A method of controlling a washing machine. The washing machine includes a tub configured to receive water, a drum rotatably disposed in the tub, a volute pump including (i) an impeller configured to rotate in one or more directions to pump water discharged from the tub and (ii) a pump housing that defines a volute-shaped passage configured to guide water pumped by the impeller, and a circulating water supply device configured to supply water discharged from an outlet port of the volute pump into the drum. The method includes: supplying water and detergent into the tub; and rotating the impeller of the volute pump in a first direction to discharge a first amount of water from the volute pump, the first amount of water being less than a second amount of water discharged from the volute pump based on the impeller being rotated in a second direction.

A method of controlling a washing machine. The washing machine includes a tub configured to receive water, a drum rotatably disposed in the tub, a volute pump including (i) an impeller configured to rotate in one or more directions to pump water discharged from the tub and (ii) a pump housing that defines a volute-shaped passage configured to guide water pumped by the impeller, and a circulating water supply device configured to supply water discharged from an outlet port of the volute pump into the drum. The method includes: supplying water and detergent into the tub; and rotating the impeller of the volute pump in a first direction to discharge a first amount of water from the volute pump, the first amount of water being less than a second amount of water discharged from the volute pump based on the impeller being rotated in a second direction.

A control method of a dual-drum washing machine, comprising the following steps: step S1: before a first washing drum performing heating; step S2: determining whether a second washing drum is heating; step S3: if the determination result is yes, determining whether the remaining heating time of the second washing drum is more than T.sub.0; and step S4: if the determination result is yes, performing an alternate heating procedure in which the first washing drum and the second washing drum heat alternately, and if the determination result is no, performing a sequential heating procedure in which the second washing drum heats before the first washing drum, wherein T.sub.0 is a time value, set through a system, for determining whether heating of the second washing drum is coming to an end.

A washing machine comprises a first washing drum with a first heater and a second washing drum with a second heater. Before the first washing drum performs a heating procedure, it is necessary to determine whether the second washing drum is performing the heating procedure; if not, the first washing drum performs the heating procedure; if yes, it is necessary to determine whether the remaining heating time of the second washing drum is less than a set value, T min; if yes, the first washing drum pauses the heating procedure; when the second washing drum finishes performing the heating procedure, the first washing drum then performs the heating procedure; if not, remaining heating time of the first washing drum and that of the second washing drum are determined, whichever drum having the shorter remaining heating time performs the heating procedure first, while the other drum performs the heating procedure second.

A water reuse control method of a multiple-drum washing machine, having a first washing drum and a second washing drum. When the first drum reaches a drainage process, comparing a time for the second drum to reach a water supply process T.sub.12 to a time for the first drum to reach a next drainage process T.sub.11; if T.sub.12<T.sub.11, the first drum waits until water is supplied into the second drum; if T.sub.12≧T.sub.11, water in the first drum is directly drained. Alternatively, when the first drum reaches the water supply process, comparing time for the second drum to reach the drainage process T.sub.22 to time for the first drum to reach a next water supply process T.sub.21; if T.sub.22≧T.sub.21, clean water is directly supplied into the first drum; if T.sub.22<T.sub.21, the first drum waits until the second drum drains water.

A double-drum washing machine has a first washing drum and a second washing drum. A control method comprises water intake and drainage control and high-power process control, wherein the water intake and drainage control comprises water intake control and water drainage control; the first washing drum judges whether to reuse drained water of the second washing drum before executing a water intake process and judges whether to enable the drained water to be drained into the second washing drum and reuse the water or not before executing a water drainage process; and the high-power process control is used for controlling any one of a heating process, a dewatering process and a drying process of the first washing drum and any one of a heating process, a dewatering process and a drying process of the second washing drum not to be executed at the same time.

A method of laundering fabric including: (a) calculating a final amount of water to be added to a final wash bath; (b) calculating the amount of energy needed to heat this final amount of water to a desired final temperature; (c) contacting an amount of water that is less than the final amount water with fabric to form an intermediate wash bath, wherein a detergent composition is contacted to the fabric during the formation of the intermediate wash bath, or prior to the formation of the intermediate wash bath; (d) heating the water that contacts the fabric during (c) with the energy calculated in (b) such that the intermediate wash bath has a temperature above the desired final temperature; (e) washing the fabric in the intermediate wash bath for at least 3 minutes; (f) contacting the remaining amount of water to the intermediate wash bath to form the final wash bath having the desired final temperature; (g) washing the fabric in the final wash bath for at least 5 minutes; and (h) rinsing the fabric.

A method of laundering fabric including: (a) calculating a final amount of water to be added to a final wash bath; (b) calculating the amount of energy needed to heat this final amount of water to a desired final temperature; (c) contacting an amount of water that is less than the final amount water with fabric to form an intermediate wash bath, wherein a detergent composition is contacted to the fabric during the formation of the intermediate wash bath, or prior to the formation of the intermediate wash bath; (d) heating the water that contacts the fabric during (c) with the energy calculated in (b) such that the intermediate wash bath has a temperature above the desired final temperature; (e) washing the fabric in the intermediate wash bath for at least 3 minutes; (f) contacting the remaining amount of water to the intermediate wash bath to form the final wash bath having the desired final temperature; (g) washing the fabric in the final wash bath for at least 5 minutes; and (h) rinsing the fabric.

A heater arrangement for a multi-compartment appliance comprises a first heater, a second heater, and a relay. The first heater is disposed within a first airflow path for a first dryer compartment. The second heater is disposed within a second airflow path for a second dryer compartment. The relay interconnects, via an electrical harness, the first and second heaters. The relay, responsive to a demand for heat to the first dryer compartment and the first heater having a temperature being less than a target temperature, diverts power to the first heater.

A laundry washing machine and method adapt the operation of a laundry washing machine for a particular installation environment using a calibration process that may be performed at installation and/or at various times thereafter to determine one or more operational settings used to control the operation of the laundry washing machine. A calibration process, for example, may determine one or more of an ambient light characteristic, a water supply pressure, and an empty wash tub weight to generate one or more operational settings used by a controller of a laundry washing machine.