US3875681A

US3875681A - Condenser apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3875681A
Application number: US446219A
Authority: US
Inventors: Pas Laddie A De
Original assignee: General Electric Co
Current assignee: General Electric Co
Priority date: 1974-02-27
Filing date: 1974-02-27
Publication date: 1975-04-08
Anticipated expiration: 1992-04-08
Also published as: CA1060779A

Abstract

Condenser apparatus for removing moisture from the air including a housing for the condenser apparatus, which housing has both a cooling liquid inlet and an air inlet at one end. Within the housing is a condensing chamber and a rotatable disc spaced inwardly from the liquid inlet so that when the disc is rotated and liquid is impinged upon the disc a cooling liquid droplet cloud is produced in the condensing chamber. At the opposite end of the condenser housing from the inlet is an air outlet and a concentrically positioned rotatable blower. Located between the blower and the rotatable disc is a rotatable liquid droplet interceptor wheel for collecting entrained liquid droplets before they pass into the blower and deposits them into an underlying bath. Circumferentially around the interceptor wheel is a liquid pump that removes liquid from the condenser apparatus. An electric motor is utilized for rotatably driving all of the rotating elements. The condenser apparatus is utilized particularly in an automatic clothes dryer wherein hot moistureladen air that has been passed over the fabrics to be dried is introduced into the condenser apparatus which reduces the temperature of the air to condense moisture therefrom and then recirculating the air again through the clothes dryer.

Description

United States Patent [1 1 De Pas l l CONDENSER APPARATUS Laddie A. De Pas. Louisville, Ky.

[73] Assignee: General Electric Company,

Louisville. Ky.

[22] Filed: Feb. 27, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 446,219

[75] lnventor:

Smith Hubbard 34/75 Primary Iiruminer-Kenneth W. Sprague Assistant Examiner-James C. Yeung [57] ABSTRACT Condenser apparatus for removing moisture from the 1 Apr. 8, 1975 air including a housing for the condenser apparatus. which housing has both a cooling liquid inlet and an air inlet at one end. Within the housing is a condensing chamber and a rotatable disc spaced inwardly from the liquid inlet so that when the disc is rotated and liquid is impinged upon the disc a cooling liquid droplet cloud is produced in the condensing chamber. At the opposite end of the condenser housing from the inlet is an air outlet and a concentrically positioned rotatable blower. Located between the blower and the rotatable disc is a rotatable liquid droplet interceptor wheel for collecting entrained liquid droplets before they pass into the blower and deposits them into an underlying bath. Circumferentially around the interceptor wheel is a liquid pump that removes liquid from the condenser apparatus. An electric motor is utilized for rotatably driving all of the rotating elements. The condenser apparatus is utilized particularly in an automatic clothes dryer wherein hot moistureladen air that has been passed over the fabrics to be dried is introduced into the condenser apparatus which reduces the temperature of the air to condense moisture therefrom and then recirculating the air again through the clothes dryer.

8 Claims. 5 Drawing Figures PHENTED APR 8 [975 CONDENSER APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION I. Field of the Invention This invention relates to condenser apparatus. and more particularly to condenser apparatus for utilization in an automatic clothes dryer so that warm moistureladen air from the clothes dryer is cooled and moisture removed therefrom.

2. Description of the Prior Art In automatic clothes dryers it is common to vent the warm moisture-laden exhaust air or vapor outside the machine and preferably even outside the house or building while air is constantly being introduced into the clothes dryer. heated and passed over the fabrics to be dried. It is not. however. always possible and. in fact. it may not be desirable to provide such a venting system for automatic clothes dryers in apartments or other high rise housing establishments. In drying fabrics in a clothes dryer it is highly desirable to be able to heat the air. pass the heated air over the fabrics to be dried and withdraw moisture therefrom. remove the hot moisture-laden air from the fabrics and introduce it into an apparatus that lowers the temperature of the moistureladen air thereby condensing out moisture from the air. then recirculate the air through the clothes dryer.

Condensing apparatus has been utilized in laundry machines. both combination clothes washers and dryers and automatic clothes dryers. for many years. One such condensing apparatus is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2.45 l .692 wherein moist air is passed through a water spray from a nozzle that is also used to effect movement of the air and free water from the spray is removed by a stationary screen. Another type of condensing apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2.785.557 wherein only a controlled portion of the moist air is passed through a dehumidifier. U.S. Pat. No. 2.92 I .384 shows apparatus that uses an impeller to circulate air that also has the cooling water discharged directly against the impeller. however. there is no free water collection means provided. U.S. Pat. No. 3.I2 .000 utilizes a condensing arrangement that produces a coherent film of water on a channel wall to avoid entrainment of water droplets.

