Drying cabin

Abstract

A free-standing, clothes-drying cabin 100 that that can operate using a renewable energy generator 15 and an energy store 4, such as one or more batteries, configured to receive energy generated by th

Description

The current invention relates to welfare cabins specifically freestanding cabins for drying clothes, e.g. on remote sites or worksites. Introduction Welfare cabins are provided on construction sites for workers when they need to change clothes or take breaks in-between working. The cabins typically comprise a kitchenette area, a habitable space or seating area, and one or more WC’s. Users of the cabin typically work outside on building sites, meaning they will be exposed to weather such as rain and snow, and their clothing is likely to get wet and / or soiled. Users of the cabins wishing to use the amenities or change into other clothing (for example, non-working clothing) cause the interior of the cabin to become dirty and wet because of their clothing. This is a particular hygiene issue in spaces in which users or supposed to be able to prepare and eat food as many of the surfaces, such as kitchenette worktops, kettles another cooking appliances which become soiled and wet. There is also increase likelihood of spreading infection / diseases amongst the users of the cabin on wet surfaces. Conventional welfare cabins do not have adequately sized facilities to dry wet / soiled clothing. That is to say clothes hung to dry in communal living areas of a welfare cabin are a problem and may take a significant length of time to dry. Excess moisture within the air can lead to damp and mould spots developing. Furthermore, puddles of water that congregate on the floors and other surfaces present safety / sanitation issues. Hence welfare cabins of this type require constant cleaning and maintenance and are not well suited to drying clothes. It has been proposed to provide clothes drying facilities in a cabin that are heated using an on-board generator for power. However, such facilities are inefficient in terms of their power consumption. Typically a generator will run continually to provide heating to a clothes-drying enclosure for a number of hours. When it is considered that a single user may initiate drying of a single garment or outfit using such facilities, it can be appreciated that they represent a significant waste of fuel and energy. It is the aim of the present invention to overcome or mitigate one or more of the above problems. Summary of invention According to first aspect of the invention there is a free-standing welfare or clothes-drying cabin according to claim 1. The freestanding cabin provides a dedicated space for users to change and dry their clothing on site, e.g. away from other welfare cabins or onsite facilities. Workers can change from their wet clothing in the freestanding cabin and use the facilities elsewhere for other purposes (i.e. other cabins). Hence, food surfaces and other amenities are less likely to get contaminated or cluttered by wet / dirty clothes. The cabin also provides a dedicated space for drying clothes, where the temperature and humidity can be adjusted to conditions which are conducive to drying clothes, which are unlikely to be comfortable for an occupant. The energy store may be battery or a plurality of batteries capable of supplying electrical power to the appliances of the cabin. The renewable energy generator may be one or more of solar panel(s) and / or wind turbine(s). The solar panels may be selectivity deployable such as to maximize surface area in use and minimise during transportation. The solar panels may be located on the roof and / or side walls of the cabin’s exterior. At least some of the solar panels may be angle / pitch-adjustable, e.g. such that they can be angled to maximise exposure to the sun. The solar panels may be located on rails which allow them to be slid out from to maximise surface area. In the deployed state the surface area of the solar panel may exceed to the square footage of the cabin itself. The renewable energy generator may be angularly moveable or actuatable. The renewable energy generator may be angularly moveable by folding, tilting or pivoting. In the deployed condition, the renewable energy generator may be selectively angularly adjustable, e.g. to alter the tilt or swivel angle of the renewable generator for solar energy collection. The renewable energy generator may be fixed at a desired angle of tilt / swivel in the deployed condition. All the electricity used by the cabin is preferably generated by the renewable energy generators. For example, the cabin does not comprise either a petrol or diesel generator. The cabin may be independently powered, i.e. does not require external power source. At least 80%, 90%, 95%, 97% or more of the power consumed by the welfare cabin when on site may be supplied by the energy store and / or solar panels. The air heater may comprise an electric heater