Laundry Dryer Condensate Drain Layout for Fluff-Free Moisture Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laundry dryers face issues with moisture condensation in the drying air circuit, leading to performance drops and maintenance challenges, as moisture can condense on heat exchanger components and cause uncontrolled water shedding, and the draining system is prone to clogging and malfunction due to the mixing of fluff particles with condensed moisture.
Innovation Solution
A laundry dryer with an improved condensed water draining circuit featuring a siphon-shaped condensate retaining region, a condensate draining path extending from the front to the rear, and condensate guides that direct condensate towards a reservoir, which is separate from the drying air circuit, equipped with filters and a pumping system for efficient condensate collection and removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If drying air is circulated through the laundry container to remove moisture, then drying efficiency is improved, but moisture condenses on heat exchanger components causing performance drops
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful condensation phenomenon from the heat exchanger operational surfaces by providing dedicated condensate collection channels and reservoirs. The condensation that naturally occurs on the evaporator and condenser surfaces is actively directed into separate collection areas, preventing it from accumulating on operational components and causing performance degradation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary condensate collection channels and reservoirs as mediators between the heat exchanger surfaces and the pump system. These intermediaries capture condensation before it can harm the heat exchangers, and the siphon mechanism acts as an intermediary to prevent drying air from entering the reservoir while allowing condensate to drain.
2Productivity
If condensate is drained through a pump system, then moisture removal is improved, but drying air mixed with condensate causes pump clogging and malfunction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts drying air from the condensate drainage path by providing separate drainage channels for condensate and air. The siphon-shaped surface creates a physical separation where condensate drains through the tube while drying air is prevented from entering the reservoir, eliminating the risk of pump clogging from air-moisture mixtures.
Solution Approach 2:
The siphon-shaped surface acts as an intermediary barrier between the drying air circuit and the condensate reservoir. It allows condensate to pass through while blocking drying air from entering the reservoir, thus protecting the pump system from air-moisture mixtures that cause clogging and malfunction.
3Ease of operation
If fluff particles are present in drying air, then filtration is required, but fluff particles clog the draining system when mixed with condensed moisture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts fluff particles from the draining system by providing a filter in the condensate drainage path. The filter captures fluff particles before they can mix with condensed moisture and clog the pump, while the siphon mechanism extracts drying air from the condensate path, preventing air-borne fluff from reaching the pump system.
4Quantity of substance
If condensate collecting regions are added to the drying air circuit, then moisture collection is improved, but the system becomes more complex and harder to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the condensate collection function with the existing heat pump circuit structure. The evaporator and condenser serve dual purposes as both heat exchange components and condensate collection surfaces, with integrated drainage channels that lead to a centralized reservoir. This integration reduces overall system complexity compared to adding separate collection devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger components (evaporator and condenser) serve multiple functions: they perform their primary heat exchange roles while simultaneously acting as condensate collection surfaces. The drainage system is designed to collect condensate from multiple locations through integrated channels, reducing the need for separate collection devices and simplifying the overall system.
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 prevents moisture condensation on operational components, ensures reliable moisture drainage, simplifies maintenance, and prevents fluff particles from clogging the system, thereby enhancing the dryer's performance and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
drying air coming out from the laundry container is first dehumidified through a first heat exchanging portion (a refrigerant fluid evaporating unit) of a heat pump circuit
Implementation Method 2
drying air coming out from the laundry container is first dehumidified through a first heat exchanging portion (a refrigerant fluid evaporating unit) of a heat pump circuit
Implementation Method 3
heated through a second heat exchanging portion (a refrigerant fluid condensing unit) of the same heat pump circuit
Implementation Method 4
heated through a second heat exchanging portion (a refrigerant fluid condensing unit) of the same heat pump circuit
Implementation Method 5
at least one condensate retaining region (29A, 29B) having a siphon-shaped surface (30A, 30B)
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention refers to a laundry dryer. A laundry dryer according to the invention comprises a casing (1) accommodating therein a drying air circuit, a laundry container, a drying air moisture removing unit and further operational devices for carrying out a drying treatment on said laundry, said dryer further comprising a basement (8, 108) having a condensate draining path (21, 121) for conveying moisture condensed from drying air towards a reservoir (24, 124), wherein at least a portion of said condensate draining path (21, 121) extends on a basement region (17, 117) where drying air exiting the laundry container flows before entering said drying air moisture removing unit.