Laundry Airflow Layout for Uniform Heat Exchanger Drying
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing laundry treatment apparatuses face inefficiencies in heat exchange due to the blower being located in front of the heat exchanger, leading to inconsistent air flow rates and reduced heat exchange efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The blower is positioned between the heat exchanger and the discharge duct, creating negative pressure at the rear side of the heat exchanger, ensuring a constant air flow rate and improving heat exchange efficiency by allowing air to pass through the entire region of the heat exchanger.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the blower is located in front of the heat exchanger, then the air flow path is simplified, but the air flow rate becomes inconsistent and heat exchange efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional arrangement by positioning the blower behind the heat exchanger instead of in front. This reversal creates negative pressure at the rear side of the heat exchanger, which draws air through the entire heat exchanger region consistently, thereby resolving the contradiction between simplified air flow path and heat exchange efficiency.
2Productivity
If the blower is positioned to create negative pressure at the rear side of the heat exchanger, then air flow rate becomes constant and heat exchange efficiency improves, but the device volume may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the blower and heat exchanger into a closely integrated assembly where the blower is positioned immediately behind the heat exchanger. This merging allows the negative pressure zone to be contained within a compact space, achieving improved heat exchange efficiency without significantly increasing the overall apparatus volume.
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 configuration enhances the heat exchange efficiency, achieving higher drying efficiency and minimizing the volume of the laundry treatment apparatus while ensuring automated cleaning of the filter device.
Implementation Method 1
a heat exchanger that heats air moved by the blower
Implementation Method 2
The blower is positioned between the heat exchanger and the discharge duct, creating negative pressure at the rear side of the heat exchanger, ensuring a constant air flow rate
Data Source
AI summary
A laundry treatment apparatus may include a cabinet defining an external appearance of the apparatus, the cabinet having a laundry opening, a laundry accommodation module provided within the cabinet to receive laundry introduced through the laundry opening, a suction duct into which interior air from the laundry accommodation module may be introduced, a discharge duct from which the air is discharged into the laundry accommodation module, a connection duct connecting the suction duct and the discharge duct to each other, a heat exchanger provided in the connection duct, and a blower provided between the heat exchanger and the discharge duct to circulate the interior air of the laundry accommodation module.