By Vapor Condensation Patents (Class 34/73)
  • Patent number: 11851807
    Abstract: A drying appliance includes a cabinet. A blower directs process air through a closed-loop airflow path and through a processing chamber and a condensing unit. The condensing unit is attached to an external surface of the cabinet. An open airflow path directs ambient air through the condensing unit and to an area exterior to the cabinet. The ambient air remains separated from the closed-loop airflow path. The condensing unit is configured to exchange heat between the process air within the closed-loop airflow path and the ambient air moved through the open airflow path. The ambient air cools and dehumidifies the process air to form condensate on an interior surface of the condensing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Roy E. Masters
  • Patent number: 11815299
    Abstract: A refrigeration apparatus based on a molecular sieve, including a first molecular sieve device, a second molecular sieve device, a reversing valve, and a balancing valve, wherein an air flow alternately passes through the first molecular sieve device and the second molecular sieve device through the reversing valve, and then flows back through the balancing valve, so that the first molecular sieve device and the second molecular sieve device are regenerated. The first molecular sieve device and the second molecular sieve device are capable of separating a refrigerant from a depressurization gas, and the refrigerant is condensed after reaching a certain concentration to become a liquid refrigerant, and then enters an evaporator again for refrigeration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: WUYI UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Min Wu, Yijia Wu, Ji Wu, Guangwei Chen
  • Patent number: 11796235
    Abstract: An air conditioner based on a molecular sieve, including a first molecular sieve device, a second molecular sieve device, a reversing valve, and a balancing valve, a refrigerant includes at least one of R600A, R417A, R410C, or R407C, and a depressurized gas includes at least one of hydrogen or helium. An air flow alternately passes through the first molecular sieve device and the second molecular sieve device through the reversing valve, and then flows back through the balancing valve, so that the first molecular sieve device and the second molecular sieve device are regenerated. The first molecular sieve device and the second molecular sieve device are capable of separating a refrigerant from a depressurized gas, and the refrigerant is condensed after reaching a certain concentration to become a liquid refrigerant, and then enters an evaporator again for refrigeration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: WUYI UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Min Wu, Yijia Wu, Ji Wu, Guangwei Chen
  • Patent number: 11768021
    Abstract: A refrigerator based on a molecular sieve, including a first molecular sieve device, a second molecular sieve device, a reversing valve, and a balancing valve, wherein an air flow alternately passes through the first molecular sieve device and the second molecular sieve device through the reversing valve, and then flows back through the balancing valve, so that the first molecular sieve device and the second molecular sieve device are regenerated. The first molecular sieve device and the second molecular sieve device are capable of separating a refrigerant from a depressurized gas, and the refrigerant is condensed after reaching a certain concentration to become a liquid refrigerant, and then enters an evaporator again for refrigeration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: WUYI UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Min Wu, Yijia Wu, Ji Wu, Guangwei Chen
  • Patent number: 11710648
    Abstract: One or more embodiments described herein generally relate to drying environments within semiconductor processing systems. In these embodiments, substrates are cleaned and dried within a drying environment before returning to the factory interface. However, due to an opening between the factory interface and the drying environment, air flows from the factory interface into the drying environment, often reducing the effectiveness of the drying processes. In embodiments described herein, the air flow is blocked by a sliding door that raises up to the closed position when a substrate enters the drying portion of the dryer located within the drying environment. After the substrate exits the dryer and before the substrate enters the factory interface, the sliding door lowers to the opened position such that the substrate can enter the factory interface. As such, these processes allow for multiple substrates to dry quickly and consistently within the system, improving throughput.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Edwin Velazquez, Jim Kellogg Atkinson
  • Patent number: 11662249
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments include at least one modular container that can be assembled to emulate a desired atmosphere. Each container includes apertures on opposing ends of the container to allow EMR to enter and exit the container. Each container can include temperature control systems, humidity control systems, fan arrays to emulate wind/turbulence, and a plurality of sensors to measure the current conditions within the container, all of which can be installed within the containers walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: The United States of America, as Represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Subrata Sanyal, Joseph A. Fiordilino
