Drying device, laundry treatment apparatus, and control method therefor

Abstract

The present disclosure belongs to the technical field of electrical apparatuses, and specifically relates to a drying device and a laundry treatment apparatus. The drying device comprises: a moisture absorption and dehumidification module having a dehumidification area and a desorption area; a heat pump module comprising a compressor, a throttling component, an evaporator and a condenser; and a heating assembly and a cooler. In an airflow direction, the evaporator, the dehumidification area of the moisture absorption and dehumidification module, and the condenser are sequentially connected, and the desorption area of the moisture absorption and dehumidification module, the cooler, and the heating assembly are sequentially and cyclically connected; and the compressor has an output portion and an input portion, the output portion of the compressor, the condenser and the throttling component are sequentially connected, the throttling component is controllably connected to at least one of the cooler and the evaporator, and the cooler and the evaporator are both connected to the input portion of the compressor, such that the drying device performs at least one of heat pump dehumidification and dehumidification of the moisture absorption and dehumidification module. The present disclosure can reduce moisture in a dry airflow, improve the drying efficiency of the laundry treatment apparatus, and reduce the drying time.

Description

Drying equipment, garment processing equipment and their control methods Cross-references to related applications

[0001] This disclosure claims priority and benefits to Chinese patent applications with application numbers 202411745061.0 and 202422943817.4, both filed on November 29, 2024, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure belongs to the field of electrical equipment technology, specifically relating to drying devices, clothing processing equipment and their control methods. Background Technology

[0003] In related technologies, there is room for improvement in the drying efficiency of clothing processing equipment such as dryers or dryer-dryer combos. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In a first aspect of this disclosure, a drying apparatus is provided, comprising a moisture absorption and dehumidification module, a heat pump module, a heating component, and a cooler. The moisture absorption and dehumidification module has a dehumidification zone and a desorption zone. The heat pump module includes an evaporator and a condenser. The evaporator, the dehumidification zone of the moisture absorption and desorption module, and the condenser are sequentially connected along the airflow direction. The desorption zone of the moisture absorption and dehumidification module, the cooler, and the heating component are sequentially cyclically connected. The drying apparatus further includes a compressor and a throttling component. The compressor has an output section and an input section. The output section of the compressor, the condenser, and the throttling component are sequentially connected. The throttling component is controllably connected to at least one of the cooler and the evaporator. Both the cooler and the evaporator are connected to the input section of the compressor, so that the drying apparatus performs at least one of heat pump dehumidification and moisture absorption and dehumidification module dehumidification.

[0005] In some embodiments, a first valve body and a second valve body are also included, wherein the first valve body is disposed between the throttling component and the evaporator, and the second valve body is disposed between the throttling component and the cooler.

[0006] In some implementations, the first valve body is connected between the throttling component and the second valve body.

[0007] In some implementations, both the first valve body and the second valve body are one-way valves.

[0008] In some implementations, the heating assembly includes a first air intake element and a heating element.

[0009] In some implementations, the cooler, the first air intake, the heating element, and the desorption zone of the moisture absorption and dehumidification module are sequentially connected along the airflow direction.

[0010] In some implementations, the cooler, the heating element, the first air duct, and the desorption zone of the moisture absorption and dehumidification module are sequentially connected along the airflow direction.

[0011] In a second aspect, this disclosure also provides a garment processing device, the garment processing device comprising: a drum body having an air outlet and an air inlet; and the aforementioned drying device having its two ends connected to the air outlet and air inlet of the drum body, respectively.

[0012] In some embodiments, the garment processing device further includes a second air intake element disposed between the air inlet of the cylinder and the condenser.

[0013] In some embodiments, the garment processing device further includes a filter element disposed between the air outlet of the cylinder and the evaporator.

[0014] In a third aspect of this disclosure, a control method for the aforementioned garment processing equipment is also provided. The control method includes: controlling the first valve body to open and the second valve body to close, wherein the garment processing equipment performs heat pump dehumidification; controlling the first valve body to close and the second valve body to open, wherein the garment processing equipment performs moisture absorption and dehumidification module dehumidification; and controlling the first valve body and the second valve body to open, wherein the garment processing equipment performs both heat pump dehumidification and moisture absorption and dehumidification module dehumidification. Attached Figure Description

[0015] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0016] Figures 1 and 2 show schematic diagrams of the structure of a garment processing device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a moisture absorption and dehumidification module in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 4 shows a structural schematic diagram from another perspective of Figure 3.

