Laundry Dryer Pump Housing Layout for Complete Condensate Drainage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laundry treatment devices face challenges in preventing condensate water from remaining in the pump housing due to the structural design, which hinders effective water discharge and leads to issues with foreign material accumulation on heat exchangers.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a drainage system with a pump housing connected to a water collecting part, a flow path switch, and a drainage system that includes a drain pipe and valve to control water flow, allowing for efficient discharge of water from the pump housing and preventing its accumulation, while using a single pump for washing and discharging water condensed from the air passing through the heat exchanger.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the pump is configured with an impeller rotatably provided within the pump housing, then the pump can move water, but condensate water remains within the pump housing due to the spacing required between the impeller and floor surface
Solution Approach 1:
The pump housing is divided into a water supply chamber and a water discharge chamber by a partition wall. The impeller is positioned only in the water supply chamber, allowing the water discharge chamber to have a floor surface that can be closely spaced with the impeller without interference, thus enabling complete water discharge while maintaining functional integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The partition wall is positioned asymmetrically within the pump housing, creating unequal chamber volumes and strategic flow paths. This asymmetric configuration allows the impeller to effectively move water from the supply chamber while the discharge chamber geometry facilitates complete water evacuation without requiring excessive clearance
2Device complexity
If a single pump is used to wash the heat exchanger and discharge condensed water, then device complexity is reduced, but the pump must handle multiple functions that may conflict with each other
Solution Approach 1:
The pump is designed with multi-functionality to perform both heat exchanger washing and condensed water discharge operations. The partitioned chamber structure and controllable valves enable the single pump to switch between different functional modes, reducing the need for multiple dedicated pumps while maintaining operational versatility
Solution Approach 2:
The pump system incorporates dynamic control through valves that can redirect water flow between different paths. This dynamic configuration allows the pump to adapt its function based on operational requirements, switching between washing mode and discharge mode as needed
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 effectively prevents water from remaining in the pump housing, facilitates efficient water discharge, and allows for a single pump to be used for both washing the heat exchanger and discharging condensed water, thereby improving the operational efficiency of the laundry treatment device.
Implementation Method 1
an impeller moving water in the pump housing to the first pump outlet
Implementation Method 2
a heat exchanger provided within the duct to dehumidify air and heat the dehumidified air
Implementation Method 3
a fan enabling the air in the drum to be moved along the duct
Data Source
AI summary
A laundry treating apparatus includes a drum, a duct circulating air through the drum, a heat exchanger in the duct, a water collector configured to water separated from air through the heat exchanger, a spray configured to spray water to the heat exchanger, a pump housing that is connected to the water collector and defines first and second pump outlets, an impeller moving water in the pump housing to the first pump outlet, a drainage housing, a housing connecting pipe connecting the second pump outlet to the drainage housing, a drain pipe discharging water in the drainage housing, and a drain valve controlling the drain pipe, and a switch housing connected to the first pump outlet, a first supply pipe connecting the switch housing to the spray, a second supply pipe connecting the switch housing to the drain pipe, and a switch valve controlling the first and second supply pipes.