  • Patent number: 11268234
    Abstract: A laundry machine includes a tub; a drum that is rotatably mounted in the tub and holds laundry; an induction heater that is provided in the tub and configured to heat an outer circumferential surface of the drum located in opposite; a motor that is configured to drive so as to rotate the drum; a temperature sensor that is configured to sense the temperature inside the tub; and a processor that is implemented to control drum RPM in spinning based on a preset spinning target RPM and control heat-spinning based by controlling the drive of the induction heater, wherein the processor controls the drive of the induction heater by setting a heating target temperature that is raised by the drive of the induction heater to be higher as the preset spinning target RPM is set to be lower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jaehyuk Jang, Sangwook Hong
  • Patent number: 10604882
    Abstract: A drain system for a laundry appliance is provided. The laundry appliance may be configured as a clothes dryer having a heat exchanger to cool and condense moisture-laden air received from the laundry drum. The drain system utilizes a drain structure to catch condensate from the heat exchanger and evacuate the condensate to a sump area. A blower and blower channel moves the dry air from the heat exchanger back to the drum. To prevent negative pressure in the blower channel from moving the condensate to the sump area, an air channel between the blower channel and sump area provides air flow communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel A. Schurr, Michael Jon Vriezema
  • Patent number: 10386118
    Abstract: A drying machine may include a condensation duct for accommodating a condenser, a first drying duct connected to a rear end of the condensation duct and to a drying fan housing accommodating a drying fan, and a second drying duct connected to the drying fan housing and to a drum. The drying machine may also include a first drying duct drain outlet formed in the lower portion of the first drying duct, and an outer rib, which is provided at the side edge of the first drying duct drain outlet that is close to the drying fan housing and that extends upward, so as to prevent condensed water, introduced through the condensation duct, from flowing over the first drying duct drain outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Sangik Lee, Youngjoo Lee, Woohee Kang
  • Patent number: 10295256
    Abstract: A dishwasher, a door assembly for the dishwasher and a method of drying the dishware in the dishwasher are provided. The dishwasher may include a tub portion adapted to hold dishware. The dishwasher may also include a duct having an inlet proximate to the top of the tub portion. The duct may be configured to receive warm air and vaporized water from within the tub portion. The dishwasher may further include a single blower configured to direct the warm air and vaporized water into the duct during a drying cycle. The blower may be configured to operate in a cyclic manner. In various embodiments, the blower may be configured to operate in a reverse direction for at least a portion of the drying cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventors: Ashwin Jadhav, Jeffrey E. Nelson, Dennis A. Poyner, Van P. Beck
  • Patent number: 9156055
    Abstract: In various aspects and embodiments, the present disclosure relates to the manner in which precursor materials are provided to processing equipment and, more specifically, to the manner in which precursor materials of organic polymers are delivered to systems for forming and, in some embodiments, depositing the organic polymers. In one aspect, the disclosure relates to precursor supplies, which comprise vehicles, such as binders, supports and cartridges, for delivering a precursor material to a material processing system, such as a deposition system or other processing equipment. In another aspect, the disclosure relates to material processing systems with which the precursor supplies are configured to be used. Methods for preparing precursor supplies, using precursor supplies, providing process control, and recycling precursor supplies are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: HZO, Inc.
    Inventors: Blake Stevens, Max Sorenson, Liulei Cao
  • Publication number: 20150121717
    Abstract: A method and a drying machine for drying materials, for example foundry sands, laundry, chemical pulps and/or bulk materials. The materials to be dried are loaded into a drying container, in which liquid is vaporized. The steam produced is passed into a condensation chamber and condensed there in thermal contact with the material from the drying container. In this way, the heat of condensation can be recovered for a renewed vaporizing process. The drying machine may be used in particular in a regeneration plant for inorganically bound foundry sands.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventor: Falk Denke
  • Publication number: 20150040421
    Abstract: Appliance for drying laundry (100), comprising a drying-air moisture-condensing system comprising a heat pump system (215, 220, 225) with a first heat exchanger (215) for cooling the drying air and a second heat exchanger (220) for re-heating said drying air, and a variable-output compressor (210), and at least one Joule-effect heater (255) located downstream the heat pump heat exchangers for boosting the heating of the drying air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS CORPORATION N.V.
