Dishwasher appliance with a drying system

Abstract

A dishwasher appliance that includes a drying system is provided. In one exemplary aspect, the drying system includes an inlet duct having an inlet fan and a heating element disposed therein. The inlet fan is operable to draw ambient air into the inlet duct and move the air through the inlet duct into a tub of the dishwasher. The heating element heats the air passing through the inlet duct. The heated air facilitates drying of the articles within the wash chamber of the tub. The heated and pressurized air within the tub is forced into a vent duct positioned within a door of the dishwasher. An ambient fan draws ambient air into the vent duct to mix with the relatively hot and damp air forced out of the wash chamber by the inlet fan, e.g., to lower the dew point of the air exiting the dishwasher.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dishwasher appliance, comprising:
 a tub defining a wash chamber;   a door mounted to the tub;   an inlet duct extending between an inlet in fluid communication with ambient air about the tub and an outlet in fluid communication with the wash chamber of the tub, the inlet duct having an inlet fan and a heating element positioned therein, the inlet fan operable to move ambient air through the inlet duct and the heating element operable to heat ambient air moving through the inlet duct.   
     
     
         2 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the heating element is positioned downstream of the inlet fan within the inlet duct. 
     
     
         3 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a temperature sensor;   a controller communicatively coupled with the temperature sensor and the heating element, the controller configured to:
 receive, from the temperature sensor, one or more temperature signals indicative of a temperature of the air entering the wash chamber; and 
 activate or deactivate the heating element based at least in part on the one or more temperature signals. 
   
     
     
         4 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 3 , wherein the heating element is a first heating element, and wherein the dishwasher appliance further comprises:
 a second heating element positioned within the inlet duct, and   wherein the controller is communicatively coupled with the second heating element, and wherein the controller is further configured to activate or deactivate one or both of the first heating element and the second heating element based at least in part on the one or more temperature signals.   
     
     
         5 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet duct has a horizontal component that defines the inlet of the inlet duct, the horizontal component extends at least partially beneath the tub along a vertical direction such that the inlet of the inlet duct is positioned beneath the tub along the vertical direction. 
     
     
         6 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 5 , wherein the inlet duct has a vertical component that defines the outlet of the inlet duct, the vertical component is connected to and in fluid communication with the horizontal component and is connected to the side of the tub. 
     
     
         7 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet duct has a water inlet positioned upstream of the heating element. 
     
     
         8 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 7 , wherein the water inlet is positioned above the outlet of the inlet duct along a vertical direction. 
     
     
         9 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 7 , wherein the inlet duct defines a water funnel, and wherein the outlet of the inlet duct is defined at a bottom end of the water funnel, and wherein the water inlet is positioned such that water flowing through the water inlet flows into the water funnel and through the outlet of the inlet duct and into the wash chamber of the tub. 
     
     
         10 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 9 , wherein the water funnel is shaped such that water is prevented from flowing upstream toward the inlet of the inlet duct. 
     
     
         11 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a vent duct having a tub channel and an ambient channel positioned within the vent duct such that the tub channel is separate from the ambient channel, wherein an inlet of the tub channel is positioned in fluid communication with the wash chamber and an inlet of the ambient channel is positioned in fluid communication with ambient air about the tub; and   an insert positioned within the vent duct, the insert and the vent duct collectively defining an outlet of the tub channel and an outlet of the ambient channel, the insert positioned between the outlet of the tub channel and the outlet of the ambient channel along a transverse direction.   
     
     
         12 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the vent duct is positioned within the door, and wherein the inlet of the tub channel is positioned in fluid communication with the wash chamber when the door is closed. 
     
     
         13 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 11 , wherein a mixed air channel is positioned within the vent duct, the mixed air channel extends from the outlets of the ambient and tub channels to an outlet of the mixed air channel, and the outlet of the mixed air channel is positioned at a bottom portion of the door, and wherein the vent duct has a diverter positioned at the outlet of the mixed air channel, wherein the diverter is operable to transition mixed air flowing through the mixed air channel substantially along a vertical direction to substantially along a direction orthogonal to the vertical direction. 
     
     
         14 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 an ambient fan mounted to the vent duct at the ambient channel, the ambient fan operable to flow the ambient air about the tub through the ambient channel from the inlet of the ambient channel to the outlet of the ambient channel; and   a controller communicatively coupled with the inlet fan and the ambient fan, the controller configured to:
 activate the inlet fan and the ambient fan at the same time upon commencement of a drying cycle; and 
 activate the heating element to heat ambient air moving through the inlet duct. 
   
     
     
         15 . A dishwasher appliance, comprising:
 a tub defining a wash chamber;   a door mounted to the tub;   an inlet duct extending between an inlet in fluid communication with ambient air about the tub and an outlet in fluid communication with the wash chamber of the tub;   an inlet fan positioned within or at the inlet duct, the inlet fan operable to move ambient air through the inlet duct;   a heating element positioned within or at the inlet duct, the heating element operable to heat ambient air moving through the inlet duct;   a vent duct having a tub channel and an ambient channel positioned within the vent duct such that the tub channel is separate from the ambient channel, an inlet of the tub channel positioned in fluid communication with the wash chamber, an inlet of the ambient channel positioned in fluid communication with ambient air about the tub;   an insert positioned within the vent duct, the insert and the vent duct collectively defining an outlet of the tub channel and an outlet of the ambient channel, the insert positioned between the outlet of the tub channel and the outlet of the ambient channel; and   an ambient fan mounted within or at the ambient channel of the vent duct, the ambient fan operable to flow ambient air about the tub through the ambient channel from the inlet of the ambient channel to the outlet of the ambient channel.   
     
     
         16 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the inlet duct has a water inlet positioned upstream of the heating element, and wherein the water inlet is positioned above the outlet of the inlet duct along a vertical direction. 
     
     
         17 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 15 , wherein a mixed air channel is positioned within the vent duct, the mixed air channel extends from the outlets of the ambient and tub channels to an outlet of the mixed air channel, wherein the outlet of the mixed air channel is positioned at a bottom portion of the door, and wherein the vent duct has a diverter positioned at the outlet of the mixed air channel, wherein the diverter has one or more diverter vanes spaced along a lateral direction, the diverter is operable to transition mixed air flowing through the mixed air channel substantially along a vertical direction to substantially along a direction orthogonal to the vertical direction. 
     
     
         18 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 15 , further comprising a first plurality of guide vanes and a second plurality of guide vanes,
 wherein the first plurality of guide vanes is positioned within the tub channel, the first plurality of guide vanes are spaced apart along a lateral direction, and each of the first plurality of guide vanes extends between the vent duct and the insert along a transverse direction adjacent the outlet of the tub channel, and   wherein the second plurality of guide vanes is positioned within the ambient channel, the second plurality of guide vanes are spaced apart along the lateral direction, and each of the second plurality of guide vanes extends between the vent duct and the insert along the transverse direction adjacent the outlet of the ambient channel.