EP0548386A1 - Method and device for cleaning the exhaust air of a drum laundry drier - Google Patents

Abstract

A method and a device for cleaning lint and/or the like from the steam-laden air discharged from the laundry drum of a laundry drier are proposed. In a circulating-air laundry drier for example, the lint-laden air (13) issuing from the laundry drum (14) is introduced into a condenser (17') and then into a water-filled siphon (20) of a condensation-water circuit (12), and the lint (40,41) is transferred from the air to the water. The cleaned air, after passing through the condenser and the siphon, is conveyed by means of a fan through the heating system and to the drum again. The lint accumulated in the siphon and the lint (41) washed off from the wall of the siphon or of the condenser by means of water (43) are diverted via an overflow (26) into an intermediate vessel (28) and from there are pumped off into the condensation-water container (35) or into the drainage system by means of a pump (33). The cleaned condensation water is pumped out of a second stage (30) of the intermediate vessel (28) into the circuit by means of a pump (32). Condensation water is fed to the condensation-water circuit (12) via the air (13) in the siphon and condenser (17) and is discharged in a correspondingly equal quantity, together with the lint (40, 41), by means of the pump (33). <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a method and a device for cleaning the steam-laden air discharged from the laundry drum of a tumble dryer from fluff and / or the like, and to collecting and automatically removing the fluff.

The heated, dry air passed through the drum of a tumble dryer not only absorbs moisture but also fluff as it passes through the laundry to be dried. In order to prevent the lint from accumulating in unsuitable places in the device (housing, air duct, condenser, exhaust air or recirculation fan, heating device, etc.) and to contaminate it, it is known to pass the air stream emerging from the laundry drum of the tumble dryer through a lint filter to lead to where the lint accumulating during drying is collected. The fluff filter must be cleaned regularly after each drying process. If this is forgotten, it can happen, depending on the type of laundry to be dried, that the fluff filter clogs up after a few drying processes, so that the strength of the air flow decreases and the air flow sometimes even comes to a complete standstill.

It is therefore necessary that the person operating the clothes dryer regularly monitors the fluff filter and cleans it of the fluff deposited on the filter. Neglecting this important process results in the significant disadvantages described above and possibly leads to the complete failure of the tumble dryer. It is difficult or not at all possible to filter out microfluids through the fluff filter. They are particularly deposited in the blower, so that the air flow is again reduced - with the consequences already described.

The invention is therefore based on the object of providing a method and a device of the type mentioned at the outset, by means of which the air emerging from the laundry drum of a tumble dryer is continuously cleaned of fluff, including the microfluid and / or the like, the collected Components are automatically collected and removed.

To achieve the object, it is proposed according to method claim 1 that the air to be cleaned is brought into contact with a liquid with the lint contained therein and the lint is thereby transferred from the air to the liquid and that the lint is continuously removed with the liquid will. In an advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, the contact of the air with the liquid can be produced by sweeping over a large, moist surface which is provided with a small adhesion to the liquid, the surface advantageously being able to be oriented such that the liquid together with the fluff by gravity can be easily removed. For example, the moist surface can be formed by the walls of a condenser, which is installed, for example, in the door of a clothes dryer is so that fluff transferred to the condensate can flow off together with the condensate in a vertical direction and can be collected.

However, it is also conceivable that the air is brought into contact with the liquid by passing the air through the liquid. The liquid can be water, in the case of a forced-air dryer, condensed water. When the moist air is passed through this water, the fluff is transferred to the water and fed with the water to a collecting or collecting device, from which the fluff is continuously removed together with the water. As a result, the fluff is removed from the vapor-laden air automatically, so to speak, and no special monitoring by the operator is required. It may also be the case that part of the water is conducted in a closed circuit, and the fluff which is deposited on the walls in the circuit is rinsed off.

Advantageously, the process according to the invention ensures that condensate is fed to the water circuit via the air discharged from the drum and via the condenser of a circulating air dryer and that condensate is removed in the same amount from the water circuit or that this water is used in the case of an exhaust air dryer is fed from the outside.

According to the device proposed for performing the method according to the invention, it is proposed that a device for cleaning the air emerging from the drum from fluff and / or the like is provided downstream of the drum of the tumble dryer, which is flushed with water such that the Fluff are absorbed by the water, and that a collecting device is provided downstream of the air cleaning device, from which the fluff and / or the like are continuously removed. With an exhaust air dryer the water is supplied from the outside, while in a circulating air dryer the water is supplied via the condenser of the dryer in the form of water condensed in the condenser. According to an advantageous variant, the air cleaning device can be formed, for example, by a condenser of the tumble dryer itself, in that the walls of the condenser are flown with the fluff by the steam-laden air discharged from the tumble dryer of the tumble dryer, so that the fluff with the condensed water collects on the walls and with the outflowing condensate to a collection facility.