    Inventors: Andrea Contarini, Massimo Viero
  • Publication number: 20140352166
    Abstract: A laundry dryer includes a body having air discharge openings in an upper region, a clothes drum disposed in the body, and a heat exchanger to condense process air from the drum. The heat exchanger is positioned in the body below the drum and has a cooling air outlet. Further provided is an air duct having an air inlet which is connected to the cooling air outlet and an air outlet which is positioned above the heat exchanger. The air duct is arranged to discharge cooling air from the air outlet in an upward direction into the body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerate GmbH
    Inventors: Marcin Ertel, Marek Gasieniec, Tomasz Suwalski, Jaroslaw Tazbir
  • Publication number: 20140338218
    Abstract: An appliance for drying laundry (100) comprising an appliance cabinet (110), a laundry treatment chamber (105) inside the cabinet, a drying air recirculation path (245) for causing recirculation of the drying air into/out from the laundry treatment chamber, the drying air recirculation path being at least partly external to the laundry treatment chamber, a drying air moisture condensing and heating system (215,220,225) located in the drying air recirculation path for dehydrating the moisture-laden drying air leaving the laundry treatment chamber and heating the dehydrated drying air before it re-enters into the laundry treatment chamber, wherein said drying air moisture condensing and heating system comprises a first heat exchanger (215) and a second heat exchanger (220) of a heat pump (215,220,225,210), and further comprising a drying air propeller (250) inside the drying air recirculation path and a Joule-effect drying air heater (255), downstream the second heat exchanger, energizable for contributing to t
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS CORPORATION N.V.
    Inventors: Andrea Contarini, Massimo Viero
  • Publication number: 20140310976
    Abstract: Example dryers and washer-dryers having a closed process air circuit having a drum, a condenser downstream from the drum for dehumidifying warm moist air, and a thermoelectric device having a cold side arranged in the process air circuit downstream from the drum are disclosed. Example thermoelectric devices have a warm side cooled by a fluid which is circulated in a liquid/air heat exchanger arranged in the process air circuit downstream from the condenser. Using the disclosed architectures, appliance design can be simplified without decreasing overall system performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: JURIJ PADERNO, DAVIDE PARACHINI, PAOLO SPRANZI
  • Publication number: 20140298674
    Abstract: An external air-cooled heat exchanger includes two air channels going towards different directions and not connecting with each other, a condensing wind channel and an external air channel. Each air channel has a plurality of air chambers that are alternately arranged so that between each two neighboring air chambers of the same air channel is an air chamber of the other air channel change to a period; A clothes dryer includes an air outlet connected to the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is connected to a water collection box, the water collection box is connected to an air inlet, a filter is arranged between the air outlet and the heat exchanger, and a drying fan and the heating unit are arranged between the water collection box and the air inlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicants: HAIER GROUP CORPORATION, QINGDAO HAIER DRUM WASHING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Haishan Liang, Peishi Lv, Sheng Xu, Huacheng Song, Yonghong Xu, Bin Song
  • Publication number: 20140250710
    Abstract: A laundry treating apparatus having a condensing duct for enhancing the condensing efficiency thereof, the laundry treating apparatus including a body, a drum installed inside the body and configured to accommodate a substance to be dried, a condensing duct mounted at one side of the drum to condense moisture included in air that is discharged from the drum, at least one first path provided at one side of the condensing duct and allowing air that is introduced from the drum to pass therethrough, and at least one second path configured to supply condensation water that is provided to the condensing duct to condense the air, and at least one condensation plate located inside the condensing duct, and configured to separate the first path from the second path, so that a path allowing air to pass therethrough is separated from a path allowing condensation water to pass therethrough.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Byoung Yull YANG, Hooi Joong Kim, Tai Eun Kim, Ho Choi, Jong Gyu Lee
  • Patent number: 8826564
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for quickly drying porous materials. A sealable chamber is connected to a cold trap which is connected to a vacuum pump. A sample is placed inside the sealable chamber. The vacuum pump is turned on and air is evacuated through the cold trap to the vacuum pump. An infrared lamp may be used to heat the chamber and sample therein directly or heated air may be allowed to enter the sealable chamber. Air may be drawn directly from the sealable chamber to the vacuum pump bypassing the cold trap. Various parameters may be used to determine if the drying process is complete, including the degree of vacuum achieved in the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: InstroTek, Inc.