A liquid droplet cloud in a condensing chamber through which the hot moisture-laden air from the dryer is passed is quite efficient for lowering the air temperature. However. such a system inherently produces entrainment of the free liquid droplets. It is desirable to collect these droplets and deposit them in an underlying bath before they can leave the condensing chamber. This is particularly desirable when the blower that induces the air flow through the condenser apparatus is in axial alignment with the condensing chamber and downstream from the liquid droplet cloud. Too much entrainment of free liquid can detrimentally affect the operation of the entire condenser apparatus and reduce the normal life of such an apparatus. Also. since the condenser apparatus may be utilized in an automatic clothes dryer it is desirable to minimize expelling free liquid from the condenser apparatus into the clothes dryer system.

With liquid being introduced into the condenser apparatus to form the liquid droplet cloud and the droplets being collected in the condensing chamber before they pass into the blower area it is necessary to have a pump to remove the liquid from the condensing chamber but yet allow the air to flow in an axial direction from the condensing chamber into the blower area. This is important as if the air flow must take a tortuous path. the power requirements are higher in order to increase the air pressure and push it through the condenser apparatusv To obtain good air flow characteristies at desirable lower power requirements, one of the areas that has needed improvement is the liquid pump. Moreover. since the condenser apparatus may be adapted for installation into present standard size clothes dryers. the condenser apparatus must necessarily be limited in size and particularly in axial length and the pump must accommodate these requirements. The pump must he self-priming and capable of producing at least a 3 or 4 foot head so that when the condenser apparatus is used in a clothes dryer the liquid from the condensing chamber can be emptied into residential sewerage systems without the need of an auxiliary pump.

Apparatus for removing liquid from condenser appa' ratus have been used heretofore. See. for example. U.Sv Pat. No. 2.921.384 wherein there is disclosed a simple fluid impeller that discharges liquid from the bottom of the condenser unit through a drain hose. Many condenser type units. such as those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2.932.360 and 3.I4l.749. and 3.596.885 use a nondriven drain means at the bottom of the condensing chamber. Often in the case of laundry machines the condensing chamber bottom drain is connected to a separately driven. remotely located pump such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2.722.057 and 2.785.557. While such pumps are effective they require extra connections. driving means and often separate motors.

Condenser apparatus for automatic clothes dryers must be efficient in operation. low in manufacturing cost. and economical to operate in order to make it desirable. Moreover. it should be compact and of a size such that it can be easily installed in present standard size clothes dryers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION There is provided a condenser apparatus for removing moisture from the air. particularly a condenser apparatus that is utilized in connection with an automatic clothes dryer. which includes a housing for the condenser apparatus and has both a water or other cooling liquid inlet and an air inlet at one end. an air outlet at the opposite end of the housing. and a condensing chamber therebetween. Means for forming a cloud of liquid droplets in the condensing chamber is also included. Positioned near the air outlet of the condenser apparatus is a means. such as a blower. for inducing an air flow through the condenser apparatus from the air inlet to the air outlet passing through the liquid droplet cloud.

Means for collecting the liquid droplets before they pass into the blower is provided and arranged to deposit the collected liquid into an underlying bath at the bottom of the condensing chamber. The droplet collecting means is located between the means for forming the droplets and the air flow inducing means. Means for driving all of the rotating components is also provided.

This invention relates to utilizing in such a condenser apparatus an improved self-priming pump for removing liquid from the condenser chamber. The pump has a stationary circular wall with a venturi liquid inlet at the bottom in communication with the underlying liquid bath in the condensing chamber. and a liquid outlet at the top. A rotatable circular wall is spaced from the stationary wall and means. such as an electric motor. is provided to rotatably drive the rotatable circular wall relative to the stationary wall sufficient to cause a ring ofliquid within the spaced walls to rotate relative to the stationary wall and effect pumping of the liquid out of the outlet.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved condenser apparatus.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved self-priming liquid pump for use in condenser apparatus.

