or exhaust air to the heat pump 15 and / or the transfer of the superheated steam 13 from the heat pump 15 to the superheated steam storage tank 18 and / or the transfer of the superheated steam 13 from the thermal battery 22 to the superheated steam storage tank 18.For this purpose, it is provided that a valve 28 is installed in the wastewater collection line 14 between the waste heat storage tank 21 and the heat pump 15 and / or a valve 29 is installed in the steam line 20 between the heat pump 15 and the superheated steam storage tank 18 and / or a valve 30 is installed in the steam line between the thermal battery 22 and the superheated steam storage tank 18 and / or an electrical switching point 31 is installed in the electrical line between the energy sources 32, 33, 34, 35, wherein the valves 28, 29, 30 and the electrical switching point 31 are each controlled by the control device 39.

[0049] Figure 3Figure 1 shows the laundry system 100 with the laundry treatment machines 10, 11, 12 and the thermal battery 22, and the hot steam storage tank 18 shown stores hot steam 13, which can be supplied to the laundry treatment machines 10, 11, 12 via a pipe network. The operation of the heat pump 15 with the evaporator unit 16 and the condenser unit 17, in order to generate hot steam 13 from the primary energy storage in the form of the waste heat recovery unit 14 with the waste heat storage tank 21, is already described in conjunction with the Figure 1 and 2 has been described.

[0050] In order to supply superheated steam 13 to the superheated steam storage tank 18 by means of the thermal battery 22, a heat exchanger 36 is provided, which is connected to the thermal battery 22 via pipes 37. A fluid storage medium 38, for example a thermal oil or the like, is conveyed through the pipes 37. This fluid can reach much higher temperatures than water or superheated steam 13 at the same pressure. If the storage medium 38 is heated to a correspondingly higher temperature in the thermal battery 22, the heat can be transferred in the heat exchanger 36 via water supplied to the heat exchanger 36 from a water source 27. The supplied water evaporates and is ultimately transferred to the superheated steam storage tank 18 in the form of superheated steam 13.For this purpose, the fluid storage medium 38 has a significantly higher temperature than the generated superheated steam 13, whereby a quantity of storage medium 38 is supplied to the heat exchanger 36 via a control device 39, which is determined so that the water from the water source 27 can be produced with the correct quantity of superheated steam 13 at the correspondingly desired temperature.

[0051] In this example, too, the operation of the electric heating 40 of the thermal battery 22 can be controlled via the control unit 39 using wind energy 32, solar energy 33, hydropower 34 or alternatively conventional energy 35.

[0052] The invention is not limited in its embodiment to the preferred embodiment described above. Rather, a number of variants are conceivable, which utilize the solution presented even in fundamentally different designs. Reference symbol list:

[0053] 10 Laundry treatment machine 11 Laundry treatment machine 12 Laundry treatment machine 13 Superheated steam 14 Waste heat recovery unit 15 Heat pump 16 Evaporator unit 17 Condenser unit 18 Superheated steam storage tank 19 Water line 20 Steam line 21 Waste heat storage tank 22 Thermal battery 23 Process chamber 24 Water supply 25 Working fluid 26 Water source 27 Water source 28 Valve 29 Valve 30 Valve 31 Switching point 32 Wind energy 33 Solar energy 34 Hydropower 35 Conventional energy 36 Heat exchanger 37 Piping 38 Storage medium 39 Control unit 40 Electric heating 41 Data line 100 Laundry system

Claims

1. Laundry system (100) for energy-reduced treatment of laundry, comprising a plurality of automatic laundry treatment machines (10, 11, 12) that are designed to treat the laundry with hot steam (13), and wherein a waste heat collection device (14) is provided, via which the waste heat from each of the laundry treatment machines (10, 11, 12) can be collected, and wherein a central heat pump (15) is provided, which has an evaporator unit (16) and a condenser unit (17), wherein the evaporator unit (16) is connected to the waste heat collection device (14), characterized in that the condenser unit (17) is arranged to supply the hot steam (13), wherein a central hot steam storage tank (18) is provided for storing the hot steam (13), wherein a water pipe (19) is connected to the condenser unit (17) and a steam pipe (20) from the condenser unit (17) to the hot steam storage tank (18) are provided.

