Laundry treatment apparatus and method of operation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laundry treatment apparatuses, such as dryers and washing machines with drying functions, face challenges in accurately estimating operation values like residual drying time and laundry load, leading to potential over-drying or under-drying, due to complexities in sensor usage and interference from passive switching devices.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a control unit that detects operation parameters like power consumption, motor torque, and air temperatures to estimate and correct operation values, including residual drying time, using a data storage system and algorithms to adapt estimates incrementally during the drying cycle, while monitoring compressor switch-on/off states and thermo protector circuit status to prevent incorrect estimations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a preset drying time is used with simple humidity detection, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision of residual drying time is insufficient leading to over-drying or under-drying
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors humidity levels and temperature throughout the drying cycle, using this feedback to dynamically adjust the estimated residual drying time. The controller compares actual measurements with expected values and corrects the countdown accordingly, ensuring precise drying completion without over-drying or under-drying.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary detection of humidity and temperature at multiple stages during the drying cycle. By measuring these parameters at predetermined time intervals and before final drying completion, the system can proactively adjust the residual time estimation and prevent over-drying before it occurs.
2Reliability
If passive switching devices like thermo protectors are installed for safety, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases and may cause incorrect operation value estimations
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary monitoring function that detects the state of passive switching devices and compensates for their impact on measurements. The controller identifies when these devices activate and adjusts the operation value calculations accordingly, preventing incorrect estimations while maintaining the safety function of the passive devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts and separately analyzes the influence of passive switching devices on operation parameters. By identifying and isolating the effects of these devices, the controller can correct measurements to account for their presence, maintaining measurement accuracy despite the added complexity.
3Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are used to improve measurement accuracy, then the measurement precision is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system makes existing multi-functional sensors work at full potential by utilizing multiple parameters from single sensors. The humidity sensor provides both humidity level and temporal variation data, while the temperature sensor provides temperature magnitude and change rate information, allowing precise residual time estimation without adding dedicated sensors for each parameter.
Solution Approach 2:
The system combines humidity and temperature measurements into a unified residual drying time estimation model. By merging these two parameter streams and analyzing their combined behavior over time, the system achieves high measurement precision using the same sensor suite already present in the dryer.
4Ease of operation
If the residual drying time is estimated using basic look-up tables, then the ease of operation is improved, but the measurement precision is insufficient to account for varying laundry loads and environmental conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static look-up tables to dynamic estimation that continuously adapts to current drying conditions. The residual time calculation evolves throughout the drying cycle based on real-time humidity and temperature measurements, allowing the system to accurately handle varying laundry loads and environmental conditions while maintaining ease of operation through automatic adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameters used for estimation from fixed table values to dynamically measured humidity and temperature parameters. By using actual measured parameters that reflect the specific laundry load and environmental conditions, the system achieves precise residual time estimation without requiring user input or complex configuration.
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 ensures precise estimation and correction of operation values, preventing premature or excessive drying, thus maintaining optimal laundry conditions and energy efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a heat pump system comprising a first heat exchanger for heating a refrigerant, a second heat exchanger for cooling a refrigerant
Implementation Method 2
a first heat exchanger for heating a refrigerant, a second heat exchanger for cooling a refrigerant
Implementation Method 3
a compressor for circulating a refrigerant fluid through a refrigerant loop of the heat pump system
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3a
Figure 3b~3c
AI summary
Method of correcting an estimation of an apparatus operation value for a laundry treatment apparatus (2), in particular a laundry dryer or a washing machine having a drying function, wherein the apparatus (2) comprises: a laundry treatment chamber (18) for treating laundry, a heat pump system (4) comprising a first heat exchanger (10) for heating a refrigerant, a second heat exchanger (12) for cooling a refrigerant, an expansion means (16) and a compressor (14) for circulating a refrigerant fluid (R) through a refrigerant loop (6) of the heat pump system (4), a detector means for detecting at least one operation parameter of the treatment apparatus (2), a control unit (9) for controlling the operation of the treatment apparatus (2), wherein the control unit (9) is adapted to determine an initial estimation of an apparatus operation value based on at least one detected operation parameter, and wherein the control unit is adapted to execute an algorithm for correcting the initial estimation of an apparatus operation value and/or for correcting a current apparatus operation value based on at least one detected operation parameter, a data storage means (34) for storing an estimated operation value, wherein the method comprises: estimate an initial operation value and/or a current operation value, subsequently estimate a present operation value by executing the algorithm during an apparatus operation cycle, and correct the initial operation value and/or a current operation value to or by using the estimated present operation value.