It is another object ofthis invention to provide an improved self-priming liquid pump for use in condenser apparatus which in turn is used in an automatic clothes dryer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGv l is a side elevational view of an automatic clothes dryer suitable for incorporation of the condenser apparatus utilizing my pump. the view being partly broken away and partly in section to illustrate details.

FIG. 2 is a view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. I showing the condenser apparatus installed in the automatic clothes dryer.

FIGv 3 is a side elevational. cross-sectional view of the condenser apparatus utilizing the pump.

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the condenser ap paratus shown in FIG. 3 taken along lines 44 and partially broken away to illustrate detailsv FIG. 5 is a partially cut away perspective view of a condenser apparatus showing my pump in detail.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings and initially to FIG. I thereof. there is illustrated a domestic automatic clothes dryer including an appearance and protective outer cabinet ll having a door or closure 12 to provide access into the interior of the cabinet for loading and unloading fabrics. Provided on the top 13 of cabinet 1] is a control housing 14 which may, in a conventional way. include a suitable manual control 15 connected to a control assembly 16 mounted in control housing l4. By manual setting of control 15, the machine may be caused to start and automatically proceed through a cycle operation.

Within cabinet ll, there is provided a clothes tumbling container or drum 17 mounted for rotation on a substantially horizontal axis. Drum 17 is substantially cylindrical in shape. having a central cylindrical wall portion 18. and outer cylindrical wall portions 19 and 20. located respectively adjacent an annular front wall 2] and a circular rear wall 22 of the drum. Wall portions l8, l9 and 20 are imperforate while rear wall 22 has a plurality of perforations 33. On the interior surface of wall portion 18 there is a plurality of clothes tumbling ribs 23 so that clothes are lifted up when the drum rotates and then permitted to tumble back down to the bottom of the drum. The front of the drum 17 may be rotatably supported within outer cabinet 11 by suitable slide members or idler wheels. one of the latter of which is indicated by the numeral 24.

The rear end of drum [7 receives its support by means of a stub shaft 27 extending from the center of wall 22. Shaft 27 is secured within a bearing 28 mounted in a baffle-Iike structure 29 which. in turn. is rigidly secured to the back wall 30 of the cabinet II.

In order to provide for the flow of drying air through the clothes drum. it is provided with a central aperture 32 in the front wall 21 and a plurality of perforations 33 in the rear wall 22. The air provided to the drum is heated as by an electrical resistance heating element 37. the element being the form shown in the drawings. which issues from the outlet 34 of the heating unit 35. Heating unit 35 includes a heater housing 36 and the electrical resistance heating element 37. In the conventional way. air is drawn into the heating unit 35 through an inlet opening 38 (FIG. 2) and is warmed as it passes over and through the electrical resistance heating element 37 and then out the heater outlet 34.

The outlet end 34 of the heating unit communicates with an upwardly extending duct 45, which enters a generally circular heat diffuser chamber 47 formed between the structure 29 and the rear wall 22 of drum 17. A flexible circumferential seal 39 is interposed between member 29 and rear wall 22 of the drum to provide a rear drum air seal and is secured to structure 29 and contacts the rear wall of the rotating drum. The heated air flows from the chamber 47 through the perforations 33 into the interior of the drum 1?.

The front opening 32 of the drum is substantially closed by means of a bulkhead generally indicated by the numeral 50. Bulkhead 50 is made up of a number of adjacent members including the inner surface 51 of the access door 12, a stationary frame 52 formed as a flange on front wall 46 of the cabinet and a front door liner 42.

A transition duct 62 is formed by joining together cavity member 54 and cavity member 53 at an annular flange 55. It will be noted that a suitable clearance is provided between the inner edge of aperture 32 and the edge of frame 52 so that there is no rubbing between the drum and the frame during rotation of the drum. In order to prevent substantial air leakage through the aperture 32, a suitable front drum ring seal 56 is secured to the flange 65 in sealing relationship with the exterior surface of the drum wall 21.

Door 12 is mounted on cabinet 11 so that when the door is opened fabrics. may be inserted into and removed from the drum through the door frame 52.

