Washing Machine Drum Control for High-Concentration Washing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional washing machines face challenges in reducing washing time and improving washing performance, particularly in achieving high-concentration washing and efficient water supply without using circulation pumps.
Innovation Solution
A washing machine design that includes a tub, a rotatable drum, a drive unit, a water supply unit, and a control unit to manage water levels and rotational speeds, allowing for high-concentration washing by spraying wash water into the drum during acceleration and intermittent rotation, and additional water supply until a target level is reached, without relying on circulation pumps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If wash water is supplied to reach the target water level before drum acceleration, then the drum can rotate smoothly with laundry attached, but the detergent concentration in wash water decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The drum is accelerated to a predetermined rotational speed before wash water is supplied to the tub. This preliminary action ensures that laundry is already attached to the drum by centrifugal force, preventing laundry dispersion when water is added, while maintaining high detergent concentration in the wash water
2Quantity of substance
If wash water is supplied in large amounts to wet laundry completely, then washing performance improves, but washing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
Wash water is supplied intermittently in multiple stages rather than continuously. The water supply is paused during drum acceleration phases and resumed at specific intervals, allowing laundry to be progressively wetted while maintaining high rotational speeds for dehydration, thus reducing overall washing time
Solution Approach 2:
The washing process utilizes phase transitions between water supply phases and dehydration phases. During dehydration phases, the drum rotates at high speed to remove excess water from laundry, converting liquid water into centrifugal force-driven ejection, which accelerates the wetting-drying cycle
3Productivity
If circulation pump is used to spray wash water into drum, then water distribution efficiency improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The circulation pump is removed from the system entirely. Instead of using mechanical pumping to circulate water, the invention relies on drum rotation and gravity to distribute wash water, simplifying the system structure while maintaining effective water distribution through the water supply unit positioned at the tub opening
4Productivity
If drum rotation speed is increased to attach laundry, then washing performance improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The drum alternates between high-speed rotation phases for laundry attachment and water distribution, and lower-speed or intermittent phases for water supply. This periodic variation in rotational speed reduces average energy consumption while maintaining high washing performance during critical phases
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 approach enhances washing performance by efficiently removing contaminants with high-detergent concentration wash water, effectively wetting laundry, and reducing washing time while eliminating the need for circulation pumps.
Implementation Method 1
spinning the wash chamber at a speed (s2) to effect a centrifugal force on said fabric such that the fabric will not tumble within the wash chamber as it spins
Implementation Method 2
controls the water supply unit to supply the wash water into the tub such that a level of the wash water is lower than the target water level
Implementation Method 3
drives the drive unit to accelerate the drum at a rotational speed in a state in which the laundry is attached to the drum
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed herein are a washing machine (100) that is capable of having a reduced washing time and improved washing performance, and a method of controlling the same. The washing machine includes a tub (122) accommodating wash water, a drum (124) rotatably arranged in the tub and accommodating laundry, a drive unit (113) for rotating the drum, a water supply unit (132) for adjusting an inflow of the wash water, and a control unit (141), wherein the control unit drives the drive unit and detects an amount of the laundry so as to set a target water level, controls the water supply unit to supply the wash water into the tub (122) such that the wash water is lower than the target water level, drives the drive unit (113) to accelerate the drum (124) at a rotational speed, and controls the water supply unit (132) to supply the wash water into the tub (122) until the target water level.