Energy conservation with clothes dryers: evaluation of techniques

The purpose of this study was to determine an answer to the question: What are the effects of washer rinse temperature, final washer spin time, or dryer setting on the energy consumption of a household electric clothes dryer? The data were collected in July and August, 1981, using a Maytag washer and dryer. The preconditioned load used was a variation of the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers' standard eight pound load with fiber content of cotton and polyester. Eight combinations of the independent variables, rinse temperature, spin time, and dryer setting, were replicated five times. Room temperature, relative humidity, and barometric pressure were monitored. Statistical procedures utilized in data analysis included Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients, means, standard deviations, ranges and analysis of variance. The combination requiring the most energy, 3.403 kwh, was cold rinse, short spin time, and extra dry higher setting, and the combination requiring the least energy, 2.588 kwh, was warm rinse, long spin time, and normal dryer setting. However, it was calculated that it required 2.3 kwh to heat the warm water used in rinsing. Therefore, it is recommended that consumers can save the most energy using a combination of cold rinse, long spin time, and normal dryer setting.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Management, Housing, and Family Development

Department dc:contributor.department

Management, Housing, and Family Development

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Year dc:date.issued

1982

Author dc:creator

• Ellis, Irene Stoneman

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10919/87244

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/87244