and / or fuel burner, or a plurality thereof. The fuel burner may be a diesel / oil or gas burner. The burner can beneficially run for extended periods of time with minimal servicing. The cabin may comprise two or more drying enclosures configured for drying clothing. The enclosures may be substantially identical or be adapted to particular type of clothing. For example, an enclosure may be specifically adapted for shoes, being smaller compared to at least one other enclosure. The enclosure may comprise one or more shelfs. The enclosures may be independently lockable or comprise one or more lockers to enable individuals to securely stow personal items. In alternative embodiments the enclosure may be a locker, where there are a plurality of lockers, each being independently or commonly regulated by the controller. The lockers may be accessible from inside or outside the cabin, or both. The first and a second drying enclosure may share any or any combination of: a common controller; a common energy store; a common air heater; a common dehumidifier; one or more common sensor. The first and second drying enclosure may be isolated form each other or may be in airflow communication with each other. The controller may be configured to heat the first and second enclosures independently from one another. Typically the controller and energy store are common between the enclosures so as to manage operation of each drying enclosure with respect to the energy demands of the other. The enclosure may comprise elements to enable to efficient storing of clothing. For example, hanging rails, shelfs or shoe tidies or combination thereof. The rails may be slidable, for example to outside of the enclosure making it easier to locate items. The closure may be considered akin to a wardrobe or closet. The rail may extend substantially across the length of the enclosure. The doors of the enclosure may be sliding doors, or hinged. The doors and / or door frames may comprise a seal. Preferably the doors and / or frames comprise a lip / elongate seal, which may extend along the door edge. The doors thus inhibit airflow between the enclosure and the remainder of the cabin interior. The door(s) of the enclosure and / or the external door(s) may comprise an automatic closure mechanism to close the door when accidentally left open, thus minimising thermal loss. Where a conventional cabin will likely comprise windows or light wells of some sort, the cabin of the current invention will optionally not have windows as occupants may require privacy to change. Optionally the cabin exterior may be substantially opaque. Optionally, one or more or all of the external cabin walls do not comprise window frames or cut-outs. The cabin may comprise an occupant area which allows a person to enter and stand inside the cabin. The occupant area may be a changing area allowing user to change clothing. The occupant area and enclosure may be adjoining. Preferably, the changing area is located between two drying enclosures. The occupant area may comprise a bench for sitting, assisting the user changing, for example, to remove shoes. The cabin may comprise a single external door, such as to minimise thermal loss. The door may be lockable. In some embodiments the drying enclosure(s) may be directly accessible from the cabin’s exterior via a door, e.g. a sealable door. The door may be lockable and may comprise pin entry or RFID / fob entry. The cabin may comprise portable elements to enable the cabin to be deployable / movable. For example, towbars, wheels or hook / hoist attachments to enable to cabin to be lifted. The drying enclosure may be comparable to a large wardrobe in size. It may have a width between 300-1000mm, optionally around 400-700mm, optionally around 650mm. The length of the enclosure may be between 1000-4000mm, optionally between 1500-3000mm, optionally between 2000-2500mm, optionally around a 2100mm. The cabin may be relativity small compared other welfare cabins. For example, its width may be smaller than 4m in length, optionally less than 3.5m, optionally less than 3m. The length of the enclosure may be substantially the same length as the length of the cabin. The cabin may not be habitable per se, for example not suitable for locating chairs and tables. The cabin, i.e. the enclosure and / or occupant area may comprise drip tray to capture runoff water. The flooring may be meshed / porous to allow water to drain. The drip tray may comprise a collector to retain the captured water, which can be in turn released by the user. The drip tray (or collector thereof) may be removable, for example, from outside the cabin. The enclosure may be fully sealable, and may be insulated to prevent thermal loss. The enclosure walls may be comprise a layer of low thermally conductive material such as insulation board, a polymer (i.e. polystyrene) or non-woven material. The drying enclosure may comprise a desired threshold humidity and / or temperature condition / value which corresponds to the desired temperature and humidity. For example, the desired threshold temperature may be above 20°C, optionally above 25°C, optionally above 30°C, optionally above 35°C, optionally above 40°C, optionally above 45°C, optionally above 50°C, optionally above 55°C, optionally above 60°C. For example, the desired threshold relative humidity may be below 70%, optionally less than 60%, optionally less than 50%, optionally less than 40%, optionally less than 30%, optionally less than 20%, optionally less than 10%, optionally less than 5%. The desired threshold humidity may be measured in absolute humidity, and may be below 20 g / m3, optionally less than 15g / m3, optionally less than 10g / m3, optionally less than 7.5g / m3, optionally less than 5g / m3, optionally less than 2.5g / m3, optionally less than 1g / m3. The controller may selectively operate one or more appliances within the cabin to alter the conditions within the enclosure such as to reach the predetermined threshold conditions. There may be a first threshold temperature / humidity defining a set point that must be reached by the controller to provide a minimal drying condition / function. There may be a second threshold temperature / humidity defining a preferable drying condition. There may be a further threshold defining a limit condition, e.g. a maximum temperature condition that should not be exceeded. The controller may comprise a control hierarchy that prioritises maintenance of the minimal drying condition. The controller may operate to achieve the second condition, i.e. the preferable drying condition, only if the availability of renewable energy is sufficient, e.g. if there is sufficient charge on the energy store. The cabin may comprise one or more devices to alter the predetermined threshold conditions, for example, thermostats or smartphone. The input devices may be directly connected to the controller or wirelessly connected. Where multiple enclosures are present, the input devices may enable the enclosures to have different predetermined threshold conditions. The controller may evaluate the sensed conditions within the cabin against the said predetermined threshold conditions and determined which appliances are best suited for task altering the internal conditions for the enclosure. For example, the controller may select any combination of the intake fan (to bring in warm air from outside), electric heater and fuel burner, to bring the temperature of the enclosure to the desired predetermined temperature condition. Similarly, the controller may select any combination of the outlet fans and dehumidifiers to bring the relative humidity with the enclosure to the predetermined humidity threshold condition. The controller may continuously or periodically assess the internal conditions, e.g. temperature and humidity, of the enclosure using the internal sensors. The controller may determine the relative difference between internal and predetermined (or ambient) conditions. The enclosure may comprise an outlet fan, configured to remove damp air from the enclosure. The enclosure may comprise an inlet fan, configured to bring warm air inside the enclosure. In some embodiments, the inlet and outlet fan may be the same fan, i.e. rotationally reversible. A closable vent may be associated with each fan / enclosure that prevents air flow. The vent(s) may be selectively operatable by the controller. Thus the controller may effectively close the enclosure form the external environment and recycle heated / dehumidified air within the enclosure. The cabin may comprise external temperature and / or humidity sensors to determine the ambient conditions. Where the sensed external temperature outside the enclosure is greater than the sensor internal temperature or threshold temperature, the controller may operate the intake fan to bring warm air from outside. Where the sensed external humidity is lower than the sensed internal humidity or the threshold humidity, the controller may operate the outlet fans to remove damp air and / or intake fan to bring ambient air into the enclosure. The controller may use logic / algorithms to determine the best method to heat and / or dehumidify the enclosure. For example, the controller may prioritise the least energy intensive appliances first, particularly where there is a small difference between the sensed and predetermined conditions. Typically, the inlet and outlet fans will be less energy intensive than the electric heater and dehumidifier and so the controller may prioritise use of these appliances. The controller may selectively operate the air heater and / or dehumidifier based on the current and / or predicted charge state of the energy store. If the controller determines the current and / or predicted charge state is insufficient to alter or maintain the internal conditions of the enclosure according to the predetermined threshold, it may activate the burner in place