[0019] Figure 5 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of the regenerated shell in Figure 3.

[0020] Figure 6 shows a schematic diagram of the results from another perspective of Figure 5.

[0021] Figure 7 shows a schematic diagram of the heating assembly in Figure 2.

[0022] Figure 8 shows a schematic diagram of airflow in the garment processing device according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 9 shows a schematic diagram of airflow in a garment processing device according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] Figure 10 shows a schematic diagram of airflow in a garment processing device according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] Figure 11 shows a schematic flowchart of the control method for the garment processing equipment of this disclosure.

[0026] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0027] Shell-1, Inlet-101, Air Inlet-102, Air Outlet-103, Air Inlet-104;

[0028] Door body -2;

[0029] Cylinder-3;

[0030] Drying device-4;

[0031] Moisture absorption and dehumidification module-41;

[0032] Regeneration shell-411, receiving cavity-4111, dehumidification zone-4112, desorption zone-4113, separator-4114;

[0033] Roulette-412;

[0034] Drive component-42;

[0035] Air intake cover-43;

[0036] Heating assembly-44, heating housing-441, heating element-442, first air duct-443;

[0037] Evaporator-5;

[0038] Condenser-6;

[0039] Cooler-7;

[0040] Compressor-8;

[0041] Throttling component -9;

[0042] Second air intake component-10;

[0043] Filter element-11;

[0044] First valve body -12;

[0045] Second valve body -13. Detailed Implementation

[0046] To enable those skilled in the art to more clearly understand this disclosure, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this disclosure, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments of this disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0047] In recent years, as people's pursuit of a better quality of life has increased, clothes drying equipment such as dryers and washer-dryer combos have gradually gained popularity among consumers in various regions due to their unique functionality. Currently, drying modes are mainly divided into condenser, exhaust, and heat pump types. Compared with the other two methods, heat pump drying reduces damage to clothes, improves their fluffiness, and recovers the latent and sensible heat of the airflow, resulting in lower energy consumption and making it widely popular.

[0048] Figures 1 and 2 show schematic diagrams of the structure of a garment processing device according to an embodiment of this disclosure. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the garment processing device for a dryer or washer-dryer combo includes a housing 1, a door 2, a drum 3, and a drying device 4. The housing 1 has a loading port 101 on its front side, allowing the user to load or unload garments into or from the drum 3. The door 2 is rotatably connected to the front side of the housing 1 to open and close the loading port 101. The drum 3 is rotatably installed inside the housing 1 to accommodate garments.

[0049] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, in one embodiment of this disclosure, an air inlet 102 with an air inlet channel is disposed below the inlet 101, an air outlet channel 103 is disposed below the cylinder 3, and an air inlet channel 104 is disposed on the back of the cylinder 3. The cylinder 3, the air outlet channel 103, and the air inlet channel 104 are sequentially connected to form an air duct for airflow circulation. A drying device 4 is disposed within the air outlet channel 103. The humid air discharged from the cylinder 3 enters the air outlet channel 103 from the air inlet 102 and is dried by the drying device 4 to form a clean, dry airflow. The air inlet channel 104 introduces the dry airflow into the cylinder 3 to dry the clothes inside the cylinder 3.

[0050] It should be noted that Figures 1 and 2 are examples illustrating the layout of a drying device 4, an air outlet 103, an air inlet 102, and an air inlet 104 in a garment processing device for ease of understanding, and do not limit the position and relative relationship of these devices / components. For example, in another embodiment of this disclosure, the drying device 4 is arranged above the drum 3, or the drying device 4 is arranged both above and below the drum 3 to process the humid airflow flowing out of the drum 3 into dry airflow. Accordingly, the air outlet 103 or the air inlet 104 can be arranged above, below, or behind the drum 3.

[0051] In related technologies, the drying device of a heat pump-type clothes drying system includes an evaporator, a condenser, and an induced draft fan arranged along the airflow direction. The evaporator and condenser constitute a heat pump module. Under the action of the induced draft fan, the humid airflow inside the drum flows to the evaporator. After being cooled and dehydrated by the evaporator, it is heated by the condenser to form a dry airflow. The dry airflow flows into the drum to dry the clothes inside. However, in related technologies, clothes drying equipment suffers from a long drying time, indicating room for improvement in drying efficiency.

