Drying control method for washing machines with drying functions/drying machines

Abstract

A drying control method for washing machines with drying functions/drying machines includes measuring an air temperature of heated air passing through a heater duct by a heater during a drying operation of the washing machine with drying function or the drying machine, and measuring at least one of the temperature of air before being heated and the temperature of air after being heated about the heater. The method further includes calculating a load, calculating a moisture content and controlling a drying operation.

1 . A drying control method for washing machines with drying functions/drying machines, comprising: 
 an air temperature-measuring step of heating air passing through a heater duct by means of a heater during a drying operation of the washing machine with drying function or the drying machine, and measuring at least one of the temperature of air before being heated and the temperature of air after being heated about the heater;    a load-calculating step of calculating total load, the sum of the amount of laundry and moisture content contained in the laundry, using a ratio of the change in temperature to the change in time at a specific section while the temperature of the air is measured at the air temperature-measuring step;    a moisture content-calculating step of calculating the moisture content contained in the laundry using a ratio of the change in temperature to the change in time at another specific section next to the specific section of the load-calculating step; and    a drying operation-controlling step of controlling the drying operation of the washing machine with drying function or the drying machine according to the total load and the moisture content calculated at the load-calculating step and moisture content-calculating step.    
   
   
       2 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the air temperature-measuring step comprises measuring the temperature of the air heated by the heater.  
   
   
       3 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the specific sections of the load-calculating step and the moisture content-calculating step are set after the time when a ratio of the change in temperature of the air to the change in time is below a predetermined level after the drying operation of the washing machine with drying function or the drying machine is initiated.  
   
   
       4 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the specific sections of the load-calculating step and the moisture content-calculating step are set after the time when the difference between the temperature of air before being heated or the temperature of air after being heated about the heater is below a predetermined level after the drying operation of the washing machine with drying function or the drying machine is initiated.  
   
   
       5 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the transition from the specific section of the load-calculating step to the specific section of the moisture content-calculating step is carried out as the drying operation of the washing machine with drying function or the drying machine is progressed, and the division between the specific section of the load-calculating step and the specific section of the moisture content-calculating step is done based on a specific temperature where moisture is substantially removed from the laundry.  
   
   
       6 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the specific sections of the load-calculating step and the moisture content-calculating step are set based on specific time ranges.  
   
   
       7 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the specific sections of the load-calculating step and the moisture content-calculating step are set based on specific temperature ranges.  
   
   
       8 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the drying operation-controlling step comprises: estimating the drying time using the moisture content calculated at the load-calculating step and the moisture content-calculating step in consideration of capacity and real heating rate of the heater of the washing machine with drying function or the drying machine.  
   
   
       9 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a drying degree-measuring step of measuring the temperature of the cooling water condensing the moisture contained in the air while the air used to dry the laundry passes through a condensing duct and the temperature of the air whose moisture has been removed while passing through the condensing duct, wherein    the drying operation-controlling step comprises: a drying degree-determining step of determining drying degree of the laundry using the difference between the temperature of the cooling water and the temperature of the air.    
   
   
       10 . The method as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the drying operation-controlling step comprises: finishing the drying operation of the washing machine with drying function or the drying machine when the difference between the temperature of the cooling water and the temperature of the air is above a predetermined level.  
   
   
       11 . The method as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the drying operation-controlling step comprises: 
 estimating the drying time using the moisture content calculated at the moisture content-calculating step in consideration of capacity and real heating rate of the heater of the washing machine with drying function or the drying machine; and    if an error between the time when the drying operation is finished according to the determination of the drying degree and the estimated drying time based on the moisture content is above a predetermined level, finishing the drying operation of the washing machine with drying function or the drying machine at the time when the estimated drying time based on the moisture content elapses or within the error range.    
   
   
       12 . A drying control method for washing machines with drying functions/drying machines, comprising: 
 an air temperature-measuring step of measuring at least one of the temperature of air before being heated and the temperature of air after being heated about a heater during a drying operation of the washing machine with drying function or the drying machine;    a drying degree-measuring step of measuring the temperature of the cooling water condensing the moisture contained in the air while the air used to dry laundry passes through a condensing duct and the temperature of the air whose moisture has been removed while passing through the condensing duct;    a load-calculating step of calculating total load, the sum of the amount of laundry and moisture content contained in the laundry, using a ratio of the change in temperature to the change in time at a specific section while the temperature of the air is measured at the air temperature-measuring step;    a moisture content-calculating step of calculating the moisture content contained in the laundry using a ratio of the change in temperature to the change in time at another specific section next to the specific section of the load-calculating step; and    a drying operation-controlling step of determining drying degree of the laundry using the difference between the temperature of the cooling water and the temperature of the air measured at the drying degree-measuring step and estimating the drying time using the moisture content calculated at the load- calculating step and the moisture content-calculating step in consideration of capacity and real heating rate of the heater.    
   
   
       13 . The method as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the air temperature-measuring step comprises: measuring the temperature of the air heated by the heater.  
   
   
       14 . The method as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the specific sections of the load-calculating step and the moisture content-calculating step are set after the time when a ratio of the change in temperature of the air to the change in time is below a predetermined level after the drying operation of the washing machine with drying function or the drying machine is initiated.  
   
   
       15 . The method as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the specific sections of the load-calculating step and the moisture content-calculating step are set after the time when the difference between the temperature of air before being heated or the temperature of air after being heated about the heater is below a predetermined level after the drying operation of the washing machine with drying function or the drying machine is initiated.  
   
   
       16 . The method as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the transition from the specific section of the load-calculating step to the specific section of the moisture content- calculating step is carried out as the drying operation of the washing machine with drying function or the drying machine is progressed, and the division between the specific section of the load-calculating step and the specific section of the moisture content-calculating step is done based on a specific temperature where moisture is substantially removed from the laundry.  
   
   
       17 . The method as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the specific sections of the load-calculating step and the moisture content-calculating step are set based on specific time ranges.  
   
   
       18 . The method as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the specific sections of the load-calculating step and the moisture content-calculating step are set based on specific temperature ranges.  
   
   
       19 . The method as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the drying operation-controlling step comprises: finishing the drying operation of the washing machine with drying function or the drying machine when the difference between the temperature of the cooling water and the temperature of the air is above a predetermined level.  
   
   
       20 . The method as set forth in  claim 19 , wherein the drying operation-controlling step comprises: if an error between the time when the drying operation is finished according to the determination of the drying degree and the estimated drying time based on the moisture content is above a predetermined level, finishing the drying operation of the washing machine with drying function or the drying machine at the time when the estimated drying time based on the moisture content elapses or within the error range.