U.S. patent application number 17/618101 was filed with the patent office on 2022-09-22 for washing appliance.
This patent application is currently assigned to Electrolux Appliances Aktiebolag. The applicant listed for this patent is Electrolux Appliances Aktiebolag. Invention is credited to Claudio Campana, Anders Haegermarck, Eduardo Martinez.
Application Number | 20220296074 17/618101 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000006435328 |
Filed Date | 2022-09-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220296074 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Martinez; Eduardo ; et
al. |
September 22, 2022 |
WASHING APPLIANCE
Abstract
A washing appliance configured to heat water supplied to the
washing appliance by utilizing heated process water drained from a
compartment of the washing appliance arranged to accommodate goods
to be cleaned. The washing appliance comprises a tank configured to
contain the water being supplied to the compartment of the washing
appliance, a valve configured to be in fluid communication with
said tank to control a flow of the water contained in the tank
being supplied to the compartment of the washing appliance, a fresh
water conduit extending inside the tank, the fresh water conduit
being configured to transport the water supplied to the washing
appliance, a drain water conduit configured to transport the
drained heated process water, the drain water conduit being
arranged to extend inside, and coaxially with, the fresh water
conduit inside the tank.
Inventors: |
Martinez; Eduardo;
(Stockholm, SE) ; Haegermarck; Anders; (Trangsund,
SE) ; Campana; Claudio; (Porcia, IT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Electrolux Appliances Aktiebolag |
Stockholm |
|
SE |
|
|
Assignee: |
Electrolux Appliances
Aktiebolag
Stockholm
SE
|
Family ID: |
1000006435328 |
Appl. No.: |
17/618101 |
Filed: |
June 14, 2019 |
PCT Filed: |
June 14, 2019 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2019/065661 |
371 Date: |
December 10, 2021 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 15/4229 20130101;
D06F 39/006 20130101; D06F 39/083 20130101; D06F 39/007 20130101;
A47L 15/4291 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A47L 15/42 20060101
A47L015/42; D06F 39/00 20060101 D06F039/00; D06F 39/08 20060101
D06F039/08 |
Claims
1. A washing appliance comprising: a compartment configured to
receive goods to be cleaned; a tank configured to contain a supply
of water being supplied to the compartment; a valve in fluid
communication with said tank and configured to control a flow of
the water through the tank; a fresh water conduit extending inside
the tank, the fresh water conduit being configured to transport the
flow of the water supplied to the compartment; and a drain water
conduit configured to transport heated process water drained from
the compartment, the drain water conduit extending inside, and
coaxially with, the fresh water conduit inside the tank.
2. The washing appliance of claim 1, wherein the fresh water
conduit and the drain water conduit are arranged along a periphery
of the inside of the tank.
3. The washing appliance of claim 1, further comprising: a drain
pump configured to drain the heated process water from the
compartment to a sewer or waste water tank by way of the drain
water conduit and a drain water inlet of the tank.
4. The washing appliance of claim 1, wherein the tank is arranged
on an external side of a main body of the washing appliance.
5. The washing appliance of claim 1, wherein the valve comprises a
solenoid valve.
6. The washing appliance of claim 1, wherein: the tank comprises a
fresh water inlet via which water is supplied to one end of the
fresh water conduit, said fresh water inlet being arranged at a
lower section on one side of the tank; and the fresh water conduit
comprises a fresh water outlet via which heated fresh water exits
the fresh water conduit in another end for filling up the tank,
said fresh water outlet being arranged at a lower section on an
opposite side of the tank as the fresh water inlet.
7. The washing appliance of claim 6, further comprising: a fresh
water inlet valve configured to control the flow of water into the
fresh water inlet.
8. The washing appliance of claim 7, further comprising: a softener
device to which the fresh water is supplied, the softener device
being configured to soften the supplied fresh water; a bypass
conduit configured to provide a direct connection between the fresh
water inlet and the valve, via which bypass conduit a softener
waste product is discharged into the compartment; and a check valve
connected between the valve and a tank outlet via which heated
fresh water is supplied to the compartment, the check valve being
configured to allow fluid flow in a direction from the tank outlet
to the valve and to prevent fluid flow in the opposite direction,
thereby preventing the softener waste product from contacting the
fresh water in the tank.
9. The washing appliance of claim 1, the water being supplied to
the compartment of the washing appliance being configured to be
transported in the fresh water conduit in a first direction while
the drained heated process water is configured to be transported in
the drain water conduit in a second direction opposite to the first
direction.
