Clothes dryer heat recovery heat exchanger

[GaryGary]

a related question....do you have a HE washer with a high speed spin cycle? My dryer runtime is down significantly since I got one, and air drying is a lot easier/faster/dripless.

Hi,
I don't know the spin speed on our washer. Its a not too old Maytag Neptune, horizontal axis washer, so I suppose it has a higher spin speed than the older washers, but not sure how much.

I was trying to think of some simple way to measure the spin rpm, but have not come up with anything -- any ideas?

I would like to look into the separate spin extractors and/or a newer and higher speed spin washer.

Seasoned Oak -- can you weigh a load as it comes out of the 1800 RPM washer, and then get the dry weight on the same load? We could compare this to the wet to dry load weight for my washer and maybe get some idea if my spin is low.

Gary

 

[woodgeek]

microphone on an oscilloscope?

I will try to weigh a load before and after too.

 

[Ehouse]

Hi,
I don't know the spin speed on our washer. Its a not too old Maytag Neptune, horizontal axis washer, so I suppose it has a higher spin speed than the older washers, but not sure how much.

I was trying to think of some simple way to measure the spin rpm, but have not come up with anything -- any ideas?

I would like to look into the separate spin extractors and/or a newer and higher speed spin washer.

Seasoned Oak -- can you weigh a load as it comes out of the 1800 RPM washer, and then get the dry weight on the same load? We could compare this to the wet to dry load weight for my washer and maybe get some idea if my spin is low.

Gary

Automotive timing light?

 

[fossil]

Call Maytag?

 

[Joe Rampey]

Put up a clothes line(solar clothes drier)!

 

[Jaugust124]

Didn't read the whole thread, but saw this on tv once.

(broken link removed)

 

[mole]

Hi,
I suppose one might include a new tank in the cold water line going to the hot water heater.
Then circulate water from this tank to condense water out of the dryer stream and then return the water to the tank.
That would put the heat you recovered in condensing the dryer water into preheating domestic water??

That might be worth (7.88 lbs of water)(970 BTU/lb) = 7700 BTU for the test load I did (which was a large load).
Such a system would be usable winter or summer as opposed to heat recovery which only helps in the winter.
But, I suppose you woud not get the whole 7.88 lbs.

There has to be a Pony here somewhere
Gary

Gary,
I think the pony is in the laundramat!! Just think of the possibilities!...You could use all that dryer heat to prewarm all the washing machine water. Hmmmm. Two heat storage tanks? One to prewarm the water? ...and solar hot water panels on the roof to finish heating the hot water in the second tank? Or a heat pump to top off the second tank that also provides AC to the building in the summer? The sheer number of dryers and frequency of use would probably justify a pretty nifty air to water hx design. With all your knowledge, you could probably design something wicked.

 

[Catfish Cleatus]

Make the wife hang your underwear to air dry indoors during the winter and outside on the clothes line during the summer. Done, problem solved by a redneck with no complicated math and weighing wet clothes!! You guys are getting way too into this laundry business!! Get out there and css some cords of wood!! Just joking ya a bit... Good thread and you guys are some brainiacs.

 

[Ehouse]

Gary,
I think the pony is in the laundramat!! Just think of the possibilities!...You could use all that dryer heat to prewarm all the washing machine water. Hmmmm. Two heat storage tanks? One to prewarm the water? ...and solar hot water panels on the roof to finish heating the hot water in the second tank? Or a heat pump to top off the second tank that also provides AC to the building in the summer? The sheer number of dryers and frequency of use would probably justify a pretty nifty air to water hx design. With all your knowledge, you could probably design something wicked.

There is/ was a laundromat near me that has done that for years, probably 20 or more.