Laundry-care appliance comprising a heating element
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Solution Overview
Problem
Laundry care appliances face inefficiencies in heating washing suds due to the heating element often overheating or not effectively heating the liquor, especially when the suds level is low, leading to excessive energy consumption and reduced laundry care effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A laundry care appliance with a pumping system that includes a heating element in the circulation system, controlled by a power detection element to adjust heating power based on the electrical power consumed by the pump, ensuring effective heating of wash liquor without overheating, and featuring a flow-optimized design to enhance heat transfer and reduce the volume of washing suds required.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the heating element is placed inside the suds container, then the heating is direct and effective, but the heating element overheats when the suds level is low
Solution Approach 1:
The heating element is extracted from the suds container and relocated to the circulation system's line. This allows the heating element to operate in an environment where it is continuously exposed to flowing wash liquor, eliminating the overheating risk associated with low suds levels while maintaining effective heating through the high flow rate of circulating liquid.
Solution Approach 2:
The circulation system acts as an intermediary between the heating element and the suds container. The pump circulates wash liquor through the line containing the heating element, ensuring continuous contact with the heating element. This intermediary system guarantees that the heating element is always surrounded by liquid, preventing overheating while still achieving the desired heating effect in the suds container.
2Reliability
If the heating element is placed in the circulation system, then overheating is prevented, but the heating efficiency may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The circulation system provides continuous flow of wash liquor through the line containing the heating element. This continuous circulation ensures that the heating element operates constantly at optimal efficiency, heating the liquid as it passes by. The pump maintains steady flow conditions, preventing the heating element from operating intermittently or in air, thereby maintaining high heating efficiency while preventing overheating.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the heating process through continuous circulation. The high flow rate of wash liquor through the line creates dynamic heat transfer conditions that enhance heating efficiency. The movement of liquid past the heating element ensures consistent heat absorption, and the circulation pattern guarantees that heated liquid is continuously distributed throughout the suds container.
3Ease of manufacture
If the suds container has a recess for the heating element, then the heating element can be accommodated, but dead liquor accumulates in the recess
Solution Approach 1:
By extracting the heating element from the suds container and placing it in the circulation line, the recess that would have been needed to accommodate the heating element is eliminated. This removes the source of dead liquor accumulation entirely, as there is no recess for liquid to pool in. The heating element is now surrounded by continuously flowing liquid rather than being stationary in a container with dead zones.
4Reliability
If a large volume of washing suds is used, then the heating element can be cooled effectively, but the energy required to heat the suds increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses local quality by concentrating the heating action in the line where a relatively small volume of liquid flows continuously past the heating element. The high velocity of this localized liquid flow provides sufficient cooling to the heating element without requiring a large overall volume of suds in the container. The heating is localized to the circulation line rather than requiring bulk heating of all suds in the container.
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 solution allows for efficient heating of wash suds with reduced energy consumption, minimizing the volume of washing suds needed and optimizing the tub geometry for improved drainage and reduced dead volume, ensuring effective laundry care with a shorter heating phase and enhanced heat transfer.
Implementation Method 1
a heating element on the line for heating the wash liquor in the line
Implementation Method 2
a pump for pumping of wash liquor through the line
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention relates to a laundry-care appliance (100) with a recirculating pump system (105) which has: an outer tub (107) for receiving detergent solution, said outer tub (107) comprising an inlet opening (109) and an outlet opening (111); a pipe (113) which connects said inlet opening (109) and outlet opening (111); a pump (115) for pumping detergent solution through the pipe (113); a output measurement element (119) for measuring an electrical output of said pump (115); a heating element (117) on the pipe (113) for heating the detergent solution in said pipe (113); and a control element (121) for controlling the heating element (117). The control element (121) is designed to reduce the heating output of the heating element (117) if the measured electrical output of the pump (115) falls below a predetermined electrical output threshold, in order to prevent overheating of said heating element (117).