    Inventors: Tianqing He, Ali Regimand, Lawrence H. James, Peter D. Muse
  • Patent number: 8789290
    Abstract: A domestic appliance for the care of items of washing includes a process air supply through which a stream of air is able to be directed through a drum for holding the items of washing, a mesh filter for separating the lint out of the air stream, a facility for removing lint from the mesh filter, the facility being embodied for removal of lint which is collected outside the process air supply on the mesh filter, and a rinsing device with which the lint is able to be rinsed out of the mesh filter with rinsing fluid. A method for removal of lint from a mesh filter of the domestic appliance also is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventor: Klaus Grunert
  • Publication number: 20140144035
    Abstract: A laundry dryer has a casing (1) accommodating therein a drying air circuit and operational devices for carrying out a drying treatment on laundry. The dryer further includes a basement (8, 108) having a condensate draining path (21, 121) for conveying moisture condensed from drying air towards a reservoir (24, 124). At least one condensate retaining region (29A, 29B; 129A, 129B) is provided in the condensate draining path (21, 121) and/or on reservoir (24, 124) thereby forming a liquid trap for preventing drying air dispersing along path (21, 121) from entering reservoir (24, 124).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2011
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS CORPORATION N.V.
    Inventors: Alessandro Vian, Marco Santarossa, Sergio Pillot
  • Publication number: 20140144042
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for heating materials is described. The apparatus is a furnace that includes multiple gravity-feed trays and a heat transfer fluid that heats material by the heat evolved during phase change. The apparatus also includes moving paddles that urge the material through each tray. The method provides for the torrefying of the material using a phase-change heat-transfer fluid by providing the material sequentially to at least two trays, where the at least two trays are substantially horizontal and disposed at different vertical heights; condensing the vapor phase at a temperature; and providing heat from the condensing the vapor phase to the material, where the temperature is sufficient to torrefy the material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Inventors: Mark Wechsler, Chad Wall, John Whitney, Jim Hamilton
  • Publication number: 20140115918
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are directed to an equipment space that is a closed space provided with electrical equipment and an air dryer condensing the moisture of the air in the equipment space into water. A system for removing water from the equipment space includes a porous element having a capillary structure and being located in an outlet opening of the equipment space. The porous element is connected such that water condensed by the air dryer is directed to a first inner surface of the porous element. The capillary structure of the porous element is configured to propogate water from the inner surface of the porous element to an outer surface of the porous element. The outer surface of the porous element is configured to release water to ambient air outside the equipment space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: ABB Oy
    Inventors: Jorma MANNINEN, Timo KOIVULUOMA
  • Patent number: 8707579
    Abstract: In a method for operating an adsorption dryer, a process air flow, generated by at least one blower, is routed at least at times through an adsorption apparatus and over a textile goods in care during a textile care process in a “dry” operating mode to thereby charge a reversibly dehydratable adsorbent of the adsorption apparatus with moisture. A charge state of the adsorbent with water is detected and is displayed at least after the end of the “drying” textile care process. The absorbent is desorbed at least in part during a subsequent, selected and started textile care process in a “refresh” operating mode, and the desorbed moisture is routed as a moist process air flow into a receptacle for refreshing textile goods which are stored or hung in a stationary manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Kohlrusch, Ulf Müller, Andreas Stolze
  • Publication number: 20140109426
    Abstract: A dryer is provided. The dryer may include a second condenser integrally provided with an evaporator and employing a heat pump to maximize a condensation effect so as to enhance heat exchange efficiency, thereby enhancing dehumidifying capability. The dryer may be a circulation type heat pump dryer including a cabinet, a drum, a drying duct to circulate dry air back to the drum, an evaporator having a heat pump, a first condenser, a compressor, an expansion apparatus, and a second condenser to condense refrigerant condensed by the first condenser again so as to supercool the refrigerant during the refrigerant cycle, thereby enhancing dehumidifying capability in the evaporator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Inventors: Seungphyo AHN, Hyunwoo Noh, Hyuksoo Lee
  • Publication number: 20140109435
    Abstract: A dryer is provided. The dryer may include an expansion valve that may be varied in response to changes in operation mode. The dryer may be a condensation type heat pump dryer, and, in an operation method thereof, the expansion valve may be varied according to an on/off of a solenoid valve corresponding to a selected operation mode. In a first operation mode the heater may be turned on so that heating is supplied by both the heat pump and the heater to provide for rapid drying. In a second operation mode the heater may be turned off to provide for more economical operation. By employing multiple operation modes, a required refrigerant flow rate may be controlled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Inventors: Hyuksoo Lee, Bio Park, Seonghwan Kim
  • Publication number: 20140026433
    Abstract: A top adapted to match and close from above a cabinet of a laundry drying appliance, is provided. The top is formed as a ready-to-mount part ready to be mounted to the cabinet and forming a moisture condensing module for dehydrating drying air used to dry laundry within a drying drum of the laundry drying appliance. The top has a drying air inlet for receiving moisture-laden drying air, a drying air outlet for delivering demoisturized drying air, fluid passageways defined thereinside from the drying air inlet to the drying air outlet for the passage of the drying air to be dehydrated and a moisture condenser arranged inside the fluid passageways.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS CORPORATION N.V.