According to a further advantageous exemplary embodiment of the invention, it can also be provided that the air cleaning device has a siphon, which is arranged in the condensation water circuit of the clothes dryer. The steam-laden air, which still contains fluff, is introduced at one leg of the siphon and is discharged at the other leg in the region of the connection for the condensed water. The siphon has an overflow in the area of the condensation water level on the air-side leg, which is connected to a collecting or collecting device and via which the condensation water and lint are continuously removed.

However, it is also conceivable that both the air cleaning device having the siphon and the air cleaning device described above, formed by the condenser, are used simultaneously, depending on the on-site requirements, it can be advantageous that the condenser between the washing drum and the Siphon having air cleaning device or is arranged behind the latter. From the condenser, the air passes through a fan that maintains the air circuit to the heating system, where it is heated to a predetermined temperature before it is returned to the drum.

Since some fluff with subsequent air is flushed onto the walls of the siphon and remains there, it is advisable that the siphon walls are permanently rinsed off and the fluff is fed to the overflow. This ensures in an advantageous manner that all lint is drained off via the overflow and that clean air always reaches the condenser system downstream. In the case of a condenser arranged between the air cleaning device and the laundry drum, the majority of the fluff is already deposited in the condenser on the walls of the condenser and rinsed off by the condensed water. Therefore, only a relatively small amount of fluff is left in the siphon, e.g. transfer the microfluids to the condensation water circuit and divert them into the collection or collection device, from which they are continuously discharged into the condensation water container or into the sewage system.

So that the water level in the siphon on both sides of the siphon is kept at a constant level, it is provided that there is always sufficient water. In a circulating air dryer, the amount of water removed from the circuit should correspond to the amount of condensed water supplied by the air. This ensures that a large part of the fluff in the siphon can be drained off via the overflow and that the fluff which is entrained with the escaping air and settles on the wall of the siphon is rinsed off by the water of the condensed water circuit and also discharged via the overflow can be.

An intermediate vessel with a lint trap is advantageously located within the condensed water circuit. This tundish is connected to the overflow so that the fluff-laden condensate enters the tundish. The tundish is also connected to the water outlet of the condenser, so that condensed water on the one hand into the siphon via the steam-laden air and on the other hand introduced into the circuit via the condenser and discharged from the tundish into the sewage system or into the condensed water container. While the circulation of the condensed water is maintained by means of a conveying device, another conveying device serves to discharge the fluff-laden condensed water. The intermediate vessel is expediently designed in two stages, the conveyor for pumping out the fluff-laden condensate being arranged in a first somewhat higher stage and the conveyor for maintaining the condensed water circuit in a second somewhat lower stage. As a lint trap z. B. an intermediate wall can be provided between the two stages, which protrudes slightly above the bottom of the first stage, so that the fluff introduced into the first stage via the overflow can settle on the bottom of the first stage and from there via the conveyor can be pumped out. The condensation water overflowing the intermediate wall is conducted by the second pump in the area of the air outlet into the siphon, at which point it is ensured that the walls of the siphon are rinsed with water in order to rinse off the fluff which may have accumulated there.

While the circuit conveyor is in permanent operation during the drying process, the first stage pump can be switched on as required. The actuation time can be selected depending on the water level in the two stages by providing a float switch which switches on the feed pump of the first stage at a corresponding first water level and switches it off at a corresponding second water level.

Instead of the two conveying devices, which can advantageously be formed by centrifugal pumps, a two-stage centrifugal pump can also be provided, one stage of which works in the first stage of the intermediate vessel and whose other stage works in the second stage of the tundish.

The air cleaning device can be arranged, for example, in the door of a condensation dryer or in the floor area.

Due to the invention, a significantly more effective cleaning of the air from fluff and / or the like is possible than was previously possible with textile filters. Furthermore, the lint can be removed from the air circuit permanently and automatically, i. H. that the individual operating effort, as is necessary with today's fluff filter, is eliminated. Since the fluff is removed evenly from the air circuit during each drying process and is either continuously pumped into the sewage system or into the condensate container, so that it is automatically removed from the dryer with the condensed water when the container is emptied regularly, which results in a decrease in the performance of the dryer from clogging a lint trap no longer exist. This also eliminates the negative consequences that occur in connection with the clogging of a fluff filter, which can lead to the dryer failing.

