Differences between heat pump and condenser dryers

Now there are many technological advances that can make the life of modern housewives easier. These include dryers, which are divided into three main types: ventilator, condenser and heat pump. The ventilation type of equipment is not very popular, as it takes up a lot of space and does not fit well into the harsh winter climate. Other “dryers” are another matter! The differences between heat pump dryers and condensing dryers, which may affect the choice of buyers, will be discussed in this article.

Features of condensation type machines

Condensation drying heats the air using a tubular electric heater (TEH), which consumes a significant amount of energy. Only the heating element itself can consume approximately 2.5 kilowatts per hour of operation.

Combined with the operation of the washing machine itself, the power consumption is approximately 4.5-5 kilowatts. If devices are connected to the same or adjacent sockets, the load on the wiring is very high. Not every cable can withstand such voltage, so a short circuit or fire is possible. Thus, connecting such a device is not only fraught with high energy costs, but also poses a potential danger if you do not take care of organizing a special socket for it, or lay a cable of the required cross-section, protected by a machine. condenser dryer diagram

A dryer with a tubular electric heater works as follows:

The heating element heats the air, and it already absorbs moisture from the washed laundry;
the heated air, which has absorbed moisture, ends up in the condenser;
In order for the condensation process to occur, the machine takes air from the room in which it stands. This air cools the heat exchanger;
After the heat exchanger has cooled, condensation of moisture from the warm air begins.

Since an active heat exchange process occurs in the room, it can become very hot there; in the cold season this can be good, but in the heat a heated room is completely unnecessary. Despite all the above-mentioned disadvantages, a significant advantage of such equipment will be its low price compared to other types of dryers.

Modern heat pump dryers

How are heat pump dryers different from condensing dryers? Such equipment does not have a tubular electric heater. To put it simply, it consists of a “refrigerator” and a heat pump. The refrigeration zone contains a compressor, a condenser (high pressure zone) and an evaporator (low pressure zone). Why do you need a heat pump in dryers?

We will try to describe the operating principle of this device as simply as possible.

The air from the drum first passes through a cooling radiator or evaporator radiator. Since the radiator is very cold, moisture falls on it.
Then the air enters the condenser radiator. Since this section of the “refrigerator” is warm or even hot, the air there warms up.
The heated air begins to absorb moisture again and again passes through the evaporator radiator. So the moisture falls out again.
The process continues in a circle. The air continues to heat up and cool down.

Such equipment has many advantages. The amount of electricity consumed is significantly lower than that of condensing type machines. The approximate amount of energy is about 600-1100 watts.In addition, such devices do not heat the air in the room where they are installed.

Since drying does not require such high temperatures as in dryers with heating elements, the laundry is exposed to less stress and lasts longer.

The disadvantages include the rather high cost compared to other types of equipment, as well as the long duration of the laundry drying process. It is also more difficult to maintain the machine, since its structure is more complex and not all masters have mastered such a technique.

Which dryer option do you prefer?

Choosing one of the presented types of drying machines is quite difficult. Each of them has its pros and cons. But having learned how devices of the condensing type and those with a heat pump differ from each other, one can draw subjective conclusions.

Condenser dryers are suitable for those who want to save money when purchasing and for whom functionality is not so important. The equipment is suitable for large volumes of clothing that need to be dried in a minimum amount of time. Models such as Electrolux EW6CR527P, Gorenje DP7B, Candy GVS4H7A1TCEX-S are well suited for purchase.
A heat pump dryer is suitable for those who have the opportunity to pay more, but do not want to invest in the appliance during operation. It is recommended to use this type for those people who prefer clothes made of delicate material that need to be dried at a low temperature and for a long time. The following models may be a good purchase: Bosch WTW85540EU, Samsung DV90N8287AW, Siemens WT47Y782OE.

As a result, we can say that both types of dryers are of high quality and functional and they do an excellent job.In order to choose the type and model of the device, you need to proceed from the amount of money, the room where the dryer will be located, as well as the quantity and quality of clothes.