    Inventors: Alberto Bison, Igor Colin, Maurizio Del Pos, Paolo Olivaro
  • Patent number: 8631585
    Abstract: A home laundry drier (1) having a casing (2), a laundry drying tub (3) housed inside the casing (2), and a hot-air generator (5) for circulating hot air into the drying tub (3) along a drying circuit (4). The drier (1) has an air filter (11) fitted stably, but easily removably, inside a pocket (12) located along the drying circuit (4). And the filter (11) has a first mesh (18) defining a mesh wall of the filter (11), and the openings (18a) of which are sized to filter fluff/fibers of a size greater than or equal to a first size threshold (S1); and a second mesh (19) defining another mesh wall of the filter (11), and the openings (19a) of which are sized to filter fluff/fibers of a size greater than a minimum second size threshold (S2) lower than the first size threshold (S1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V.
    Inventors: Sergio Pillot, Luciano Sartor
  • Publication number: 20140013616
    Abstract: A clothing dryer including a water level sensing device capable of detecting a water level of condensed water, using a simple structure. The clothing dryer includes a body, a drum rotatably installed in the body, the drum receiving objects to be dried, a base arranged beneath the body, a dehumidifying unit mounted to the base, to condense moisture contained in air discharged from the drum, a water container to collect condensed water formed in the dehumidifying unit, and a water level sensing device to detect a level of the condensed water collected in the water container. The water level sensing device includes a floating unit movable in accordance with a variation in the level of the condensed water. The water level sensing device also includes an electrode sensor to detect the level of the condensed water when electrically connected with the conductor of the floating unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sang Bin LEE, Tae Hyun Lee
  • Publication number: 20130312274
    Abstract: A laundry dryer includes a casing (1) accommodating therein a drying air circuit, a laundry container, a drying air moisture removing unit and further operational devices for carrying out a drying treatment on laundry. The dryer further includes a basement (8, 108) having a condensate draining path (21, 121) for conveying moisture condensed from drying air towards a reservoir (24, 124), wherein at least a portion of the condensate draining path (21, 121) extends on a basement region (17, 117) where drying air exiting the laundry container flows before entering the drying air moisture removing unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2011
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS CORPORATION N.V.
    Inventors: Sergio Pillot, Marco Santarossa
  • Publication number: 20130312275
    Abstract: A laundry dryer includes a drying air circuit for circulating a drying air flow through laundry to be dried, a drying air moisture condensing unit and a condensate drawer tank (102) which is movable along a sliding path (A) relative to a housing (121). The condenser drawer tank (102) includes a condensate container (115) having a pouring opening (114) for collecting moisture condensed from the drying air flow. A guiding portion (128) is formed on an outer surface (127) of the condensate container (115) and extends parallel to the sliding path (A). The guiding portion (128) is arranged in proximity of a pouring opening (114) for driving at least a structural element (109, 112) of the laundry dryer to slide over the pouring opening (114) when the condensate drawer tank (102) moves along the sliding path (A).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2011
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS CORPORATION N.V.
