UNIVERSITI TEKNIKAL MALAYSIA MELAKA

NEW DESIGN FOR CLOTHES DRYING APPLICATION BY

USING GAS STOVE

This report submitted in accordance with requirement of the Universiti Teknikal

Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) for the Bachelor Degree of Engineering Technology

(Refrigeration and Air- Conditioning System) (Hons.)

by

SYED AMIRUL MUSTAQIM BIN SYED GHAZALI JALALULIN

B071210438

901122145899

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

2015

UNIVERSITI TEKNIKAL MALAYSIA MELAKA

BORANG PENGESAHAN STATUS LAPORAN PROJEK SARJANA MUDA

TAJUK: New Design for Clothes Drying Application by Using Gas Stove

SESI PENGAJIAN: 2015/16 Semester 1 Saya SYED AMIRUL MUSTAQIM BIN SYED GHAZALI JALALULIN mengaku membenarkan Laporan PSM ini disimpan di Perpustakaan Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) dengan syarat-syarat kegunaan seperti berikut:

1. Laporan PSM adalah hak milik Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka dan penulis. 2. Perpustakaan Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka dibenarkan membuat salinan untuk

tujuan pengajian sahaja dengan izin penulis. 3. Perpustakaan dibenarkan membuat salinan laporan PSM ini sebagai bahan pertukaran

antara institusi pengajian tinggi.

4. **Sila tandakan ( )

SULIT

TERHAD

TIDAK TERHAD

(Mengandungi maklumat yang berdarjah keselamatan atau kepentingan Malaysia sebagaimana yang termaktub dalam AKTA RAHSIA RASMI 1972)

(Mengandungi maklumat TERHAD yang telah ditentukan oleh organisasi/badan di mana penyelidikan dijalankan)

Alamat Tetap:

No 10 Jalan Surada 7

Taman Desa Surada, Seksyen 8

43650 Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor

Tarikh: _______________________

Disahkan oleh:

Cop Rasmi: Tarikh: _______________________

** Jika Laporan PSM ini SULIT atau TERHAD, sila lampirkan surat daripada pihak berkuasa/organisasi berkenaan dengan menyatakan sekali sebab dan tempoh laporan PSM ini perlu dikelaskan sebagai SULIT atau TERHAD.

DECLARATION

I hereby, declared this report entitled “New Design for Clothes Drying Application

by Using Gas Stove” is the results of my own research except as cited in references.

Signature : ………………………………………….

Author’s Name :Syed Amirul Mustaqim Bin Syed Ghazali Jalalulin

Date : ………………………………………….

APPROVAL

This report is submitted to the Faculty of Engineering Technology of UTeM as a

partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Engineering

Technology (Refrigeration and Air Conditioning System) (Hons.). The member

of the supervisory is as follow:

………………………………

(Dr. Ahmed Salem Saeed Bin Ghooth)

i

ABSTRAK

Proses pengeringan merupakan satu proses yang melibatkan pemindahan jisim yang

terdiri daripada penyingkiran air atau larutan lain melalui proses penyejatan.

Pengeringan pakaian merupakan sesuatu kerja yang mudah dan boleh dilakukan

dimana-mana tempat yang tededah secara semulajadi kepada cahaya matahari.

Walaubagaimanapun, pengeringan pakaian secara semulajadi menggunakan matahari

sukar dilakukan bagi sesetengah tempat yang mengalami cuaca hujan bermusim dan

bagi mereka yang tinggal di bangunan yang tinggi. Objektif projek ini adalah untuk

menyiasat penggunaan almari pengering tulen bagi tujuan proses pengeringan pakaian

dan untuk memepertimbangkan kos kesuluruhan projek, penggunaan tenaga dan

membandingkan dengan pengering pakaian konvensional yang sedia ada di pasaran

pada hari ini. Projek ini melibatkan proses merekabentuk projek, fabrikasi dan kerja

eksperimen bagi penjaan haba di dalam almari pakaian. Struktur badan almari ini

terdiri daripada logam Galvanized yang berukuran 1m × 0.5m × 2m dengan bantuan

dapur gas bagi membekalkan haba ke dalam almari dan penimbang berat bagi

menimbang berat pakaian sebelum dan selepas proses pengeringan. Ruang yang

digunakan bagi menjalakan eksperimen adalah ruang yang tertutup bagi satu tempoh

masa yang ditetapkan. Kadar pengeringan sesuatu pakaian dinilai melalui masa yang

diambil untuk mengeringkan pakaian, suhu dan berat pakaian didalam almari metallic.

