U.S. patent application number 14/312801 was filed with the patent office on 2015-01-22 for dishwashers having phase change materials.
This patent application is currently assigned to WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION. The applicant listed for this patent is Whirlpool Corporation. Invention is credited to KEELEY M. KABALA, CHAD T. VANDERROEST.
Application Number | 20150020406 14/312801 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52342418 |
Filed Date | 2015-01-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150020406 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KABALA; KEELEY M. ; et
al. |
January 22, 2015 |
DISHWASHERS HAVING PHASE CHANGE MATERIALS
Abstract
Dishwashers having phase change materials are disclosed. An
example dishwasher for treating dishes according to a cycle of
operation includes a tub defining a treating chamber with an
opening, a door movably mounted to the tub to selectively open and
close the opening, and a phase change material part of at least one
of the tub or the door, wherein the transition temperature of the
phase change material is below a maximum temperature of the cycle
of operation, and wherein the phase change material releases heat
during a drying portion of the cycle.
Inventors: |
KABALA; KEELEY M.; (ELGIN,
IL) ; VANDERROEST; CHAD T.; (COVERT, MI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Whirlpool Corporation |
Benton Harbor |
MI |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
Benton Harbor
MI
|
Family ID: |
52342418 |
Appl. No.: |
14/312801 |
Filed: |
June 24, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61847181 |
Jul 17, 2013 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
34/476 ;
165/104.17; 312/228 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02B 40/00 20130101;
Y02E 60/14 20130101; A47L 15/48 20130101; A47L 15/4246 20130101;
A47L 15/4291 20130101; A47L 15/0013 20130101; Y02B 40/44 20130101;
F28D 20/02 20130101; A47L 15/481 20130101; A47L 15/4257 20130101;
Y02E 60/145 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
34/476 ;
165/104.17; 312/228 |
International
Class: |
A47L 15/48 20060101
A47L015/48; A47L 15/00 20060101 A47L015/00; F28D 20/02 20060101
F28D020/02; A47L 15/42 20060101 A47L015/42 |
Claims
1. A dishwasher for treating dishes according to a cycle of
operation, the dishwasher comprising: a tub defining a treating
chamber with an opening; a door movably mounted to the tub to
selectively open and close the opening; and a phase change material
part of at least one of the tub or the door, wherein the transition
temperature of the phase change material is below a maximum
temperature of the cycle of operation, and wherein the phase change
material releases heat during a drying portion of the cycle.
2. A dishwasher as defined in claim 1, wherein the phase change
material absorbs heat energy during a first portion of the drying
portion of the cycle, and releases heat during a second portion of
the drying portion of the cycle.
3. A dishwasher as defined in claim 2, wherein the phase change
material absorbs heat energy during a washing portion of the
cycle.
4. A dishwasher as defined in claim 2, wherein the tub comprises a
stainless steel layer and a reflective layer, and wherein the phase
change material is between the stainless steel and reflective
layers.
5. A dishwasher as defined in claim 2, wherein the tub comprises a
multilayer plastic material, and wherein the phase change material
is injected into the multilayer plastic material.
6. A dishwasher as defined in claim 2, wherein the tub comprises
two plastic material layers, and wherein the phase change material
is between the two plastic material layers.
7. A dishwasher as defined in claim 2, wherein the tub comprises a
plastic material, and wherein the phase change material comprises a
blanket applied to an outside surface of the plastic material.
8. A dishwasher as defined in claim 1, wherein the phase change
material absorbs heat energy during a washing portion of the
cycle.
9. A dishwasher as defined in claim 1, wherein the tub comprises a
stainless steel layer and a reflective layer, and wherein the phase
change material is between the stainless steel and reflective
layers.
10. A dishwasher as defined in claim 1, wherein the tub comprises a
multilayer plastic material, and wherein the phase change material
is injected into the multilayer plastic material.
11. A dishwasher as defined in claim 1, wherein the tub comprises
two plastic material layers, and wherein the phase change material
is between the two plastic material layers.
12. A dishwasher as defined in claim 1, wherein the tub comprises a
plastic material, and wherein the phase change material comprises a
blanket applied to an outside surface of the plastic material.
13. A method of operating a dishwasher having a tub, a door, and a
phase change material that is part of at least one of the tub or
the door, the method comprising: transferring heat energy from the
tub to the phase change material by effecting a rapid increase in
latent thermal storage by the phase change material; and
transferring heat from the phase change material to the tub by
effecting a rapid decrease in latent thermal storage by the phase
change material.
14. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein the rapid increase in
latent thermal storage comprises changing the phase change material
from a solid to a liquid.
15. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein the rapid decrease in
latent thermal storage comprises changing the phase change material
from a liquid to a solid.
16. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein the transferring of
the heat energy from the tub to the phase change material energy
occurs during a first portion of a drying portion of a cycle of
operating, and wherein the transferring of the heat from the phase
change material to the tub occurs during a second portion of the
drying portion of the cycle of operation.
17. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein the transferring of
the heat energy from the tub to the phase change material energy
occurs during a washing portion of a cycle of operation.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION(S)
[0001] This application the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent
Application No. 61/847,181, entitled "Dishwashers Having Phase
Change Materials," and filed Jul. 17, 2013, the entirety of which
is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0002] This disclosure relates generally to dishwashers, and, more
particularly, to dishwashers having phase change materials.
BACKGROUND
[0003] The tub of some dishwashers may be moist or wet at the end
of a cycle of operation because they cool during a drying portion
of the cycle, which allows water to condense onto them at the end
of the cycle. Such moisture may reduce customer satisfaction.
SUMMARY
[0004] An example dishwasher for treating dishes according to a
cycle of operation includes a tub defining a treating chamber with
an opening, a door movably mounted to the tub to selectively open
and close the opening, and a phase change material part of at least
one of the tub or the door, wherein the transition temperature of
the phase change material is below a maximum temperature of the
cycle of operation, and wherein the phase change material releases
heat during a drying portion of the cycle.
[0005] An example method of operating a dishwasher having a tub, a
door, and a phase change material that is part of at least one of
the tub or the door includes transferring heat energy from the tub
to the phase change material by effecting a rapid increase in
latent thermal storage by the phase change material, and
transferring heat from the phase change material to the tub by
effecting a rapid decrease in latent thermal storage by the phase
change material.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a schematic, side cross-sectional view of an
example dishwasher having a phase change material.
[0007] FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating an example manner of
implementing the controller of the example dishwasher of FIG.
1.
[0008] FIGS. 3-5 illustrate example manners of constructing the tub
and door of the example dishwasher of FIG. 1 using phase change
materials.
[0009] FIG. 6 is a graph illustrating example energy storage
capacity of a phase change material.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0010] In FIGS. 1 and 2, an automated dishwasher 10 according to a
disclosed embodiment is illustrated. The dishwasher 10 shares many
features of a conventional automated dishwasher, which will not be
described in detail herein except as necessary for a complete
understanding of this disclosure. A chassis or frame 12 may define
an interior of the dishwasher 10 and may include a frame, with or
without panels mounted to the frame. An open-faced tub 14 may be
provided within the chassis 12 and may at least partially define a
treating chamber 16, having an open face, for washing dishes. A
door 18 may be movably (e.g., rotationally) mounted to the
dishwasher 10 for movement between opened and closed positions to
selectively open and close the open face of the tub 14. Thus, the
door 18 provides accessibility to the treating chamber 16 for the
loading and unloading of dishes or other washable items.
[0011] As described below in connection with FIGS. 3-6, the tub 14
and/or the door 18 may be constructed to include phase change
materials that rapidly and efficiently release heat energy back
into the treating chamber 16 during a drying portion of a cycle of
operation, thereby heating the tub 14 and/or door 18 to prevent
moisture condensation. As shown in FIG. 6, substantially more heat
is released back into the treating chamber 16 by a phase change
material than by conventional mastic or other insulating materials.
In addition to preventing moisture condensation, the use of phase
change materials may increase dishwasher operation efficiency by
storing and releasing energy during other phases of a cycle of
operation.
[0012] It should be appreciated that the door 18 may be secured to
the lower front edge of the chassis 12 or to the lower front edge
of the tub 14 via a hinge assembly (not shown) configured to pivot
the door 18. When the door 18 is closed, user access to the
treating chamber 16 may be prevented, whereas user access to the
treating chamber 16 may be permitted when the door 18 is open.
[0013] Dish holders, illustrated in the form of upper and lower
dish racks 26, 28, are located within the treating chamber 16 and
receive dishes or other items for washing and/or drying. The upper
and lower racks 26, 28 may be mounted to dish rack mounts (not
shown) via disk rack rails (not shown) for slidable movement in and
out of the treating chamber 16 for ease of loading and unloading.
Other dish holders may be provided, such as a silverware basket. As
used in this disclosure, the term "dish(es)" is intended to be
generic to any item or article, single or plural, that may be
treated in the dishwasher 10, including, without limitation,
dishes, plates, pots, bowls, pans, glassware, utensils, and
silverware.
