Dishwasher With a Sorption Drier and Method For the Operation Thereof

Abstract

A method is provided for operating a dishwasher with at least one partial program step that includes heating a rinsing solution to a nominal temperature. Air that is heated by a heating device and used for desorption of a reversibly dehydratable material is conducted from a washing container of the dishwasher or ambient air is conducted through a sorption column with reversibly dehydratable material into the washing container in order to heat the rinsing solution and/or items to be washed. The heating device continues to operate after the desorbed state of the reversibly dehydratable material has been attained until the nominal temperature of the rinsing solution is reached.

1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A method for treating crockery disposed in a washing container, comprising:
 subjecting crockery to at least a washing step, a rinsing step, and a drying step, with a rinsing solution being heated to a nominal temperature during at least one of the washing step, the rinsing step, and the drying step, and air being passed into contact with crockery during at least one of the washing, rinsing, and drying steps, such air that has been passed into contact with crockery being thereafter guided to a sorption drying device communicated with the washing container, the sorption container containing reversibly dehydratable material that operates to withdraw moisture from air during the passage of the air through the sorption drying device, and thermal energy acting to desorp the reversibly dehydratable material of the sorption drying device crockery to achieve a desorbed condition of the reversibly dehydratable material;   heating with a heating device air during at least some of its passage through and between the sorption drying device and the washing container; and   continuing to operate the heating device after a desorbed condition of the reversibly dehydratable material is attained until the nominal temperature of the rinsing solution is reached.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14  and further comprising supplying desorbed moisture to the washing container. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 14  and further comprising operating an additional heating device for heating the rinsing solution during at least one of before and after the desorbed condition of the reversibly dehydratable material is attained. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein operating an additional heating device for heating the rinsing solution includes operating an additional heating device arranged in the rinsing solution circuit such that the rinsing solution is heated directly. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 14  and further comprising conducting air during at least some of its passage through and between the sorption drying device and the washing container via a fan that can be operated at a variable speed, wherein the speed of the fan is established according to a desired duration of a partial programme step. 
     
     
         19 . A dishwashing machine comprising:
 a washing container;   at least one device for washing crockery using a rinsing solution, the washing of crockery being performed in a plurality of partial programme steps and the rinsing solution being heatable to a nominal temperature; and   a sorption drying device communicated with the washing container for the passage of air between the sorption drying device and the washing container, the sorption drying device containing reversibly dehydratable material that operates to withdraw moisture from air during the passage of the air through the sorption drying device, wherein, on the one hand, the sorption drying device is used to dry crockery being handled by the dishwasher and, on the other hand, thermal energy utilized for desorption of the sorption drying device is used to at least partially heat at least one of the rinsing solution in the washing compartment and crockery, and the sorption drying device being operable to heat the rinsing solution to the nominal temperature required in each partial programme step.   
     
     
         20 . The dishwasher according to  claim 19 , wherein air is conducted through the sorption column and into the washing container from at least one of the washing container and an ambient air source during a partial programme step with rinsing solution to be heated including, preferably, during a “Clean” partial programme step, a “Prewash” partial programme step or a “Clear rinse” partial programme step. 
     
     
         21 . The dishwasher according to  claim 20 , wherein the washing container has an outlet with a pipe to the sorption column, the pipe is preferably provided with a shutoff valve and with an inlet valve for the ambient air, in the direction of flow, and the washing container has an inlet with a pipe from the sorption column, wherein a fan is arranged in the pipe to the sorption column, which fan introduces at least some of the air in the washing container or from the ambient air of the sorption column, at least temporarily. 
     
     
         22 . The dishwasher according to  claim 19 , wherein an electric heating device is arranged for desorption of the reversibly dehydratable material and heating the rinsing solution and/or the items to be washed. 
     
     
         23 . The dishwasher according to  claim 22 , wherein the heating device is arranged in the reversibly dehydratable material or in the pipe to the sorption column. 
     
     
         24 . The dishwasher according to  claim 21 , wherein the fan of the sorption drier is formed by a main control unit of the dishwasher so that its speed can be controlled. 
     
     
         25 . The dishwasher according to  claim 24 , wherein the speed of the fan can be selected steplessly or in a plurality of stages by a control element of the dishwasher. 
     
     
         26 . The dishwasher according to  claim 19 , wherein the dishwasher is operable to perform a method for treating crockery disposed in the washing container that includes the steps of (a) subjecting crockery to at least a washing step, a rinsing step, and a drying step, with a rinsing solution being heated to a nominal temperature during at least one of the washing step, the rinsing step, and the drying step, and air being passed into contact with crockery during at least one of the washing, rinsing, and drying steps, such air that has been passed into contact with crockery being thereafter guided to the sorption drying device communicated with the washing container, the sorption container containing reversibly dehydratable material that operates to withdraw moisture from air during the passage of the air through the sorption drying device, and thermal energy acting to desorp the reversibly dehydratable material of the sorption drying device crockery to achieve a desorbed condition of the reversibly dehydratable material, (b) heating with a heating device air during at least some of its passage through and between the sorption drying device and the washing container, and (c) continuing to operate the heating device after a desorbed condition of the reversibly dehydratable material is attained until the nominal temperature of the rinsing solution is reached.