Integrated Heat Pump Module for Narrow-Space Dryer Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional garment processing apparatuses with heat pump systems face challenges in assembly and performance testing due to narrow installation spaces, refrigerant leakage issues, and energy losses from long refrigerant pipe lengths, making it difficult to diagnose and replace defective components efficiently.
Innovation Solution
The heat pump module is modularized with a compressor, condenser, and evaporator integrated into a single housing unit mounted at the upper part of the tub, with a compact design that includes a heat exchange duct part and a compressor base part, supported by fastening members and a gas-liquid separator, allowing for simplified assembly and performance testing before final product assembly, and reducing refrigerant pipe length.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the heat pump system components are installed separately in the cabinet, then the installation space utilization is improved, but the assembly complexity and difficulty of performance testing increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the compressor, condenser, evaporator, and gas-liquid separator into a single integrated heat pump module housing. This combination reduces assembly complexity by pre-assembling the components together before installation in the cabinet, while still achieving efficient space utilization through the compact integrated design.
2Ease of repair
If the heat pump components are installed separately, then the ease of replacing individual components is improved, but the refrigerant pipe length increases causing energy losses
Solution Approach 1:
The components are merged into a single module with internally connected refrigerant pathways, eliminating long external refrigerant pipes and associated energy losses. The modular design maintains ease of repair by allowing the entire module to be easily replaced as a single unit.
3Volume of moving object
If the heat pump module is compactly designed, then the installation space efficiency is improved, but the assembly and performance testing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat pump components are pre-assembled and pre-tested as an integrated module before final installation in the cabinet. This preliminary assembly and testing of the compact module simplifies the overall manufacturing process and ensures proper functionality before the module is installed in the narrow cabinet space.
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 configuration simplifies the assembly and testing of the heat pump system, reduces energy losses, and allows for efficient installation even in narrow spaces, while maintaining the rigidity of the tub and enhancing the capacity to handle non-vaporized refrigerant in cold weather.
Implementation Method 1
a heat pump module configured to circulate a refrigerant to a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator and re-circulate air discharged from the drum to the drum through the evaporator and the condenser
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a garment processing apparatus for compactly optimizing the arrangement space of a heat pump system. A heat pump module is modularized by integrally mounting a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator in an integrated housing and is disposed at an upper portion of a tub.