Washing Machine Heated-Water Spin Method to Reduce Residual Moisture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing washing machine methods require a large amount of water and energy to achieve low residual moisture in laundry after the final spin phase, and they still leave a relatively high level of moisture in the laundry.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a control device that manages a washing machine program sequence, including pumping out free liquor, heating the laundry, and operating the drum at specific spin speeds to reduce moisture, with the option to refill and heat the water to a predetermined temperature for efficient water and energy use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the drum is operated at high spin speed to remove water from laundry, then residual moisture content is reduced, but water and energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating device is activated before the spin phase to pre-heat the laundry and water in the tub. This preliminary heating reduces the water retention capacity of the laundry fibers, enabling more effective water removal during the subsequent spin phase at lower speeds, thus reducing both residual moisture and overall water consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the temperature parameter of the water and laundry during the rinsing phase. By heating the water to a predetermined temperature and maintaining it during the spin phase, the physical properties of water and the water retention capacity of laundry fibers are altered, improving water separation efficiency without requiring excessively high spin speeds or additional water.
2Manufacturing precision
If the drum is operated at high spin speed to reduce residual moisture, then water removal efficiency is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating device is activated before the spin phase to pre-heat the laundry and water in the tub. This preliminary heating reduces the water retention capacity of the laundry fibers, enabling more effective water removal during the subsequent spin phase at lower speeds, thus reducing both residual moisture and overall water consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the temperature parameter of the water and laundry during the rinsing phase. By heating the water to a predetermined temperature and maintaining it during the spin phase, the physical properties of water and the water retention capacity of laundry fibers are altered, improving water separation efficiency without requiring excessively high spin speeds or additional water.
3Loss of time
If heated water is used in the final rinsing phase to increase tub temperature, then heat pump equilibrium is reached faster, but water and energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating device uses the water already present in the tub during the rinsing phase, heating it to a predetermined temperature. This heated water then serves dual purposes: it speeds up the heat pump equilibrium process and simultaneously reduces the water retention capacity of the laundry for better spin performance. The system essentially uses its own resources (the rinsing water) to achieve multiple benefits without requiring additional water input.
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 method reduces residual moisture in laundry while minimizing water and energy consumption, allowing for effective disinfection at lower temperatures and reducing mechanical stress on the laundry.
Implementation Method 1
a circulation pump for pumping water from a drain area of the tub back into the tub via a circulation line
Implementation Method 2
the water can be heated by the heater typically found in a washing machine, or by an additional hot water supply, or by a renewable energy source such as solar energy
Implementation Method 3
The centrifugal force pushes the water out of the laundry through the drum's drainage holes into a space between the drum and the tub
Implementation Method 4
the initial heat exchange at the evaporator of the heat pump increases
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for rinsing laundry (7) in a washing machine having a control device (12) for controlling a program sequence, a drum (2), which is rotatably mounted in a liquor container (1), a heating device (13), a pump (16) and a drive motor (14) for the drum (2), according to which method, in a rinsing phase having one or more rinsing steps following a washing phase, at least in the last rinsing step after the last portion of rinsing water is added to the liquor container (1) and the laundry (7) is rinsed through, (a) the pump (16) is switched on and a free detergent solution (6) situated in the liquor container (1) is pumped out; (b) the pump (16) is then switched off and the drum (2) is operated at a spin speed ω1 with the pump (16) switched off in order to reduce the moisture content of the damp laundry (7) from step (a) and to collect the water driven out in the process in the liquor container (1), such that for the quantity of water q in the liquor container, q = qcol; (c) if the quantity of water collected in step (b) is qcol < qset, the liquor container (1) is filled up with water from the water supply (8, 9) until q ≥ qset for the quantity of water q in the liquor container (1); (d) the quantity of water q in the liquor container (1) is heated to a predefined temperature Tset; (e) the heated water from step (d) is distributed in the laundry (7); and (f) the drum (2) is operated at a spin speed ω2 in order to drive heated water distributed in the laundry (7) from step (e) out of the laundry (7) and pump it away. The invention further relates to a washing machine suitable for carrying out the method.