10. The washing appliance of claim 1, wherein an interior of the
fresh water conduit comprises protruding turbulators.
11. The washing appliance of claim 10, wherein the protruding
turbulators are arranged on different sides along a length of the
fresh water conduit.
12. The washing appliance of claim 1, wherein the washing appliance
is a dish washer or a washing machine.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a washing appliance
configured to heat water supplied to the washing appliance by
utilizing heated process water drained from a compartment of the
washing appliance.
BACKGROUND
[0002] In washing appliances such as washing machines or dish
washers heated drain water can be used to heat cold water supplied
to the appliance, which is highly desired from a sustainability
perspective.
[0003] Initially, fresh and usually cold water is supplied to a
compartment of the washing appliance. The cold water is heated by a
heater to a desired temperature before being mixed with
detergent--thereby creating process water for cleaning goods in the
appliance.
[0004] When the process water is determined to be too soiled for
being recirculated in the compartment, a drain pump drains the
soiled hot process water for transport to a heat exchanger, where
the heat of the process water is utilized to heat cold fresh water
being supplied to the appliance, as disclosed for instance in US
2012/0047961.
[0005] Such heat exchangers are typically relatively complex and
bulky, and there is thus room for improvement.
SUMMARY
[0006] An object is to solve, or at least mitigate, this problem in
the art and thus to provide an improved washing appliance
configured to heat water supplied to the washing appliance by
utilizing heated process water drained from a compartment of the
washing appliance.
[0007] In an aspect of the invention, a washing appliance is
provided being configured to heat water supplied to the washing
appliance by utilizing heated process water drained from a
compartment of the washing appliance arranged to accommodate goods
to be cleaned. The washing appliance comprises a tank configured to
contain the water being supplied to the compartment of the washing
appliance, a valve configured to be in fluid communication with
said tank to control a flow of the water contained in the tank
being supplied to the compartment of the washing appliance, a fresh
water conduit extending inside the tank, the fresh water conduit
being configured to transport the water supplied to the washing
appliance, a drain water conduit configured to transport the
drained heated process water, the drain water conduit being
arranged to extend inside, and coaxially with, the fresh water
conduit inside the tank.
[0008] Advantageously, the arranging of the fresh water conduit and
the drain water conduit inside the tank provides for an integrated
and less bulky heat exchanger structure as compared to the art.
[0009] In an embodiment, the fresh water conduit and the drain
water conduit are arranged along a periphery of the inside of the
tank.
[0010] In an embodiment, the drain pump is configured to drain the
heated process water in the compartment into a drain water inlet of
the tank and subsequently into a sewer or a waste water tank.
[0011] In an embodiment, the tank is arranged on an external side
of a main body of the washing appliance.
[0012] In an embodiment, the valve being configured to control flow
of the water contained in the tank to the compartment (104) of the
washing appliance comprises a solenoid valve.
[0013] In an embodiment, the tank comprises a fresh water inlet of
the tank via which water is supplied to one end of the fresh water
conduit, said fresh water inlet being arranged at a lower section
on one side of the tank, and the fresh water conduit comprises a
fresh water outlet of the tank via which heated fresh water exits
the fresh water conduit in another end, said fresh water outlet
being arranged at a lower section on an opposite side of the
tank.
[0014] In an embodiment, the washing appliance further comprises a
fresh water inlet valve for controlling the flow of water into the
fresh water inlet.
[0015] In an embodiment, the washing appliance further comprises a
softener device to which the fresh water is supplied, the softener
device being configured to soften the supplied fresh water, a
bypass conduit configured to provide a direct connection between
the fresh water inlet and the valve configured to control the flow
of water contained in the tank to the compartment of the washing
appliance, via which bypass conduit a softener waste product is
discharged into the compartment, and a check valve connected
between the valve configured to control the flow of water contained
in the tank to the compartment and a tank outlet via which heated
fresh water is supplied to the compartment, the check valve being
configured to allow fluid flow in a direction from the tank outlet
to the valve configured to control the flow of water contained in
the tank to the compartment and to prevent fluid flow in the
opposite direction, thereby preventing the softener waste product
from contacting the fresh water in the tank.
[0016] In an embodiment, the water supplied to the compartment of
the washing appliance is configured to be transported in the fresh
water conduit in a first direction while the drained heated process
water is configured to be transported in the drain water conduit in
a second opposite direction.
[0017] In an embodiment, an interior of the fresh water conduit
comprises protruding turbulators. In a further embodiment, the
protruding turbulators are arranged on different sides along the
length of the fresh water conduit.