of the electric heater to lessen the power demand, meaning the other appliances can operate for longer. The controller may use Al or other machine learning methods to better manage the power demands of the cabin. It may be able to access weather forecasts and determine which appliances to operate accordingly. For example, the controller may determine that on days on which rain is forecast, there will be increased demand and therefore the prioritise the fuel burner over the electric heater as the dehumidifier will likely be needed to for extended periods. The controller may keep a log of previous energy demands, for example, which days are busier, and create / apply a schedule accordingly. A daily / weekly schedule may be applied to predict demand for the drying enclosure (e.g. at the end of shifts of work or overnight). The controller may be overridden by the user. For example, the controller / enclosure may be turned off and on. The user may be able to force operation of particular appliances. The controller may monitor the charge level on the energy store and / or the rate of charge / discharge from the energy store. The controller may monitor the power demand, e.g. instantaneous power demand, of the appliances. The controller may selectively deny power to one or more appliance. Each appliance may be assigned a priority rating. The priority rating of each appliance may be logged / predetermined and accessible to the controller. Power may be denied to a plurality of appliances. One or more electrical appliance may be denied power in accordance with its priority rating. The priority rating may be a hierarchical rating, e.g. where each electrical appliance has a rating according to a predetermined hierarchy applied by the controller. If the electrical appliance needed to achieve a minimal drying condition is not available, the controller may initiate operation of the fuel burner. The welfare cabin may comprise one or more occupancy sensor. The controller may selectively operate or deny power to one or more appliance in dependence upon the occupancy sensor. The cabin may comprise other electrical appliances such as lights and wall sockets to enable user electrical devices to be plugged in. Any optional or essential features described in relation to any one aspect of the invention may be applied to any further aspect, wherever practicable. Practicable embodiments of the disclosure are described below in further detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 shows schematically view of a freestanding cabin according to the invention. Figure 2 shows cross-sectional view of the cabin. Figure 3 shows perspective view of the cabin. Detailed Description Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a cabin (100) according to a first embodiment of the invention. Specifically, it shows a welfare cabin (100) configured for drying clothes. The cabin is mobile and selectively deployable, for example on building sites and can be used as a place for workers to specifically change and dry clothing. The cabin can be provided in any suitable location, for example, in locations without connection to water or electricity mains. The cabin 100 comprises first and second drying enclosures (1,2) specifically configured for storing and drying clothing. The enclosures (1,2) comprise sealable doors being openable to changing area (16). The changing area (16) is directly accessible from the cabin’s exterior via a door. The changing area (16) may itself comprises one or more private changing enclosures or curtains to allow occupants to change privately. In use, users / worker enter the cabin through the external door, change in the changing area (16) and place removed clothing in either enclosure (1,2) to be retrieved later once dried. The temperature and humidity within the enclosures (1,2) are regulated to ensure the conditions are suitable for drying clothes, for example, by elevating the temperature and removing damp air. The enclosures (1,2) are independently regulated from one another, as well as the changing area, and cabin exterior. To ensure the conditions are maintained, each enclosure is insulated from the rest of the cabin as well as the exterior. For example, an air gap may be provided between the exterior walls of the cabin and those of the enclosure and / or the enclosure walls lined with a low thermally conductive material. The sealable doors to the enclosures (1,2) are insulated by a sealing member such as a rubber gasket which minimises thermal loss around the edges. The doors are slidable (i.e. sliding doors) which minimises interference in the changing area (16). The doors allow users to place items into the enclosure. The internal conditions of the drying enclosures are regulated by a controller (3) which uses a plurality of sensors (7, 8) for determining the current internal conditions and selectively operates appliances (5, 6, 9,19, 11-14) to alter the internal conditions. Each enclosure (1,2) may comprise a temperature and humidity threshold condition which corresponds to the desired temperature and humidity within each enclosure. The controller (3) selectively operates appliances (5, 6, 9-14) within the cabin (100) to achieve the desired temperature and humidity in each enclosure (1, 2). The cabin (100) may comprise one or more input devices, such as thermostats, for changing the threshold conditions. The input devices generate a signal which is sent to the controller (3) which activates the appliances accordingly. The cabin comprises an electric heater (5), fuel burner (6), dehumidifiers (9,10) and a plurality of fans (11 -14) which are selectively operatable by the controller (3) individually or in combination to achieve the desired threshold conditions. In the embodiment shown in figure 1, the first and second enclosures (1,2) share a common electric heater (5) and fuel burner (6) which are both located / housed elsewhere within the cabin (100), both being in fluid communication with the enclosures via ducts / pipes. The controller (3) heats the enclosures independently by shutting off fluid communication where needed, for example using divertors or closable vents. Alternatively, each enclosure may comprise their own heater (5) and / or burner (6) which can be either in or outside their respective enclosures (1, 2). Each enclosure (1,2) also comprises an intake fan (13,14) configured to bring warm air into the enclosure, typically, from outside the cabin (100). The dehumidifiers (9, 10) regulate the humidity within their respective enclosures (1,2). Each enclosure also comprises outlet fan (11, 12) to remove damp air. A closable vent under operation of the controller (3) is associated with each fan (11 -4) such as to form a seal when desirable to do so. The cabin further comprises a battery (4) configured to store electricity generated by solar panels (15). The battery supplies power to the appliances (5, 6, 9-14), in particularly, those used to regulate the temperature and humidity within the enclosures (1,2). As well as the internal temperature and humidity sensors, the cabin (100) also comprises external temperature and humidity sensors (17) used to monitor the conditions outside the cabin and / or enclosures. Figures 2 and 3 show the cabin (100) to comprises a towbar, wheel arches (for wheels) than enable the cabin to be attached to a vehicle and transported elsewhere. The enclosures (1,2) and changing area (16) may comprise a drip tray underneath flooring panels to capture water. The drip trays lead to a collector which can be drained by the user when needed. The solar panels (15) are located on the roof and are rotatable such that they can be angled to maximise sun exposure. Controller operation The controller (3) monitors temperature and humidity in each enclosure (1,2) and operates the heater (5), fuel burner (6) and intake fans (13, 14) in accordance with the desired predetermined temperature condition; and dehumidifiers (9, 10) and fans (11, 12) in accordance with the desired predetermined humidity conditions. The controller (3) monitors the conditions using temperature and humidity sensors (7, 8). If the controller (3) detects a difference from the sensed internal conditions from the desired predetermined threshold conditions, it will activate the appropriate appliances (5, 6, 9-14) to minimise the difference. For example, where the sensed temperature within an enclosure (1 or 2) is lower than the temperature threshold value, the controller (3) will activate one or more of the electric heater (5), fuel burner (6) and intake fan (13 or 14) to increase the temperature. Once the temperature threshold value has been reached, the controller (3) will deactivate the relevant appliances. The controller (3) uses logic to determine which appliances to operate (and when), it can prioritise energy efficiency or speed depending on the user’s preference. For example, the controller may favour using the air intake (13) to bring warm air into the enclosure rather than using the heater or burner (5, 6) if deems it more efficient to do so. The user can override the controller logic if necessary. The logic order can be situational, i.e. static or dynamic. For example, the controller (3) will typically follow a predetermined instruction order, and operate the appliances in that order. However, the controller may utilise Al or other machine learning to determine the most efficient method based on current circumstances or predicted conditions. For example, heating and / dehumidifying of the enclosures may be based on the previous user’s habits / preferences and predicted environmental conditions; i.e. weather forecasts (i.e. likelihood of rain) can preempt need and thus prepare the enclosures. It can also determine if the likely power generated by the solar panels on a given day based on the forecast, or prioritise a particular appliance (e.g. the fuel burner) on particular busy days (i.e. weekdays). Generally, the fans (11-14) will consume less electricity than the electric heater (5) and so the controller (3) may prioritise its use over both heater (5) and burner (6) where appropriate to do so. Similarly, the dehumidifier is relatively energy intensive when compared to the outlet fans (11, 12) and will therefore prioritise their use where appropriate. The controller (3) determines whether to use the heater (5) and burner (6) based on the charge level of the battery (4), or predicted charge level. A determination can be made weather the battery (4) holds enough charge for the heater (5) to solely heat the enclosures (1,2) to reach the predetermined threshold temperatures, and weather the burner (6) should be activated. If the battery (4) doesn’t hold enough charge, it will activate the fuel burner (6) to leave more available power for the other appliances. The air within the enclosure will be expected to be damp given their intended purpose. Hence the controller (3) will allocate charge level specifically to the task of heating and dehumidifying. If the controller (3) determines the ambient air to be a higher temperature than the air inside either of the enclosures (1,2), warm air can be drawn through the intake fans (13, 14) appropriately. The controller uses external (17) and internal (7,8) temperature sensors to determine whether the fans (13,14) should be operated. If the external temperature exceeds the temperatures inside the enclosure, the controller may operate the fan until the temperature difference is lessened. The controller (3) shuts down the fans (13, 14) once the sensed internal temperature has reached the desired predetermined threshold temperature, or until it is no longer energetically favourable to run the fans. The controller (3) can instead determine a temperature difference between the exterior (17) and interior (7 or 8) sensors and operate the fans accordingly. If there is only a small temperature difference between the predetermined temperature threshold and internal temperature of the enclosure, the controller (3) may favour using the intake fans (13 or 14) over the burner (6) and heater (5). Similarly, if controller determines that the threshold temperature condition can be reached solely by bringing in warm air from outside the cabin, it will operate the intake fans without the burner or heater. In view of the foregoing description, it can be appreciated that the controller can determine whether to allow airflow in out of the enclosure to achieve drying efficiently based on ambient conditions (e.g. without needing powered heating or dehumidification). Additionally / alternatively, the controller may operate an air heater and / or dehumidifier whilst air flows in / out of the enclosure (e.g. according to the moisture content and / or temperature of the ambient air or the conditions inside the enclosure). Damp air that has circulated within the enclosure to pick up moisture form the enclosure interior may be exhausted through the outlet fan vent. In a different mode of operation, the controller may close the enclosure to ambient air (e.g. by closing the inlet / outlet fan vents) and may heat and dehumidify the air inside the closed enclosure. Thus warn air is recycled efficiently when ambient conditions would not be of benefit to the drying process. It will be appreciated that the controller can switch between different modes for drying clothes automatically based on its control logic. Thus a user wanting to dry clothes can simply insert their wet clothes into the enclosure, e.g. on hanging rails, and can close the enclosure doors. The user may simply press a power on button or select a drying time and the controller can then determine the requisite mode of operation according to the sensed conditions to prioritise drying of clothes and also efficient energy consumption. In some examples, the user may select a basic ‘load’ or ‘power’ setting according to the number of garments to be dried in the enclosure (e.g. light, medium, heavy settings or the like). Therefore simple user controls require minimal user intervention whilst ensuring energy efficient and affective drying of clothes can be achieved on site. As such the fuel burner is only activated minimally, i.e. when both ambient conditions and the available renewable power is insufficient to perform the required drying function. The controller can be considered to operate a hierarchical scheme of energy efficiency, whereby the control first determines whether ambient conditions permit drying with minimal power consumption, then whether the power needed for drying can be provided by the renewable energy source (i.e. based on the level of charge on the battery), and only finally whether the fuel burner needs to be used to supplement ambient and renewable energy. It is believed that that present system presents a more efficient and practical onsite clothes drying solution than has been hitherto made available.

