Drying assembly and manufacturing method for the same

A dryer including an air condensing unit that can use cooling water to reduce air moisture by condensation in a non-contact manner. The air condensing unit includes a condensing duct and a hollow rib enclosed inside the condensing duct. During a drying process, cooling water flows through the hollow rib and, at the same time, air coming from the tub flows through the hollow rib and is cooled off by the cooling water. The cooled air exits the condensing duct and flows back to the tub after travelling through a drying duct that includes a heater. The external wall and/or internal wall of the rib has protrusions and depressions formed in a three-dimensional pattern to increase surface area.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to and benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2015-0086876, filed on Jun. 18, 2015, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to dryers, and more particularly, to air flow path configurations in dryers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In general, a drum-type washing machine has the dual functions of washing and drying laundry.

FIG. 1shows a configuration a drum-type washing machine. It includes a dryer30configured to capture moist air from a tub20and return high-temperature and dry air back into the tub20. The tub20includes a drum21for accommodating laundry.

The dryer30includes a condensing duct40with one side coupled to the tub20; a blast fan50coupled to the other side of the condensing duct40; and a drying duct60with one side coupled to the condensing duct40via the blast fan50and the other side coupled to the tub20. The drying duct60includes a heater70embedded therein. The moist air in the tub20is captured into the condensing duct40and is condensed and turned into low-temperature dry air. The condensed low-temperature dry air is transformed into high-temperature dry air by the heater70within the drying duct60. The high-temperature dry air is then introduced into the drying duct60via the blast fan50and supplied back to the tub20.

FIG. 2is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a condensing duct40in a conventional drum-type washing machine10shownFIG. 1. Damp air flows from the tub20to the condensing duct40through an inlet41and comes into contact with cooling water flowing in the condensing duct40. The damp air is cooled off by the cooling water and thus condensed. The damp air with reduced humidity is discharged to the drying duct60through an outlet42and the blast fan50.

In the condensing duct having the above-described structure, the contact time between the air and the cooling water may not be long enough to allow the air to be condensed sufficiently. To solve this problem, Korean Patent Laid-open publication No. 10-2012-0073583 discloses a technique of improving the drying effect by providing a bypass to increase a contact time between air flowing within the condensing duct and cooling water supplied into the condensing duct. The drawback to this technique is that the air and the cooling water come into direct contact with each other, and the cooling water may be drawn into the drying duct when the air is sucked into the drying duct from the condensing duct by the blast fan. However, the cooling water vapor may cause unwanted corrosion of various components, such as the blast fan, the drying duct and other components. Furthermore, the vapor may return to the tub through the blast fan and the drying duct and consequently counteract the drying efficiency.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments present disclosure provide a drying assembly capable of improving drying effect by increasing a contact area between air and cooling water while adopting a non-contact type drying mechanism. The air and the cooling water do not come into direct contact with each other. Thus, the drying assembly and adjacent components can be protected from being corroded by water vapor. Further, the present disclosure also provides a manufacturing method for the drying assembly.

However, the problems sought to be solved by the present disclosure are not limited to the above description and other problems can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a drying assembly, comprising a tub which contains wash water therein, a condensing duct coupled to one side of the tub and having therein an empty space through which air flows, an air inlet opening which is provided at one side of the condensing duct coupled to the tub, and through which the air is introduced into the condensing duct, an air outlet opening which is provided at the other side of the condensing duct opposite from the one side coupled to the tub, and through which the air is discharged out of the condensing duct, a blast fan provided at the other side of the condensing duct where the air outlet opening is provided, a drying duct one side of which is coupled to the blast fan and the other side of which is coupled to the tub, a heater provided within the drying duct; and a rib provided within the condensing duct and having therein a cavity into which the cooling water is introduced, wherein at least one of an external wall surface and an internal wall surface of the rib is formed to have a three-dimensional pattern to increase a surface area.

In this embodiment, the rib has a spiral shape.

In this embodiment, the three-dimensional pattern may be a repeated wave pattern or a repeated rectangular groove pattern.

In this embodiment, the rib may further include an inlet through which the cooling water is introduced into the cavity and an outlet through which the cooling water is discharged out of the cavity.

In this embodiment, the drying assembly may further comprise a cooling water storage unit including a storage tank for storing the cooling water therein, a cooling water injection port and a cooling water discharge port, wherein the cooling water is supplied into the cavity within the rib from the storage tank through the cooling water injection port which is coupled to the inlet of the rib, and the cooling water is discharged out into the storage tank from the cavity within the rib through the cooling water discharge port which is coupled to the outlet of the rib.

In accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a manufacturing method for a drying assembly comprises installing a rib having a cavity therein, and provided with an inlet through which cooling water is introduced into the cavity and an outlet through which the cooling water is discharged out of the cavity, and having an external wall surface and an internal wall surface at least one of which is formed to have a three-dimensional pattern to increase a surface area, installing a condensing duct having an empty internal space in which the rib is installed, and provided with an air inlet opening through which air is introduced and an air outlet opening through which the air is exhausted, connecting a tub to one side of the condensing duct where the air inlet opening is provided, and connecting a blast fan to the other side of the condensing duct where the air outlet opening is provided, and connecting one side of a drying duct equipped with a heater to the blast fan and the other side to the tub.

