Radial Process Air Blower Layout for Heat Exchanger Rinsing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional drying devices fail to effectively clean the heat exchanger and other components of the process air system during the rinsing process, leading to contamination and reduced energy efficiency and service life due to the lack of activation of the process air fan during rinsing.
Innovation Solution
A drying device with a radial process air fan integrated into the process air circuit, which generates a multiphase flow that separates the gaseous and liquid phases due to different centrifugal forces, allowing for effective separation and cleaning of the components, including the heat exchanger, by directing the phases into different duct sections and utilizing a rinsing system to distribute cleaning liquid effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the process air fan is not activated during the rinsing process, then the structure remains simple and energy consumption is reduced, but the cleaning effectiveness of the component is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The process air fan is activated before the rinsing process begins (during the pre-rinsing phase) to generate airflow that carries rinsing liquid onto the heat exchanger components. This preliminary activation ensures that components are properly wetted and cleaned before the main rinsing operation, improving overall cleaning effectiveness without requiring continuous fan operation throughout the entire rinsing cycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The process air fan operates periodically during the rinsing process - activated during pre-rinsing and specific cleaning phases, then deactivated during other phases. This periodic operation pattern provides effective cleaning when needed while reducing unnecessary energy consumption and simplifying control logic compared to continuous operation.
2Reliability
If the process air fan is activated during the rinsing process, then the cleaning of the component is improved, but the risk of clogging the drain path with foreign matter increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes fluff and foreign matter from the process air flow using a dedicated lint filter positioned in the process air circuit. The filter captures particulate matter before the air reaches the drum, preventing clogging of the drain path while allowing the process air fan to operate during rinsing for effective cleaning. This separation of cleaning function and filtration function resolves the contradiction between improved cleaning and reduced clogging risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The lint filter acts as an intermediary element between the process air fan and the drum environment. It mediates the airflow by removing harmful particulate matter (fluff) while allowing the beneficial airflow (carrying rinsing liquid) to continue. This intermediary component enables the process air fan to operate during rinsing without transferring fluff to the drum, thus preventing drain path clogging.
3Reliability
If the process air fan is activated during the rinsing process, then further components downstream can be cleaned, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The process air fan operates periodically during the rinsing process - activated during pre-rinsing and cleaning phases to provide comprehensive cleaning of heat exchanger components, then deactivated during other phases. This periodic operation achieves thorough cleaning of all process air system components while minimizing unnecessary energy consumption compared to continuous operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The process air fan is activated in advance during the pre-rinsing phase to distribute rinsing liquid onto heat exchanger components before the main rinsing operation. This preliminary action ensures that all components are pre-wetted and prepared for effective cleaning, allowing the fan to be deactivated during the main rinsing phase when water flow alone provides sufficient cleaning, thus reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining comprehensive cleaning effectiveness.
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 solution ensures thorough cleaning of the process air system components during both rinsing and drying processes, preventing fluff contamination and maintaining energy efficiency and extending the service life of the drying device.
Implementation Method 1
the gaseous phase is deflected radially outwards by the impeller more than the liquid phase. As a result, the flow paths of the two phases are axially separated from one another when they leave the process air fan
Implementation Method 2
the rinsing liquid used to clean the component is entrained by the process air flow generated by the process air fan
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The invention relates to a drying appliance 1, in particular a washer-dryer or tumble dryer, having at least one process air system 3, which has at least one closed process air circuit 4, at least one process air fan 5 integrated into the process air circuit 4 and at least one component 6 which is arranged within the process air circuit 4 and is connected upstream of the process air fan 5 on the suction side , 7, in particular a heat exchanger, comprises at least one rinsing system 8 for cleaning the component 6, 7 in the course of at least one rinsing process, and at least one device electronics 9 for controlling and/or regulating the process air fan 5 and the rinsing system 8, which is set up to activate the process air fan 5 at least temporarily during the rinsing process. In order to optimize the operation of such a drying device 1, the invention proposes that the process air fan 5 be arranged in an area of a bend in the process air circuit 4 and designed as a radial fan, with a at least partially radially running process air duct 11 of the process air circuit 4 is divided at least in a partial section with respect to the drive axis 10 axially into at least two separate duct sections 12, 13.