Claims

1. A free-standing, clothes-drying cabin comprising, a renewable energy generator, an energy store configured to receive energy generated by the renewable energy generator, and supply electricity to at least one electrical appliance of the cabin,a drying enclosure for clothes comprising,a temperature sensor and humidity sensor configured to monitor the operating conditions of the drying enclosure,an air dehumidifier,an air heater for drying clothes inside the drying enclosure, where the cabin comprises a controller arranged to receive readings from the temperature and humidity sensors, the controller configured to regulate the internal conditions by selective operation of the air heater and dehumidifier for the purpose of drying clothes in the drying enclosure.

2. A welfare cabin according to claim 1, comprising a predetermined temperature threshold condition for the drying enclosure, and the controller selectively operates the air heater based on the predetermined temperature threshold condition.

3. A welfare cabin according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a predetermined humidity threshold condition for the drying enclosure, and the controller selectively operates the dehumidifier based on the predetermined humidity threshold condition.

4. A welfare cabin according to claim 2 or 3, where the cabin comprises an input device configured for inputting and / or changing the predetermined threshold condition.

5. A welfare cabin according to any of claims 2-4, where the controller assesses the current temperature or humidity internal condition of the drying enclosure against the predetermined threshold condition.

6. A welfare cabin according to claim 5, where the controller determines the difference between the sensed condition according to the temperature and / or humidity sensor and the corresponding predetermined threshold condition.

7. A welfare cabin according to any of the previous claims, the drying enclosure comprises a fan configured to remove air from the drying enclosure to outside of the cabin.

8. A welfare cabin according to claim 7, the humidity sensor comprises an external humidity sensor to determine the ambient humidity outside the drying enclosure.

9. A welfare cabin according to claim 7 or 8, where the controller selectively operates the fan and / or dehumidifier based on a predetermined humidity threshold, e.g. an ambient humidity threshold.

10. A welfare cabin according to the any of the previous claims, the drying enclosure comprises a fan configured to bring air from outside of the drying enclosure into the drying enclosure.

11. A welfare cabin according to claim 10, the temperature sensor comprises an external temperature sensor to determine the ambient temperature outside the drying enclosure.

12. A welfare cabin according to claim 11 when appended to claim 2, where the controller selectively operates the fan and / or air heater based a predetermined humidity ambient threshold.

13. A welfare cabin according to claim 7 or 10, the fan or drying enclosure comprising a vent being selectivity openable by the controller.

14. A welfare cabin according to any preceding claim, where the controller selectively operates the air heater and / or dehumidifier based on the current and / or predicted charge state of the energy store.

15. A welfare cabin according to any preceding claim, the air heater comprising an electric heater for elevating air temperature in the drying enclosure.

16. A welfare cabin according to any preceding claim, the air heater comprising a fuel burner for elevating air temperature in the drying enclosure.

17. A welfare cabin according to claims 15 and 16, where the controller determines whether the predetermined temperature threshold condition can be achieved by the electric heater based on the current or predicted charge state of the energy store.

18. A welfare cabin according to claim 17, where the controller activates the burner upon determining the charge state being insufficient to power the air heater.

19. A welfare cabin according to any of the previous claims, comprising an occupant area within the cabin, where the drying enclosure is accessible via the occupant area.

20. A welfare cabin according to claim 19, the drying enclosure comprises a sealing sliding door separating the drying enclosure from the occupant area.

21. A welfare cabin according to any of the previous claims, the drying enclosure comprises a hanging rail for a hanging clothes.

22. A welfare cabin according to any of the previous claims, the interior of the cabin only being accessible via a single door.

23. A welfare cabin according to any of the previous claims, comprising a 5 second drying enclosure.

24. A welfare cabin according to any preceding claim, where the controller operates according to a control hierarchy whereby a higher priority is to satisfy a drying demand by ensuring temperature and / or humidity thresholds are achieved 10 for the drying enclosure and a lower priority is to minimise consumption of energy and / or fuel by supplementing ambient conditions only with the minimum required energy / fuel to achieve the temperature and / or humidity threshold.

25. A welfare cabin according to any of the previous claims, the cabin15 comprising a portable element, configured to relocate the position of the cabin.

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