In this embodiment, the rib may be formed to have a spiral shape.

In this embodiment, the three-dimensional pattern may be a shape of a wave or a shape of projections.

In this embodiment, the manufacturing method may further comprise installing a cooling water storage unit which includes a storage, a cooling water injection port and a cooling water discharge port and is configured to circulate the cooling water through the cavity within the rib and installing the cooling water injection port to the inlet of the rib, and connecting the cooling water discharge port to the outlet of the rib.

According to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, by adopting the non-contact type drying mechanism in which the air and the cooling water do not come into direct contact with each other, the drying assembly and components around it can be protected from being corroded by moisture, and drying efficiency can be improved.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the invention will be described in conjunction with the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the invention to these embodiments. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, in the following detailed description of embodiments of the present invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the embodiments of the present invention. The drawings showing embodiments of the invention are semi-diagrammatic and not to scale and, particularly, some of the dimensions are for the clarity of presentation and are shown exaggerated in the drawing Figures. Similarly, although the views in the drawings for the ease of description generally show similar orientations, this depiction in the Figures is arbitrary for the most part. Generally, the invention can be operated in any orientation.

Drying Assembly and Manufacturing Method for the Same

FIG. 3illustrates the configuration of an exemplary drying assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.FIG. 4illustrates an exemplary condensing duct120of the drying assembly inFIG. 3with a rib150according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIG. 3andFIG. 4, the drying assembly100includes a tub110, the condensing duct120, a blast fan130, a drying duct140, a heater (not shown) and the rib150. During operation, the tub110contains wash water. A drum (not shown) for accommodating laundry therein is disposed within the tub110.

The condensing duct120has a hollow structure and has an air inlet opening121directing to the tub110and an air outlet opening122directing to the blast fan130. Damp air flows from the tub through the condensing duct120where it is converted to low-temperature dry air through condensation by cooling water. The low-temperature dry air is then discharged to the drying duct140via the blast fan130.

The blast fan130and the tub110are coupled to opposite sides of the condensing duct120. The blast fan130is configured to discharge the low-temperature dry air from the condensing duct120to the drying duct140.

The drying duct140has one side coupled to the blast fan130and the other side coupled to the tub110. The drying duct140is configured to convert the low-temperature dry air introduced by the blast fan130into high-temperature dry air and then discharge the high-temperature dry air into the tub110.

A heater (not shown) may be embedded in the drying duct140and serve to heat the air.

The rib150is hollow and disposed inside the condensing duct120and allows the cooling water to flow through. The rib150has an inlet151on one end for introducing the cooling water into its cavity153and an outlet152on the other hand for discharging the cooling water. The rib150may include a three-dimensional pattern formed on a wall surface, which advantageously enlarges the heat exchange area between the cooling water and the air.

The operation of the drying assembly100according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is described as follows. Moist air within the tub110is drawn into the condensing duct120by the blast fan130and condenses into low-temperature dry air through heat transfer with cooling water present inside the condensing duct120. The condensed low-temperature dry air is driven into the drying duct140by the blast fan130and turned into high-temperature dry air by the heater (not shown) inside the drying duct140. The blast fan130then draws the high-temperature dry air from the drying duct140back into the tub110.

FIG. 5AandFIG. 5Bshows cross sectional views of exemplary ribs disposed within the condensing duct ofFIG. 3andFIG. 4according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIG. 4andFIGS. 5A-5B. Damp air is introduced into the condensing duct120through its air inlet opening121and exchanges heat with cooling water flowing inside the rib150in a non-contact manner. That is, the air and the cooling water exchange heat with each other while the air is in contact with an external wall surface154of the rib150and the cooling water is in contact with an internal wall surface155of the rib150. As a result, the temperature of the air can decrease. The cooled air can contain less moisture compared to the air before being subjected to the cooling. Thus, the cooled air becomes dry. The low-temperature dry air obtained through this condensation process is then discharged into the drying duct140through the air outlet opening of the condensing duct120. Since the cavity153within the rib150in which the cooling water flows is isolated from the inside of the condensing duct120in which the air flows, the blast fan130does not draw the cooling water into the drying duct140when it draws the air from the condensing duct120into the drying duct140. As air flowing through the condensing duct does not encounter water vapor generated from the cooling water, the overall drying efficiency of the dryer can be improved. Furthermore, the blast fan140, the drying duct140and their adjacent components remain protected from corrosion that would have been caused by water vapor in the conventional art, as described above.

Particularly, as depicted inFIG. 5AandFIG. 5B, at least one of the external wall surface154and the internal wall surface155of the rib150have surface depressions and protrusions to enlarge the surface area. The protrusions or depressions may form a three-dimensional pattern, regular or irregular. The present disclosure is not limited by the number, size, shape, pattern of the protrusions and depressions and a rib.FIG. 5Ashows a wave pattern formed on both the internal and external wall surface155and154.FIG. 5Bshows a rectangular groove pattern formed on both the internal and external wall surface155and154.