[0018] Generally, all terms used in the claims are to be
interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the technical
field, unless explicitly defined otherwise herein. All references
to "a/an/the element, apparatus, component, means, step, etc." are
to be interpreted openly as referring to at least one instance of
the element, apparatus, component, means, step, etc., unless
explicitly stated otherwise. The steps of any method disclosed
herein do not have to be performed in the exact order disclosed,
unless explicitly stated.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] Aspects and embodiments are now described, by way of
example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0020] FIG. 1 illustrates a general working principle of a dish
washer according to an embodiment;
[0021] FIG. 2 illustrates a tank being arranged on an external side
of a main body of a dish washer according to an embodiment;
[0022] FIG. 3 illustrates a tank according to an embodiment where a
front side has been removed, thereby showing an interior of the
tank;
[0023] FIG. 4 illustrates the flow of fresh water into the tank of
FIG. 3;
[0024] FIG. 5 illustrates how a main part of the sump valve is
physically located at a back side of the tank;
[0025] FIG. 6 illustrates a dish washer comprising a softener
device according to a further embodiment;
[0026] FIG. 7 illustrates an interior of a tank comprising a
softener waste bypass conduit according to an embodiment;
[0027] FIG. 8 illustrates the fresh water conduit comprising
protruding turbulators according to an embodiment; and
[0028] FIG. 9 illustrates the drain water conduit being located on
the protruding turbulators according to an embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0029] The aspects of the present disclosure will now be described
more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings,
in which certain embodiments of the invention are shown.
[0030] These aspects may, however, be embodied in many different
forms and should not be construed as limiting; rather, these
embodiments are provided by way of example so that this disclosure
will be thorough and complete, and to fully convey the scope of all
aspects of invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers
refer to like elements throughout the description.
[0031] FIG. 1 illustrates a general working principle of a washing
appliance according to an embodiment. The washing appliance may be
embodied in the form of a washing machine, a dish washer, or any
other appropriate appliance where heated drain water can be used to
heat cold water supplied to the appliance.
[0032] The washing appliance is embodied in the form of a dish
washer 100 where goods 101 are accommodated in an upper basket 102
and a lower basket 103 of a compartment 104 (commonly known as a
tub) of the dish washer 100.
[0033] The bottom part of the tub 104 comprises a so-called sump
105 to which initially fresh and usually cold water, i.e. tap
water, is supplied via sump valve 106 and sump water supply conduit
107 from water tank 108.
[0034] The cold water is heated by a heater (not shown) in the sump
105 to a desired temperature before being mixed with
detergent--thereby creating process water for cleaning the goods
101--and circulated by a circulation pump (not shown) via spray
arms (not shown) arranged to spray the hot process water over the
goods 101 for cleaning, before the soiled hot process water flows
down to the sump 105 either for being re-circulated or drained from
the sump 105.
[0035] When the process water is determined to be too soiled for
being recirculated, a drain pump 109 (at least partly) drains the
sump 105 on the soiled hot process water via a drain water conduit
110 to a drain water inlet in of a heat exchanger 112. The process
water being drained will in the following be referred to as drain
water.
[0036] The heat exchanger 112 is embodied by having the drain water
conduit no extend inside and coaxially with a fresh water conduit
113 into which water is supplied via a fresh water inlet 114 and
possibly a fresh water inlet valve 115 for controlling the flow of
fresh water into the fresh water inlet 114.
[0037] Thereby, heat is transferred from the hot drain water via a
wall of the drain water conduit 110, embodied for instance in the
form of a corrugated metal pipe, to the colder fresh water being
supplied to the fresh water conduit 113 via the fresh water inlet
114.
[0038] The heated fresh water transported in the fresh water
conduit 113 is supplied to the tank 108 via a fresh water outlet
116 from which the tank 108 is filled up with heated fresh water.
The heated fresh water may then be supplied to the sump 105 via the
sump valve 106 and the sump water supply conduit 107 for
circulation in the tub 101.
[0039] When the process water is drained from the sump 105, the
drain pump 109 creates a pulsed flow of process water until there
is no more process water left to drain in the sump 105. The amount
of heated fresh water supplied to the sump 105 via the sump valve
106 matches the amount of water being drained (at least on average
over a given time period) to provide for optimal heat exchange.
[0040] Subsequently, the drain water in the drain water conduit no
exits via a drain water outlet 117 in order to finally being
drained to a sewer or a waste water tank (not shown).
