Live data from Hacker News

Ultra-low-energy consumption ultrasonic clothes dryer

energy.gov

81–90 of 192 posts

Re: Ultra-low-energy consumption ultrasonic clothes dryer

#81

> DOE’s Building Technologies Office is seeking new clothes dryer technologies that can increase the energy factor (EF) from 3.7 to 5.43 lb/kWh without increasing drying time by more than 20% over baseline units. They're concentrating too much on kWh. One could use the same technology and focus on variable electricity pricing. I want a dryer that I turn at night, and it dynamically turns on-and-off as electricity rat…

In Australia, that's very hard to achieve because the residential energy market is heavily regulated specifically to _avoid_ exposing low-end consumers to spot pricing.

In at least WA, NSW, QLD and ACT you can go on time-of-use residential tariffs.

And driers (and washing machines - which use a considerable amount of energy particularly if they heat the water internally) typically already have timer-start functions.

Re: Ultra-low-energy consumption ultrasonic clothes dryer

#82
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Batteries don't last this long, why does a dryer have to? it's not all about longevity ...

Batteries not lasting long is considered a limitation of our current battery technology. This limitation doesn’t currently exist for typical clothes dryers. There’s no reason to introduce a new limitation unless the technology makes up for it in other ways. Having to replace a clothes dryer every two years would require the technology to be very good to justify such a burdensome task.

"Having to replace a clothes dryer every two years would require the technology to be very good to justify such a burdensome task."

Or, a cost cutting measure of replacing a long-lasting ball bearing assembly with a shaft rotating in a vinyl cup which wears down to metal-on-metal like mine did after 3 years. Which is the sort of accelerated deprecation the OP was alluding to. Granted, the battery metaphor isn't great as energy storage tech is far from mature.

Re: Ultra-low-energy consumption ultrasonic clothes dryer

#83
post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not to mention warm clothes is like 80% of the benefit of the dryer ;)

I don't understand why this is such a valued aspect of dryers. All clothes coming out of the dryer for me go right into my drawers / hanging. They don't get worn at the very earliest the next day. I rotate everything so I'm not just wearing the same socks and undies over and over again, so the vast majority of the time they don't even get worn then. Is the psychological effect of folding warm clothes rather than cold…

Hanging hot fabric can sometimes flattens out wrinkles almost as well as an iron.

Re: Ultra-low-energy consumption ultrasonic clothes dryer

#84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you put your clothes on a fire escape? Or in your bathroom (works great if you have a bathroom with a window).

Every apartment complex I've lived in has had rules banning hanging clothes (no idea about enforcement). Also, for any group larger than 2 I imagine the clothes would not dry fast enough to keep up. And most bathrooms are small and often without a window. Not a complaint, just pointing out that sun-drying is often not a real choice. Often it is.

Many management types will attempt to tell you that you can't hang clothes on a line. In nineteen states, such rules are explicitly prohibited by state law: http://www.sightline.org/2012/02/21/clothesline-bans-void-in... . They have the cheeky name of "right to dry states".

A related thing often banned is external over-the-air antennas, protected by US federal law.

Re: Ultra-low-energy consumption ultrasonic clothes dryer

#85
Depending on the ultrasonic frequency used, and the spacing of seams/tailoring of the clothes, it's possible that some clothes will come out of the dryer in pieces, and you will have to sew them back together... Although I suspect wide availability of these dryer will quickly eliminate that kind of sewing, much like the prevalence of dishwashers has almost eliminated non-dishwasher-safe kitchen stuff.

Re: Ultra-low-energy consumption ultrasonic clothes dryer

#89
post #7

It's not the fastest clothes dryer, but I often use one that runs on fusion in outer space.

Wasn't space fusion established as carcinogenic?

Oh really? I thought those were just little balls of lint and fabric. Now I feel like a jerk.

Re: Ultra-low-energy consumption ultrasonic clothes dryer

#90
post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One day we'll invent a technology device to answer the age old question: "Still wet or just cold?"

https://www.amazon.com/SSEYL-MS-C-Textile-Moisture-Meter/dp/...

4.47$ shipping, and it's not even next day? Pass! /s
Post reply on HN