[0052] The reason is that during the operation of the clothing processing equipment, the humid airflow inside the drum still contains a lot of moisture after being cooled and dehydrated by the evaporator. After this moisture-containing airflow is heated by the condenser, the generated high-temperature airflow still contains too much moisture. This high-temperature airflow with too much moisture is guided into the drum to dry the clothes, affecting the drying efficiency of the clothes inside the drum, and thus causing the drying time to be longer.

[0053] In view of the above-mentioned technical problems, this disclosure provides a drying device and a clothing processing equipment, which aims to improve the drying efficiency of the clothing processing equipment to at least a certain extent.

[0054] The design concept of this disclosure is as follows: by adding a moisture-absorbing and dehumidifying module before guiding the high-temperature airflow into the drum, on the one hand, the moisture-absorbing and dehumidifying module can absorb moisture in the medium and low temperature airflow, reduce the moisture in the high-temperature airflow guided into the drum, improve the dryness of the high-temperature airflow, and thus improve the drying efficiency of the clothes in the drum and reduce the drying time; on the other hand, the moisture-absorbing and dehumidifying module can also release the absorbed moisture under the action of the heating component to generate a humid airflow, which can be reused to improve the drying efficiency of the clothes processing equipment.

[0055] Specific technical solutions will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale. Similar or identical reference numerals may be used to designate the same or similar parts in different figures. The use of similar or identical reference numerals in different figures does not imply that all figures including similar or identical reference numerals constitute a single or the same embodiment. The accompanying drawings illustrate the various embodiments discussed in this disclosure in a generalized, illustrative, and not restrictive manner.

[0056] Based on the above design concept, in the first aspect of this disclosure, a moisture absorption and dehumidification module is provided, which is part of a drying device. Figure 3 shows a structural schematic diagram of the moisture absorption and dehumidification module in one or more embodiments of this disclosure, and Figure 4 shows a structural schematic diagram of Figure 3 from another perspective. Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the moisture absorption and dehumidification module includes a regeneration shell 411 and a disc 412. Figure 5 shows a structural schematic diagram of the regeneration shell 411 in Figure 3, and Figure 6 shows a schematic diagram of Figure 5 from another perspective. Referring to Figures 5 and 6, the regeneration shell 411 is provided with a receiving cavity 4111, which is provided with a dehumidification zone 4112 and a desorption zone 4113 spaced apart. The disc 412 is rotatably disposed within the receiving cavity 4111. When the disc 412 rotates to the dehumidification zone 4112, the disc 412 adsorbs moisture from the humid airflow; when the disc 412 rotates to the desorption zone 4113, the moisture adsorbed by the disc 412 is released under the action of the heating component 44.

[0057] When the moisture absorption and dehumidification module provided in this disclosure is applied to a drying equipment, the humid airflow drawn from the air outlet of the drying equipment cylinder 3 is partially dehydrated by the evaporator 5 and then adsorbed onto the dehumidification module's disc 412. When the disc 412 rotates to the dehumidification zone 4112, the disc 412 further dehydrates the moisture in the humid airflow, forming a low-temperature dry airflow. The low-temperature dry airflow then undergoes heat exchange in the condenser 6 to generate a high-temperature dry airflow for drying clothes. Since the moisture has been adsorbed by the dehumidification zone 4112 of the disc 412, the moisture content of the dry airflow can be reduced, which can effectively improve the drying efficiency of the clothing processing equipment and reduce the drying time. When the disc 412 rotates to the desorption zone 4113, the moisture adsorbed by the disc 412 is dehydrated under the action of the heating component 44 to generate a humid airflow. The humid airflow is again adsorbed by the evaporator 5 and the disc 412, and heated by the condenser 6 to generate a high-temperature dry airflow for reuse, thereby improving the drying efficiency of the clothing processing equipment. The specific details of the moisture absorption and dehumidification module are now described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0058] Referring to Figures 5 and 6, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the moisture absorption and dehumidification module further includes a separator 4114, with both ends of the separator 4114 connected to the inner wall of the receiving cavity 4111, and the middle part of the separator 4114 extending toward the middle part of the receiving cavity 4111, dividing the receiving cavity 4111 into the aforementioned dehumidification zone 4112 and desorption zone 4113.