Fig. 1

eine Schemazeichnung eines Umluft-Wäschetrockners mit einer Flusensammeleinrichtung;

Fig. 2

eine Schemazeichnung mit einer Luftreinigungsvorrichtung, eine Siphon umfassend, und

Fig. 3

eine Schemazeichnung, eine Luftreinigungsvorrichtung mit einem Siphon und einen Kondensator umfassend,

Fig. 4

einen vertikalen Teilschnitt durch einen Wäschetrockner mit einem Röhrenkondensator mit Kondenswasserbehälter, und

Fig. 5

einen schematischen Vertikalschnitt durch einen möglichen Siphon für Ablufttrockner.

Further features, details and advantages of the invention result from the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments with the aid of the schematic drawings. In it show:

Fig. 1

a schematic drawing of a convection dryer with a lint collecting device;

Fig. 2

a schematic drawing with an air cleaning device, comprising a siphon, and

Fig. 3

a schematic drawing comprising an air cleaning device with a siphon and a condenser,

Fig. 4

a vertical partial section through a clothes dryer with a tube condenser with a condensed water container, and

Fig. 5

a schematic vertical section through a possible siphon for exhaust air dryers.

In Fig. 1, the air circuit 1 of a schematically illustrated forced air dryer is shown. The steam-laden, moist air 2, which may contain textile fluff and / or the like, emerges from the laundry drum 3 of the tumble dryer and is fed into the upper connection of e.g. arranged in the door of the dryer arranged condenser 4. The tube condenser 4 has, in a manner known per se, a block of spaced-apart, perpendicular tubes through which cold air 5 flows. The warm, steam-laden air 2, which is essentially guided in cross flow to these tubes, is discharged at the lower end of the tube condenser and arrives as dry air via the heater 6, where it is heated to a predetermined temperature, to the drum 3 again maintain the fan 7.

The fluff in the warm, steam-laden air 2 settles together with the condensed water on the outside of the tubes of the tubular condenser and is rinsed out of the condensed water via the outlet 8 into the condensed water container 9 under the influence of gravity. However, it can also be provided that the condensed water is continuously drained off directly into the sewage system with the lint.

2, the air circuit 10 and the water circuit 12 of a circulating air dryer are shown schematically. The steam-laden warm air 13, which contains textile fluff or the like, emerges from the laundry drum 14 of a clothes dryer, not shown, passes through the water circuit 12 in the manner described below and emerges from the water circuit 12 as cleaned air 15 in the direction of the arrow. Here it can either be led into the free atmosphere or via a line 16 into a condenser 17, where the condensed water contained in the warm steam-laden air is condensed out. The dry air leaves the condenser 17 and flows through a heater 18, where it is heated to a predetermined temperature. After heating up, the dry, warm air returns to the laundry drum. The air circuit is maintained by a fan 19.

The condensed water circuit 12 is used to clean the air in circulation which exits the drum 14 of the tumble dryer, loaded with lint. For this purpose, a siphon 20 is arranged in the condensate water circuit 12, which has a leg 21 for supplying the lint-laden air 13 and a leg 22, in the upper region, at which the inlet of the water circuit 23 is located, an air outlet 24 is provided. In the area of the condensed water level 25 there is an overflow 26. This overflow 26 is connected via a pipeline 27 to an intermediate vessel 28 which is of two stages and has a first upper stage 29 and a second lower stage 30. There is an intermediate wall 31 between the two steps, which protrudes slightly above the floor level of the first step 29.

In the stage 30 there is a circulation pump 32 which maintains the water circuit 12. In stage 29 there is a condensate container filling pump 33 with which the lint-laden condensate is fed via a line 34 is pumped out into the condensate container 35. It is of course also conceivable that this line 34 opens directly into the sewage system, which is indicated by dashed lines.

The condenser 17 is connected to the intermediate vessel 28 via a condensate drain 36.

In the intermediate vessel 28 there is also a float switch 37 which switches the pump 33 on or off depending on a specific water level.

