Simulation and analysis of a new cabinet heat pump clothes dryer

Abstract

Nowadays, clothes dryers raise more and more concern by people and begin to become an important part in residential electricity consumption. In this paper, based on the design concept of low temperature and soft wind, a new cabinet dryer was designed, and the mathematical model was established and validated. The model of heat pump system and the model of heat and mass transfer model are both included in the drying process. The simulation results agree well with the test data of the cabinet heat pump clothes dryer entity. The drying time error is 3.15 min and the temperature error is within 4 K. To predict and analyze both energy consumption and drying time, the whole dryer is studied systematically for optimizing by the target of SMER (Specific Moisture Extraction Rate) and MER (Moisture Extraction Rate). SMER and MER are sensitive to size of compressor and condenser and air flow rate. The reason has also been analyzed in detail. Moreover, comprehensive optimization was performed. The SMER of the redesigned clothes dryer increases by 17.2% compared with the original design.