Steam supplying method and treatment apparatus

2:

• Method according to claim 1, further comprising, after supplying the steam (38) at a predefined flow and/or temperature, setting the steam flow and/or the temperature of the steam (38) supplied into the storage compartment (6) in dependency of at least one process parameter.

3:

• Steam supplying method for supplying steam (38) to a fabrics storage compartment (6) of a treatment apparatus (2), in particular a dryer, a refreshment apparatus or a washing machine having drying function, wherein the steam flow and/or the temperature of the steam (38) supplied into the storage compartment (6) is set in dependency of at least one process parameter.

4:

• Method according to claim 2, further comprising, after setting the steam flow and/or the temperature of the steam (38) supplied into the storage compartment (6) in dependency of at least one drying process parameter, finishing the steam supply in dependency of at least one process parameter.

7:

• Method according to claim 1, wherein at least the temperature and/or the humidity, in particular the air humidity and/or the air temperature, are monitored permanently, intermittently or periodically.

8:

• Method according to claim 7, wherein the air humidity is detected in the storage compartment (6), in an air channel (14) supplying the air to the storage compartment, in an air channel (16) exhausting the air from the storage compartment (6), or in proximity to or at an injection location (36) for injecting the steam (38) into the air and/or the storage compartment (6).

9:

• Method according to claim 7, wherein the humidity of the laundry is detected and the detected laundry humidity serves as a measure for the air humidity.

10:

• Method according to claim 5, wherein the flow of steam (38) supplied to the storage compartment (6) is increased the lower the detected air humidity is and/or is increased with increasing air temperature.

11:

• Method according to claim 5, wherein the flow of steam (38) supplied to the storage compartment (6) is decreased with increasing air humidity and/or decreasing air temperature.

12:

• Method according to claim 1, wherein in dependency of the temperature and the humidity a dew-point evaluation is performed and the flow and/or temperature of the steam (38) is adapted in dependency of the dew-point evaluation.

13:

• Method according to claim 1, wherein the flow of steam (38) is a flowrate of supplying the steam to the storage compartment (6) and/or the flow of steam is set by setting a fluid flowrate of the supply of a fluid to a first heating device (42) adapted to generate the steam flow.

14:

• Method according to claim 5, wherein the treatment apparatus (2) comprises a steam generating unit (32) and wherein the operation of the steam generation unit is adapted in dependency of the at least one process parameter.

15:

• Method according to claim 14, wherein the steam generating unit (32) has a hysteresis temperature work function or two-step control function and the hysteresis or the control function is adapted in dependency of the at least one drying process parameter, in particular the detected air humidity and/or the detected air temperature.

17:

• Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein, after supplying the steam (38) at a predefined flow and/or temperature, the control unit (50) is adapted to control the steam flow and/or the temperature generated by the at least one steam supplying device (32) in dependency of at least one process parameter.

19:

• Apparatus according to claim 16, comprising a first heating device (21) adapted to heat the air to be blown into the storage compartment (6).

20:

• Apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the control unit (50) is adapted to control the first heating device (21) during the pre-treatment sequence to heat the air to be blown into the storage compartment (6).

21:

• Fabrics treatment apparatus according to claim 16, wherein, during the steam supply sequence, the control unit (50) is adapted to control the fan (12) and/or a shutter device (26) such that the air flow rate through the storing compartment (6) is reduced and/or the air flow direction is reversed, in particular the air flow rate is reduced to less than 50% of the nominal flow rate, preferably less than 70% or 85% of the nominal flow rate.

22:

• Fabrics treatment apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the at least one steam supplying device (32) comprises a second heating device (42) adapted to heat and evaporate at least one liquid supplied to the at least one steam supplying device.

23:

• Fabrics treatment apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the second heating device (42) is adapted to be controlled by the control unit (50).

24:

• Fabrics treatment apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the at least one steam supplying device (32) comprises a delivering means (40), in particular a valve or a pumping unit, adapted to supply at least one liquid to the second heating device (42).

25:

• Fabrics treatment apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the delivering means (40) is adapted to be controlled by the control unit, in particular the flow rate of the at least one liquid supplied to the second heating device is controllable by the control unit.

26:

• Fabrics treatment apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the steam flow, the steam supply duration, the steam total amount supplied during a steam treatment phase and/or the steam temperature is set in dependency of the type of fabrics to be treated and/or the volume or weight of the fabrics to be treated.

27:

• Fabrics treatment apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the storage compartment (6) is a rotatable drum.

28:

• Fabrics treatment apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the air flowable through the storage compartment (6) is an exhaust air stream or a circulation air stream.