Closed-Loop Laundry Heat Pump Control for Autonomous Drying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current laundry systems, both domestic and industrial, rely heavily on human intervention, leading to inefficiencies in time, energy, and resource consumption, as well as potential contamination risks due to human contact with laundry items.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous laundry system comprising multiple washing and drying machines with integrated cold and heated side heat exchangers, a closed air loop, and a centralized heat pump, which operates without human intervention, optimizing energy use and reducing contamination risks by recycling air and condensate within a closed system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If human operators manually process laundry loads through laundromat or industrial services, then laundry can be cleaned, but human contact introduces contamination risks and requires time-intensive manual intervention at every stage
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service through autonomous robotic devices that automatically sort, load, wash, dry, and fold laundry without human intervention. The robotic sorter independently categorizes items by fabric type and color, while robotic arms handle loading and unloading, eliminating the need for human operators to physically handle laundry and thus preventing contamination.
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical operations are replaced with automated robotic systems. Human hands are substituted with robotic grippers and arms that use sensors and controlled mechanics to handle laundry. This substitution eliminates the transmission of human contaminants while maintaining the mechanical function of sorting and processing.
2Use of energy by moving object
If traditional washers and dryers process laundry sequentially in separate machines, then each load can be treated, but fresh water is consumed and energy is wasted with each load
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the washing and drying functions into a single integrated machine that can process multiple loads simultaneously. The drum contains both washing and drying chambers that operate concurrently, allowing one load to be washed while another is dried, thereby reducing total energy consumption and eliminating the need to reheat water for each separate cycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The system recovers and reuses water from previously washed loads to pre-treat or rinse subsequent loads. Greywater from completed wash cycles is captured and redirected to prepare the next load, reducing fresh water consumption and the energy required to heat water for each new cycle.
3Productivity
If industrial laundry services process large volumes of like items, then economies of scale are achieved, but these services are not available to individual households and require human operators to load dedicated machines
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides universal functionality by combining multiple laundry operations (sorting, washing, drying, folding) into a single household appliance that can handle diverse laundry types. The robotic sorter adapts to different fabric types and colors, and the integrated drum accommodates various load sizes and configurations, making industrial-level automation accessible to individual households.
Solution Approach 2:
The system nests multiple functional components within a compact household appliance. The robotic sorting mechanism, washing chamber, drying chamber, and folding system are nested within a single machine footprint, enabling industrial-capability automation to fit within typical residential spaces without requiring separate dedicated machines for each function.
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 system achieves significant energy and resource efficiency, eliminates human contact and associated contamination risks, and enables the processing of multiple, non-uniform laundry loads autonomously, improving the overall efficiency and safety of the laundry process.
Implementation Method 1
at least one heat pump configured to heat a heated stream of fluid disposed in a heating conduit in thermal communication with the heated side heat exchanger of each one of the plurality of washing and drying machines and cool a cooled stream of fluid disposed in a cooling conduit in thermal communication with the cold side heat exchanger
Implementation Method 2
The cold side heat exchanger is configured to cool exhausted humid air below a dew point to condense moisture from the exhausted humid air
Implementation Method 3
The fan is configured to draw process air from the drum, through the cold side heat exchanger, heated side heat exchanger, and into the inlet of the drum
Data Source
AI summary
An energy efficient autonomous laundry system includes a plurality of combination washing and drying machines each one of which includes heated and cold side heat exchangers disposed in series within a dedicated closed air loop at each machine, a heat pump providing separate streams of heated and cooled fluid to the heat exchangers, one or more sensors disposed in the closed air loop, and a controller in operative communication with all of these system components. The controller is configured to receive an output signal of one or more air sensors in the closed air loop, analyze the output signal, determine, based on the analysis, whether the at least one air characteristic is within a range of values for at least one of air temperature, air flow, and air humidity, and adjust one or more controls, including controls for adjusting at least one of air temperature, air flow, and air humidity.