Multi-Drum Washing Machine Heating Control to Prevent Overload
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multi-drum washing machines face stability and energy efficiency issues due to simultaneous high-power operations during heating, drying, and dehydration processes, leading to overload conditions and inefficient power control.
Innovation Solution
A heating control method that prioritizes one drum over the other based on remaining heating time, pausing or alternating heating processes to avoid simultaneous high-power operations, ensuring stable operation and reducing energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If heating control is implemented without considering simultaneous high-power operations, then heating function is provided, but overload conditions occur affecting machine stability
Solution Approach 1:
The control method checks whether another drum is performing high-power operations (heating, dehydration, drying) before allowing a drum to start heating. This preliminary check prevents simultaneous high-power operations that would cause overload conditions, thereby maintaining machine stability while enabling the heating function.
2Reliability
If heating control is implemented to prevent overload, then machine stability is improved, but control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control method segments the heating control process into distinct decision steps: first checking if another drum is heating, then checking if another drum is performing dehydration or drying, and finally determining heating eligibility. This segmentation makes the complex control logic more manageable and systematic, reducing control complexity while maintaining stability.
3Power
If heating processes are sequentially controlled to avoid overload, then power control is improved, but waiting time for users increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control method dynamically adjusts heating eligibility based on the real-time operational state of other drums. Instead of fixed sequential control, the system continuously monitors and updates heating permissions, allowing more flexible scheduling that reduces user waiting time while maintaining proper power control.
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 method improves the stability and energy efficiency of multi-drum washing machines by preventing simultaneous high-power processes, reducing wear and tear, and optimizing heating times to minimize waiting times for users.
Implementation Method 1
the first washing drum (1) is provided with a first heater (141), the second washing drum (2) is provided with a second heater (241)
Data Source
AI summary
A washing machine comprises a first washing drum with a first heater and a second washing drum with a second heater. Before the first washing drum performs a heating procedure, it is necessary to determine whether the second washing drum is performing the heating procedure; if not, the first washing drum performs the heating procedure; if yes, it is necessary to determine whether the remaining heating time of the second washing drum is less than a set value, T min; if yes, the first washing drum pauses the heating procedure; when the second washing drum finishes performing the heating procedure, the first washing drum then performs the heating procedure; if not, remaining heating time of the first washing drum and that of the second washing drum are determined, whichever drum having the shorter remaining heating time performs the heating procedure first, while the other drum performs the heating procedure second.