Heating assembly for a washing appliance

• US 10,638,911 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2017
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Inventors: Thiyagarajan, Ramasamy, Hofmann, Adam Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Douglas
• Application Number:
  US15/664,304
• Publication Number:
  US 20190029492A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/22 Rotary spraying devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4221 Arrangements for redirection of washing water, e.g. water diverters to selectively supply the spray arms A47L15/0078 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4225 Arrangements or adaption of recirculation or discharge pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4285 Water-heater arrangements steam generating arrangements A47L15/4234
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4291 Recovery arrangements, e.g. for the recovery of energy or water
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4293 Arrangements for programme selection, e.g. control panels; Indication of the selected programme, programme progress or other parameters of the programme, e.g. by using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/46 Devices for the automatic control of the different phases of cleaning ; Controlling devices A47L15/449 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/502 Cutlery baskets
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/507 Arrangements for extracting racks, e.g. roller supports
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/02 in which the medium condenses and evaporates, e.g. heat pipes heat pipes used in solar heat collectors F24S10/95; in radiators F28D1/0226; in nuclear reactors G21C15/257
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/025 having non-capillary condensate return means
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/0275 Arrangements for coupling heat-pipes together or with other structures, e.g. with base blocks; Heat pipe cores

Abstract

A dishwashing appliance includes a tub defining a wash chamber. The dishwashing appliance also includes a fluid circulation system configured to deliver fluid to the wash chamber. The fluid circulation system includes a heating element in operative communication with at least one component of the fluid circulation system. The dishwashing appliance also includes a heat pipe heat exchanger having a condenser section and an evaporator section. The condenser section is in operative communication with the wash chamber and the evaporator section is in operative communication with the heating element of the fluid circulation system.

Claims

1. A dishwashing appliance, comprising:

a tub defining a wash chamber;

a fluid circulation system configured to deliver fluid to the wash chamber, the fluid circulation system comprising a pump and a heating element integrated with the pump; and

a heat pipe heat exchanger comprising a condenser section and an evaporator section, the condenser section in operative communication with the wash chamber, the evaporator section at least partially surrounding the pump and heating element of the fluid circulation system.

2. The dishwashing appliance of claim 1, wherein the tub is in fluid communication with an ambient environment around the dishwashing appliance via an inlet, and the condenser section of the heat pipe heat exchanger is proximate the inlet upstream of the wash chamber with respect to a flow direction of air flowing from the ambient environment into the wash chamber via the inlet.

3. The dishwashing appliance of claim 2, further comprising an intake fan proximate the inlet configured to urge air from the ambient environment through the inlet.

4. The dishwashing appliance of claim 1, further comprising a cabinet, the tub positioned within the cabinet, the heating element positioned in a machinery compartment outside of the tub within the cabinet.

5. The dishwashing appliance of claim 1, wherein the heating element is an inline heating element integrated with the pump.

6. The dishwashing appliance of claim 1, wherein the heat pipe heat exchanger comprises a sealed casing and a working fluid contained within the sealed casing.

7. The dishwashing appliance of claim 6, wherein the dishwashing appliance defines a vertical direction, the condenser section of the heat pipe heat exchanger positioned above the evaporator section of the heat pipe heat exchanger along the vertical direction such that condensed working fluid flows from the condenser section to the evaporator section by gravity.

8. The dishwashing appliance of claim 6, wherein the heat pipe heat exchanger comprises a first plurality of fins on an external surface of the casing at the condenser section and a second plurality of fins on the external surface of the casing at the evaporator section.

9. The dishwashing appliance of claim 6, wherein the working fluid comprises water.

10. The dishwashing appliance of claim 6, wherein the sealed casing comprises a copper material.

11. The dishwashing appliance of claim 6, further comprising an internal wick structure positioned in the heat pipe heat exchanger to transport the working fluid from the condenser section to the evaporator section by capillary flow.