    Inventors: Massimo Castiglione, Diego Dal Ben, Fabio Pasut
  • Patent number: 8590172
    Abstract: A dehumidifying apparatus is provided for a dryer, the dryer including a case; a drum disposed inside the case that receives objects to be dried therein; and a hot air supplying device that supplies hot air into the drum and dry the objects to be dried. The dehumidifying apparatus includes a plurality of dehumidifying devices, and is thereby capable of controlling humidity of exhausted air to a required level of humidity by removing moisture contained in air exhausted from the plurality of dehumidifying devices in multiple steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Seung-Phyo Ahn, Sang-Ik Lee, Byeong-Jo Ryoo, Sung-Ho Song, Jeong-Yun Kim, Yang-Hwan Kim, Jae-Hyuk Wee, Dong-Hyun Kim, Yoon-Seob Eom, Yang-Ho Kim
  • Publication number: 20130291395
    Abstract: A laundry treating machine and a control method thereof are provided. The laundry treating machine may include a drum rotatably provided in a tub, an air supply device to supply air to the tub, a cooling water supply device to supply cooling water to an inner surface of the tub such that moisture contained in air is condensed at the inner surface of the tub, and a controller to control the cooling water supply device to selectively supply cooling water based on user selection. When a drying course is selected, the controller determines a particular drying course to be performed and, based on the determined drying course, either cooling water necessary to generate condensed water is supplied, or the supply of cooling water is stopped, and the drying course is performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2013
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Inventors: Youngjin Doh, Taewan Kim, Kyuhwan Lee
  • Patent number: 8561314
    Abstract: An installation for drying organic matter, especially kitchen and food wastes or other biological matter, including matter that contains packaging residues, napkins, straws or the like. The installation comprises the following components: (a) a vacuum mixer (M) having a closable charging opening for introducing the organic matter and a closable discharge opening, disposed at the bottom or laterally towards the bottom, for the dried matter, (b) at least one vacuum pump (VP) for evacuating the air in the mixer to generate the vacuum, the pump being connected to at least one evacuation tube mounted above the maximum filling level in the housing of the mixer (M), (c) a heater (H) for heating the organic matter, (d) at least one condenser (K), connected to the air evacuation duct (AL) of the vacuum pump (VP) and having a cooling unit (KA) connected thereto to condense the evacuated air, and (e) a discharge duct (AW) for the condensate obtained from the evacuated air by cooling in the condenser (K).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Inotec GmbH Co. Holding und Handels-KG
    Inventor: Günter Krüger
  • Publication number: 20130269207
    Abstract: A condensation dryer, in particular a tumble dryer, having a heat exchanger (2). In the heat exchanger (2) moisture, which has been absorbed in a drying chamber (1), is separated from an air circuit (3). The condensation dryer includes a sorption unit (5). The sorption unit (5) is connectable to a liquid reservoir (7). Between the liquid reservoir (7) and the sorption unit (5) a cooling fluid flow (4) can be generated. The cooling fluid flow (4) passes through the heat exchanger (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Inventor: Jerome Grunewald
  • Publication number: 20130192085
    Abstract: A washer-dryer including a tub, a drum mounted in the tub to be rotatable around an essentially horizontal axis for receiving laundry items, a process air circuit comprising an air heater and a blower to heat and circulate the heated air through the drum, a heat exchanger to condense moisture from the process air exiting the drum, and at least one temperature sensor, wherein at least a part of a surface of the temperature sensor is formed from a hydrophobic material, and a method for operating the washer-dryer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: BSH HOME APPLIANCES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Harald Moschütz, Vladimir Proseanic, Svetlana Visnepolschi
  • Patent number: 8495822
    Abstract: A heat pump module and a drying apparatus having the same are provided. The heat pump module may include a housing, an evaporator provided in the housing that condenses humid air introduced into the housing via evaporation of a refrigerant, a condenser provided in the housing that heats the air having passed through the evaporator via condensation of the refrigerant, and at least one condensed water guide or remover provided in the housing that removes condensed water generated on a surface of the evaporator therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Na Eun Kim, Cheol Soo Ko, Young Min Kim
  • Publication number: 20130133221
