Patent Application
20110036556
This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to European application EP 09010370.6, filed Aug. 12, 2009.
The present invention relates to a tumble dryer with a heat pump system. Further, the present invention relates to method for controlling a heat pump system.
For a tumble dryer, the heat pump technology is a very efficient way to save energy. A usual tumble dryer with heat pump technology uses a reciprocating fixed speed compressor for the refrigerant circuit. This type of compressor has several disadvantages. The design of the compressor is very complex. This compressor is very big and needs a large space. Such a compressor works in an on/off-mode, so that the operating parameters of said compressor cannot be controlled during the operation.
DE 10 2005 041 145 A1 discloses a tumble dryer with a heat pump system. The refrigerant circuit of said heat pump system includes a compressor with a variable power output. The power output of the compressor depends either on detected parameters or on a predetermined scheme.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a tumble dryer with a heat pump system and a method for controlling a heat pump system for a tumble dryer, which allow an additional saving of energy.
The above-stated object of the present invention may be achieved by a tumble dryer as described herein.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a central processing unit is provided, which is arranged to evaluate the time development of a physical parameter, and which reduces the rotation speed of a compressor according to the evaluation of the time development of the physical parameter. A control unit for controlling the rotation speed of the compressor can be part of the central processing unit.
A physical parameter is selected whose time development is an indicator for the time development of the dryness of the laundry. Thus, the evaluation of its time development allows to detect an increasing dryness of the laundry, and according to the increasing dryness, the rotation speed of the compressor is reduced, e.g. continuously or gradually or in one or more steps.
A main idea of an aspect of the present invention is the reduction of the rotation speed of the compressor when the water content in the laundry decreases. The time development of one or more physical parameters corresponding with the dryness of the laundry is a suitable and efficient criterion for controlling the rotation speed of the compressor. Often the values of such physical parameters change abruptly, when the laundry becomes drier. Thus, the increasing dryness of the laundry is recognized by means of said physical parameters and the rotation speed of the compressor can be reduced. The reduced rotation speed of the compressor is sufficient and saves energy, since the excess of energy could not be used and would be lost. That phase of the drying procedure, in which the water content of the laundry is clearly reduced, is referred as a residual drying phase.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a first heat exchanger is formed as a condenser of the heat pump system and a second heat exchanger is formed as an evaporator of the heat pump system.
For example, the physical parameter is the difference between the temperature of the air stream at the drum inlet of the air stream and the temperature of the air stream at the drum outlet of the air stream. The difference between the temperature at the drum inlet and the temperature at the drum outlet decreases with the increasing dryness of the laundry.
Alternatively, or additionally, the physical parameter may be the temperature of the air stream at the air outlet of the second heat exchanger. The temperature at the air outlet of the second heat exchanger also decreases with the increasing dryness of the laundry.
Further, the physical parameter may be the difference between the temperature of the air stream at the air inlet of the second heat exchanger (which is identical or at least comparable to the temperature of the air stream at the drum outlet for the air stream, thus, this temperature could also be used) and the temperature at the air outlet of the second heat exchanger. The difference between the temperature at the air inlet and the temperature at the air outlet of the second heat exchanger increases with the increasing dryness of the laundry.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the physical parameter is the electrical impedance of the laundry within the drum. The electrical impedance of laundry within the drum increases with the increasing dryness of the laundry.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the physical parameter is the temperature of the refrigerant in the refrigerant outlet of the second heat exchanger. Said temperature decreases with the increasing dryness of the laundry.
Further, the physical parameter may be the relative humidity of the drying air within the drum. The relative humidity of the drying air within the drum decreases with the increasing dryness of the laundry.
In particular, at least one sensor for detecting the relative humidity of the drying air may be arranged within the drum and/or at the drum outlet.
