A clothes drying apparatus , - comprising a heat pump including a compressor , a condenser , an expansion means , and an evaporator connected by fluid conduits (14-17) carrying working fluid (F) and - comprising a control unit connected to the compressor , the control unit being adapted to operate the compressor in a first mode of operation and in a second mode of operation during a drying cycle, wherein - the compressor is an AC rotary compressor , - in the first mode of operation, the AC rotary compressor is constantly switched on, and - in the second mode of operation, the AC rotary compressor is alternately switched on and off, characterized in that - the heat pump comprises open fluid conduits (14-17) for carrying the working fluid (F), wherein in its switched off state, the AC rotary compressor blocks the working fluid (F) from flowing between its high-pressure side and its low-pressure side and/or the expansion means is selectively switchable between an open state and a closed state and the control unit is adapted to open the expansion means when the AC rotary compressor is switched on and to close the expansion means when the AC rotary compressor is switched off, and/or - the fluid conduits (14-17) comprise at least one controllable cut-off means (19-21), wherein the at least one controllable cut-off means (19-21) is open when the AC rotary compressor is switched on during a drying cycle, and wherein the at least one controllable cut-off means (19-21) is closed when the AC rotary compressor is switched off during a drying cycle and is open when the AC rotary compressor is switched on during a drying cycle. - comprising a heat pump including a compressor , a condenser , an expansion means , and an evaporator connected by fluid conduits (14-17) carrying working fluid (F) and - comprising a control unit connected to the compressor , the control unit being adapted to operate the compressor in a first mode of operation and in a second mode of operation during a drying cycle, - the compressor is an AC rotary compressor , - in the first mode of operation, the AC rotary compressor is constantly switched on, and - in the second mode of operation, the AC rotary compressor is alternately switched on and off, - the heat pump comprises open fluid conduits (14-17) for carrying the working fluid (F), wherein in its switched off state, the AC rotary compressor blocks the working fluid (F) from flowing between its high-pressure side and its low-pressure side and/or the expansion means is selectively switchable between an open state and a closed state and the control unit is adapted to open the expansion means when the AC rotary compressor is switched on and to close the expansion means when the AC rotary compressor is switched off, and/or - the fluid conduits (14-17) comprise at least one controllable cut-off means (19-21), wherein the at least one controllable cut-off means (19-21) is open when the AC rotary compressor is switched on during a drying cycle, and wherein the at least one controllable cut-off means (19-21) is closed when the AC rotary compressor is switched off during a drying cycle and is open when the AC rotary compressor is switched on during a drying cycle. <EOS>