[0041] As illustrated in FIG. 1 and in more detail on FIG. 2, the
tank 108 is arranged on an external side of a main body 118 of the
dish washer 100. A side of the tank 108 facing the main body 118 of
the dish washer 100 will be referred to as a back side of the tank
108, while a side of the tank 108 facing away from the main body
118 will be referred to as a front side.
[0042] In FIG. 2, the drain water conduit 110 extends from inside
the main body 118 of the dish washer into the tank 108, where the
hot drain water enters the tank 108 at the drain water inlet 111,
is transported through the drain water conduit no and exits the
tank 108 via the drain water outlet 117 for final draining to a
sewer or waste water tank.
[0043] The tank 108 and the arrangement of the drain water conduit
no and the fresh water conduit 113 will be described in more detail
in the following with reference to FIG. 3.
[0044] FIG. 3 illustrates the tank 108 where the front side has
been removed, thereby showing an interior of the tank 108.
[0045] As is understood, the drain water conduit no extends inside
coaxially with the fresh water conduit 113 (the fresh water conduit
113 is effectively formed when the front side is attached to the
tank 108).
[0046] In this particular embodiment, the fresh water conduit
113--and thus the drain water conduit no--runs along a periphery of
the tank 108. Advantageously this will create a large area of the
drain water conduit 110 contacting the cold fresh water and will
thus facilitate a high degree of heat exchange between the drain
water conduit 110 and the cold fresh water being transported in the
fresh water conduit 113.
[0047] As can be seen, the fresh water inlet 114 originates from
the back side of the tank 108 and fills up the fresh water conduit
113 which runs along the periphery of the tank 108 coaxially with
the drain water conduit no.
[0048] The direction of the cold fresh water in the fresh water
conduit 113 will thus be opposite to the hot drain water running in
the drain water conduit no.
[0049] Eventually, the fresh water in the fresh water conduit 113
will reach the fresh water outlet 116 and fill up the tank 108,
given that the sump valve 106 controlling the flow of heated fresh
water from the tank 108 and/or the fresh water conduit 113 into the
sump water supply conduit 107 and further on to the sump 105 is
closed. The sump valve 106 may be embodied in the form of an
electrically controllable solenoid valve.
[0050] As can be seen in FIG. 3, the sump valve 106 is located in a
small compartment in a lower right corner of the tank 108, into
which the heated fresh water will flow via the sump water supply
conduit 107. As soon as the sump valve 106 is opened, the heated
fresh water will flow into the sump 105 via the sump water supply
conduit 107 and the sump valve 106.
[0051] FIG. 4 illustrates the flow of fresh water in the fresh
water conduit 113 and into the tank 108 in a first scenario for
filling up the tank 108, and in a second scenario for supplying
heated fresh water from the tank 108 and into the sump 105.
[0052] Hence, the fresh water enters via the fresh water inlet 114
from the back side of the tank 108 and fills up the fresh water
conduit 113 which runs along the periphery of the tank 108
coaxially with the drain water conduit no in the direction
indicated with continuous-line arrows. It is noted that the fresh
water entering via the fresh water inlet 114 cannot enter the tank
108 by taking a direct left-turn since the tank 108 is equipped
with interior blocking means for preventing such left-turn but must
take a right-turn to fill up the fresh water conduit 113. As
indicated with dashed-line arrows, the heated drain water flows in
the drain water conduit 110 in a direction opposite to the fresh
water flowing in fresh water conduit 113.
[0053] If the sump valve 106 is closed, the fresh water will upon
reaching the fresh water outlet 116 fill up the tank 108 as
indicated with 1). It is noted that a small amount of fresh water
also will fill up the sump water supply conduit 107 at a bottom of
the tank 108 as indicated with 2) but will come to a stop at the
closed sump valve. Hence, as long as the sump valve 106 is closed,
the level of heated fresh water will rise in the tank 108 until the
supply of cold fresh water is stopped (or the tank 108 is
full).
[0054] When the sump valve 106 is opened, the heated fresh water in
the tank 108 will travel along the sump water supply conduit 107
and enter the sump 105 via the sump valve 106.
[0055] It is noted that FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrates only a small part
of the sump valve 106. As is shown in the side perspective view of
FIG. 5, a main part of the sump valve 106 is in practice physically
located at a back side of the tank 108 but in fluid communication
with the sump water supply conduit 107, where the heated fresh
water eventually will end up after having travelled the fresh water
conduit 113. It is noted that no drain water conduit is included in
FIG. 5.
