Experimental evaluation and thermodynamic system modeling of thermoelectric heat pump clothes dryer

Journal Article · Wed Feb 28 00:00:00 EST 2018 · Applied Energy

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2018.02.055· OSTI ID:1423070

Patel, Viral K. ^[1]; Gluesenkamp, Kyle R. ^[1]; Goodman, Dakota ^[1]; Gehl, Anthony ^[1]

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1. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Electric clothes dryers consume about 6% of US residential electricity consumption. Using a solid-state technology without refrigerant, thermoelectric (TE) heat pump dryers have the potential to be more efficient than units based on electric resistance and less expensive than units based on vapor compression. This study presents a steady state TE dryer model, and validates the model against results from an experimental prototype. The system model is composed of a TE heat pump element model coupled with a psychrometric dryer sub-model. Experimental results had energy factors (EFs) of up to 2.95 kg of dry cloth per kWh (6.51 lb_c/kWh), with a dry time of 159 min. A faster dry time of 96 min was also achieved at an EF of 2.54 kg_c/kWh (5.60 lb_c/kWh). The model was able to replicate the experimental results within 5% of EF and 5% of dry time values. Finally, the results are used to identify important parameters that affect dryer performance, such as relative humidity of air leaving the drum.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Building Technologies Office (EE-5B)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 1423070
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 23073862
• Journal Information: Applied Energy, Journal Name: Applied Energy Vol. 217; ISSN 0306-2619
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
42 ENGINEERING
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
clothes drying
energy efficiency
heat pump
modeling
thermodynamics
thermoelectric