Steam condensation device in a dryer or combination washer/dryer

In an appliance having a housing, a basket for containing laundry rotatably supported in the housing, and hot air circulation means, including a ventilation fan and an electric heater forming a drying circuit with the interior of the basket, for circulating hot air through the interior of the basket from a lower part to an upper part thereof to dry laundry, a steam condensation device for condensing vapors in the hot air circulated by said hot air circulation means, said steam condensation device comprising:

• a tubular casing extending vertically in the housing;
• at least one condenser conduit extending vertically and supported within said casing so that an annular space is defined between internal and external surfaces of said casing and said at least one condenser conduit, respectively,
• said at least one condenser conduit having a lower end communicating with the lower part of the basket, and an upper end communicating with the upper part of the basket via the ventilation fan and electric heater so as to be connected in the drying circuit in a manner which allows hot air to pass therethrough along the drying circuit;
• cold water supply means for introducing a supply of cold water at a specified location in the condensation device;
• a spiral wall disposed between the respective internal and external surfaces of said at least one condenser conduit and said casing, and extending spirally from adjacent said location toward the lower end of said at least one condenser conduit so as to define a spiral conveying path alongside the external surface of said at least one condenser conduit along which path cold water from said cold water supply means can travel to cool said at least one condenser conduit and thereby condense vapors in hot air passing therethrough;
• and
• conduit structure extending between the lower part of the basket and the lower end of said at least one condenser conduit and defining a well below the lower end of said at least one condenser conduit for accumulating condensate of vapors in hot air passing through said at least one condenser conduit, said conduit structure including a wall terminating at a lateral edge forming an upper part of said well.