    Abstract: Process for controlling a dryer, suitable of dehumidifying air entering oil expansion vessels used in electrical appliances, in which a protective casing of the dryer surrounds at least two dehumidifying tanks or vessels containing an absorption device suitable to absorb air humidity coming from the outside and which can be thermally regenerated by resistors. The resistors are connected with a load cell, suitable to determine the state of saturation of the absorption device, so that detecting by the load cell of a measured mass value greater than a predefined threshold value (MFS) operates the resistors in order to regenerate the absorption device to the original state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2011
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Applicant: ABB TECHNOLOGY AG
    Inventors: Carlo Carollo, Andrea Tonnin
  • Patent number: 8438751
    Abstract: A dryer is provided having a drying chamber for items to be dried and a process air duct in which are located a heater for heating the process air, a blower for driving the process air from the heater through the drying chamber, and a heat exchanger arrangement. Via the heat exchanger arrangement, heat can be withdrawn from the process air flowing away from the drying chamber, and the process air flowing toward the heater can be fed to the heat exchanger. The process air duct is divided into a main duct and a secondary duct, the secondary duct having an evaporator in which condensate that was separated from the process air in the heat exchanger arrangement can be evaporated into the process air flowing therethrough and is connected to the exhaust opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventor: Andreas Stolze
  • Patent number: 8375596
    Abstract: A domestic appliance for drying laundry having a component around which process air flows. The component has a substrate made of metal and the substrate has a surface facing the process air. The surface carries a coating that prevents adhesion of foreign particles and the coating has a surface energy of no more than 40 mN/m. The surface has a section that is directly impinged by the process air and that is essentially completely covered by the coating. The component has edges in the section covered by the coating and each of the edges is essentially completely covered by the coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Grunert, Werner Nühse, Günter Steffens, Andreas Ziemann
  • Publication number: 20130031797
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a laundry machine having a drying function for drying an object to be dried, especially clothes. The laundry machine according to one embodiment of the present invention may be a circulating drying machine that supplies the hot air to an object to be dried, so as to remove water, and then condenses the water from the hot air and heats the condensed water to supply the heat to the object to be dried. At this time, condensing may be carried out using natural convection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Inventors: Sang Wook Hong, Young Suk Kim, Hyun Seok Seo
  • Publication number: 20130031798
    Abstract: A drying apparatus having a structure capable of improving condensation efficiency, and a washing machine having the same. The washing machine including a cabinet, a tub installed inside the cabinet, a drum rotatably installed inside the tub, a condenser duct configured to condense moisture in air introduced from the inside the drum, a drying duct configured to heat the air introduced from the condenser duct and supply the heated air to the inside the drum, and a condensation water storage unit formed at a circumference of the condenser duct to store condensation water that is used to condense the moisture in the air moving inside the condenser duct.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seok Keun Bae, Seong Min Oak, Phil Soo Chang, Min Hee Kang, Hye Joon Seok
  • Patent number: 8347520
    Abstract: In a laundry washing/drying machine involving drying by a heat pump cycle, in an initial stage of the drying operation the heat within an air circulation path is deficient and therefore it is impossible to effect quick heating of air on a drum inlet side up to a sufficiently high temperature. According to the present invention there is provided a drying unit capable of raising the drum inlet air temperature quickly up to a sufficiently high temperature in an initial stage of the drying operation and thereby shortening the drying time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Osamu Kuwabara
  • Patent number: 8312640
    Abstract: A cloth dryer includes heat-pump (30), rotary tub (5) for accommodating clothes (4) to be dried, blower (12) for supplying air heated by heat radiator (23) to rotary tub (5), and heat-exchange air flow paths (22, 24) for circulating the air stayed in rotary tub (5) through heat radiator (23) via heat absorber (21). Fins striding over heat absorber (21) and heat radiator (23) allow integrating absorber (21) and radiator (23) into one body which can be thus placed within air-flow paths (22, 24). Heat-transfer reducing section (32) is formed on the fins between heat absorber (21) and heat radiator (23) for reducing the heat transfer via the fins between heat absorber (21) and heat radiator (23). The foregoing structure can prevent frost and ice produced on heat absorber (21) from growing, so that a compact cloth dryer excellent in drying performance is obtainable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsunori Taniguchi, Hideo Nisihata, Tosiaki Andou, Masayuki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8307567