[0056] FIG. 6 illustrates the dish washer 100 previously described
with reference to FIG. 1 but where a softener device 119 is
utilized according to a further embodiment. In many parts of the
world, water softening is applied to remove e.g. calcium and
magnesium from "hard" water. The resulting "soft" water requires
less detergent soap for the same cleaning effort, and soft water
also extends lifetime of plumbing by reducing or eliminating scale
build-up in pipes and fittings.
[0057] The softening process is well-known and will not be
discussed in detail. However, in the softener device 119, hard
water being input via the fresh water inlet valve 115 is forced to
flow through a resin matrix, which will produce soft water in an
ion exchange process. This will create a waste product containing
calcium and magnesium. After several softening cycles, softening
resins need to be regenerated forcing a brine solution to flow
through the resin matrix. After the regeneration process the brine
will be discharged to the sewage.
[0058] Now, the softener device 119 could be connected via a
softener waste outlet and a valve (not shown) directly to the sump
105 for discharging the waste product to the sewage.
[0059] However, in this embodiment, a softener waste bypass conduit
120 is connected to the sump valve 106 (being located in the tank
108 as previously described) while a check valve 121 is utilized to
prevent the salty waste product from entering the tank 108. A check
valve is a one-way valve which only allows fluid to flow in one
direction while blocking the fluid in the other.
[0060] FIG. 7 illustrates, as in FIG. 3, the sump valve 106 being
located in the small compartment in the lower right corner of the
tank 108. In contrast to FIG. 3, the tank 108 further comprises the
softener waste bypass conduit 120, which bypass conduit 120 is
embodied by an opening from the fresh water inlet 114 into the
compartment where the sump valve 106 is located.
[0061] Further, between the sump water supply conduit 107 and the
sump valve 106, the check valve 121 is arranged such the heated
fresh water is allowed to pass from the sump water supply conduit
107 over the check valve 121 to the sump valve 106 and further on
to the sump 105, but any softener waste being bypassed from the
softener device 119 via the fresh water inlet 114 directly to the
softener waste bypass conduit 120 and further on the sump valve 106
will be blocked by the check valve 121 and transported to the sump
105 if the sump valve is open 106.
[0062] If the sump valve 106 is closed, the fresh water will upon
reaching the fresh water outlet 116 fill up the tank 108 as
indicated with 1).
[0063] It is noted that a small amount of fresh water will pass
directly via the softener waste bypass conduit 120 to the small
compartment where the sump valve 106 is located. However, the sump
valve 106 is currently closed, so no water will enter the sump 105
at this stage.
[0064] Further, a small amount of fresh water will fill up the sump
water supply conduit 107 at a bottom of the tank 108 as indicated
with 2), pass the check valve 121, but come to a stop at the closed
sump valve 106. Hence, as long as the sump valve 106 is closed, the
level of heated fresh water will rise in the tank 108 until the
supply of cold fresh water is stopped (or the tank 108 is
full).
[0065] When the sump valve 106 is opened, the heated fresh water in
the tank 105 will travel along the sump water supply conduit 107
and enter the sump 105 via the check valve 121 and the sump valve
106.
[0066] Further, as soon as the softener waste is discharged from
the softener device 119, it will travel via the fresh water inlet
114 directly to the softener waste bypass conduit 120 and further
on the sump valve 106 as indicated by 3) for discharge to the
sewage via the sump 105. The softener waste cannot enter the tank
108 due to the check valve 121.
[0067] FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of an interior of the
tank 108 in a further embodiment. In this embodiment, the interior
of the fresh water conduit 113 comprises protruding turbulators
122b, 122d, preferably along its complete length, for turning a
laminar fresh water flow into a turbulent flow for providing a
better heat exchange with the heated drained water being
transported in the drain water conduit (not shown in FIG. 8). Being
placed on different, such as opposite or other angular distance,
sides of the fresh water conduit 113 along its length, the
turbulators 122C, 122d create a helical/twirling flow path along
the fresh water conduit 113 thus creating a "zigzag" fresh water
flow.
[0068] The turbulators 122b 122d also act as supporting members for
the drain water conduit 110, i.e. centering the drain water conduit
110 in the fresh water conduit 113, thereby providing for
continuous coaxiality of the drain water conduit 110 and the fresh
water conduit 113.
[0069] FIG. 9 shows a different view illustrating the drain water
conduit 110 being placed on the turbulators 122a-e.
[0070] The aspects of the present disclosure have mainly been
described above with reference to a few embodiments and examples
thereof. However, as is readily appreciated by a person skilled in
the art, other embodiments than the ones disclosed above are
equally possible within the scope of the invention, as defined by
the appended patent claims.
* * * * *