Steam Drum Laundry Machine With Bottom Injection Washing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional drum type washing machines face inefficiencies due to excessive water consumption and poor steam distribution, leading to reduced washing efficiency, as steam struggles to reach laundry at the bottom of the drum when injected from the top.
Innovation Solution
A novel laundry machine design that includes a steam generation unit with a primary steam supply part to inject steam directly into the lower part of the drum, along with a water supply unit and control system to manage water levels and steam distribution, ensuring efficient steam delivery to the laundry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If steam is injected from the top side of the drum, then the steam supply unit structure is simple, but the steam cannot be smoothly supplied to the laundry placed at the bottom part of the drum
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional steam injection approach by supplying steam from the bottom part of the drum instead of the top. This inversion allows steam to naturally rise and contact the laundry from below, overcoming the problem where top-injected steam fails to reach laundry at the bottom due to gravity and heat rising characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by positioning the steam supply specifically at the bottom part of the drum where laundry accumulates. This localized steam injection ensures that the area with highest laundry concentration receives adequate steam exposure, rather than relying on uniform top-down distribution that fails to penetrate to the bottom.
2Reliability
If a large amount of washing water is used to submerge laundry for contaminants separation, then contaminant removal is improved, but water consumption and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes phase transition by employing steam (gas phase) instead of liquid water for the washing and sterilization process. The steam condenses on the laundry surface during the washing cycle, providing moisture and heat, and then evaporates during the spin-drying cycle, enabling effective contaminant removal without requiring large volumes of liquid water.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical washing system that relies on large volumes of water and prolonged soaking with a thermal system using steam. The steam's thermal energy and condensation process provide the necessary washing action and contaminant separation, eliminating the need for excessive water immersion.
3Reliability
If washing water is heated for laundry sterilization, then sterilization is achieved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs phase transition of water to steam as the sterilization mechanism. By heating water to generate steam and then utilizing the steam's thermal energy and condensation process, the system achieves effective laundry sterilization with reduced energy consumption compared to heating large volumes of water for prolonged periods.
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 design enhances washing efficiency by ensuring steam is smoothly supplied to the bottom of the drum, reducing water consumption and power usage while improving the wetting and washing processes.
Implementation Method 1
a steam generation unit (400) for generating steam
Implementation Method 2
in consideration of the fact that the steam is in a high-temperature state, whereby high-temperature steam moves from the bottom part to the upper part of the drum
Implementation Method 3
high-temperature steam moves from the bottom part to the upper part of the drum
Data Source
AI summary
A novel-structure laundry machine that is capable of washing laundry using steam is disclosed. The laundry machine includes a machine body constituting the external appearance thereof, a drum mounted in the machine body for receiving laundry, a steam generation unit for generating steam, and a primary steam supply part for supplying the steam generated in the steam generation unit into the lower part of the drum.