Drum Laundry Washing with Water Circulation and Steam Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Drum washing machines consume excessive wash water and energy due to the design of the heater room and heater, which requires additional water to maintain a proper water level for heating.
Innovation Solution
A method that supplies wash water to a preset level, circulates it through a channel while rotating the drum forward and backward, and uses a steam generator to inject steam into the drum, reducing water usage and energy consumption by minimizing the amount of wash water and optimizing the washing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the heater room is designed to be projected downward in the tub to heat wash water, then heating function is improved, but wash water consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heater is extracted from the traditional downward-projected heater room design and repositioned to face upward toward the bottom of the drum. This extraction allows the heating function to be separated from the water storage requirement, enabling the heater to warm air that then contacts the laundry and wash water indirectly, thereby reducing the need for excessive wash water to maintain heater submersion.
Solution Approach 2:
Air acts as an intermediary medium between the heater and the wash water/laundry. The heater heats the air in the space between itself and the drum bottom, and this heated air then transfers thermal energy to the laundry and wash water through convection and direct contact, eliminating the need for the heater to be directly submerged in large quantities of water.
2Temperature
If additional wash water is supplied to maintain proper water level for heater operation, then heating efficiency is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heater is extracted from the water-submerged configuration and repositioned to heat air instead, which then indirectly heats the wash water. This extraction eliminates the need to pump and heat large volumes of water just to maintain heater operation, significantly reducing the energy required for water heating while maintaining effective laundry temperature increase.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating mechanism changes from direct water heating to indirect air-mediated heating. By changing the thermal transfer parameter from direct liquid-to-heater contact to gas-to-liquid convection, the system reduces the total energy input needed while achieving the same thermal result in the laundry.
3Reliability
If the drum rotates forward and backward while circulating wash water, then washing performance is improved, but water consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The drum rotates forward and backward in periodic cycles, creating alternating wet and dry phases for the laundry. During forward rotation, wash water contacts the laundry; during backward rotation, the laundry is exposed to air circulation and drainage. This periodic action enhances washing effectiveness through mechanical agitation and moisture removal cycles while using less total water compared to continuous immersion methods.
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 method decreases water consumption and reduces power usage by allowing effective washing with a smaller amount of wash water and utilizing steam generation to heat the wash water and laundry, while maintaining efficient washing performance.
Implementation Method 1
a steam generator (250) arranged in the upper side of the tub (110) in the cabinet (100) for generating steam; and an injector (260) for injecting the steam discharged from the steam generator (250) into the drum (120)
Implementation Method 2
a circulation pump (280) for drawing the wash water and circulating the drawn wash water along the circulation channel (270)
Implementation Method 3
washing laundry while circulating the wash water along the circulation channel simultaneously while rotating the drum forward and backward
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a method of washing laundry in a drum washing machine by which the amount of wash water used and the amount of power use can be decreased when doing washing in the drum washing machine. The method comprises supplying wash water to a tub up to a first preset water level; and washing laundry in a drum by rotating the drum of the drum washing machine forward and backward simultaneously while drawing the wash water and supplying the drawn wash water to the drum.