[0059] Referring to Figures 5 and 6, according to an embodiment of this disclosure, the separator 4114 is generally U-shaped. The inner wall of the separator 4114 and the inner wall of the receiving cavity 4111 form a desorption zone 4113, and the outer wall of the separator 4114 and the inner wall of the receiving cavity 4111 form a dehumidification zone 4112. That is, the receiving cavity 4111 is divided into the aforementioned dehumidification zone 4112 and desorption zone 4113 by the separator 4114. The volume of the desorption zone 4113 is smaller, and the volume of the dehumidification zone 4112 is larger. The dehumidification zone 4112 is used as the main airflow passage, and the desorption zone 4113 is used as an auxiliary airflow passage. The volume of the desorption zone 4113 is approximately one-third of the volume of the dehumidification zone 4112 to ensure the airflow of the main airflow passage, thereby ensuring the airflow of the clothes in the drying drum 3 and ensuring the drying effect of the clothes in the drum 3.

[0060] Referring to Figure 3, the dehumidification module also includes a drive component 42, which is connected to the wheel 412 to drive the wheel 412 to rotate within the receiving cavity 4111. That is, under the action of the drive component 42, the wheel 412 and the support component 414 rotate synchronously within the receiving cavity 4111. When the wheel 412 rotates to the dehumidification zone 4112, it adsorbs moisture from the humid airflow; when the wheel 412 rotates to the desorption zone 4113, the moisture adsorbed by the wheel 412 is released under the action of the heating component 44.

[0061] Referring to Figures 3 and 4, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the moisture absorption and dehumidification module further includes an air hood 43 connected to the desorption zone 4113. The air hood 43 can draw out the warm humid airflow to a suitable location to reuse the portion of the warm humid airflow and improve drying efficiency.

[0062] Figure 7 shows a schematic diagram of the heating assembly 44 in Figure 3. Referring to Figure 7, according to an embodiment of this disclosure, the heating assembly 44 is connected upstream of the desorption zone 4113. When the wheel 412 rotates to the desorption zone 4113, the moisture adsorbed by the wheel 412 is released under the action of the heating assembly 44. The heating assembly 44 includes a heating shell 441, a heating element 442, and a first air duct 443. The heating shell 441 is connected to the air vent of the desorption zone 4113. The heating element 442 and the first air vent 443 are disposed within the heating shell 441. The first air vent 443 draws in outside air, which is heated by the heating element 442 to generate high-temperature air. When the wheel 412 rotates to the dehumidification zone 4112, the high-temperature air releases the water adsorbed by the wheel 412, forming a humid airflow with temperature. This humid airflow is drawn out from the return air vent of the dehumidification zone 4112.

[0063] Referring to Figure 7, in one embodiment, the first air-guiding element 443 and the heating element 442 are sequentially positioned close to the desorption zone 4113. The first air-guiding element 443 can be a fan, with the fan housing extending to the air inlet of the desorption zone 4113. The heating element 442 can be a disc structure, placed within a heating housing 441 between the fan impeller and the air inlet. In another embodiment, the heating element 442 and the first air-guiding element 443 are sequentially positioned close to the air inlet; this disclosure does not impose any limitations on this arrangement.

[0064] Based on the same design concept, in a second aspect of this disclosure, a drying device 4 is also provided. Figure 8 shows a schematic diagram of airflow in one or more embodiments of the clothing processing device of this disclosure. Referring to Figure 8, in one embodiment, the drying device 4 includes a heat pump module, a cooler 7, the aforementioned moisture absorption and dehumidification module 41, and a heating component 44. The heat pump module includes an evaporator 5 and a condenser 6. Along the airflow direction, the evaporator 5, the dehumidification zone 4112 of the moisture absorption and dehumidification module 41, and the condenser 6 are connected in sequence. The desorption zone 4113 of the moisture absorption and dehumidification module 41, the cooler 7, and the heating component 44 are connected in a cyclical manner.

[0065] When the drying device 4 provided in this disclosure is applied to a clothing processing equipment, the humid airflow drawn from the air outlet of the equipment's drum 3 undergoes partial moisture removal via the evaporator 5 and is then adsorbed onto the disc 412 of the moisture absorption and dehumidification module 41. As the disc 412 rotates to the dehumidification zone 4112, it further adsorbs moisture from the humid airflow, forming a low-temperature dry airflow. This low-temperature dry airflow then undergoes heat exchange via the condenser 6, generating a high-temperature dry airflow. This high-temperature dry airflow is introduced into the drum 3 to dry the clothes. Because the humid airflow has passed through the dehumidification zone 4112 of the moisture absorption and dehumidification module 41, the moisture content of the dry airflow is reduced, effectively improving the drying efficiency of the clothing processing equipment. This reduces drying time. The moisture adsorbed by the moisture-absorbing and dehumidifying module 41 is stored in the desorption zone 4113 of the moisture-absorbing and dehumidifying module 41, and is released under the action of the heating component 44 to generate a humid airflow. The humid airflow passes through the cooler 7 to condense water, forming a medium-temperature high-humidity airflow. The medium-temperature high-humidity airflow is heated by the heating component 44 to become a high-temperature dry airflow. The high-temperature dry airflow enters the desorption zone 4113 of the moisture-absorbing and dehumidifying module 41, carrying away the moisture stored in the desorption zone 4113 of the moisture-absorbing and dehumidifying module 41, forming a humid airflow again. The humid airflow enters the cooler 7 again to condense water, generating medium-temperature high-humidity gas again. This cycle continues, thereby improving the drying efficiency of the clothing processing equipment.