The air outlet from the drum is provided by a perforated opening 59 formed in the inner wall 51 of the hollow door. The bottom wall section of door 12 and the adjacent wall of door frame 52 are provided with aligned openings 60 and 61, opening 61 providing an entrance to the duct 62. A lint trap 63 may be positioned in the duct 62 within opening 61 and supported by the door frame 52. Duct 62 leads downwardly and communicates with condenser housing 64. It is within the condenser housing that the hot moisture-laden air is cooled which causes moisture to be removed from the air prior to introducing the air into the heating unit 35 and then recirculated through the clothes dryer.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 3, 4. and 5 in particular, the operation and construction of the condenser apparatus will now be explained. The condenser apparatus includes a housing 64 which is cylindrical or drum shaped and has an air inlet 66 located at the front of the condenser unit which is also near the front of the clothes dryer. Hot moisture-laden air from the drum is introduced into the condenser unit through the air inlet 66 by a transition duct 62 (FIG. I) between the drum and the air inlet. Also located at the same end of the condenser housing 64 is a liquid inlet means 70 which may conveniently be a hose or tubular conduit 72 supported by structure 74 secured in a suitable fashion to the condenser housing. The structure 74 secures and positions the tubular conduit 72 substantially on the longitudinal axis of the condenser housing 64 with the end 73 of the conduit 72 directed into the condenser apparatus. The liquid introduced into the condenser apparatus by means of the tubular conduit 72 passes through a solenoid operated control valve (not shown) and is in the form of a stream. The liquid is furnished from a source external of the clothes dryer such as a household faucet. Spaced axially from the liquid inlet means 70 is a single rotatable disc 76 (not shown in FIG. 5).

At the opposite end of the condenser housing 64 from the liquid inlet means 70 is a blower 78 for inducing air to flow from the air inlet 66 to an air outlet 80. The blower 78 not only induces air flow through the condenser apparatus but causes the air to flow through the entire clothes dryer so that only a single blower is needed. The blower in this embodiment consists of a rotatable blower wheel having a plurality of blades 82 secured as by molding to circular plate 83 and a confining air space 84 surrounding the blower wheel for developing sufficient air pressure within the blower to induce the above-mentioned air flow through the entire clothes dryer including the condenser unit. Positioned within the condenser housing 64 and located between the rotatable disc 76 and the blower 78 is a liquid droplet collecting means 86.

With particular reference to FIGS. 3. 4, and 5, the liquid droplet collecting means 86 is in the form ofa rotatable liquid dropet interceptor wheel having a plurality of equally spaced blades 88. The interceptor wheel 86 has a hub 92, the center of which is the axis about which the interceptor wheel rotates. The rear portion of the hub 92 is a hollow cylinder to be received upon the rotatable motor shaft 115 and secured thereto for rotation along with rotation of the motor shaft. The forward portion of the hub 87 is also a hollow cylinder and it is adapted to receive the rotatable disc 76 for simultaneous rotation also along with the motor shaft. The blades 88 are thin and extend radially outward from the outer surface ofthe hub 87. The blades are arranged to minimize obstructing the air stream flowing through the interceptor wheel. To support the outer blade edges 93 they are secured to a circumferential ring member 95. The hub 92, blades 88. and outer support ring member 95 may all be integrally formed as by molding with each other from suitable plastic material. In this fashion the entire interceptor wheel is a one-piece molded component structure.

Again with particular reference to FIGS. 3, 4. and 5, the pump 94 in the present preferred embodiment of the invention surrounds the liquid droplet interceptor wheel 86. Pump 94 partly consists of a rotatable U shaped inner wall 96 and a stationary outer pump wall 98. The outwardly facing wall surface 146 of the inner wall 96 and the inwardly facing wall surface 148 of the outer wall 98 are spaced from each other. Also, forming the front part of the pump 94 is a circular wall member 99 that is rigidly secured to the inside of the condenser housing and depends inwardly therefrom. A back wall 150 of the pump is also provided. The inner. outer. front and back walls cooperate with each other to provide a pump cavity I00 therebetween. At the top ofthe pump 94 is an outlet 102 which is in communication with the pump cavity 100 through the outer pump wall 98 so that liquid may be removed from and discharged outside the condenser apparatus. Through the circular wall member 99 is an opening 134 communicating with the underlying liquid bath at the bottom of the condensing chamber 90. The purpose of this open ing is to allow liquid that accumulates in the bottom of the condensing chamber to pass through the pump wall member 99 and into the pump cavity 100. The inlet to the pump operates on the venturi principle so that the pump 94 is self-priming. This is achieved by a structural arrangement wherein the U-shaped inner wall 96 is rotated concentrically and the outer wall 98 is concentric except for a small section at the bottom of the pump that is out-of-round to allow more of a cavity space between the outer pump wall 98 and inner pump wall 96. This additional space at the bottom of the pump provides a small reservoir of liquid for the pump. Concentrically positioned at the bottom of the pump is a ramp member 142 that is an extension of the concentric outer pump wall 98 and has a terminal end I44 at the center of the bottom of the pump just above the opening 134. The ramp is terminated to allow liquid to pass from the pump reservoir into the pump cavity 100 during operation of the pump. The effect of a venturi on the liquid to be pumped is provided by relatively high speed rotation of the inner U-shaped pump wall 96 as will be explained in more detail later.