The aforementioned object of the present invention may be further achieved by a method for controlling a heat pump system for a tumble dryer.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for a tumble dryer with at least one heat pump system comprising an air stream circuit including at least one drum for receiving laundry to be dried, at least one refrigerant circuit including at least one compressor with a variable rotation speed, a first heat exchanger for a thermal coupling between the air stream circuit and the refrigerant circuit and a second heat exchanger for a further thermal coupling between the air stream circuit and the refrigerant circuit. In particular, the method may be applied to a tumble dryer according to the invention, as described above.
A method according to an aspect of the invention comprises the following steps:
A physical parameter may be selected whose time development is an indicator for the time development of the dryness of the laundry. Thus, the evaluation of its time development allows detection of an increasing dryness of the laundry, and according to the increasing dryness, the rotation speed of the compressor is reduced, e.g. continuously or gradually or in one or more steps.
A main idea of an aspect of the inventive method is the reduction of the rotation speed of the compressor when the water content in the laundry decreases. The time development of one or more physical parameters corresponding with the dryness of the laundry is a suitable and efficient criterion for controlling the rotation speed of the compressor. Often such kinds of physical parameters are changed abruptly, when the laundry becomes drier. Thus, the increasing dryness of the laundry is recognized by means of said physical parameters and the rotation speed of the compressor is reduced. The reduced rotation speed of the compressor is sufficient for the further drying procedure and saves energy, since the excess of additional energy could not be used and would be lost.
For example, the physical parameter is the difference between the temperature of the air stream at the drum inlet of the air stream and the temperature of the air steam at the drum outlet of the air stream, which difference decreases with the increasing dryness of the laundry.
Alternatively or additionally, the physical parameter may be the temperature of the air stream at the air outlet of the second heat exchanger, which temperature also decreases with the increasing dryness of the laundry.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the physical parameter may be the difference between the temperature of the air stream at an air inlet of the second heat exchanger and the temperature of the air stream at the air outlet of the second heat exchanger, which difference increases with the increasing dryness of the laundry.
Further, the physical parameter may be the electrical impedance of the laundry within the drum, which electrical impedance increases with the increasing dryness of the laundry.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention the physical parameter is the temperature of the refrigerant in the refrigerant outlet of the second heat exchanger, which temperature decreases with the increasing dryness of the laundry.
In a preferred embodiment, the method according to the present invention provides for a reduction of rotation speed of the compressor after a delay time interval (DTI) has elapsed from the detection of the maximum temperature value of the refrigerant at evaporator outlet.
Further, the physical parameter may be the relative humidity of the drying air within the drum. The relative humidity of the drying air within the drum decreases with the increasing dryness of the laundry.
In particular, in one embodiment, at least one sensor for detecting the relative humidity of the drying air is arranged within the drum and/or at the drum outlet.
The invention will be described in further detail with reference to the drawings, in which:
The drum 12 is an integrated part of the air stream circuit 10. The drum 12 is provided for receiving laundry. In a similar way, the compressor 16 is an integrated part of the refrigerant circuit 14. The air stream circuit 10 and the refrigerant circuit 14 are thermally coupled by the first heat exchanger 18 and the second heat exchanger 20. The first heat exchanger works as a condenser 18. The second heat exchanger works as an evaporator 20. The control unit 22 is provided for controlling the compressor 16. In particular, the control unit 22 is provided for controlling the rotation speed of the compressor 16.
Further, the tumble dryer may comprise several kinds of sensor elements, which are not shown in
In the air stream circuit 10, the air stream is generated by at least one fan, which is not shown in
A refrigerant flows in the refrigerant circuit 14. In
During a warm up phase 40, the temperatures TDI, TDO and TEO increase. At the end of the warm up phase 40 the temperature TDI at the drum inlet 11 is plainly higher than the temperature TDO and TEO at the drum outlet 11 and evaporator out-let 11, respectively. The temperature TDO at the drum outlet 11 and the temperature TEO at the evaporator outlet 11 remain substantially within the same order of magnitude at the end of the warm up phase 40.
During a main drying phase 42, the differences between the temperature TDI on the one hand and the temperatures TDO and TEO on the other hand are substantially maintained. In the main drying phase 42 all the temperatures TDI, TDO and TEO increase slowly.
