Washer Spin-Speed Control to Avoid Wasteful Heat Drying

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing fabric processing devices often fail to complete the spin-drying procedure due to high bubble detergent or uneven load distribution, leading to excessive water content in fabrics, which results in inefficient heat-drying and energy waste when the heat-drying procedure is initiated.

Innovation Solution

A fabric processing device with a control system that detects the rotation speed of the drum or electric motor, ending the spin-drying procedure and cancelling the heat-drying process if the target speed is not reached, and adjusting the procedures based on incremental rotation speed steps to ensure proper water removal before initiating heat-drying.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the spin-drying procedure is executed with high rotation speed to remove water from fabrics, then water removal efficiency is improved, but the procedure may fail to complete due to imbalance or excessive detergent foam

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewater removal efficiencyVSAvoidspin-drying completion rate
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control device continuously monitors rotation speed during spin-drying and compares it with the target rotation speed. When the rotation speed deviates from the target value, the control device adjusts the motor operation to correct the deviation, ensuring the spin-drying procedure completes successfully while maintaining high water removal efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the spin-drying process by monitoring rotation speed in real-time and modifying operational parameters. The control device can adaptively change motor power, rotation speed profiles, and procedure duration based on actual conditions, allowing the system to handle imbalances and detergent foam while maintaining productivity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If the heat-drying procedure is executed after incomplete spin-drying to achieve drying goals, then drying effectiveness is improved, but energy consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrying effectivenessVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The control device monitors spin-drying completion by detecting rotation speed stability. Based on this feedback, it intelligently determines whether to proceed with heat-drying. When spin-drying achieves the target rotation speed and maintains it, the system proceeds with heat-drying; when the target is not reached, the system cancels heat-drying to avoid energy waste, thus balancing drying effectiveness with energy efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the operational state by conditionally activating or canceling the heat-drying procedure based on spin-drying performance. This parameter change (proceeding vs. canceling) optimizes energy consumption while maintaining drying effectiveness through intelligent decision-making

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If the heat-drying procedure is executed when fabrics have high water content, then the procedure runs longer to achieve drying, but energy waste and procedure time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrying goal achievementVSAvoidprocedure time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary spin-drying with optimized rotation speed control to remove as much water as possible before heat-drying. By ensuring spin-drying reaches target rotation speed and maintains it, the system pre-prepares the fabrics with reduced water content, thereby shortening subsequent heat-drying time and reducing energy consumption

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 solution prevents energy wastage by ensuring the spin-drying procedure is completed effectively before starting heat-drying, saving energy and time while ensuring fabrics are adequately dried.

Implementation Method 1

a detection device for detecting a rotation speed of the drum or the electric motor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRotation speed detection:

Implementation Method 2

the spin-drying procedure includes a plurality of incremental rotation speed steps; on these rotation speed steps, the electric motor and the drum maintain a corresponding rotation speed during set times T1 to T5

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Implementation Method 3

the heat-drying procedure automatically starts to heat the spin-dried fabrics

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Data Source

PatentEP2748367B1Fabric processing device, and method for controlling spin-drying procedure and heat-drying procedure thereof
Publication Date: 2015.07.29 BSH HAUSGERATE GMBH
  • EP2748367B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2748367B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2748367B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A fabric processing device includes a drum 5 driven by an electric motor4, a control device 10 used for controlling execution of a spin-drying procedure and a subsequent heat-drying procedure, and a detection device 12 for detecting a rotation speed of the drum or the electric motor, where when the spin-drying procedure and the heat-drying procedure are both selected, in the spin-drying procedure, if the detection device 12 detects that the rotation speed of the drum 5 or the electric motor 4 fails to reach or remain stable at a first preset rotation speed during a first preset time T1, the spin-drying procedure is ended, and the subsequent heat-drying procedure is cancelled. A method for controlling a spin-drying procedure and a heat-drying procedure of a fabric processing device includes: selecting and then starting to execute the spin-drying procedure and the heat-drying procedure, and determining whether to end the spin-drying procedure and/or the heat-drying procedure according to operation conditions of the spin-drying procedure. Fig.