Closed Loop Dryer Venting System to Reduce Laundry Room Heat Soak
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Solution Overview
Problem
Closed loop airflow circuit dryer appliances heat the laundry room or indoor space due to unvented designs, counteracting cooling processes and creating heat soak issues.
Innovation Solution
A dryer appliance with a venting system that directs waste heat outside the indoor space using a vent fan and duct system, allowing cabinet air to be moved through a vent defined by the cabinet, thereby preventing heat soak and improving energy efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a closed loop airflow circuit dryer appliance is used, then drying efficiency is improved, but the laundry room temperature increases due to heat soak
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the waste heat from the closed loop system by introducing a venting system with a vent fan that actively removes heated cabinet air through a vent to the exterior, separating the heat removal function from the drying process and preventing heat accumulation in the laundry room
Solution Approach 2:
The venting system serves multiple functions: it removes waste heat from the cabinet, prevents heat soak in the laundry room, and can be controlled to operate only when necessary, allowing the dryer to function as both an efficient closed loop dryer and a heat management system
2Temperature
If a venting system is added to remove waste heat, then heat soak is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The venting system is segmented into distinct functional components: a vent fan for active air movement, a vent for heat discharge, and control logic for operation timing, allowing each component to be simple while the system as a whole achieves heat management functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The venting system operates autonomously based on internal temperature conditions, with the control system automatically activating the vent fan when heat soak conditions are detected and deactivating it when conditions improve, reducing the need for complex external control mechanisms
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
The solution effectively directs waste heat away from the indoor space, reducing heat soak and enhancing energy efficiency by venting heated air outside, thus maintaining a cooler indoor environment and reducing the burden on heating systems.
Implementation Method 1
a vent fan positioned within the interior volume and operable to move cabinet air through the vent of the cabinet
Implementation Method 2
a conditioning system operable to receive electrical power for heating process air flowing therethrough
Data Source
AI summary
A dryer appliance and a method of operating the same are provided. In one aspect, the dryer appliance includes a drum rotatably mounted within a cabinet. The cabinet defines an interior volume and a vent. The dryer appliance includes a closed loop airflow circuit along which process air is moved. The drum defines a chamber positioned along the closed loop airflow circuit. A conditioning system of the dryer appliance is also positioned along the closed loop airflow circuit and is operable to heat the process air flowing along the circuit. The dryer appliance includes a vent fan operable to move cabinet air disposed within the interior volume and not within the airflow circuit through the vent of the cabinet. The cabinet air can be vented to an outdoor space or other suitable space.