Heat pump clothes dryer
First Claim
1. A drying apparatus comprising:
- a chamber for containing articles to be dried;
means for supplying heated dry air at a first temperature to said chamber;
said air supplying means comprising an air flow pathway having means for removing moisture from air exiting said chamber and for decreasing the temperature of said air to below dew point temperature;
said air flow pathway further having means for increasing the temperature of said air exiting said moisture removing means to said first temperature;
a heat pump system comprising means for passing a refrigerant in a liquid state through said temperature increasing means, means for controlling refrigerant mass flow and for converting said refrigerant from said liquid state to a liquid/vapor state, and means for passing said refrigerant in said liquid/vapor state through said moisture removing means to convert said refrigerant into a vapor state;
a drum; and
a blower for causing flow of said air through said air flow pathway and a wet air heatsink means for removing moisture from air exiting said drum.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A drying apparatus for drying articles such as clothing is provided. The drying apparatus includes a chamber for containing articles to be dried and a system for supplying heated dry air at a first temperature to the chamber. The air supplying system comprises an air flow pathway having an evaporator for removing moisture from air exiting the chamber and for decreasing the temperature of the air to below dew point temperature. The air supply system further has a condenser for increasing the temperature of the air exiting the evaporator to the first temperature. The drying apparatus further has a heat pump system having a refrigerant loop which includes a compressor, the condenser, a TEV valve, and the evaporator.
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Citations
93 Claims
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1. A drying apparatus comprising:
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a chamber for containing articles to be dried;
means for supplying heated dry air at a first temperature to said chamber;
said air supplying means comprising an air flow pathway having means for removing moisture from air exiting said chamber and for decreasing the temperature of said air to below dew point temperature;
said air flow pathway further having means for increasing the temperature of said air exiting said moisture removing means to said first temperature;
a heat pump system comprising means for passing a refrigerant in a liquid state through said temperature increasing means, means for controlling refrigerant mass flow and for converting said refrigerant from said liquid state to a liquid/vapor state, and means for passing said refrigerant in said liquid/vapor state through said moisture removing means to convert said refrigerant into a vapor state;
a drum; and
a blower for causing flow of said air through said air flow pathway and a wet air heatsink means for removing moisture from air exiting said drum. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 41, 42, 43, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 60, 61, 64, 65, 66, 93)
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6-11. -11. (canceled)
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12. A drying apparatus comprising:
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a chamber for containing articles to be dried;
means for supplying heated dry air at a first temperature to said chamber;
said air supplying means comprising an air flow pathway having means for removing moisture from air exiting said chamber and for decreasing the temperature of said air to below dew point temperature;
said air flow pathway further having means for increasing the temperature of said air exiting said moisture removing means to said first temperature;
a heat pump system comprising means for passing a refrigerant in a liquid state through said temperature increasing means, means for controlling refrigerant mass flow and for converting said refrigerant from said liquid state to a liquid/vapor state, and means for passing said refrigerant in said liquid/vapor state through said moisture removing means to convert said refrigerant into a vapor state; and
wherein said heat pump system includes a compressor and means for removing heat substantially equal to a power consumption of said compressor from said refrigerant exiting said temperature increasing means so that said refrigerant enters said refrigerant mass flow controlling means at a significant lower enthalpy. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14-22. -22. (canceled)
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25. (canceled)
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31-40. -40. (canceled)
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44-45. -45. (canceled)
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53-59. -59. (canceled)
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62-63. -63. (canceled)
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67-71. -71. (canceled)
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72. A washing apparatus comprising:
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a washing chamber;
means for supplying heated water to said washing chamber, said heated water supplying means comprising a first heat storage device having a heat exchanger device and inlet means for receiving water;
means for draining heated water from said washing chamber and passing heat from said heated water to a drain side heat storage device; and
a heat pump system for transferring heat from said drain side heat storage device to said first heat storage device. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81)
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- 82. A drying chamber for use in a drying system comprising a stationary drum and a plurality of rotating vane means for tumbling said articles to be dried, wherein said rotating vane means are supported by a plurality of annular rings.
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85. (canceled)
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92. A drying apparatus comprising:
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a chamber for containing articles to be dried;
means for supplying heated dry air at a first temperature to said chamber;
said air supplying means comprising an air flow pathway having means for removing moisture from air exiting said chamber and for decreasing the temperature of said air to below dew point temperature;
said air flow pathway further having means for increasing the temperature of said air exiting said moisture removing means to said first temperature; and
a heat pump system comprising means for passing a water refrigerant in a liquid state through said temperature increasing means, means for controlling refrigerant mass flow and for converting said water refrigerant from said liquid state to a liquid/vapor state, and means for passing said water refrigerant in said liquid/vapor state through said moisture removing means to convert said water refrigerant into a vapor state.
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Specification