An experimental study on clothes drying using rejected heat (CDURH) with split-type residential air conditioners

This paper reports on an experimental study on the effectiveness of using heat rejected from a split-type residential air conditioner (RAC) for clothes drying in residential buildings. An experimental rig has been set up and extensive experimental work has been carried out. The effectiveness was evaluated based on the comparisons by various drying methods, in terms of drying duration required, energy consumption, under Hong Kong's climatic conditions. Results from the study indicated that CDURH in residential buildings can be effective for its reasonably short drying duration and high energy use efficiency during air conditioning seasons. The additional electricity use for restoring condenser air flow rate with CDURH so as not to affect the operating efficiency of a RAC was only about 1.2% of that used by an electrical tumbler dryer to complete the same clothes-drying job. In order to have a large-scale application of CDURH in residential buildings in highly-dense urban areas, it is suggested that current design practices of residential air conditioning be reviewed and CDURH be integrated in the design stage of a residential development.