It will be noted particularly from FIG. 5 that the pump 94 is circular and is circumferentially located around the interceptor wheel 86 which has a large air opening through the center thereof. As pointed out previously. this is quite advantageous in that it is desirable to have the air flowing through the condenser apparatus encounter only minimum resistance thus reducing the power requirements yet achieve proper air flow. The rotating U-shaped inner pump wall 94 is carried by. and in this case integrally molded with. the circumferential ring member of the liquid droplet collecting means 86. Therefore. as the interceptor wheel 86 is rotated the inner U shaped pump wall 96 is rotated simultaneously and at the same speed. It is desirable to prevent liquid picked up by the pump from being drawn from the pump 94 into the air stream flowing through the interceptor wheel 86. For this purpose a labyrinth structural arrangement is provided by a circular rearwardly projecting element 152 that depends from circular wall member 99 and is positioned in the open portion of the U-shaped inner pump wall 94 and spaced therefrom. By this arrangement liquid to be pumped from the condenser apparatus is prevented from migrating to the air stream flow and drawn into the blower 78. The centrifugal force exerted by rotation of U-shaped inner pump wall 94 will cause the liquid to move into the pump cavity for subsequent removal therefrom.

Located at the bottom of the condenser housing 64 is an auxiliary liquid discharge outlet having a sump 104 partially within the housing 64 and an outlet opening 109 outside the housing. Plumbing codes generally require a sufficient air gap in association with the water inlet. so that if a negative pressure is produced in the water line. only air will be taken in. It can be seen in FIG. 3 that if the condenser pump 94 fails to operate. liquid accumulates in the condenser apparatus sump until it overflows. thus providing an air gap in the system between the discharge outlet 109 and liquid inlet end 73.

At the rear of the condenser housing 64 is a rear wall I10 which forms part of the condenser housing. The rear wall H0 together with cylindrical wall section 111 of housing 64 and inwardly directed circular flange 113 form the blower chamber 84. Secured to the rear wall 110 on the opposite side from the blower chamber 84 is an electric motor [12 which may be suitably attached to the rear wall as by bolts 114. The electric motor has a rotatable shaft 115 extending through an aperture [16 in the rear wall 110 close to the central longitudinal axis of the condenser apparatus. Secured to this motor shaft US, which extends into the condenser housing. are the four rotatable elements of the condenser apparatus. namely. the blower 78, the liquid droplet interceptor wheel 86, inner U-shaped wall 96 of the pump 94. and the disc 76. The single motor H2 rotatably drives all four of these condenser apparatus elements.

The motor shaft 115 also extends rearward of the motor in the opposite direction from the condenser apparatus and is utilized to rotate drum 17. In order to effect this rotation. motor H2 is provided with a shaft portion I I8 having a small pulley l20 (FIG. 2) secured to the end thereof. Around the pulley 120 and seated in groove I21 and entirely around the cylindrical wall section l8 of drum [7 is a movable belt [22 (FIG. I). The relative circumference of the pulley 120 and the wall section l8 of the drum 17 causes the drum to be driven by the motor at a speed suitable to effect tumbling of fabrics to be dried in the drum. ln order to effect proper tensioning of the belt 122, a suitable idler assembly 124 is secured to the same support 126 which supports one end of the motor.

The air exiting the condenser apparatus through air outlet 80 passes via duct 128 into the heating unit for heating the air and recirculating it into the clothes dryer drum 17.

