Dryer Lint Filter Spraying to Protect Heat Exchanger Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
In clothes treating apparatuses with a drying function, lint adheres to heat-exchangers, reducing heat exchange efficiency and increasing flow resistance, and is difficult to remove due to strong binding forces, especially when condensate water is reused.
Innovation Solution
A clothes treating apparatus with a lint filter on the upstream side of the heat-exchanger and a lint collecting part below it, using a sloped mesh design and spray tubes to separate and collect lint, reducing contact between lint and the heat-exchanger and facilitating easy removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If condensate water is supplied to the heat-exchanger surface to remove lint, then lint removal is facilitated, but lint in the condensate water dries on the heat-exchanger surface and binds more strongly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts lint from the condensate water before the water is supplied to the heat-exchanger. A lint filter is installed in the condensate water supply path to remove lint particles, preventing them from being deposited on the heat-exchanger surface during the water spray process. This resolves the contradiction by eliminating the source of the harmful effect while maintaining the beneficial lint removal function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary lint removal from condensate water before the water is used to clean the heat-exchanger. By installing a lint filter in advance in the water supply system, the system prevents lint deposition before it occurs, rather than dealing with the binding problem after lint has dried on the surface.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a lint filter is installed on the upstream side of the heat-exchanger, then lint contact with heat-exchanger is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the lint filter function with the existing condensate water management system. The lint filter is integrated into the condensate water supply path, combining lint removal with the water circulation system rather than adding a completely separate filtration system. This reduces the overall device complexity while achieving lint prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The condensate water supply system serves multiple functions: it provides water for heat-exchanger cleaning and, through the integrated lint filter, simultaneously removes lint from the water. This multi-functionality approach avoids adding dedicated single-purpose components, thereby reducing device complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If fins are cut into rectangular plates to form heat-exchanger, then manufacturing is simplified, but lint adhesion increases due to larger surface roughness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of cut surfaces on fins by introducing a lint filter that captures lint particles before they can adhere to the rough surfaces. The rough cut surfaces remain for manufacturing simplicity, but the lint filter prevents lint from exploiting these rough surfaces for strong adhesion.
Solution Approach 2:
The lint filter acts as an intermediary between the lint particles and the heat-exchanger fins. It intercepts lint in the condensate water, preventing direct contact between lint and the fin surfaces, thereby eliminating the adhesion problem caused by surface roughness while maintaining the manufacturing advantage of cut fins.
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 suppresses adverse effects from lint, improves heat exchange efficiency, and reduces noise and vibration during the drying process by collecting and removing lint efficiently.
Implementation Method 1
a lint filter disposed on an upstream side of the heat-exchanger with respect to flow of air exhausted from the drum to collect lint in the air
Implementation Method 2
a spray tube spraying water to the lint filter such that lint collected in the lint filter is separated from the lint filter
Implementation Method 3
a heat-exchanger heat-exchanged with air exhausted from the drum
Implementation Method 4
high temperature air exhausted from a drum is heat-exchanged with an evaporator so as to be cooled and condensed to remove moisture
Implementation Method 5
a lint collecting part provided below the lint filter or below the heat-exchanger to collect falling lint
Data Source
AI summary
A clothes treating apparatus having a drying function includes: a cabinet; a drum provided within the cabinet; a heat-exchanger heat-exchanged with air exhausted from the drum; a lint filter disposed on an upstream side of the heat-exchanger with respect to flow of air exhausted from the drum to collect lint in the air; a spray tube spraying water to the lint filter to separate lint collected in the lint filter from the lint filter; and a lint collecting part at least partially provided below the lint filter or below the heat-exchanger to collect falling lint. Lint in condensate water may be collected, and thus, generation of a bad influence when condensate water is re-used may be suppressed. Also, contact between lint in drying air and the heat-exchanger may be restrained.