Influence of load mass, drum speed and load composition on evenness of drying in a heat pump tumble dryer. Issue 10 (12th July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gatarić, Pero; Širok, Brane; Hočevar, Marko; Novak, Lovrenc
• Is Part Of: Drying technology. Volume 40:Issue 10(2022)
• Page Start: 2175
• Page End: 2187
• Publication Date: 2022-07-12
• Subjects: Heat pump tumble dryer -- evenness of drying -- regression analysis -- energy efficiency; Drying -- Periodicals; Desiccation; 660.28426
• DOI: 10.1080/07373937.2021.1928688
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0737-3937

Abstract

Abstract: This work investigates the evenness of fabric drying in a household heat pump tumble dryer. The evenness of drying was defined as the standard deviation of the fraction of water, evaporated from each fabric item. Drying experiments were performed according to the IEC 61121 standard, which was also followed to determine quantities and types of cotton fabric items (towels, pillowcases and sheets) within each load. Regression analysis was performed to develop models for evenness of drying as a function of load mass and drum speed. Similarities between the tumble dryer energy efficiency parameters and the evenness of drying were analyzed. A high level of agreement was determined between responses of energy efficiency, drying time and evenness of drying to changes in drum speed. Effects of load mass were however more complex and were reflected in a non-linear response of evenness of drying to changes in load mass – the best evenness of drying could be obtained at 2 kg load, followed by 6 kg and 4 kg load. Load composition was determined as an important factor affecting the evenness of drying. At larger loads, a sheet or a pillowcase in average contributed more to the un-evenness of drying than a towel. The presence of sheets and probably the ratio of sheets to other item types in the load were determined as the most probable factors that negatively affected the evenness of drying.