[0066] It should be noted that the evaporator 5, the dehumidification zone 4112 of the moisture absorption and dehumidification module 41, and the condenser 6 can be arranged in the same air duct; the desorption zone 4113 of the moisture absorption and dehumidification module 41, the cooler 7, and the heating component 44 can be arranged in another air duct to ensure that the airflow flows in the preset direction. In addition, the sequential and cyclic connection of the desorption zone 4113, the cooler 7, and the heating component 44 of the moisture absorption and dehumidification module 41 means that the desorption zone 4113 of the moisture absorption and dehumidification module 41 is connected to the cooler 7 and the heating component 44 respectively, and the cooler 7 is connected to the heating component 44 to form an airflow circulation.

[0067] Referring to Figure 8, the drying device 4 also includes a compressor 8 and a throttling component 9. Along the refrigerant flow direction, the compressor 8, condenser 6, throttling component 9, evaporator 5, and cooler 7 are sequentially connected in a cycle. In specific implementation, the high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant releases heat after passing through the condenser 6 and becomes a high-pressure, medium-temperature liquid refrigerant. The high-pressure, medium-temperature liquid refrigerant is cooled and depressurized by the throttling component 9 to become a low-temperature, low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant. The low-temperature, low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant enters the evaporator 5 to absorb heat and then enters the cooler 7 to continue absorbing heat. Finally, it is compressed by the compressor 8 into a high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant, and the cycle repeats continuously.

[0068] It should be noted that the sequential connection of compressor 8, condenser 6, throttling device 9, evaporator 5 and cooler 7 along the refrigerant flow direction means that the output part of compressor 8, condenser 6, throttling device 9, evaporator 5 and cooler 7 are connected in sequence along the refrigerant flow direction, and cooler 7 is connected to the input part of compressor 8 to form a refrigerant circuit.

[0069] Figure 9 shows a schematic diagram of airflow in another embodiment of the clothing processing device. Referring to Figure 9, the main difference between the clothing processing device shown in Figure 9 and the clothing processing device shown in Figure 8 lies in the order in which the refrigerant enters the evaporator 5 and condenser 6 after passing through the throttling component 9. Other details can be found in the description of the clothing processing device above. Specifically, along the refrigerant flow direction, the compressor 8, condenser 6, throttling component 9, cooler 7, and evaporator 5 are sequentially connected in a cycle. The high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant releases heat after passing through the condenser 6, becoming a high-pressure, medium-temperature liquid refrigerant. This high-pressure, medium-temperature liquid refrigerant is cooled and depressurized by the throttling component 9, becoming a low-temperature, low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant. This low-temperature, low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant enters the cooler 7 to absorb heat, then enters the evaporator 5 to continue absorbing heat. Finally, it is compressed by the compressor 8 into a high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant, and the cycle repeats continuously.

[0070] It should be noted that the sequential connection of compressor 8, condenser 6, throttling device 9, cooler 7 and evaporator 5 along the refrigerant flow direction means that the output part of compressor 8, condenser 6, throttling device 9, cooler 7 and evaporator 5 are connected in sequence along the refrigerant flow direction, and evaporator 5 is connected to the input part of compressor 8 to form a refrigerant circuit.

[0071] In the clothing processing device shown in Figure 8, the refrigerant is mainly used for dehumidification of the evaporator 5; in the clothing processing device shown in Figure 9, the refrigerant is mainly used for dehumidification of the cooler 7. The refrigerant can be selected adaptively according to the specific temperature requirements of the cylinder 3, and this disclosure does not impose any limitations on this. Furthermore, according to an embodiment of this disclosure, in the clothing processing devices shown in Figures 8 and 9, the liquid water condensed on the surface of the evaporator 5 and the liquid water condensed on the surface of the cooler 7 can be directly discharged by a drain pump or stored in a water box, and this disclosure does not impose any limitations on this.

