Vented Dryer With Modular Heat Pump Subassembly

摘要

A vented tumble laundry dryer is provided with a heat pump subassembly configured to join with a heater inlet and a blower outlet in an open air flow circuit. The heat pump subassembly forms a closed refrigerant loop. Condenser and evaporator heat exchangers of the subassembly form parts of the open air flow circuit. Air drawn from inside the dryer cabinet passes sequentially through the condenser heat exchanger, the heater, the dryer drum, the process air fan, and the evaporator heat exchanger before being vented to the outside. The heat exchangers have a modular construction that permits one to be stacked on the other and to be angularly offset with respect to the other in both horizontal and vertical planes, thus facilitating integration of the heat pump subassembly into existing vented dryer designs.

主权项

1. A vented laundry dryer comprising:
a drying chamber; a process air fan downstream of the drying chamber for drawing air through the drying chamber; and a heat pump system comprising a condenser heat exchanger unit enclosed by separately formed and mated together first and second casing portions and an evaporator heat exchanger unit enclosed by the second casing portion mated together with a separately formed third casing portion; wherein the condenser and evaporator heat exchanger units are stacked one on top of the other, said condenser heat exchanger unit connecting to a manifold upstream the drying chamber so that process air is drawn through the condenser heat exchanger unit before entering said drying chamber, and said evaporator heat exchanger unit connecting to an air outlet of said process air fan so that process air is passed through the evaporator heat exchanger unit before being exhausted from the dryer; and wherein the heat pump system further comprises a coolant circuit comprising a coolant fluid expansion device and a compressor.