High-Efficiency Washer-Dryer System
OwnerGreg O'Rourkeinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In one embodiment, a washer-dryer system includes a fuel cell unit configured to generate electrical power and steam, a motor configured to receive electrical power from the fuel cell unit, a heat exchanger configured to receive steam from the fuel cell unit and configured to generate heated air and heated water, a rotatable drum configured to receive at least one of the heated air and the heated water from the heat exchanger, and a drive shaft coupled to the motor and the rotatable drum. In one embodiment, the washer-dryer system further includes a control unit configured to control operation of the motor such that the motor causes the drive shaft and the rotatable drum to rotate at a predetermined rotational speed. In one embodiment, the fuel cell unit includes at least one solid oxide fuel cell.
Claims12
A system comprising:
- a fuel cell unit configured to generate electrical power and steam;
- a motor configured to receive electrical power from the fuel cell unit;
- a heat exchanger configured to receive steam from the fuel cell unit and configured to generate heated air and heated water;
- a rotatable drum configured to receive at least one of the heated air and the heated water from the heat exchanger;
- and
- a drive shaft coupled to the motor and the rotatable drum.
A dual mode fabric treatment apparatus comprising:
- a fuel cell unit configured to generate electrical power and steam;
- a motor configured to receive electrical power from the fuel cell unit;
- a heat exchanger configured to receive steam from the fuel cell unit and configured to generate heated air and heated water;
- a rotatable drum configured to receive the heated air from the heat exchanger during a dry cycle and to receive the heated water from the heat exchanger during a wash cycle;
- and
- a drive shaft coupled to the motor and the rotatable drum.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.