External Dishwasher Drying Module With Sorption Air Recirculation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Modern dishwashers face inefficiencies in drying due to high energy consumption required to heat items to achieve effective drying within a reasonable time, leading to unsatisfactory drying performance.
Innovation Solution
A standalone drying module that connects to the dishwasher to remove moist air from the washing chamber, dry it using a sorption drying device with a fan and hygroscopic material, and return the dry air, reducing moisture content and energy consumption, while allowing for compact installation and integration with existing dishwashers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If items to be washed are heated to high temperature during the last wash cycle to achieve effective drying, then drying performance is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the moisture removal function from the washing machine by introducing a separate drying module. The drying module contains a desiccant that absorbs moisture from the air in the washing chamber, eliminating the need to heat items to high temperatures for drying purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The desiccant acts as an intermediary substance between the moist air in the washing chamber and the environment. It absorbs moisture from the air through adsorption, thereby drying the air without requiring thermal energy to heat the items.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a drying module is integrated inside the dishwasher housing, then drying function is added, but device complexity and installation space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The drying function is segmented from the washing machine as a separate, independent drying module. This modular design allows the drying module to be installed externally on the washing machine without modifying the internal structure of the washing chamber, thereby reducing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The drying module is designed as a universal component that can be attached to various washing machine models. It provides multiple functions: moisture absorption during drying cycles and potential regeneration during washing cycles, making it adaptable to different operating conditions.
3Ease of operation
If moist air is discharged to the outside environment, then the drying chamber is ventilated, but surrounding area is exposed to undesired moisture
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the harmful moist air that would be discharged into a beneficial resource. The desiccant in the drying module absorbs the moisture from the discharged air, and the dried air is then recirculated back into the washing chamber, turning the moisture problem into an effective drying mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback loop where air is continuously circulated between the washing chamber and the drying module. The desiccant continuously absorbs moisture from the recirculated air, maintaining low humidity levels in the washing chamber without discharging moist air to the environment.
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
Enhances drying efficiency by reducing drying time and energy use, prevents external moisture exposure, and can be used in compact dishwashers without modifying their design, offering improved performance over traditional methods.
Implementation Method 1
a drying device for drying the air that is taken in air, in particular a sorption drying device with a sorption column through which the air to be dried can flow or along which the air to be dried can flow
Implementation Method 2
A sorption drying device has a sorption column with a water-sorbing material through which the air to be dried can flow or around
Implementation Method 3
The drying module according to the invention enables moist air to be removed from the washing chamber, the air removed to be dried and the dried air to be returned to the washing chamber
Implementation Method 4
the chamber contains a regenerating means consisting of at least one heating element thermally connected to the desiccant
Implementation Method 5
The items to be washed are heated to a high temperature during the last wash cycle. As a result, water droplets adhering to the hot items to be washed evaporate in the subsequent drying cycle and are deposited on the inside of the washing compartment due to the lower temperature prevailing there
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Proposed is a drying module for drying air (L) from a washing chamber (7) of a dishwasher (1), in particular a household dishwasher (1), which is designed as a structural unit (2) that can be arranged outside the dishwasher (1), in particular separately. and which has an air inlet (16) which can be connected to the dishwasher (1) to take in the air (L) to be dried, a drying device (18) to dry the air (L) taken in and an air outlet (17) which can be used to discharge of the dried air (L) can be connected to the dishwasher (1).