A washing machine appliance includes a sump for collecting wash fluid and a drain pump assembly for selectively draining that wash fluid in response to sump pressures measured by a water level detection system. Specifically, a controller is configured for operating the drain pump assembly to perform a drain cycle and obtaining a sump pressure after the drain cycle. A variable flag is set to a first state if the measured pressure exceeds a predetermined threshold pressure, which indicates that a certain amount of wash fluid is present in the sump. During a subsequent operating cycle, the drain pump assembly will be operated at the start of the cycle only if the variable flag was set to the first state during the prior operating cycle.

The present invention relates to a method for controlling a clothes treating apparatus, the method comprising: a circulation step of circulating air by operating a fan; a heat exchange step of opening a refrigerant pipe by controlling an expansion valve, and circulating a refrigerant by operating a compressor; a circulation termination step of terminating the operation of the fan when the dryness level of clothes stored in a receiving part reaches a predetermined reference dryness level or when the elapsed time of the heat exchange step reaches a predetermined reference time; and a return step of closing the refrigerant pipe by controlling the expansion valve, and returning the refrigerant and lubricant in the refrigerant pipe to the compressor by operating the compressor.

The present invention relates to a method for controlling a clothes treating apparatus, the method comprising: a circulation step of circulating air by operating a fan; a heat exchange step of opening a refrigerant pipe by controlling an expansion valve, and circulating a refrigerant by operating a compressor; a circulation termination step of terminating the operation of the fan when the dryness level of clothes stored in a receiving part reaches a predetermined reference dryness level or when the elapsed time of the heat exchange step reaches a predetermined reference time; and a return step of closing the refrigerant pipe by controlling the expansion valve, and returning the refrigerant and lubricant in the refrigerant pipe to the compressor by operating the compressor.

A dryer appliance and a method of operating the same to detect blockages are provided. The dryer appliance includes an exhaust conduit that defines a flow restriction and is in fluid communication with a drying chamber. A differential pressure sensor is operably coupled to the exhaust conduit at the flow restriction and a controller is configured for using a measured pressure differential to obtain an air flow rate and determine whether a blockage is present in the exhaust conduit, e.g., by comparing the measured flow rate to a baseline, zero-blockage flow rate.

A dryer apparatus is disclosed comprising a container having a container inlet and outlet, a pump that is configured to motivate a first air-vapor mixture flow via the container inlet and via the container outlet, a heating device configured to heat the first air-vapor mixture, a selector with at least two states, a compressor that is configured to compress and motivate a part of the first air-vapor mixture flow as a second air-vapor mixture flow, to flow through a first heat exchanger and to flow through a second heat exchanger and a pressure reducing device that is configured to reduce the pressure of said second air-vapor mixture downstream said first heat exchanger. The selector is configured to direct most of the first air-vapor mixture to flow in a closed cycle through the container, or configured to exchange most of the first air-vapor mixture with air located outside the apparatus.

The present disclosure relates to a tumble dryer (1) with a filter arrangement (12) located in a tumble dryer process air flow (21) for removing lint from process air leaving tumble dryer drum. The filter arrangement comprises a first coarse-mesh filter (25) and a second fine filter (27). A first sensor (41) detects a correct positioning of the first filter in the tumble dryer, and a second sensor (33) detects a pressure drop over a process air flow path comprising the second filter. A control arrangement (45) is configured to initiate a disabling operation which disables the fan arrangement (12), if the first filter is not correctly positioned in the tumble dryer or if the pressure drop over the second filter exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

A dryer vent monitor device includes a temperature sensor coupled to a dryer exhaust pipe to measure a temperature inside the dryer exhaust pipe. A differential air pressure sensor is coupled at an input connection between a dryer and the exhaust pipe and at an output connection between the dryer exhaust pipe and an outdoor vent. The differential air pressure sensor measures a differential air pressure between the input connection and the output connection. A transceiver communicates with a monitoring system registered with the dryer vent monitoring device. The dryer vent monitoring device compares both the temperature and the differential air pressure with a preset threshold, determines that at least one of the temperature and the differential air pressure exceed the preset threshold, and generates an alert signal in response to determining that at least one of the temperature and the differential air pressure exceed the preset threshold.

A dryer apparatus is disclosed comprising a container having a container inlet and outlet, a pump that is configured to motivate a first air-vapor mixture flow via the container inlet and via the container outlet, a heating device configured to heat the first air-vapor mixture, a selector with at least two states, a compressor that is configured to compress and motivate a part of the first air-vapor mixture flow as a second air-vapor mixture flow, to flow through a first heat exchanger and to flow through a second heat exchanger and a pressure reducing device that is configured to reduce the pressure of said second air-vapor mixture downstream said first heat exchanger. The selector is configured to direct most of the first air-vapor mixture to flow in a closed cycle through the container, or configured to exchange most of the first air-vapor mixture with air located outside the apparatus.

A portable clothes dryer and a clothes drying method thereof, wherein the portable clothes dryer comprises: a casing (1) provided with air inlets (4) and air outlets; a detachable garment model (8) made of elastic material comprising an inflatable chamber, the chamber provided with an air intake port (82) through which air from the air outlet enters into, clothes to be dried putting on the garment model (8) for drying; a heating device (7) disposed inside the casing (1) to heat air; a blower (6) configured to move heated air to the chamber of the garment model (8). The overall size of the dryer can be reduced to make it easy to carry due to the garment model with the inflatable chamber is detachable and made of elastic material; the clothes to be dried could be neatly put on the garment model so the clothes dried in this manner is wrinkle-free and can be dressed immediately, and the ironing process is saved.

A laundry treating appliance and method for operating a laundry treating appliance having a housing; a treating chamber located within the housing. A duct fluidly coupling the treating chamber to an exterior of the housing with a vent located within the duct. The vent moveable between an open position where a fluid flow passes freely between the treating chamber and the exterior and a closed position where the treating chamber is fluidly isolated from the exterior.