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Title: Advanced-technology gas-fired commercial clothes dryer. Final report, April 1985-December 1988

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5715885

The objective of this project was to demonstrate the technical feasibility of an advanced-technology commercial clothes dryer which could provide improved fuel efficiency and reduced drying time. These improvements will benefit coin laundries by making their operations more profitable and consumers by reducing the time and the cost of doing laundry tasks. The most-significant result of this effort was the demonstration of an advanced technology dryer concept. This unit demonstrated a large increase in fuel efficiency over the current population of dryers with no adverse effect on other performance parameters. In addition to demonstrating the concept feasibility, a computer model of the drying process was developed and validated against test data. The model was used to provide an understanding of the parameters that influence the drying process and their relative importance. The model then was used to evaluate a variety of design concepts. Also, through in-store surveys and other means, information was gathered on machine use in laundries which was used to refine the design specifications. A new capability, automatic lint disposal, was found to offer significant operational benefits and was therefore included in the prototype demonstration. Field testing by the manufacturing partner is preceding commercialization with staged introduction of the advanced features planned.

Research Organization:
Little (Arthur D.), Inc., Cambridge, MA (USA)
OSTI ID:
5715885
Report Number(s):
PB-89-181127/XAB
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English