The operation of the condenser and dryer apparatus is as follows: Hot moisture-laden air that has been passed through the clothes dryer drum and picked up moisture from the fabrics tumbled therein is introduced into the condenser unit through the air inlet opening 66 while a stream of cooling liquid is being introduced into the condenser unit through tubular conduit 72. When the condenser apparatus is operating the electric motor provides for simultaneous rotation of the blower 78. liquid droplet interceptor wheel 86, inner wall 96 of pump 94 and disc 76. As disc 76 is being rotated a stream of liquid being introduced impinges onto the flat center area 40 of the rapidly rotating disc. The liquid striking the rotating surface 128 is acted upon by centrifugal force causing the liquid to spread into a film or sheet and swirl and travel up the inclined inner wall surface 129 of the continuous wall 41 of the disc 76 to the periphery 44 thereof and from there thrown outwardly in the form of liquid droplets 130. The generally radial flight of the liquid droplets 130 is interrupted by the inner surface 132 of the condenser housing 64 whereupon the liquid droplets are deflected back toward the center of the condenser chamber 90; this in effect pro duces a curtain or cloud of liquid droplets within the condensing chamber 90 while the incoming hot moisture-laden air from the dryer drum flows through this resultant liquid droplet cloud. It will be appreciated that the condenser chamber 90 length is restricted or limited in order to be able to incorporate the condenser apparatus in space available in standard size clothes dryers. lt is important to have the liquid droplets retained within the condenser chamber 90 rather than pass into the blower 78.

The hot moisture-laden air in contact with the cooler liquid droplets causes the air temperature to be lowered and the moisture condensed therefrom. Because the air flowing through the condenser chamber 90 may entrain some liquid droplets the water droplet collecting means 86 is positioned upstream of the blower 78 between the disc 76 and blower 78 so that entrained liquid droplets are essentially collected by the rotating blades 88 and deposited in an underlying liquid bath 133 which is in communication with the pump reservoir through an opening l34. It will be understood that simultaneously with the introduction of cooling liquid into the condenser apparatus through the tubular conduit 72 liquid will also be removed from the condenser apparatus by the pump 94 at a rate such that only a small amount of liquid is in the liquid bath 133 at a given time during operation of the condenser apparatus. In the operation of the condenser apparatus only about half a gallon per minute of liquid is removed.

The liquid is removed from the condenser apparatus by utilizing the pump 94 described heretofore. The rotating U-shapcd inner pump wall 96 is driven by the electric motor and the revolutions per minute should be such that the ring of liquid captured in the pump cavity I00 is rotated relative to the stationary wall [48 sufficiently to effect pumping of the liquid out of the outlet 102. l have found that the pump of my invention when arranged to provide a rotating ring of liquid having a cross-section one inch wide by half an inch deep and an average diameter of 7% inches will. when an electric motor turning the rotating U-shaped inner pump wall 96 at approximately 1.700 revolutions per minute. rotate the liquid ring at approximately L000 revolutions per minute. This will produce a pressure of 1.92 pounds per square inch and a 4.4 foot head. This pump arrangement provides an acceptable liquid pressure head for adequate pumping particularly when used in condenser apparatus utilized in automatic clothes dryers used in residential homes. Moreover. this pump arrangement also allows for sufficient velocity of the liquid ring so that a venturi at the bottom of the pump will effectively draw liquid from the pump reservoir into the pump cavity. It is desirable that the pump produce at least a 3 foot head. This is sufficient to pump to a 30 inch high drain stand pipe that the pump when used in clothes dryers installed in residencies will be suitable for most sewer drainage systems. It will be noted that the wall surfaces of the pump 94 are smooth in order to reduce liquid turbulence in the pump and therefore also noise caused by the liquid turbulence. The wall surfaces in contact with the rotating ring of liquid may. if desired. have paddle projections which will. of course. tend to accelerate the rotation of the liquid ring but it also increases the noise. When the condenser apparatus is used in automatic clothes dryers it is desirable to minimize the noise caused by the liquid turbulence since these appliances are used in homes or other residencies.

The air that has been cooled passes through the interceptor wheel 86 and pump 94 and into the blower 78 which applies air pressure to induce the air flow and force the air out ofthe condenser apparatus through air outlet 80 for introduction into the heating unit 35 and again recirculate through the clothes dryer.

