Combination laundry appliance with heat pump assembly
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorMiron Wawrzusiak
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A combination laundry appliance includes a cabinet, a drum disposed within the cabinet, a fluid directing system for directing wash fluid into the drum during a wash cycle and directing air into the drum during a dry cycle, and a heat pump assembly operably coupled to the fluid directing system. The heat pump assembly includes a first condenser, a second condenser, and a three-way valve. The three-way valve is configured to direct refrigerant to the first condenser during the wash cycle to heat the wash fluid and to the second condenser during the dry cycle to heat the air. A controller is communicatively coupled to the heat pump assembly. The controller is configured to control the three-way valve to direct the refrigerant based on a laundry cycle.
Claims20
A method of controlling a combination laundry appliance, comprising:
- starting a wash cycle in a drum of said combination laundry appliance;
- activating a heat pump assembly to direct a refrigerant through the heat pump assembly, the heat pump assembly having a first condenser and a second condenser;
- adjusting a three-way valve to a first state to direct the refrigerant through the first condenser during the wash cycle to heat wash fluid to be directed into the drum;
- starting a dry cycle in the drum upon completion of the wash cycle;
- and
- adjusting the three-way valve to a second state to direct the refrigerant through the second condenser during the dry cycle to heat air to be directed into the drum.
A method of controlling a combination laundry appliance, comprising:
- activating a wash cycle to direct a wash fluid into a drum;
- activating a system including a heat pump assembly to direct a refrigerant through the heat pump assembly, the heat pump assembly having a first condenser and a second condenser;
- adjusting a three-way valve of the system to a first state to direct the refrigerant through the first condenser during the wash cycle to heat the wash fluid;
- activating a pump during the wash cycle to recirculate the wash fluid;
- activating a dry cycle to direct air into the drum;
- reducing moisture in the air by directing the air from the drum and across an evaporator of the system;
- and
- adjusting the three-way valve to a second state to direct the refrigerant through the second condenser during the dry cycle to heat the air by directing the air across the second condenser.
A method of controlling a combination laundry appliance, comprising:
- directing a wash fluid into a drum for a wash cycle;
- activating a heat pump assembly to direct refrigerant through the heat pump assembly, the heat pump assembly having a first condenser and a second condenser;
- directing the wash fluid from the drum to a reservoir housing the first condenser;
- adjusting a three-way valve to a first state to direct the refrigerant through the first condenser during the wash cycle;
- heating the wash fluid with the first condenser during the wash cycle;
- recirculating the wash fluid via a pump in fluid communication with the reservoir during the wash cycle;
- directing air into the drum for a dry cycle;
- directing the air from the drum and across an evaporator to reduce moisture in the air;
- adjusting the three-way valve to a second state to direct the refrigerant through the second condenser during the dry cycle;
- and
- heating the air by directing the air across the second condenser during the dry cycle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.