According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a three-dimensional patterned external wall surface154can increase the contact area between the air flowing within the condensing duct120and the external wall surface154, as opposed to a wall surface without such a pattern. Similarly, a three-dimensional patterned internal wall surface155can increase the contact area between the cooling water flowing within the cavity153in the rib150and the internal wall surface155. As a result, a heat exchange area is increased, and drying efficiency is improved.

In some embodiments, the rib150has a spiral shape, as shown inFIG. 4. With this spiral shape, a heat exchange area between the cooling water flowing inside the rib150and the air flowing inside the condensing duct120can be increased, so that drying efficiency can be improved. In addition, the spiral shape prolongs heat exchange time, which further contributes to drying efficiency.

In this embodiment, the condensing duct120ofFIG. 4has the air inlet opening121on its lower portion and the air outlet opening122on its upper portion. In this configuration, the air flows upward (from the lower end of the condensing duct120toward the upper end) is impeded by its gravity, which further prolongs the time for the air travelling through the condensing duct12. Thus, the heat exchange time between the air and the cooling water inside the rib150also increases. As a result, drying efficiency can be further improved.

FIG. 6is a diagram illustrating an exemplary condensing duct coupled to a cooling water storage unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIG. 6, a cooling water storage unit160is installed within the condensing duct120and configured to supply cooling water into the rib150. The cooling water storage unit160includes: a storage tank161for storing cooling water; a cooling water injection port162coupled to the inlet151of the rib150; and a cooling water discharge port163coupled to the outlet152of the rib150. The cooling water stored in the storage tank161is supplied into the rib150through the cooling water injection port162. The supplied cooling water flows in the cavity153and is then discharged out into the storage tank161the rib150through the cooling water discharge port163which is coupled with the outlet152of the rib150.

In this embodiment, the cooling water injection port162is disposed on the lower end of the cooling water storage unit160, and the cooling water discharge port163is disposed on an upper end of the cooling water storage unit160. If the cooling water injection port162is located above the cooling water discharge port163, the cooling water introduced from the cooling water storage unit160into the rib150would flow downwards from the upper end of the rib150toward the lower end. If a flow rate of the cooling water is too low, some region in the cavity153may not be filled with the cooling water. As a consequence, heat exchange between the air and the cooling water within the condensing duct120may not be adequate. In this embodiment, however, since the cooling water supplied into the cavity153of the rib150from the cooling water storage unit160flows upwards from the lower end of the rib150toward the upper end, the entire region of the cavity153is filled with the cooling water. Thus, heat exchange between the air and the cooling water within the condensing duct120is efficient.

FIG. 7is a flowchart for describing an exemplary manufacturing method of a drying assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

To manufacture the drying assembly100according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a rib150is coupled with an inlet and an outlet used for water to flow into and out from the cavity153. (S100). The rib has an external wall surface154and an internal wall surface155. At least one the internal surface155and the external surface154has a three-dimensional pattern that contributes to increased surface area (S100). Then, a condensing duct120with the rib150disposed inside is installed (S200). The condensing duct120includes an air inlet opening121through which air is injected, and an air outlet opening122through which the air is discharged. Then, the tub110is coupled to the condensing duct120on the side where the air inlet opening121is disposed. The blast fan130is installed on the other side of the condensing duct120where the air outlet opening122is located (S300). Then, one side of the drying duct140including the heater (not shown) is coupled to the blast fan130, and the other end of the drying duct140is coupled to the tub110(S400).

According to one exemplary embodiment, the rib150may have a spiral shape. With this spiral shape, a heat exchange area between cooling water flowing in the cavity153of the rib150and the air flowing in the internal space of the condensing duct120can be increased, so that drying efficiency can be improved. In addition, the spiral shape generates resistance for the air flow on the surface of the rib. As a result, heat exchange is prolonged, which leads to further improvement of drying efficiency.

According to one exemplary embodiment, a drying assembly100may further include a cooling water storage unit160. Referring toFIG. 6, the cooling water storage unit160includes a storage tank161for storing cooling water therein, a cooling water injection port162coupled to an inlet151of the rib150and a cooling water discharge portion163coupled to an outlet152of the rib150.

In addition, the cooling water storage unit160is installed (S500). The storage unit160includes the storage tank161, the cooling water injection port162and the cooling water discharge port163. Then, the cooling water injection port162is coupled to an inlet151of the rib150, and the cooling water discharge port163is coupled to an outlet152of the rib150(S600). Using this process, the drying assembly100according to the present exemplary embodiment can be manufactured.

The exemplary embodiment has been described for the drum type washing machine, for example. However, the exemplary embodiment is not meant to be anyway limiting, and the technical concept of the present disclosure can also be applied to various other apparatuses having a drying function. Thus, the scope of the inventive concept should be defined by the following claims.