[0072] Figure 10 shows a schematic diagram of the airflow of the clothing processing device in the third embodiment of this disclosure. Referring to Figure 10, the main difference between the clothing processing device shown in Figure 10 and the clothing processing device described above is that the refrigerant, after passing through the throttling component 9, can be controlled to enter at least one of the evaporator 5 and cooler 7 of the heat pump module, so that the clothing processing device can have different dehumidification modes, i.e., perform at least one of heat pump dehumidification and moisture absorption dehumidification module dehumidification. The rest can be referred to in the relevant description of the clothing processing device described above. Specifically, the compressor 8 has an output section and an input section. The output section of the compressor 8, the condenser 6, and the throttling component 9 are connected in sequence. The throttling component 9 can be controlled to be connected to at least one of the cooler 7 and the evaporator 5. Both the cooler 7 and the evaporator 5 are connected to the input section of the compressor 8. The compressor 8 outputs high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant. This high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant releases heat after passing through the condenser 6, becoming high-pressure, medium-temperature liquid refrigerant. This high-pressure, medium-temperature liquid refrigerant then passes through the throttling device 9, where it is cooled and depressurized into low-temperature, low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant. This low-temperature, low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant then enters at least one of the evaporator 5 and cooler 7, absorbs heat, and then enters the compressor 8 to be compressed into high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant, repeating the cycle. The refrigerant can be controlled to enter at least one of the evaporator 5 and cooler 7 after passing through the throttling device 9, allowing the garment processing equipment to have different dehumidification modes. Refer to the relevant description of the control method below.

[0073] Referring to Figure 10, according to an embodiment of this disclosure, the drying device further includes a first valve body 12 and a second valve body 13. The first valve body 12 is disposed between the throttling component 9 and the evaporator 5 to control the on / off state between the throttling component 9 and the evaporator 5. The second valve body 13 is disposed between the throttling component 9 and the cooler 7 to control the on / off state between the throttling component 9 and the cooler 7. Both the first valve body 12 and the second valve body 13 can be one-way valves to prevent refrigerant backflow.

[0074] Referring to Figure 10, in one embodiment, one end of the first valve body 12 is connected between the throttling component 9 and the second valve body 13, and the other end of the first valve body 12 is connected to the evaporator 5. This arrangement can save some of the refrigerant pipeline. In another embodiment, the first valve body 12 and the second valve body 13 can also both be connected to the throttling component 9 through corresponding refrigerant pipelines, and this disclosure does not limit this.

[0075] When the drying device provided in this disclosure is applied to clothing processing equipment, the humid airflow drawn from the air outlet of the equipment cylinder undergoes partial moisture removal via the evaporator and is then adsorbed onto the moisture absorption and dehumidification module. The dehumidification zone of the moisture absorption and dehumidification module further removes moisture from the humid airflow, forming a low-temperature dry airflow. This low-temperature dry airflow then undergoes heat exchange in the condenser to generate a high-temperature dry airflow to dry the clothes. Because the humid airflow has passed through the dehumidification zone of the moisture absorption and dehumidification module, the moisture content of the dry airflow is reduced, effectively improving the drying efficiency of the clothing processing equipment and reducing drying time. The moisture adsorbed by the dehumidification module is stored in the desorption zone of the dehumidification module and precipitated under the action of the heating component to generate a humid airflow. The humid airflow passes through the cooler to condense water, forming a medium-temperature, high-humidity airflow. The medium-temperature, high-humidity airflow is heated by the heating component to become a high-temperature, dry airflow. The high-temperature, dry airflow enters the desorption zone of the dehumidification module, carrying away the moisture stored in the desorption zone and forming a humid airflow again. The humid airflow passes through the cooler again to condense water, forming a medium-temperature, high-humidity airflow again. This cycle continues, thereby improving the drying efficiency of the clothing processing equipment.

[0076] In addition, since the throttling component can be controlled to be connected to at least one of the cooler and the evaporator, the working state of the evaporator and the cooler can be controlled by controlling the connection between the throttling component and the cooler and the evaporator, so that the clothing processing equipment can perform different dehumidification modes, that is, perform at least one of heat pump dehumidification and moisture absorption dehumidification module dehumidification, to adapt to different stages of the clothing processing equipment process and ensure drying efficiency.