During a residual drying phase 44, the temperatures TDI and TEO remain substantially constant, while the temperature TDO increases in a relevant way. In the residual drying phase 44 the moisture of the laundry in the drum 12 is reduced, since the energy introduced into the drum 12 by the air stream is not completely used for extracting the water from the laundry. Thus, the unused energy causes the increase of temperature in the air stream.
During a cooling phase 46, the temperatures TDI, TDO and TEO reach at last their original values.
The temperature difference between TDI and TDO in the main drying phase 42 is about 20° C. This means that a huge part of the heat carried by the air stream is effectively used to extract the water from the laundry. However, this does not happen in the subsequent residual drying phase 44, in which the temperature difference between TDI and TDO sinks down to about 5° C. The air stream does not exchange such an amount of heat with the water in the laundry and keeps most of its energy content, which results in the increased temperature TDO. This energy cannot be used and is effectively lost.
The decreasing temperature difference between TDI and TDO could also be considered as an increasing temperature difference between TDO and TEO. Both temperature differences can be used as parameters for controlling the drying process. In particular, the flow rate of the refrigerant circuit 14 can be controlled by setting up the rotation speed of the compressor 16.
The rotation speed of the compressor 16 can be controlled in dependence of the temperature of the air stream. During the warm up phase 40, the rotation speed of the compressor 16 is usually set at its maximum value in order to speed up the heating up of the refrigerant circuit 14.
During the main drying phase 42 different concepts for controlling the rotation speed of the compressor 16 can be used in order to privilege the drying time or the energy consumption. In the main drying phase 42 the temperature difference between TDI and TDO remains almost constant.
The beginning of the residual drying phase 44, in which the temperature difference between TDI and TDO decreases rapidly, can be identified by the detected temperature TDO or by the detected temperature difference between TDO on the one hand and TDI or TEO on the other hand. At the beginning of the residual drying phase 44, the rotation speed of the compressor 16 is reduced in order to decrease the energy given to the air stream circuit 10. Thus, only that energy, which can really be used for drying the last part of the laundry, is input to the air stream circuit 10.
In particular, the following detected or detectable parameters can be used for control-ling the rotation speed of the compressor 16:
the temperature TDO at the drum air outlet 26,
The aforementioned differences between TDI and TDO or between TDO and TEO, respectively, are more precise, since the beginning of the residual drying phase 44 is more clearly recognizable.
The difference ΔT between the temperature TEI at the evaporator air inlet 28 and the temperature TEO at the evaporator air outlet 30 during the warm up phase 40 and particularly during the main drying phase 42 do not show any extraordinary behaviour. However, the difference between the temperatures TEI and TEO increases rapidly during the residual drying phase 44.
The difference ΔT between the temperature TDI at the drum inlet 24 and the temperature TDO at the drum outlet 26 as function of the time t is substantially constant during the main drying phase 42 and decreases in the residual drying phase 44.
The temperature TEI at the evaporator air inlet 28, as function of the time t, substantially increases during the main drying phase 42 and the residual drying phase 44. However, the temperature TEO at the evaporator air outlet 30 as function of the time t increases during the main drying phase 42 and decreases in the residual drying phase 44.
Thus, the functions shown in
Such diagrams of temperatures or differences of temperatures as a function of the time t may be kept as a feedback reference to introduce always the optimum energy level by recognizing the beginning of the residual drying phase 44 and changing the rotation speed of the compressor 16.
Further, a minimum value for the rotation speed of the compressor 16 can be set over the rotation speed range of the compressor 16.
The aim of controlling the rotation speed of the compressor 16 is to avoid fluctuations of the temperatures and of the differences of temperatures. Said temperatures, and the differences of temperatures, should be kept constant as much as possible. The control of the rotation speed of the compressor 16 allows, during the residual drying phase 44, the same or a similar developing of the temperatures and differences of temperatures as in the main drying phase 42.
There is only a slowly increasing electrical impedance Z in the main drying phase 42. However, during the residual drying phase 44, the electrical impedance Z increases rapidly. The electrical impedance Z of the laundry provides a further way to recognize the beginning of the residual drying phase 44.