[0014] A spray system is provided for spraying liquid in the
treating chamber 16 and is provided in the form of a first lower
spray assembly 34, a second lower spray assembly 36, a rotating
mid-level spray arm assembly 38, and/or an upper spray arm assembly
40. Upper sprayer 40, mid-level rotatable sprayer 38 and lower
rotatable sprayer 34 are located, respectively, above the upper
rack 26, beneath the upper rack 26, and beneath the lower rack 28
and are illustrated as rotating spray arms. The second lower spray
assembly 36 is illustrated as being located adjacent the lower dish
rack 28 toward the rear of the treating chamber 16. The second
lower spray assembly 36 is illustrated as including a vertically
oriented distribution header or spray manifold 44. Such a spray
manifold is set forth in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 7,594,513, issued
Sep. 29, 2009, and titled "Multiple Wash Zone Dishwasher," which is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
[0015] A recirculation system is provided for recirculating liquid
from the treating chamber 16 to the spray system. The recirculation
system may include a sump 30 and a pump assembly 31. The sump 30
collects the liquid sprayed in the treating chamber 16 and may be
formed by a sloped or recess portion of a bottom wall of the tub
14. The pump assembly 31 may include both a drain pump 32 and a
recirculation pump 33. The drain pump 32 may draw liquid from the
sump 30 and pump the liquid out of the dishwasher 10 to a household
drain line (not shown). The recirculation pump 33 may draw liquid
from the sump 30 and the liquid may be simultaneously or
selectively pumped through a supply tube 42 to each of the
assemblies 34, 36, 38, 40 for selective spraying. While not shown,
a liquid supply system may include a water supply conduit coupled
with a household water supply for supplying water to the treating
chamber 16.
[0016] A heating system including a heater 46 may be located within
the sump 30 for heating the liquid contained in the sump 30.
[0017] A controller 50 is operably coupled with various components
of the dishwasher 10 to implement a cycle of operation. The
controller 50 may be located within the door 18 as illustrated, or
it may alternatively be located somewhere within the chassis 12.
The controller 50 may also be operably coupled with a control panel
or user interface 56 for receiving user-selected inputs and
communicating information to the user. The user interface 56 may
include operational controls such as dials, lights, switches, and
displays enabling a user to input commands, such as a cycle of
operation, to the controller 50 and receive information. In some
examples, the controller 50 and the user interface 56 may be
implemented in a crown of the door 18 that forms the top portion of
the door. Generally, the crown of the door is attached to front and
rear panels of the door during assembly/manufacture.
[0018] As illustrated schematically in FIG. 2, the controller 50
may be coupled with the heater 46 for heating the wash liquid
during a cycle of operation, the drain pump 32 for draining liquid
from the treating chamber 16, and the recirculation pump 33 for
recirculating the wash liquid during the cycle of operation. The
controller 50 may be provided with a memory 52 and a central
processing unit (CPU) 54. The memory 52 may be used for storing
control software and/or machine-readable instructions that may be
executed by the CPU 54 in completing a cycle of operation using the
dishwasher 10 and any additional software. For example, the memory
52 may store one or more pre-programmed cycles of operation that
may be selected by a user and completed by the dishwasher 10. The
controller 50 may also receive input from one or more sensors 58.
Non-limiting examples of sensors that may be communicably coupled
with the controller 50 include a temperature sensor, and a
turbidity sensor to determine the soil load associated with a
selected grouping of dishes, such as the dishes associated with a
particular area of the treating chamber.
[0019] FIGS. 3-5 illustrate example manners of constructing the tub
14 and/or interior surface of the door 18 of the example dishwasher
10 of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 illustrates an example stainless steel tub
and/or door 300 comprising a stainless steel layer 305, a phase
change material layer 310 and a reflective sheet 315 that reflects
heat back towards the stainless steel layer 305.
[0020] FIG. 4 illustrates an example plastic tub and/or door 400
comprising a multilayer plastic material (designated in FIG. 4 with
two layers 405 and 410) and a phase change material 415 injected
between the layers 405 and 410.
[0021] FIG. 5 illustrates another example plastic tub and/or door
500 comprising a plastic material 505 having a blanket of phase
change material 510 applied to an outside surface of the plastic
material 505.
[0022] In FIGS. 3-5, the phase change materials 310, 415 and 510
are selected to match expected operating temperatures of the
dishwasher 10. For example, the phase change material 310, 415 and
510 may be selected to change phase a few degrees below the highest
expected operating temperature in a cycle.
[0023] FIG. 6 is a graph illustrating example energy storage
capacity 605 of a phase change material. As shown in FIG. 6, as the
temperature of the phase change material increases through the
phase change transition temperature 610 of the phase change
material, the phase change material undergoes a phase change from
solid to liquid and undergoes a rapid increase in latent thermal
storage capacity Likewise, as the temperature of the phase change
material decreases through the phase change transition temperature
610 of the phase change material, the phase change material
undergoes a phase change from liquid to solid and releases a large
quantity of latent thermal energy. In comparison to the phase
change material insulation described in this disclosure, the
conventional use of mastic does not allow for the release of large
amounts of energy back into the treating chamber 16 as the mastic
behaves like a heat sink, which releases its energy over a much
longer time frame. Such heat cannot be effectively reclaimed during
a traditional 30-to-50 minute drying portion of a cycle. The rapid
release of large amounts latent thermal energy back into the
treating chamber 16 by the phase change material insulation is how
the benefits of the disclosed examples are realized.
[0024] Although certain example methods, apparatus and articles of
manufacture have been described herein, the scope of coverage of
this patent is not limited thereto. On the contrary, this patent
covers all methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture fairly
falling within the scope of the claims of this patent.
* * * * *