Air condenser and clothes-drying machine

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing cross-type air heat exchangers in clothes dryers suffer from low heat efficiency and significant energy loss due to incomplete utilization of air inlet heat, leading to wasted heat energy.

Innovation Solution

An air condenser with a crosswise arrangement of condensing air ducts, including a first and second group of condensing air ducts, where air inlet and outlet ducts are partially arranged for heat exchange, along with intermediate ducts connected between them, and a cooling pipeline for heat exchange with low-temperature gas or liquid, effectively recycling waste heat from high-temperature air.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If a traditional cross-type air heat exchanger with single condensing air duct and single cooling air duct is used, then the structure is simple, but heat efficiency is low and energy loss is great

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat lossVSAvoidduct structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The condensing air duct system is segmented into multiple ducts (first condensing air duct and second condensing air duct) with separate air inlet and air outlet ducts, allowing independent heat exchange paths that improve heat recovery efficiency while maintaining manageable structural complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The air inlet ducts and air outlet ducts are arranged in a heat exchangeable manner, merging the cooling and heating functions within the same heat exchanger structure, enabling waste heat recovery without requiring separate systems

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Use of energy by moving object

If air inlet heat is not fully utilized in the condensing air duct, then the duct structure is simple, but heat efficiency is low

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat utilization efficiencyVSAvoidheat exchange structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The air outlet ducts from the first condensing air duct are positioned to provide preliminary heat exchange with air inlet ducts before the air enters the condensing section, pre-conditioning the air to maximize heat utilization efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple heat exchange surfaces are arranged continuously within the heat exchanger, ensuring continuous heat transfer between air streams throughout the duct length, maintaining high heat utilization efficiency without interrupting airflow

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This configuration increases heat exchange efficiency by 14%-20%, reduces energy consumption, and enhances environmental sustainability by effectively recycling waste heat, thereby improving the market competitiveness of the clothes dryer.

Implementation Method 1

a condensing air ducts and a cooling pipeline arranged crosswise

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Heat Exchanger

Implementation Method 2

perform heat exchange with low-temperature gas or liquid

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal energy transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 3

moisture in the saturated hot air 5' before passing through the air condenser is condensed into condensate water 9'

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCondensation: Condensation

Data Source

PatentEP3255201B1Air condenser and clothes-drying machine
Publication Date: 2020.09.09 QINGDAO HAIER WASHING MASCH CO LTD
  • EP3255201B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3255201B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3255201B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

Disclosed are an air condenser (1) and a clothes dryer. The air condenser includes condensing air ducts (j) and a cooling pipeline (i) arranged crosswise. The condensing air ducts (j) include a first group of condensing air ducts and a second group of condensing air ducts, wherein air inlet ducts of the first group of condensing air ducts and air outlet ducts of the second group of condensing air ducts are at least partially arranged in a heat exchangeable manner; and air outlet ducts of the first group of condensing air ducts and air inlet ducts of the second group of condensing air ducts are at least partially arranged in a heat exchangeable manner. By arranging the first and the second groups of condensing air ducts which can partially perform heat exchange on the air condenser (1), heat exchange is performed between high-temperature and high-humidity air flowing out of a drum (3) of the clothes dryer and air condensed by the air condenser (1) to enter a heater (2), so that waste heat of high-temperature air in the condensing air ducts (j) can be effectively recycled, and loss of heat is reduced, thereby achieving a purpose of saving energy while increasing heat exchange efficiency.