[0077] Referring to Figures 8, 9 and 10, in a third aspect of this disclosure, this disclosure also provides a garment processing device, which includes a drum 3, the drum 3 being provided with an air outlet and an air inlet, and the aforementioned drying device 4 being connected to the air outlet and air inlet of the drum 3 respectively.

[0078] The garment processing equipment provided in this disclosure can be a dryer or a washer-dryer combo, which can reduce the moisture in the drying airflow introduced into the drum 3, effectively improve the drying efficiency of the garment processing equipment, reduce drying time, and improve the drying efficiency of the garment processing equipment, thus having great practicality.

[0079] Referring to Figures 8, 9, and 10, according to one embodiment of this disclosure, the garment processing apparatus further includes a second air-guiding member 10, which is disposed downstream of the condenser 6 along the airflow direction. In another embodiment, the second air-guiding member 10 may also be disposed upstream of the evaporator 5, so that the airflow is circulated between the drying device 44 and the drum 33 of the garment processing apparatus under the action of the second air-guiding member 10.

[0080] Referring to Figures 8, 9 and 10, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the garment processing device further includes a filter element 11, which is disposed between the air outlet of the drum 3 and the evaporator 5 to filter lint in the airflow drawn from the drum, so as to prevent lint from being introduced into the drying device 4 and affecting the operation of the drying device 4.

[0081] The garment processing equipment provided in this disclosure can be a dryer or a washer-dryer combo. It can reduce the moisture in the drying airflow introduced into the drum 3, effectively improving the drying efficiency of the garment processing equipment, reducing drying time, and thus having excellent practicality. As for the corresponding structure of the garment processing equipment, please refer to the above description; this disclosure will not repeat it further.

[0082] The clothing processing equipment shown in Figures 8 and 9, when the drum 3 is at a normal ambient temperature (20-25°C), can shorten the drying time by 10% to 15% compared to conventional clothing processing equipment that only has an evaporator 5 and a condenser 6; when the drum 3 is at a low ambient temperature (below 10°C), the clothing processing equipment shown in this disclosure can shorten the drying time by 20% to 30% compared to conventional clothing processing equipment that only has a heat pump dehumidification module with an evaporator 5 and a condenser 6.

[0083] In a fourth aspect, this disclosure also provides a control method for the garment processing apparatus shown in Embodiment 3. Figure 11 shows a schematic flowchart of the control method for the garment processing apparatus of this disclosure. Referring to Figure 11, the control method includes:

[0084] S1: Obtain the real-time temperature inside the cylinder and compare the real-time temperature with the set temperature. The real-time temperature inside the cylinder can be obtained by a temperature sensor installed inside the cylinder.

[0085] S2: When the real-time temperature is lower than the set temperature, the control throttling component 9 is connected to the cooler 7 and the evaporator 5, that is, the control first valve body 12 and the second valve body 13 are opened. The clothing processing equipment performs heat pump dehumidification and moisture absorption and dehumidification module 41 dehumidification. The heat pump system composed of evaporator 5 and condenser 6 and the moisture absorption and dehumidification module 41 work at the same time, which can efficiently increase the temperature inside the drum, shorten the temperature preheating time in the initial stage, shorten the drying time, and improve the drying efficiency.

[0086] S3: When the real-time temperature is greater than or equal to the set temperature, confirm the drying time of the clothing processing equipment;

[0087] S31: When the clothing processing equipment is in the early stage of drying, the throttling component 9 is connected to the evaporator 5 and the throttling component 9 is disconnected from the cooler 7. That is, the first valve body 12 is opened and the second valve body 13 is closed. The clothing processing equipment performs heat pump dehumidification. It can work through a heat pump system with stronger dehumidification capacity to ensure that the temperature inside the drum rises quickly to improve drying efficiency.

[0088] S32: When the clothing processing equipment is in the later stage of drying, the control throttling component 9 and the cooler 7 are connected, and the throttling component 9 and the evaporator 5 are disconnected. The clothing processing equipment executes the dehumidification module 41 for dehumidification, that is, the control first valve body 12 is closed and the second valve body 13 is opened. The clothing processing equipment executes the dehumidification module 41 for dehumidification. Since the air humidity is low, the dehumidification capacity of the heat pump system is weakened. Therefore, the dehumidification is carried out by the disc of the dehumidification module 41 to ensure the internal temperature of the drum and the drying efficiency.