The device according to the invention works as follows. The warm, steam-laden and fluff-enriched air 13 emerges from the drum 14 and is introduced into the leg 21 of the siphon 20 into the condensed water circuit 12. It overcomes the pressure of the liquid column 39 in the leg 21 of the siphon and enters the leg 22. Most of the fluff 40 is washed out in the liquid column 49, but also entrained by air bubbles 42 rising upward. The fluff accumulating on the wall of the siphon 20 in the leg 22 is denoted by 41. The air bubbles rise up and exit at the air outlet 24, which is located in the area of the water circuit inlet 23. 43 shows spray water jets of the condensed water in the condensed water circuit 12, which are sprayed in the region of the water inlet 23 onto the wall of the siphon in order to rinse off the fluff 41. It can be seen that the emerging air bubbles 42 are directed towards the water jets 43, so that a good washing effect of the air is achieved. It also ensures that the fluff 40 and 41 reach the intermediate vessel 28 via the overflow 26, where they are collected in the first stage 29. In this case, the catching device is formed by the simple intermediate wall 31, since the water movement in the intermediate chamber has calmed down to such an extent that the fluff settles on the bottom of the chamber 29 and from the pump 33 with the condensed water can be pumped via line 34 into container 35.

The water cleaned from the fluff, which accumulates in the chamber 30, is conveyed back to the inlet 23 via the pump 32.

The system is dimensioned so that the amount of condensed water supplied to the water cycle corresponds to the amount of condensed water removed from the water cycle. The supply takes place on the one hand in the area of the liquid column 39 of the siphon 20, but mainly via the line 36 of the condenser 17 into the chamber 29. The discharge takes place from the chamber 29 by means of the float switch-controlled pump 33.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the air cleaning device comprising the siphon 20 is arranged between the drum 14 and the condenser 17, so that the air supplied to the condenser 17 is cleaned and fluff is hardly deposited on the outside of the tube walls can. Since this is a tube condenser, the tubes of which the cooling air flows are arranged essentially in a vertical direction, the condensed water precipitated from the warm, steam-laden air can flow along the outside of the tube in a vertical direction and rinse off the few fluff still present, so that they reach the intermediate container 28 via the line 36.

In the embodiment according to 3, the condenser 17 'is arranged between the washing drum 14 and the air cleaning device comprising the siphon 20 and in turn serves as an air cleaning device. This means that the major part of the fluff settles on the outer walls of the tubes of the tube condenser and these are rinsed off by the condensed water from the condensed water circuit 12 and via the condensed water outlet 36 'into the intermediate chamber 28 arrive. For this purpose, the line 44 of the condensed water circuit 12 has a branch 45 which is connected to the condenser 17 '. The condenser 17 'is connected to the intermediate vessel 28 via the outlet 36'. Lint still contained in the air 13 is precipitated in the siphon 20 and excreted into the intermediate vessel 28 via the line 40.

In Fig. 4 a section of a circulating air dryer with a tube condenser 4 with condensate collecting device 9 is shown schematically in vertical section. Here, cold air 5 is passed through the tubes of the tube condenser 4. Contrary to the flow direction of the cold air 5, steam and lint-laden air 2 enters the tube condenser 4. The moist air condenses on the outside of the tubes. The condensate picks up the fluff 41 and reaches the condensation water collecting device 9 via the outlet 8.

Fig. 5 shows a schematic cross section through a siphon 20, which is preferably used for an exhaust air dryer. As can be seen from the illustration, here the steam-laden air 13 enriched with fluff enters the siphon 20 from below and is passed through the water column 25 here. Here, the fluff 41 is transferred to the water. The dried and cleaned air leaves the siphon 20 via the air outlet 24, which is located at the top of the siphon arrangement. REFERENCE SIGN LIST 1 Air circuit 35 Condensed water container 2nd air 36.36 ' Condensate drain 3rd Laundry drum 37 Float switch 4th Tube capacitor 38 Water level 5 cold air 39 Liquid column 6 heater 40.41 Lint 7 fan 42 Air bubbles 8th procedure 43 Water jets 9 Condensed water container 44 management 9 ' Condensate trap 45 Junction 10th Air circuit 12th Water cycle 13 Air with lint 14 Laundry drum 15 cleaned air 16 management 17.17 ' capacitor 18th heater 19th fan 20th siphon 21 Leg air intake 22 leg 23 Water circuit inlet 24th Air outlet 25th Condensation level 26 Overflow 27th Pipeline 28 Intermediate vessel 29 first upper stage 30th second lower stage 31 Partition 32 Circulation pump 33 Condensed water tank filling pump 34 management

Claims (31)

