A field study of the residential clothes drying process

The Energy Star standard is useful for comparing dryer models but gives much less information about performance once installed in a residence. All energy efficiency (EE) efforts need to consider the impact on the drying process and the textiles being dried. The length and efficacy of the drying process is affected by the temperature and humidity of the dryer's environment. Heavy loads run in residential dryers were monitored to study the drying process in situ. Continuous humidity and temperature measurements were taken in the drum. Aggregated sensor data was used to identify the individual periods within the clothes drying process. A simple prototype “controller” was built to evaluate changing temperature settings based upon the period in the drying process. This knowledge facilitates EE efforts moving beyond more efficient motors and fans into adjusting the cycle profiles for efficient moisture removal.