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AC_Hacker · 02-13-14, 11:49 AM

Temperature is only part of the issue.

The other part is humidity. If you have a mechanism to actively extract moisture, you don't really need to raise the temperature at all.

I have been drying some of my stuff by placing it in front of the indoor-unit output of my mini-split. The air is coming out at about 100F and by the time it gets to the wet towels, it has dropped more... and the towels dry quite fast. And the active de-humidifier is in the yard, and not even part of the drying cycle.

So, I think that if you are determined to make a tumble dryer looking kind of a thing, just hacking a working R22 unit to R290, it would utilize both the warmth of the condenser (120F-ish) and also the active de-humidification evaporator. I mean a donor dryer a donor de-humidifier and some duct tape plus a little brazing along the way, and Bob's your Uncle.

Why try to pioneer new refrigerants?

But it would be so much easier to just build a modest size drying cabinet, and put a dehumidifier right inside. Some of them have a humidity sensor that would shut it down when they get dry enough. A small fan for air circulation would complete the mix.

The bonus is that you wouldn't be piping 5kW-hr worth of heat out the back of the house. You'd just need a drain line for the de-humidifier... any heat generated would 'leak' into the rest of the house.

Why not?

Personally I think that we have become slaves to tumbling electric clothes dryers... they beat our clothes into lint particles (thus shortening the life of clothing) and they waste a huge amount of energy. What exactly is there to recommend them?

-AC

02-13-14, 11:49 AM	#9
AC_Hacker Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 4,004 Thanks: 303 Thanked 723 Times in 534 Posts	Temperature is only part of the issue. The other part is humidity. If you have a mechanism to actively extract moisture, you don't really need to raise the temperature at all. I have been drying some of my stuff by placing it in front of the indoor-unit output of my mini-split. The air is coming out at about 100F and by the time it gets to the wet towels, it has dropped more... and the towels dry quite fast. And the active de-humidifier is in the yard, and not even part of the drying cycle. So, I think that if you are determined to make a tumble dryer looking kind of a thing, just hacking a working R22 unit to R290, it would utilize both the warmth of the condenser (120F-ish) and also the active de-humidification evaporator. I mean a donor dryer a donor de-humidifier and some duct tape plus a little brazing along the way, and Bob's your Uncle. Why try to pioneer new refrigerants? But it would be so much easier to just build a modest size drying cabinet, and put a dehumidifier right inside. Some of them have a humidity sensor that would shut it down when they get dry enough. A small fan for air circulation would complete the mix. The bonus is that you wouldn't be piping 5kW-hr worth of heat out the back of the house. You'd just need a drain line for the de-humidifier... any heat generated would 'leak' into the rest of the house. Why not? Personally I think that we have become slaves to tumbling electric clothes dryers... they beat our clothes into lint particles (thus shortening the life of clothing) and they waste a huge amount of energy. What exactly is there to recommend them? -AC __________________ I'm not an HVAC technician. In fact, I'm barely even a hacker... Last edited by AC_Hacker; 02-13-14 at 11:57 AM..