Dryer Venting Control Using External Atmospheric Feedback
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dryer appliances are inefficient due to heat energy loss as warm, moisture-laden air is exhausted, and heat pump dryers face excessive thermal loads leading to reduced performance and reliability, with potential for undesired temperature increases in living spaces during warmer months.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for a dryer appliance that directs hot dry air into a drum and uses a controller to receive signals about external atmospheric conditions, directing air flow to an interior space when conditions are below a threshold, and activating an environmental control system to manage excess heat, thereby optimizing venting and reducing thermal loads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If heat pump dryer uses a refrigerant cycle to condense water vapor and recycle air, then energy efficiency is improved, but excessive thermal load accumulates leading to reduced performance and reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts excess thermal load from the sealed refrigerant system by introducing an air exchange system that vents hot air to the exterior environment. This separation allows the heat pump cycle to maintain efficient operation while the extracted thermal load is discharged outside, preventing accumulation that would reduce performance and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary air exchange system that acts as a mediator between the sealed heat pump system and the external environment. This intermediary system manages thermal load by selectively exchanging air with the exterior, allowing the refrigerant cycle to operate efficiently while excess heat is transferred to the outside environment through the air exchange mechanism.
2Temperature
If hot air is vented to the exterior environment, then thermal load is reduced, but undesired increases in ambient temperature occur within living spaces during warmer months
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system using sensors to monitor ambient temperature and humidity levels. Based on this feedback, the controller dynamically adjusts the air exchange rate and venting operations, reducing or preventing venting when exterior conditions would cause undesired temperature increases in living spaces, while still managing thermal load when conditions are favorable.
3Loss of substance
If conventional dryer exhausts warm moisture-laden air, then moisture is removed from clothes, but heat energy is lost and additional energy must be provided to heat more ambient air
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the discarding and recovering principle by capturing moisture-laden air from the drying chamber, condensing the water vapor through the refrigerant cycle to remove moisture, and then recovering the heat from the condensed air to preheat incoming ambient air. This process maintains effective moisture removal while significantly reducing heat energy loss compared to conventional exhaust systems.
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 energy efficiency by reusing heat within the dryer and reduces the risk of overheating, while minimizing the impact on indoor temperatures by strategically venting excess heat to interior spaces when necessary.
Implementation Method 1
One or more heating elements heat air prior to the air entering the drum
Implementation Method 2
a heat pump dryer uses a refrigerant cycle to both provide hot air to the dryer and to condense water vapor in air coming from the dryer
Implementation Method 3
Since the moisture content in the air from the dryer is reduced by condensation over the evaporator, this same air can be reheated again using the condenser
Data Source
AI summary
A method of operating a dryer appliance includes directing a flow of hot dry air into a chamber defined within a drum of the dryer appliance. The method also includes receiving a signal indicative of an atmospheric condition external to the dryer appliance and determining whether the indicated atmospheric condition is less than a threshold. The method may further include directing a flow of air from the chamber to an interior space when the indicated atmospheric condition external to the dryer is less than the threshold, and activating a component of an environmental control system in communication with the interior space when the indicated atmospheric condition of the ambient environment external to the dryer is less than the threshold.