    Abstract: A laundry machine includes a cabinet and a partition wall dividing an inner space of the cabinet into a first space for main laundry treatment and a second space for auxiliary laundry treatment. An air supply unit is provided outside of the second space and supplies a downward airflow into the second space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Dong Joo Han, Young Bok Son, Jae Yoen Lim, Ki Chul Cho
  • Publication number: 20120272543
    Abstract: The present invention utilizes hot air containing water discharged from a heating space to pass through a top/down bended fluid pipeline (1035) formed by an external part of housing (1030) of a pipeline segment having water condensing function (1029) and a top/down bended flow guiding structure (1032), meanwhile external inlet air having relatively low temperature passing through an internal part of housing (1031) of the pipeline segment having water condensing function (1029) is pumped in to enable the hot air containing water to be cooled, thereby the contained water is condensed and thereby is collected or flows with a part of the hot air to pass through an hot air shunt port (1026) for being guided to be discharged from an external discharging port (109); and a part of the hot air is guided by the hot air shunt port (1026) to flow towards a returned hot air inlet (1022), thereby reducing the thermal energy loss and saving electric energy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Inventor: Tai-Her YANG
  • Patent number: 8291611
    Abstract: A wood kiln system and method that sequentially cures and dries layers of stacked wood during which each layer of wood is heated to 125 to 170 deg. F. as the kiln container is evacuated to approximately 13 inches of Hg for 8 to 12 hrs. After the wood has been cured, drying stage is commenced as the wood is continuously heated by evacuating the kiln container to 0.35 to 3 inches of Hg for 6 to 12 hrs. During the drying stage, a cold water bath is formed in the bottom of the kiln container. A condensation tank located between the vacuum pump and the kiln is used to continuously remove the water and water vapor from the kiln container. In one embodiment, the vacuum pump includes a primary vacuum pump serially connected to an auxiliary vacuum pump that allows the air to be continuously and gradually reduced in the kiln container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Inventor: Timothy L. Eriksen
  • Patent number: 8281498
    Abstract: Disclosed are an evaporator, an evaporation method, and a substrate processing apparatus, which can increase the concentration of generated vapor of an organic solvent and efficiently heat the organic solvent. The evaporator includes a fluid tube, a liquid organic solvent supply device for supplying the organic solvent liquid to one end of the fluid tube, and heating units for heating the fluid tube. The fluid tube has a cross section that increases from the one end to the other end. When the organic solvent liquid supplied to one end of the fluid tube is heated, the organic solvent vapor is discharged from the other end of the fluid tube. The substrate processing apparatus includes the above-described evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Mikio Nakashima, Yuji Kamikawa
  • Publication number: 20120246964
    Abstract: Parameters of a freeze drying process are monitored by measuring trace materials in the vacuum pump exhaust. The measurements are made using techniques such as acousto-optic spectrometry, multipass cavity-enhanced absorption spectrometry (CEAS) and cavity ring-down spectrometry (CRDS). The technique may be used to diagnose problems such as leakage in the freeze drying shelves, leakage in the condensation coils, leaks from atmosphere in the chambers and the presence of residual cleaning materials. The technique may also be used to monitor the presence of water vapor in the exhaust of a secondary drying process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Inventors: Jozef A.W.M. Corver, Cario J.J.M. De Best, Francis W. DeMarco, David Debo
  • Publication number: 20120171462
    Abstract: A method and a device for rapidly drying ware shell, and a ware shell, are provided, in the field of precision casting technology. Conventionally, the ware shell drying process fails to ensure high quality of a ware shell and rapid drying simultaneously when the ware shell has a complex structure. The method includes the following steps: a. putting a ware shell to be dried in a sealed chamber; b. vacuuming the sealed chamber under the premise condition of controlling the ware shell in a constant temperature state, and cooling the gas in the sealed chamber in a predetermined time period to condense the moisture in the sealed chamber; c. vacuum injecting gas to the sealed vacuum chamber to make the chamber return to normal atmosphere pressure; d. determining whether the ware shell is dry. If result is YES, then end, otherwise back to step b.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Inventor: Yuchi Tsai