Heating assembly for a washing appliance

Abstract

A drying system includes a tub having a plurality of walls. The tub also defines a wet chamber. The drying system also includes a heat pipe heat exchanger integrally joined to one of the plurality of walls of the tub. The drying system may be provided in a dishwashing appliance. A method of making a dishwashing appliance includes positioning a pipe within a mold and forming a portion of the dishwashing appliance over the pipe in the mold.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dishwashing appliance, comprising:
 a tub comprising a plurality of walls, the tub defining a wash chamber;   at least one spray-arm assembly positioned within the wash chamber;   a fluid circulation system configured to deliver fluid to the at least one spray-arm assembly;   a sump positioned at a bottom of the wash chamber for receiving fluid from the wash chamber, the sump comprising a sump chamber having a sidewall and a base wall; and   a drying system, the drying system comprising a heat pipe heat exchanger, the heat pipe heat exchanger comprising a condenser section and an evaporator section, the condenser section in operative communication with an inlet of the wash chamber, the heat pipe heat exchanger integrally joined to one of the tub, the sump, and the fluid circulation system.   
     
     
         2 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 1 , wherein heat pipe heat exchanger extends through and is integrally joined to one of the sidewall and the base wall of the sump. 
     
     
         3 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the evaporator section of the heat pipe heat exchanger is in operative communication with the sump. 
     
     
         4 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the tub comprises an exhaust conduit in fluid communication with the wash chamber, and heat pipe heat exchanger extends through and is integrally joined to a wall of the exhaust conduit. 
     
     
         5 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 5 , wherein the evaporator section of the heat pipe heat exchanger is in operative communication with the exhaust conduit downstream of the wash chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the heat pipe heat exchanger is integrally joined to a conduit of the fluid circulation system. 
     
     
         7 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a heating conduit, the condenser section of the heat pipe heat exchanger in operative communication with the heating conduit. 
     
     
         8 . A method of making a dishwashing appliance, the method comprising:
 positioning a pipe within a mold; and   forming a portion of the dishwashing appliance over the pipe in the mold.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the portion of the dishwashing appliance is a sump. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the portion of the dishwashing appliance is an exhaust conduit. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein forming the portion of the tub comprises injection molding a plastic material over the pipe in the mold. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein forming the portion of the tub comprises casting a metallic material over the pipe in the mold. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the pipe is a heat pipe heat exchanger. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising making the pipe into a heat pipe heat exchanger by adding a working fluid to the pipe and sealing the pipe to sealingly enclose the working fluid within the pipe after forming the portion of the tub. 
     
     
         15 . A drying system, comprising:
 a tub comprising a plurality of walls, the tub defining a wet chamber; and   a heat pipe heat exchanger integrally joined to one of the plurality of walls of the tub.   
     
     
         16 . The drying system of  claim 15 , wherein the tub comprises a water storage chamber and the one of the plurality of walls of the tub comprises a wall of the water storage chamber. 
     
     
         17 . The drying system of  claim 16 , wherein the wet chamber is a wash chamber of a dishwasher appliance, and the water storage chamber comprises a sump positioned at a bottom of the wash chamber for receiving fluid from the wash chamber. 
     
     
         18 . The drying system of  claim 16 , wherein the heat pipe heat exchanger comprises a condenser section and an evaporator section, the evaporator section in operative communication with the water storage chamber. 
     
     
         19 . The drying system of  claim 15 , wherein the tub comprises an exhaust conduit in fluid communication with the wet chamber, and the one of the plurality of walls of the tub comprises a wall of the exhaust conduit. 
     
     
         20 . The drying system of  claim 15 , wherein the heat pipe heat exchanger comprises a condenser section and an evaporator section, the evaporator section in operative communication with the exhaust conduit downstream of the wet chamber.