Process for cleaning, collecting and removing the steam-laden air from fluff and / or the like discharged from the laundry drum of a tumble dryer, characterized in that the air to be cleaned is brought into contact with a liquid with the fluff (40, 41) contained therein and the lint is thereby transferred from the air to the liquid and the lint is continuously removed with the liquid. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the contact of the air with the liquid is produced by sweeping over a large, moist surface provided with a small adhesion to the liquid. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the moist surface is aligned in such a way that the liquid can be easily removed together with the fluff by gravity. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the air is directed against the moist surface, in particular the moist walls of the condenser (17, 17,) of a condensation clothes dryer. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the contact of the air with the liquid is made by passing the air through the liquid. Method according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the fluff (40, 41) and / or the like are fed with the liquid to a collecting device (28). Method according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the fluff (40, 41) and / or the like are fed with the liquid to a liquid circuit (12). A method according to claim 7, characterized in that the amount of liquid in the liquid circuit (12) is kept constant. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fluff which settles on the wall surfaces in a partial region of the liquid circuit is removed by liquid. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the liquid circuit (12) is passed through a siphon (20) provided with an overflow (26) and in that the fluff (40, 41) and / or the like in the siphon to the liquid circuit be handed over. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the liquid level (25) in the siphon (20) is kept at a constant level. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fluff (41) which settles on the wall in the air-side leg (22) of the siphon (20) is rinsed off with liquid (43) and discharged into the overflow (26). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fluff (40, 41) and / or the like are introduced with the condensed water into a condensed water circuit (12) of the clothes dryer. Method according to claim 13, characterized in that condensed water is fed to the water circuit (12) via the air (13) discharged from the drum (14) and via the condenser (17) of a circulating air dryer and that condensed water is in the same way to the water circuit (12) Quantity is taken. Method according to one of claims 1-12, characterized in that liquid is supplied from the outside to maintain the liquid circuit. Device for carrying out the method according to one of the preceding claims for a clothes dryer with at least one drum (14) for receiving laundry to be dried, a blower (19) for generating an air flow guided through the drum (14) and a heater (18) for Heating of the air flow, characterized in that a device for cleaning (17 ', 20) the air emerging from the drum from fluff (40, 41) and / or the like is provided downstream of the drum (14). Apparatus according to claim 16, characterized in that water is flushed through the air cleaning device in such a way that the fluff is absorbed by the water, and in that a collecting device (28) is provided downstream of the air cleaning device in the water circuit, from which the fluff and / or Like. Are continuously removed. Apparatus according to claim 16 or 17, characterized in that the air cleaning device is arranged in a condensation water circuit of a forced-air clothes dryer. Apparatus according to claim 16, characterized in that the air cleaning device (17 ') has a large, moist surface which is provided with a small adhesion to the water. Apparatus according to claim 19, characterized in that the large, moist surface is formed by the condenser of a condensation dryer. Apparatus according to claim 16 or 20, characterized in that the air cleaning device has a siphon (20) into which the air is introduced on one leg (21) and in the region of the connection (23) for the condensed water on the other leg (22) and which has an overflow (26) in the region of the condensation water level (25) of the leg (22) on the exhaust air side. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a conveying device (32) and an intermediate vessel (28) with a fluff trap (31) are provided in the condensed water circuit (12). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the overflow (26) is connected to the intermediate vessel (28). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the water outlet (36) of the condenser (17) on the intermediate vessel (28) and in the area of the fluff trap (22) a conveying device (33) connected to the condensation water container (35) or the sewage system ) are connected. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the intermediate vessel (28) is stepped and in each case a conveyor device (32, 33) is arranged in one step (29, 30). Device according to one of the preceding claims 17 to 24, characterized in that the intermediate vessel (28) is stepped and a two-stage conveying device is provided, each with one stage in one stage (29, 30) of the intermediate vessel (28). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fluff trap is formed by an overflow wall (31) delimiting an upper step (29) from a lower step (30) of the intermediate vessel (28) and in that the conveying device (33 ) are arranged in the upper stage (29) and the conveyor device (32) maintaining the condensed water circuit (12) is arranged in the lower stage (30). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the conveying devices (32, 33) are centrifugal pumps. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a float switch (37) which switches the pump (33) of the upper stage is provided in the intermediate vessel for regulating the water level. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the air cleaning device (20) is arranged in the door of a condensation clothes dryer. Device according to one of the preceding claims 17 to 40, characterized in that the air cleaning device (20) is arranged in the bottom region of a condensation clothes dryer.

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