The foregoing is a description of the preferred embodiment of the invention and variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention. as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a condenser apparatus for removing moisture from air by passing moisture-laden air through a cloud of cooling liquid droplets having:

a. a housing.

b. liquid inlet means at one end of said housing for introducing liquid into the housing.

c. a condensing chamber within the housing.

d. means for forming a cloud of liquid droplets in the condensing chamber.

e. air inlet means at said one end of the housing.

f. air outlet means at the end of the housing opposite the air inlet means.

g. means for inducing air to flow from the air inlet means to the air outlet means,

h. means for collecting the liquid droplets located between the condensing chamber and the air flow inducing means for deposit into an underlying bath at the bottom of the condensing chamber. and

i. drive means. the improvement comprising a self-priming pump for removing liquid from the condenser apparatus. said pump having a stationary circular wall with a venturi inlet at the bottom in communication with the bath at the bottom of the condensing chamber and an outlet at the top. a rotatable circular wall spaced from the stationary wall. means to rotate the rotatable wall relative to the stationary wall at a speed sufficient to cause a ring of liquid within the spaced walls to rotate relative to the stationary circular wall to effect pumping of the liquid out of the outlet.

2. In the condenser apparatus of claim I wherein the liquid droplet collecting means is an interceptor wheel that rotates about the longitudinal axis of the condenser housing and the pump is circumferentially around the interceptor wheel.

3. ln the condenser apparatus ofclaim I wherein the drive means is the means utilized to rotate the rotatable circular pump wall.

4. In the condenser apparatus ofclaim 3 wherein the drive means is an electric motor that rotates the rotatable circular pump wall relative to the stationary pump wall at a speed sufficient to produce at least a 3 foot head.

5. In an automatic clothes dryer machine having a cabinet. a drum mounted for rotation within the cabinet to tumble clothes to be dried. means for passing air through the drum and heating means to heat the air. and condenser apparatus through which the air passes to be cooled and remove moisture. the condenser apparatus having:

a. a housing.

c. a condensing chamber within the housing.

d. means for forming a cloud of liquid droplets in the condensing chamber.

e. air inlet means at said one end of the housing.

f. air outlet means at the end of the housing opposite the air inlet means.

g. means for inducing air to flow from the air inlet means to the air outlet means.

6. In the condenser apparatus of the clothes dryer machine of claim 5 wherein the liquid droplet collecting means of the self-priming pump is an interceptor wheel that rotates about the longitudinal axis of the condenser housing and the pump is circumferentially around the interceptor wheel.

7. In the condenser apparatus of the clothes dryer machine of claim 5 wherein the drive means is the means utilized to rotate the rotatable circular pump wall.

8. In the condenser apparatus of the clothes dryer machine of claim 7 wherein the drive means is an electric motor that rotates the rotatable circular pump wall relative to the stationary pump wall at a speed sufficient to produce at least a 3 foot head.

Claims

1. In a condenser apparatus for removing moisture from air by passing moisture-laden air through a cloud of cooling liquid droplets having: a. a housing, b. liquid inlet means at one end of said housing for introducing liquid into the housing, c. a condensing chamber within the housing, d. means for forming a cloud of liquid droplets in the condensing chamber, e. air inlet means at said one end of the housing, f. air outlet means at the end of the housing opposite the air inlet means, g. means for inducing air to flow from the air inlet means to the air outlet means, h. means for collecting the liquid droplets located between the condensing chamber and the air flow inducing means for deposit into an underlying bath at the bottom of the condensing chamber, and i. drive means,

2. In the condenser apparatus of claim 1 wherein the liquid droplet collecting means is an interceptor wheel that rotates about the longitudinal axis of the condenser housing and the pump is circumferentially around the interceptor wheel.

3. In the condenser apparatus of claim 1 wherein the drive means is the means utilized to rotate the rotatable circular pump wall.

4. In the condenser apparatus of claim 3 wherein the drive means is an electric motor that rotates the rotatable circular pump wall relative to the stationary pump wall at a speed sufficient to produce at least a 3 foot head.

5. In an automatic clothes dryer machine having a cabinet, a drum mounted for rotation within the cabinet to tumble clothes to be dried, means for passing air through the drum and heating means to heat the air, and condenser apparatus through which the air passes to be cooled and remove moisture, the condenser apparatus having: a. a housing, b. liquid inlet means at one end of said housing for introducing liquid into the housing, c. a condensing chamber within the housing, d. means for forming a cloud of liquid droplets in the condensing chamber, e. air inlet means at said one end of the housing, f. air outlet means at the end of the housing opposite the air inlet means, g. means for inducing air to flow from the air inlet means to the air outlet means, h. means for collecting the liquid droplets located between the condensing chamber and the air flow inducing means for deposit into an underlying bath at the bottom of the condensing chamber, and i. drive means,