Delivering energy savings

2 October 2019



LCN looks at some latest developments in drying efficiency on show at this summer’s industry exhibitions


At a time of rising energy prices and increased competition, laundries are keen to cut costs, particularly in the energy-intensive drying process. Equipment manufacturers and suppliers are responding to this demand by introducing the latest generation of energy-efficient tumble dryers.

ADC is part of the Whirlpool family of brands including Maytag Commercial Laundry and Whirlpool Commercial Laundry, producing dryer solutions for the on-premises, commercial, and industrial laundry industries. At Clean 2019 in New Orleans, attendees could see how ADC dryers can meet unique business needs from equipment that provides fast drying to helping improve throughput and optimise productivity.

Dryers with programmable options allow owners to choose their preferred cycle based on load type. This helps to extend the life of the linens, which can be costly to replace. Additionally, dryers that have a reverse-tumble feature, allows larger items, such as sheets and blankets, to billow out for even drying.

ADC points out that it’s important to keep in mind that having the right mix of machines ensures maximum efficiency. For instance, knowing how many hours the equipment will operate daily – in reference to the number of hotel rooms, types of linens laundered – can help determine where larger or smaller equipment will ensure a smoother, more efficient laundry operation. This step is often called the “right-sizing” of laundry equipment, and partnering with a reliable and reputable distributor can make this task easy.

ADC says that its heavy-duty i-Series Dryer range offers versatility and customised solutions to help maximize staff efficiency, optimise drying time and increase throughput. With its rugged construction, the dryer can withstand tough laundry environments and comes standard with variable drum speed, trans-axial air flow and Intuitive Micro Controls (IMC). Innovations on display included the AAFC (Automatic Air Flow Compensator), which is optional on the i-Series, and the engineer-driven AD Series, which is a popular choice by laundry operators. The brand also showcased stack multi-load dryers designed for space-savings and the large capacity AD-170 available in electric, gas, and steam heat options.

The Onnera Group represents several companies including the laundry brands Domus and Danube International.

Domus of Spain says that its DTP Eco-Energy series of dryers can minimise drying time and make energy savings of up to 40%.

There are eight models – 11, 18, 23, 28, 36, 45, 60 and 80, available in electric, gas or steam heated versions, with the 45 to 80kg also available in thermal oil.

The Domus Eco-Energy dryer has a stainless steel drum and features a frequency inverter as standard. All models offer reverse turning of the drum to encourage the movement of the clothes inside the drum.

Domus developed its Air Re-cycle recirculation system to reintroduce expelled hot air into the machine directly through the back of the drum. The mixed axial-radial airflow provided by the Domus Double Flow system increases drying efficiency by improving the airflow inside the drum.

Danube is a French manufacturer of industrial laundry equipment, including washer-extractors, tumble dryers and flatwork ironers. Danube says that its latest 8kg and 10kg dryers have features that make them stand out from the rest of professional models in the market. The DPR 8 and DPR 10 dryers have two available controls – the Easy Touch 2 (ET2) control microprocessor, or the EM electronic control with time and temperature settings.

Danube’s DD-Silver dryers are the ideal range for those customers who are looking for high performance, high quality tumble dryers. This range is available from 11 to 80kg.

Girbau in Spain says that while reducing energy consumption and maintaining high standards of quality continue to be the two biggest drivers of demand for dryers, there is a third important factor in the drying process – the correct and precise treatment of the linen. A good treatment also means a better linen lifespan, which represents savings for the customer.

Girbau’s ED series of dryers provide total control over individual elements of the programme including speed, drum rotation and heating to ensure maximum efficiency. The dryers offer huge energy savings and are ideally suited to wetcleaning as well.

Transflow technology combines radial and axial airflow for maximum efficiency and drying throughout the drum, reducing cycle times and lowering energy consumption. Cabinet insulation and a double-glazed door prevent heat escaping and further optimise energy efficiency. The ED Series dryers feature a highly reliable and accurate built-in humidity control system that automatically senses when clothes are dry and activates the cool down process maximising energy efficiency and assuring textile care. There are 10 preset programs catering for most commonly laundered fabrics and new programs are also easy to set up, if required. They can also be optimised for drying delicate wetcleaning fabrics.

Girbau has added two new large capacity models to its successful range of ED dryers. Like all machines in the ED range, the ED900 – with a drum of 900 litres and a capacity of 45kg – and the ED1250 – with a drum of 1,250 litres and a capacity of 62.5kg – are available with gas, electric and steam heating options. They join the ED260, ED340, ED460 and ED660, with capacities ranging from 13kg to 33kg.

