WASTE HEAT RECOVERY AND STORAGE SYSTEM FOR A DISHWASHING APPLIANCE
First Claim
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1. A dishwashing appliance, comprising:
- a wash chamber for receipt of articles for washing;
a fluid discharge path for the removal of waste fluid from said wash chamber;
a heat storage chamber;
a heat storage phase change material contained in said heat storage chamber;
a first heat pipe having a first end in thermal communication with said heat storage chamber and a second end in thermal communication with said fluid discharge path; and
a first heat pipe phase change material contained in said first heat pipe and in thermal communication with said heat storage phase change material through the first end of said first heat pipe and in thermal communication with waste fluid in said fluid discharge path through the second end of said first heat pipe.
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Abstract
A dishwashing appliance is provided having features that allow for the recovery, storage, and use of heat energy present in fluids that have been used in a cycle of the appliance such as for washing or rinsing. Before or during the draining of such fluid from the appliance, the heat is captured as latent heat using a heat transfer pipe containing a phase change material. This heat can be transferred to another phase change material and stored as latent heat. The stored heat is then transferred to air or a clean fluid such as e.g., fresh water for use in another cycle of the appliance.
33 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A dishwashing appliance, comprising:
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a wash chamber for receipt of articles for washing; a fluid discharge path for the removal of waste fluid from said wash chamber; a heat storage chamber; a heat storage phase change material contained in said heat storage chamber; a first heat pipe having a first end in thermal communication with said heat storage chamber and a second end in thermal communication with said fluid discharge path; and a first heat pipe phase change material contained in said first heat pipe and in thermal communication with said heat storage phase change material through the first end of said first heat pipe and in thermal communication with waste fluid in said fluid discharge path through the second end of said first heat pipe. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of operating a dishwashing appliance, comprising:
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transferring heat from a waste fluid used for a wash or rinse cycle of the appliance to a heat pipe phase change material; absorbing heat from the waste fluid as latent heat energy used to change the state of the heat pipe phase change material; releasing heat from the heat pipe phase change material to a heat storage phase change material; and absorbing heat from the heat pipe phase change material as latent heat energy used to change the state of the heat storage phase change material. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification