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Old 12-19-12, 11:16 AM   #66
GaryGary
Apprentice EcoRenovator
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: SW Montana
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Quote:
Originally Posted by theworldtrekker View Post
Nice to see so many ideas being floated around on this idea. I apologize for having restarted this thread and not having gotten around to building my proposed prototype yet—the diy cnc router project is almost done...

Gary, your last link is interesting as I've been toying with an easy way to duct the dryer's intake into the preheated air. Building the box with weatherstripping seems potentially easier than removing the back of the dryer and connecting ducting to the intake to the heating element enclosure. Using cold lower moisture air, especially if it can be warmed up with waste heat, seems better than trying to dry with hotter moist air from say near a bathroom where my dryer is—should allow the clothes to be cooler while experiencing the same retaliative humidity change.

I'm impressed with your cross-flow heat exchanger. I like the simplicity of it, especially for a simple HVR. I'm curious to hear how it works in regards to lint buildup/cleaning. Are you putting a filter before it or just planning on cleaning/washing it out often?


The cyclone separator idea that eNeufenergy might help for lint control, although the lint I notice in the vent line is pretty small, and I'm not sure of an easy cyclone separator to build that I can also insulate.

I'm still planning on moving forward with a axial (or lab condenser style) heat exchanger due to a required long run in an open crawl space and its simplicity and hopeful ease of cleaning. Hopefully will report back after the holidays with some preliminary results.
Hi,
The one in the link is not actually mind -- its Al's.

I did send him an email, and he reports its still working well, and that he has not had any condensation problems.

This is part of the email:
Any problems?

The only problem is getting my wife to understand it's value! She over-drys everything not realizing the run time can be less when the dryer's cool-down cycle is actually still retaining heat even though the heater element is off. She won't use the automatic moisture sensor mode!


Does it condense water from the dry exhaust stream as it cools down? And, if so, has this been a problem?

No.. The dryer cools down more slowly as it recycles heat back. The cloths are still warm when the dryer stops. That gives it plenty of time to dry out the inside of the exchanger before the dryer stops.

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I probably won't be able to do much more on mine until after Xmas, but its getting close.

Gary
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