In this case, the tumble dryer may have a set of electrodes within the drum 12 or at the drum inlet 24 or drum outlet 26, in order to detect the conductivity and/or the resistance of the laundry inside the drum 12. The conductivity and the resistance of the laundry are a property depending on the dryness of the laundry. The electrical impedance Z of the laundry is always increasing during the drying procedure. In practice, the laundry closes an electrical circuit comprising different metallic sensors contacting the clothes and electrically insulated one from the other such as different portions of the metallic drum, metallic part of the lifters and parts of the drum, different parts of the lifters, electrodes adapted to contact the laundry arranged at the clothes loading/unloading opening and portions of the drum and different electrodes.
The refrigerant temperature TF at the refrigerant outlet of the evaporator 20 as a function of the time t is similar to the function of the temperature TEO of the air stream at the evaporator air outlet 30 in
In detail, the refrigerant temperature TF tends to increase after the drying cycle has been started due to the thermal load of the evaporation water that releases heat to the refrigerant thereby causing the latter to became gas and at the same time superheating the part of the refrigerant already in gas phase. When the thermal load associated with the air in the evaporator 20 decreases, i.e. there is not enough water since the laundry is becoming less and less wet, the heat released is not sufficient to keep superheating the refrigerant so that the refrigerant temperature tends to decrease after having reached a maximum value. It has been noted that the beginning of the residual drying phase 44, in which the temperature difference between TDI and TDO starts to de-crease, occurs after a Delay Time Interval DTI has elapsed from the moment in which the refrigerant temperature TF tends to decrease (after the maximum value has been reached).
Hence, an embodiment of a method according to the present invention provides that the reduction of the rotation speed of the compressor is preferably performed after a Delay Time Interval DTI has elapsed from the detection, during the drying cycle, of the temperature maximum value of the refrigerant at the outlet of the evaporator 20.
An accurate data analysis on different tumble dryers with the variable speed compressor at different levels of input power has shown that a double filtering process may give a feedback signal, in which the time difference between the result of the evaluation of the refrigerant temperature TF and the result of the evaluation of the air stream temperature difference mentioned above is very similar, and allows to make the two signals and their evaluation correspond. Said double filtering process is performed two times by a first order filter with the same time constant. Thus, it is possible to de-fine a common control logic for the reduction of the rotation speed of the compressor 16. It is clear that alternative filtering process can be employed to achieve similar results, for example a single filtering process with an appropriate time constant or any other filtering processes of common techniques.
According to
The above physical parameters as functions of the time are suitable to recognize the beginning of the residual drying phase 44. Then, the rotation speed of the compressor 16 is reduced, so that energy can be saved.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, weighting sensor means are pro-vided to determine the amount of the laundry (e.g., clothes) loaded inside the drum and in response to said detection the control unit adjusts the rotation speed of the compressor accordingly. For example, in the case of a half-load detected by the weighting sensor means with respect to the full-load capacity of the drum, the control unit is adapted to decrease the rotation speed of the compressor when compared to the rotation speed used for a full-load cycle. As an alternative or in addition, the data relating to the amount of the clothes can be inputted directly or selected by the user into the control unit at the control panel, and in particular a half-load drying cycle can be selectable.
Additionally, or in alternative to the above, the weighting sensor means are adapted to detect the decreasing of the weight of the clothes due to the water evaporation during the drying cycle and to transmit the data relating to the weight variation to the control unit which in turn adjusts the rotation speed of the compressor so that the rotation speed decreases while the clothes weight decreases.
In other words, according to the present invention, the method for controlling a variable rotation speed compressor comprises detecting the decreasing of the weight of the clothes due to the water evaporation during the drying cycle, and in response to the weight variation, controlling the rotation speed of the compressor so that the rotation speed decreases while the clothes weight decreases.
Although an illustrative embodiment of the present invention has been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various other changes and modifications may be affected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. All such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09010370.6 | Aug 2009 | EP | regional |
