Laundry Steam and Condensate Sterilization Without Drain Piping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laundry treating apparatuses face limitations in sterilizing the condensate and steam supply water, leading to potential bacterial growth and contamination, and lack the ability to sterilize the space outside the drum and heat-exchanger, while also being prone to moisture-related issues like humidity fluctuations and freezing.
Innovation Solution
A laundry treating apparatus that supplies steam or hot water not only into the drum but also to the outside, allowing for sterilization of the space between the cabinet and drum, condensate, and heat-exchanger, using a steam generator with a bypass pipe for high-temperature water distribution and a sterilization nozzle to prevent drum rotation interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If moisture is discharged to the outside together with air, then the drying process is efficient, but the humidity and temperature of the indoor space rapidly change
Solution Approach 1:
A water storage tank is introduced as an intermediary to collect and store discharged moisture temporarily. Instead of directly venting moisture to the indoor environment, the system captures it in the tank, thereby decoupling the drying process from immediate environmental impact. This allows efficient moisture removal while preventing rapid humidity and temperature changes in the indoor space.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If moisture is condensed and discharged through a separate drain pipe, then the indoor environment remains stable, but the apparatus can only be installed where a sewer is available
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts the drainage dependency from the apparatus by collecting moisture in a removable water storage tank. The tank can be detached and emptied manually, eliminating the need for connection to external sewer infrastructure. This extraction enables installation in locations without sewer access while maintaining environmental stability through controlled moisture discharge.
Solution Approach 2:
The water storage tank is designed to be self-contained and manually removable, allowing the user to service the system by emptying the tank without requiring professional installation or connection to external drainage systems. This self-service approach provides installation flexibility while maintaining the ability to manage moisture discharge responsibly.
3Ease of operation
If a steam supplier is installed inside the cabinet, then steam can be supplied to the drum for wrinkle removal and sterilization, but there is no clear method to supply water to the steam supplier
Solution Approach 1:
The water storage tank serving the drying function is merged with the water supply function for the steam generator. The same tank that collects moisture during drying also provides water to the steam supplier, eliminating the need for separate water supply infrastructure. This merging simplifies the system while enabling steam supply functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The steam generator is designed to automatically draw water from the water storage tank without requiring external water supply connections. The system uses the moisture collected during drying operations to generate steam, creating a self-sufficient water supply mechanism that reduces system complexity and installation requirements.
4Quantity of substance
If the water storage tank is made large to store sufficient condensate, then the steam supply is adequate, but the apparatus size and installation space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The water storage tank is designed with dynamic capacity adjustment through selective connection configurations. The tank can be connected to different numbers of steam generators depending on the required steam supply, allowing the same physical tank to serve different operational demands. This dynamic configuration optimizes the balance between storage capacity and apparatus size.
Solution Approach 2:
The water storage tank serves multiple functions: collecting condensate during drying operations, storing water for steam generation, and potentially serving as a heat exchange medium. This multi-functionality maximizes the utility of the stored water, reducing the required tank volume for a given steam supply requirement compared to a single-function design.
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
Effectively sterilizes the condensate, steam supply water, and the interior and exterior spaces, preventing bacterial growth and addressing moisture-related issues, while ensuring the apparatus can be installed anywhere without requiring a sewer connection.
Implementation Method 1
a steam generator (210) that generates the steam by receiving the water
Implementation Method 2
When air discharged from the drum is cooled in the heat pump system, the water discharged from the laundry is condensed
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a laundry treating apparatus that is provided to supply steam into a drum accommodating laundry therein and to supply hot water or the steam to a region outside the drum to also sterilize the region outside the drum, and a method for controlling the same.