Methods and apparatus to accelerate the drying of aqueous working fluids

• US 20060260065A1
• Filed: 05/23/2005
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Luckman, Joel A., Wright, Tremitchell L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,966,684 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 8/158
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 35/006 for washing or rinsing only
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 43/007 Dry cleaning methods
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 43/086 Recovering the solvent from the drying air current

Abstract

A method and apparatus for drying a fabric load which has been wetted with a working fluid including the steps of flowing drying gas through a container holding the fabric load, sensing the non-aqueous working fluid concentration and the aqueous working fluid concentration in the wash liquor or in the headspace above the fabric within the container and controlling drying in response to the sensed working fluid concentration.

Claims

1. An apparatus for laundering a fabric load comprising:

a. A wash container for receiving fabric to be cleaned and dried as well as working fluids;

b. Means for contacting the fabric with a working fluid;

c. Means for removing working fluid;

d. Means for flowing drying gas through said container means to dry fabric in situ;

e. A first sensor adapted to sense a non-aqueous working fluid concentration in said wash liquor or the headspace above the fabric within the wash container;

f. A second sensor adapted to sense an aqueous working fluid concentration in said wash liquor or the headspace above the fabric within the wash container;

g. At least one controller coupled to said first and second sensors to control a drying process.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said first sensor uses at least one of the following techniques:

pressure, turbidity, conductivity, infrared, ultrasonic, shaped electromagnetic fields (SEF), float sensing, laser deflection, petrotape/chemtape, electric field imaging, capacitive, humidity, non-dispersive infrared, solid state, acoustic wave, metal oxide semiconductors, pH, ionic strength, oxidation reduction potential, refractive index, or combinations thereof.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said second sensor involves at least one of the following techniques:

conductivity, humidity strips, thermisters, infrared, pressure, refractive index, or mixtures thereof.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said controller is adapted to add an aqueous fluid until said first and second or second sensor determines that an acceptable hand has been thoroughly returned to the fabric load.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said controller adds aqueous working fluid using a spraying nozzle, misting nozzle, or exposing the system to the environment.

6. A method for laundering a fabric comprising:

h. Disposing said fabric load in a container;

i. Contacting the fabric with a working fluid;

j. Removing working fluid;

k. Flowing drying gas through said container means to dry fabric in situ;

l. Sensing a non-aqueous working fluid concentration in said wash liquor or the headspace above the fabric within the container; and

m. Sensing an aqueous working fluid concentration in said wash liquor or the headspace above the fabric within the container.

7. The method as defined in claim 6 wherein said step of sensing non-aqueous working fluid concentration involves at least one of the following techniques:

pressure, turbidity, conductivity, infrared, ultrasonic, shaped electromagnetic fields (SEF), float sensing, laser deflection, petrotape/chemtape, electric field imaging, capacitive, humidity, non-dispersive infrared, solid state, acoustic wave, metal oxide semiconductors, pH, ionic strength, oxidation reduction potential, refractive index, or combinations thereof.

8. The method as defined in claim 6 wherein said step of sensing aqueous working fluid concentration involves at least one of the following techniques:

conductivity, humidity strips, thermisters, infrared, pressure, refractive index, or mixtures thereof.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of adding an aqueous fluid until an acceptable hand has been thoroughly brought back to the fabric.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of adding aqueous working fluid comprises utilizing a spraying nozzle, misting nozzle, or exposing the system to the environment.