Solar augmented clothes dryer

摘要

This invention decreases the energy consumption of electric or gas combustion clothes dryer appliances by providing solar energy input to the dryer from a roof or exterior wall mounted solar air heater. Required modifications to conventional dryers consist of eliminating the input of laundry room air and providing a new solar heated air supply. As applied to electrically heated clothes dryers, the invention has a potential to reduce the peak electrical utility loads during the summer months since the optimum time to operate the dryer system coincides with the peak load time of the local utility.