Modeling and design of a high efficiency hybrid heat pump clothes dryer

Journal Article · Fri Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 2017 · Applied Thermal Engineering

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2017.05.048· OSTI ID:1368123

TeGrotenhuis, Ward; Butterfield, Andrew; Caldwell, Dustin; Crook, Alexander; Winkelman, Austin

Computational modeling is used to design a hybrid heat pump clothes dryer capable of saving 50% of the energy used by residential clothes dryers with comparable drying times. The model represents the various stages of a drying cycle from warm-up through constant drying rate and falling drying rate phases and finishing with a cooldown phase. The model is fit to data acquired from a U.S. commercial standard vented electric dryer, and when a hybrid heat pump system is added, the energy factor increases from 3.0 lbs/kWh to 5.7-6.0 lbs/kWh, depending on the increase in blower motor power. The hybrid heat pump system is designed from off-the-shelf components and includes a recuperative heat exchanger, an electric element, and an R-134a vapor compression heat pump. Parametric studies of element power and heating element use show a trade-off between energy savings and cycle time. Results show a step-change in energy savings from heat pump dryers currently marketed in the U.S. based on performance represented by Enery Star from standardized DOE testing.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1368123
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-123349; 400480000
• Journal Information: Applied Thermal Engineering, Vol. 124, Issue C; ISSN 1359-4311
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English