Dryer

Abstract

A heat pump type dryer is provided that enhances supercooling performance using condensation water. The circulation type heat pump dryer may include a cabinet, a drum, a drying duct that circulates dry air, an evaporator, a condenser, a compressor and an expansion apparatus. The condenser may include a first condenser that liquefies a high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant circulated from the compressor, and a second condenser that condenses the refrigerant condensed by the first condenser again. The second condenser may be formed below a condensation water level, the condensation water being accumulated at a lower portion of the drying duct, below the first condenser, to cool the second condenser using condensation water chilled by the evaporator.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dryer, comprising:
 a cabinet;   a drum rotatably provided within the cabinet;   a drying duct provided in the cabinet, the drying duct forming a flow path that receives air discharged from the drum and guides the received air back to the drum;   an evaporator and a condensing device sequentially provided on the flow path formed by the drying duct; and   a compressor and an expansion apparatus operably coupled with the evaporator and the condensing device to form a refrigerant cycle, wherein the condensing device comprises:
 a first condenser configured to liquefy a high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant received from the compressor; and 
 a second condenser configured to receive refrigerant from the first condenser and to condense the received refrigerant again, 
   wherein the second condenser is provided below the first condenser, and below a condensation water line of condensation water accumulated at a lower portion of the drying duct, such that the second condenser is cooled by condensation water chilled by the evaporator.   
     
     
         2 . The dryer of  claim 1 , wherein the second condenser comprises a refrigerant pipe that extends from the first condenser and is integrally formed therewith. 
     
     
         3 . The dryer of  claim 2 , wherein the refrigerant pipe of the second condenser extends from a refrigerant pipe of the first condenser, and wherein the refrigerant pipe of the first condenser and the refrigerant pipe of the second condenser are intrusively arranged in the same heat dissipation fins. 
     
     
         4 . The dryer of  claim 3 , wherein a lowermost end of the refrigerant pipe of the first condenser is positioned at the condensation water line, and wherein the refrigerant pipe of the second condenser extends from the lowermost end of the refrigerant pipe of the first condenser so as to be positioned below the condensation water line. 
     
     
         5 . The dryer of  claim 3 , wherein the refrigerant pipe of the first condenser is arranged in a zigzag pattern that extends vertically, and the refrigerant pipe of the second condenser is arranged in a zigzag pattern that extends horizontally. 
     
     
         6 . The dryer of  claim 1 , wherein the second condenser comprises an independent refrigerant pipe that is separated from a refrigerant pipe of the first condenser. 
     
     
         7 . The dryer of  claim 6 , wherein the second condenser comprises a heat dissipation fin separated from a heat dissipation fin of the first condenser. 
     
     
         8 . The dryer of  claim 7 , wherein a lowermost end of a refrigerant pipe of the first condenser is disposed on the condensation water line, and the refrigerant pipe of the second condenser is disposed below the condensation water line. 
     
     
         9 . The dryer of  claim 7 , wherein the refrigerant pipe of the first condenser is arranged in a zigzag pattern that extends vertically, and the refrigerant pipe of the second condenser is arranged in a zigzag pattern that extends horizontally. 
     
     
         10 . The dryer of  claim 6 , wherein the first condenser and the second condenser are connected by a refrigerant circulation line. 
     
     
         11 . A dryer, comprising:
 a cabinet;   a drum rotatably provided in the cabinet;   a drying duct that defines an air flow path between a discharge outlet of the drum and an inlet of the drum;   a condensing device provided in the air flow path defined by the drying duct, the condensing device comprising:
 a first condenser configured to perform a first condensing operation on refrigerant received from a compressor; and 
 a second condenser configured to receive refrigerant from the first condenser and to perform a second condensing operation on the refrigerant; and 
   a heater provided in the air flow path, wherein the heater is configured to be selectively operated to perform an auxiliary heating operation on air to be supplied to the drum.   
     
     
         12 . The dryer of  claim 11 , further comprising an evaporator and an expander operably coupled with the compressor and the condensing device all provided on the air flow path to form a refrigerant cycle, wherein the refrigerant cycle cools air discharged from the drum, and then heats the air for re-supply to the drum. 
     
     
         13 . The dryer of  claim 12 , wherein the heater is provided downstream of the refrigerant cycle and is configured to further heat air heated by the refrigerant cycle before the air is supplied to the drum. 
     
     
         14 . The dryer of  claim 12 , wherein the second condenser is provided below the first condenser, and below a top surface of condensation water accumulated in the drying duct such that the second condenser is at least partially submerged in the accumulated condensation water. 
     
     
         15 . The dryer of  claim 14 , wherein the first condenser comprises a first refrigerant pipe and the second condenser comprises a second refrigerant pipe that extends from the first refrigerant pipe, and wherein the first and second refrigerant pipes are inter-arranged on the same heat dissipation fins of the condensing device. 
     
     
         16 . The dryer of  claim 15 , wherein the first refrigerant pipe is arranged in a zigzag pattern that extends vertically, and the second refrigerant pipe is arranged in a zigzag pattern that extends horizontally. 
     
     
         17 . The dryer of  claim 15 , wherein a lowermost end of the first refrigerant pipe is positioned at the condensation water line, and the second refrigerant pipe is positioned below the condensation water line. 
     
     
         18 . The dryer of  claim 14 , wherein the first condenser comprises a first refrigerant pipe and the second condenser comprises a second refrigerant pipe that is separate from the first refrigerant pipe, and wherein the first and second refrigerant pipes are arranged on different heat dissipation fins of the condensing device. 
     
     
         19 . The dryer of  claim 18 , wherein the first refrigerant pipe is arranged in a zigzag pattern that extends vertically, and the second refrigerant pipe is arranged in a zigzag pattern that extends horizontally. 
     
     
         20 . The dryer of  claim 18 , wherein a lowermost end of the first refrigerant pipe is positioned at the condensation water line, and the second refrigerant pipe is positioned below the condensation water line.