2. Laundry system (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that a waste heat storage unit (21) is provided, into which waste water and / or exhaust air from the laundry treatment machines (10, 11, 12) can be fed via the waste heat collection device (14) and stored therein, and wastewater and / or exhaust air from the laundry treatment machines (10, 11, 12) can be fed from the waste heat storage unit (21) to the evaporator unit (16).

3. Laundry system (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the collected waste heat from the laundry treatment machines (10, 11, 12) has a temperature of 65°C to 75°C and / or 70°C and / or that the temperature of the hot steam (13) that can be supplied to the condenser unit (17) via the steam line (20) has a temperature of 135°C to 165°C and / or 150°C.

4. Laundry system (100) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a thermal battery (22) for heat storage is provided, with which hot steam (13) can be supplied to the central hot steam storage unit (18).

5. Laundry system (100) according to claim 4, characterized in that the hot steam storage unit (18) can be supplied with hot steam (13) simultaneously, selectively, or alternately from the heat pump (15) and from the thermal battery (22).

6. Laundry system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that water escaping from the evaporator unit (16) can be transferred to the condenser unit (17) for evaporation, in order to evaporate in the latter and form a closed circuit.

7. Laundry system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that control device (39) is provided which is designed to receive availability information about the availability of renewable energy and / or conventional energy via a data line (41) and / or that the control device (39) has an AI module.

8. Laundry system (100) according to claims 1, 2, 4, and 7, characterized in that the control device (39) is designed to control the heat pump (15) and / or an inflow of waste water and / or exhaust air to the heat pump (15) and / or the transfer of the hot steam (13) from the heat pump (15) to the hot steam storage tank (18) and / or the hot steam (13) from the thermal battery (22) to the hot steam storage tank (18) .

9. Laundry system (100) according to claims 4, 7, and 8, characterized in that a valve (28) is provided in the waste water collection pipe (14) between the waste heat accumulator (21) and the heat pump (15) and / or in the steam pipe (20) between the heat pump (15) and the hot steam storage tank (18), a valve (29) and / or in the steam line between the thermal battery (22) and the hot steam storage tank (18), a valve (30) and / or in the electrical line between the energy sources (32, 33, 34, 35), wherein the valves (28, 29, 30) and the electrical switching point (31) can each be controlled by the control device (39).

10. Method for operating a laundry system (100) for the energy-reduced treatment of laundry, comprising several automatic laundry treatment machines (10, 11, 12) by means of which the laundry is treated with hot steam (13), and wherein a waste heat collection device (14) is provided, via which the waste heat from each of the laundry treatment machines (10, 11, 12) is collected, wherein a central heat pump (15) is provided, which has an evaporator unit (16) and a condenser unit (17), wherein the heat pump (15) is connected to the waste heat collection device (14) and to the evaporator unit (16) of the heat pump (15), and wherein the heat pump (15) is connected to the condenser unit (17) of the heat pump (15). 11, 12) is collected, wherein a central heat pump (15) is provided, which has an evaporator unit (16) and a condenser unit (17), wherein the waste heat collection device (14) is connected to the evaporator unit (16), and wherein the method comprises at least the following further steps: - generating superheated steam (13) with the condenser unit (17) of the central heat pump (15) and - supplying the centrally generated hot steam (13) to the automatic laundry treatment machines (10, 11, 12), - setting up a central hot steam storage tank (18) for storing the hot steam (13), wherein water is supplied to the condenser unit (17) via a water pipe (19) and evaporated therein, and - setting up a steam pipe (20) from the condenser unit (17) to the central hot steam storage tank (18), by means of which the generated hot steam (13) is transferred from the condenser unit (17) to the hot steam storage tank (18) and stored therein.

11. Method according to claim 10, characterized in that a thermal battery (22) is provided for heat storage, with which the hot steam (13) is supplied to the hot steam storage unit (18), wherein the hot steam storage unit (18) is fed with hot steam (13) from the heat pump (15) and, at the same time, optionally or alternately, also with hot steam (13) from the thermal battery (22).