[0089] The control method for the garment processing equipment provided in this disclosure can control the opening and closing of the valve body to put the garment processing equipment into different dehumidification modes to adapt to different drum temperatures, ensure the internal temperature of the drum, and improve drying efficiency.

[0090] The garment processing equipment shown in Figure 10, when the drum 3 is at a normal ambient temperature (20-25°C), can shorten the drying time by 8% to 10% compared to conventional garment processing equipment that only has an evaporator 5 and a condenser 6; when the drum 3 is at a low ambient temperature (below 10°C), the garment processing equipment shown in this disclosure can shorten the drying time by 20% to 30% compared to conventional garment processing equipment that only has an evaporator 5 and a condenser 6.

[0091] The clothing processing equipment and control method disclosed herein have multiple dehumidification modes, which can improve the drying efficiency of the clothing processing equipment to a certain extent.

[0092] In this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0093] In the description of this disclosure, it should be understood that the terms “center,” “longitudinal,” “lateral,” “length,” “width,” “thickness,” “upper,” “lower,” “front,” “rear,” “left,” “right,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “top,” “bottom,” “inner,” “outer,” “clockwise,” and “counterclockwise” indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this disclosure and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this disclosure.

[0094] In this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "connection," "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "fixed" can mean a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can mean a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can mean a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can mean the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this disclosure according to the specific circumstances.

[0095] Furthermore, the use of terms such as "first" and "second" in this disclosure is for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, features defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more features. In the description of this disclosure, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0096] Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present disclosure, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A drying apparatus, characterized in that, The device includes a moisture absorption and dehumidification module, a heat pump module, a heating component, and a cooler. The moisture absorption and dehumidification module has a dehumidification zone and a desorption zone. The heat pump module includes an evaporator and a condenser. Along the airflow direction, the evaporator, the dehumidification zone of the moisture absorption and dehumidification module, and the condenser are connected in sequence. The desorption zone of the moisture absorption and dehumidification module, the cooler, and the heating component are connected in a cyclical manner. It also includes a compressor and a throttling device. The compressor has an output section and an input section. The output section of the compressor, the condenser, and the throttling device are connected in sequence. The throttling device can be controlled to be connected to at least one of the cooler and the evaporator. The cooler and the evaporator are both connected to the input section of the compressor, so that the drying device performs at least one of heat pump dehumidification and moisture absorption dehumidification module dehumidification.

2. The drying apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a first valve body and a second valve body, wherein the first valve body is disposed between the throttling component and the evaporator, and the second valve body is disposed between the throttling component and the cooler.

3. The drying apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first valve body is connected between the throttling component and the second valve body.

4. The drying apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first valve body and the second valve body are one-way valves.

5. The drying apparatus according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The heating assembly includes a first air intake element and a heating element.

6. The drying apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that, Along the airflow direction, the cooler, the first air duct, the heating element, and the desorption zone of the moisture absorption and dehumidification module are connected in sequence.

7. The drying apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that, Along the airflow direction, the cooler, the heating element, the first air duct, and the desorption zone of the moisture absorption and dehumidification module are connected in sequence.

8. A garment processing device, characterized in that, The garment processing equipment includes: The cylindrical body is equipped with an air outlet and an air inlet; The drying apparatus according to any one of claims 1-7 has its two ends connected to the air outlet and the air inlet of the cylinder, respectively.

9. The garment processing equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that, The garment processing equipment also includes: The second air intake element is disposed between the air inlet and the condenser of the cylinder.

10. The garment processing equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that, The garment processing equipment also includes: A filter element is disposed between the air outlet and the evaporator of the cylinder.

11. A control method for a garment processing device, characterized in that, The control method includes: The real-time temperature inside the cylinder is obtained and compared with the set temperature. When the real-time temperature is lower than the set temperature, the control throttling component is connected to the cooler and evaporator, and the clothing processing equipment performs heat pump dehumidification and moisture absorption and dehumidification module dehumidification. When the real-time temperature is greater than or equal to the set temperature, the drying time of the clothing processing equipment is confirmed. When the garment processing equipment is in the early stage of drying, the throttling component is connected to the evaporator, and the throttling component is disconnected from the cooler, and the garment processing equipment performs heat pump dehumidification; When the clothing processing equipment is in the later stage of drying, the throttling component and the cooler are connected, and the throttling component and the evaporator are disconnected. The clothing processing equipment then performs dehumidification using the moisture absorption and dehumidification module.

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