Laundry Spin Cycle Control Using Drain Pump Flow Rate Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current laundry spinning technologies face issues with noise and vibration due to oversized drain pumps, inefficient energy use, and inconsistent moisture removal rates, leading to prolonged spinning times or incomplete drying.
Innovation Solution
A method that continuously measures the flow rate of the drain pump and adjusts the drum speed to match the flow rate, using a plateau spin mode and pre-spin cycles to optimize fluid removal, reduce noise, and synchronize the drum speed with the drain pump operation, ensuring efficient energy use and precise moisture control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a drain pump with high pumping capacity is used to ensure sufficient fluid removal during spinning, then the fluid removal capability is improved, but the pump becomes oversized for most laundry loads, causing it to run dry, intake air, and generate increased noise levels
Solution Approach 1:
The drain pump's rotational speed is dynamically adjusted based on the detected fluid flow rate. The control unit continuously monitors the flow rate and modifies the pump speed accordingly, allowing the pump to operate at optimal speeds rather than running continuously at high speed. This dynamic adjustment prevents the pump from running dry and intaking air, thereby reducing noise while maintaining sufficient fluid removal capability.
Solution Approach 2:
A flow rate detection unit continuously monitors the actual fluid flow rate through the drain pump and provides feedback to the control unit. Based on this feedback, the control unit adjusts the pump's operational parameters to match the actual fluid release rate from the laundry. This closed-loop control ensures the pump operates efficiently without being oversized, preventing air intake and noise generation.
2Device complexity
If a predefined fixed spin profile is used to simplify control, then the control system is easier to implement, but the spin duration becomes inconsistent as different laundry types reach target moisture levels at different rates
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses continuous flow rate detection during the spin cycle to provide feedback on the actual fluid removal rate. The control unit monitors this feedback and dynamically adjusts the drum speed profile to optimize the spin duration. This allows the system to adapt to different laundry types and moisture release characteristics, ensuring consistent drying results without requiring excessively complex control algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes operational parameters (drum speed, pump speed) based on detected flow rate conditions. By adjusting these parameters in real-time according to the actual fluid release rate, the system optimizes both spin duration and drying effectiveness, avoiding both premature termination and excessive spinning times.
3Device complexity
If the drain pump runs at constant speed throughout the spin cycle, then the pump operation is simpler to control, but the pump becomes airtight when fluid supply is insufficient, requiring venting operations that delay fluid pumping and cause backflow
Solution Approach 1:
The drain pump's rotational speed is dynamically adjusted based on the detected fluid flow rate. When fluid supply is sufficient, the pump operates at higher speeds for efficient removal. When fluid supply becomes insufficient, the pump speed is reduced to prevent air intake and airtight conditions. This dynamic speed adjustment eliminates the need for venting operations and prevents backflow, maintaining continuous pumping efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow rate detection unit provides continuous feedback on fluid availability to the control unit. Based on this feedback, the control unit adjusts the pump speed in real-time to match the fluid supply rate, preventing the pump from running dry. This feedback-controlled adjustment maintains optimal pumping efficiency throughout the spin cycle without requiring pump shutdowns or venting operations.
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 reduces noise and vibration, extends appliance lifespan, improves energy efficiency, and ensures consistent drying results by synchronizing drum speed with the drain pump's flow rate, preventing backwater and foam formation, and optimizing spin duration.
Implementation Method 1
a drain pump designed to pump fluid released, in particular during spinning, from the tub
Implementation Method 2
A spin cycle used for dewatering laundry in a laundry treatment machine
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for spinning laundry for the purpose of dewatering it using a laundry treatment device (1), wherein the laundry treatment device (1) comprises: a drum for receiving laundry, a tub (2) in which the drum is rotatably mounted, and a drain pump configured to pump fluid released, in particular, during spinning, from the tub (2). The method includes: continuous measurement of the drain pump's flow rate, a first plateau spin (18) in which the drum's spin speed is maintained constantly above a resonance frequency range of the vibration system and the drain pump is operated in a plateau spin operating mode (22) adapted to the first plateau spin (18), and a ramp spin (19) which is started depending on the drain pump's flow rate, with an initial drum speed ramp.and a subsequent speed increase, initiated depending on the flow rate of the drain pump, which is adjusted at least once above the vibration system resonance frequency range depending on the flow rate, so that the drain pump does not run dry and no impermissible backflow of fluid occurs in the drain container (2), wherein the speed increase of the drum is increased when the flow rate decreases and the speed increase of the drum is kept constant or decreased when the flow rate of the drain pump increases.