Laundry treating apparatus, and control method thereof

Abstract

A laundry treating apparatus includes a 2-tank structure including a distillation tank and a washing tub. The laundry treating apparatus includes the washing tub that defines an inner space configured to receive laundry, the distillation tank configured to store liquid carbon dioxide, a compressor configured to receive gaseous carbon dioxide evaporated from the liquid carbon dioxide in the distillation tank, the compressor being configured to discharge the gaseous carbon dioxide, a cooler configured to cool the gaseous carbon dioxide discharged from the compressor and to supply the liquid carbon dioxide to the washing tub, and a controller configured to perform a control method. In some cases, a laundry treating apparatus includes a 3-tank structure including a storage tank, a washing tub, and a distillation tank.

1 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A laundry treating apparatus comprising:
 a washing tub that defines an inner space configured to receive laundry;   a distillation tank configured to store liquid carbon dioxide;   a compressor configured to receive gaseous carbon dioxide evaporated from the liquid carbon dioxide in the distillation tank, the compressor being configured to discharge the gaseous carbon dioxide;   a cooler configured to cool the gaseous carbon dioxide discharged from the compressor and to supply the liquid carbon dioxide to the washing tub; and   a controller.   
     
     
         13 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to, before supplying the gaseous carbon dioxide to the washing tub, control a distillation operation for reducing or removing impurities in the liquid carbon dioxide in the distillation tank. 
     
     
         14 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to control an internal pressure of the washing tub at or below a preset level during a washing cycle to thereby reduce a period for reducing the internal pressure of the washing tub after the washing cycle. 
     
     
         15 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to control the distillation operation to supply the liquid carbon dioxide to the washing tub separately from a washing cycle. 
     
     
         16 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to control the distillation operation to supply a preset amount of the liquid carbon dioxide to the washing tub. 
     
     
         17 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to discharge the liquid carbon dioxide from the washing tub to the distillation tank based on a completion of the washing cycle. 
     
     
         18 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the washing cycle comprises a washing operation and a rinse operation, and
 wherein the controller is configured to:
 before the washing operation, supply the liquid carbon dioxide to the washing tub during the distillation operation, and 
 after the washing operation, discharge the liquid carbon dioxide from the washing tub to the distillation tank. 
   
     
     
         19 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 before the rinse operation, supply the liquid carbon dioxide to the washing tub during the distillation operation; and   after the rinse operation, discharge the liquid carbon dioxide from the washing tub to the distillation tank.   
     
     
         20 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising a vacuum pump configured to reduce an internal pressure of the washing tub before performing a distillation operation by supplying the liquid carbon dioxide to the washing tub. 
     
     
         21 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the distillation tank is configured to store an amount of the liquid carbon dioxide for performing a single washing cycle. 
     
     
         22 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the cooler comprises a condenser. 
     
     
         23 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the distillation tank is configured to drain the impurities to an outside of the distillation tank. 
     
     
         24 . A method for controlling a laundry treating apparatus, the method comprising:
 reducing an internal pressure of a washing tub to a vacuum state; and   performing a distillation operation comprising:
 firstly supplying liquid carbon dioxide to the washing tub, 
 performing a washing operation in the washing tub with the firstly supplied liquid carbon dioxide, 
 after the washing operation, discharging the liquid carbon dioxide from the washing tub to a distillation tank, 
 secondly supplying the liquid carbon dioxide to the washing tub, and 
 performing a rinse operation in the washing tub with the secondly supplied liquid carbon dioxide, and 
 after the rinse operation, discharging the liquid carbon dioxide from the washing tub to the distillation tank. 
   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein reducing the internal pressure of the washing tub comprises operating a vacuum pump. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 storing the liquid carbon dioxide in the distillation tank;   operating a compressor configured to receive gaseous carbon dioxide that is evaporated from the liquid carbon dioxide in the distillation tank, the compressor being configured to discharge the gaseous carbon dioxide; and   operating a condenser configured to reduce a temperature of the gaseous carbon dioxide discharged from the compressor to thereby produce the liquid carbon dioxide to be supplied to the washing tub.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the distillation operation further comprises:
 heating the liquid carbon dioxide stored therein to thereby produce the gaseous carbon dioxide from the liquid carbon dioxide.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the distillation operation further comprises draining impurities in the liquid carbon dioxide in the distillation tank.