Features available on the ED900 and ED1250 dryers include the modulation of gas heating as standard. Different burners can be activated separately for increased efficiency and better energy management for all types of laundry. The steam-heated ED900 and ED1250 models feature a steel heat exchanger to facilitate the use of high-pressure steam and are supplied with a cooling trap for optimal efficiency and better linen finishing.

A second inverter on the fan motor of these new models provides improved modulation of the airflow allowing users to adjust the dryers for different types of exhaust installations. This feature also makes it possible to adjust the cycle of the program to obtain better results according to the load.

 

Electrolux says the new Line 6000 tumble dryers are streets ahead of other dryers in terms of energy savings and speed, thereby potentially adding substantially to the operator’s bottom line in lowered running costs and increased productivity. According to Electrolux, the Line 6000 dryers provide the shortest drying time on the market, with the smaller machine taking just 44 minutes to dry 6kg of garments – the larger being even more efficient.

Electrolux claims for the HP models 60% savings on energy compared with traditional dryers. “The trade-off for heat pump energy savings in the past was slower drying times but Electrolux has managed to achieve, with the 14kg machine a full load dried in 35 minutes and in the 20kg machine a full load in just 42 minutes.

The adaptive fan feature adjusts fan speed automatically to save energy and reduce drying time while providing an even drying result. For example, when there is more than one tumble dryer in a series and the ventilation duct has a constant diameter, the adaptive fan will adjust the fan speed to keep air flowing efficiently. The adaptive fan control also makes the fan last longer.

Electrolux Line 6000 dryers have earned the prestigious 4-star rating in compliance with international standards from the ergonomic certifying institute, ErgoCert. Ergonomics and ease of use are extremely important to Electrolux which is aware that laundry staff often have to perform repetitive movements which can be physically stressful and subsequently reduce productivity so making thongs easier for workers was very much part of the design remit.

Kannegiesser’s PowerDry D.II series features models with a nominal loading capacity of 40, 60, 85, 120, 175 and 220kg, available in gas, oil and steam-heated versions. Radial airflow is combined with the controlled speed of the drum to guarantee an effective flow through the batch.

If the PowerDry D.II dryer is used in combination with the company’s ECO-2 Power package, energy consumption is said to reduced by 20% from the original PowerDry model.

Lavatec Laundry Technology says that the smart technology built into its TT-series Ecodry dryer “puts it on a different level of efficiency and throughput”.

The TT 756 is a 450-pound capacity gas dryer is described as the epitome of safer ergonomics, sustainable processes and smart technology, all designed into one machine.

Lavatec’s dryer technology with its infrared sensors has improved drying times by up to 15%. The dryer’s line burner system covers the entire drum, and this provides higher throughput, reduced gas consumption and the elimination of over-drying.

Stahl Wäschereimaschinenbau says there is greater focus on productivity in the laundry, adding that the energy consumption of the dryers is very important for each laundry manager. Its heavy-duty laundry machines includes its next generation of heavy-duty tumble dryers. Two new models with load capacities of 8kg and 35kg have joined its existing heavy-duty dryers, the T252 to T256 with load capacities between 40kg to 110kg.

Stahl can supply dryers with an integrated plate heat exchanger. Its dryers also benefit from additional insulation and direct drive system, which removes the limitations of an ordinary mechanical drive.

Poseidon Textile Care Systems has a new 70lb capacity Poseidon wetcleaning machine for its soft-mount lineup, which now encompasses 20-, 30-, 40-, 60, 70-, 80- and 90-lb capacity models.

Like the rest of the wetcleaning range, the new model offers highly programmable controls, “unrivalled efficiency, extract speeds up to 405 G-force, and unmatched production per linear foot”, says the Troy, Michigan-based manufacturer.

The dryer’s key feature is its ability to create steps in the dry cycle similar to what is seen in the wash cycle. Each step of the dry cycle relies on moisture sensors (or time) to automatically advance the dryer to the next step. Once a pre-set moisture level is met, the Poseidon Dryer enters cool-down.

Alliance Laundry Systems has made a significant investment in new management systems with dashboards to record and display drying cycles and key data such as the drying time, temperature and load. This level of control is now being demanded by the best-performing laundry operators/owners, and is why Alliance has developed bespoke software such as UniLinc and TotalVue for its Unimac OPL brand.

The Alliance heat pump dryers show how dryer technology is evolving. The latest Primus dryers, for example, require considerably less power to operate effectively (less than 4 kW, compared to 15 – 25kW for conventional dryers of the same capacity).

They also consume 60% less energy, says the company. The heat pump drying cycle is reasonably short. Depending on the model, it varies from 36minutes for the 9kg dryer to 58minutes for the 16kg dryer.

Danube DD-Silver dryer


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