Keputusan yang telah dicapai adalah bahawa model pengering tulen berjaya

mengeringkan baju cotton dalam tempoh masa 20 minit dengan kadar aliran

maksimum gas iaitu sebanyak 0.000096kg/s. Manakala, bagi seluar jeans pula hanya

mengambil masa selama 1 jam 05 minit dengan kadar maksimum aliran gas. Data yang

telah diperoleh daripada projek ini telah membuktikan bahawa projek ini sesuai

digunakan bagi mengeringkan pakaian dalam masa yang singkat tanpa merosakkan

bahan fabric pakaian tersebut, menjimatkan kos berbanding pengering konvensional

yang terdapat pada hari ini dan baju yang dikeringkan boleh digunakan serta merta.

ii

ABSTRACT

Drying is a mass transfer process consisting of the removal of water or another solvent

by evaporation from solid, semi-solid or liquid. Clothes drying are an easy and daily

work can be done in open places naturally where the sun is available. However,

naturally drying is difficult to achieve by certain places where seasonal rains

continuing profusely and for a high level commendation in high building. The

objectives for the current project are to investigate the possibility of using original

dryer cupboard for drying process and to consider the overall cost, energy consumption

and compare with others conventional dryer that are available today. The current

project consisting the designing process, fabrication and experimental work related to

heat generation inside metallic cupboard. The structure of the current project

consisting Galvanized metal which is 1m × 0.5m × 2m with aid of gas stove to generate

heat inside the cupboard, and a weight balance to determine the weight of clothes

before and after drying process. Area that are use to conduct the experiment is a closed

space for a specified time period. A clothes drying rate is measured through the time

it takes to dry the clothes, clothes weight and temperature inside metallic cupboard.

The results achieved in this study have shown that the original dryer model can dry a

cotton clothes in only 20 minutes with a maximum gas flow rate of 0.000096kg /s.

Meanwhile, the jeans were only takes 1 hour 05 minutes with a maximum rate of gas

flow. Data have been obtained from this project has shown that the project is suitable

for drying clothes in a short time without damaging the fabric of the clothing, cost-

effective compared to other conventional dryers that are available today and the clothes

has been dried can be use immidiately.

iii

DEDICATION

I dedicate my dissertation work to my beloved parents, Syed Ghazali Jalalulin Bin

Syed Hassan and Roslinah Binti Mohd Idris and also to my beloved wife Siti Nur

Shahirah Binti Abd Rahim.I am very lucky to have them as my family, who supports

me through thick and thin till that make me able to stand where I am today.

I also dedicate this dissertation to my friends who have lent some hands throughout

the process. I will always appreciate all that they have done. I would like to thanks Dr

Ahmed Saleem Bin Ghooth for helping me with some ideas to finish this research.

iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

A special thanks to my supervisor, Dr. Ahmed Salem Saeed bin Ghooth, for his

countless hours of reflecting, reading, encouraging and most of all patience throughout

the entire research.

I wish to thank the committee of Final Year Project (FYP) and the faculty laboratory

staffs for providing any assistance requested. Finally, I would like to thank all the

lecturers that has provide some good feedback when I ask for their help.

v

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstrak i

Abstract ii

Dedication iii

Acknowledgement iv

Table of Contents v

List of Tables viii

List of Figures ix

List Abbreviations, Symbols and Nomenclatures xi

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Background 1

1.2 Problem Statement 2

1.3 Objectives 3

1.4 Scope 3

1.5 Organization of the thesis 4

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 5

2.1 Introduction of drying process 5

2.2 Conventional clothes dryer 6

2.2.1 Conventional electric drier system description 9

2.3 Air flow 11

2.4 Humidity 12

2.5 Heat generation 14

2.5.1 Solar 14

2.5.2 Air cooled condenser 16

2.6 Related work 16

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 18

3.1 Design and fabrication 19

3.1.1 Material and apparatus 19

vi

3.1.2 Fabrication of cupboard 20

3.1.3 Apparatus assembly 25

3.1.4 Area selecting for conducting the experimental work 26

3.2 Experimental work 27

3.2.1 Experimental set up 27

3.2.2 Experimental procedure 28

3.2.2.1 Experimental work 1 29

3.2.2.2 Calculation for determining amount of heat generated 31

3.2.2.3 Experimental work 2 (cotton) 33

3.2.2.4 Experimental work 3 (jeans) 35

3.3 Economic analysis 37

CHAPTER 4: RESULT & DISCUSSION 38

4.1 Experiment result 1 38

4.1.1 Data tabulation for temperature gained 41

4.2 Experiment result 2 45

4.2.1 Data tabulation for drying rate 45

4.3 Experiment result 3 53

4.3.1 Data tabulation for drying rate 54

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION & FUTURE WORK 58

5.1 Summary of research 58

5.1.1 Original dryer model as drying application 58

5.2 Recommendation 59

5.2.1 Heat source & cupboard body 60

REFERENCES 61

APPENDICES

A Air temperature inside cupboard during minimum, medium and

maximum flow rate of gas stove during unviability of air flow (Case

1).

64

vii

B Air temperature inside cupboard during minimum, medium and

maximum flow rate of gas stove during availability of air flow at

second inlet and outlet of air flow (Case 2).

64

C Air temperature inside cupboard during minimum, medium and

maximum flow rate of gas stove during availability of air flow at

first inlet and outlet of air flow (Case 3).

65

D Air temperature inside cupboard during minimum, medium and

maximum flow rate of gas stove during availability of all inlet and

outlet of air flow (Case 4).

65

E Air temperature inside the cupboard, propane gas weight difference,

mass flow rate and energy input from gas for each cases in

experiment 1 within 10 minutes of consideration time (All case).

65

F Experimental result for weight of cotton clothes and the drying rate

respecting to the time interval

66

G Experimental result for weight of cotton clothes and the draying rate

respecting to the time interval.

67

H Experimental result for weight of cotton clothes and the draying rate

respecting to the time interval.

68

I Experimental result for weight of jeans trousers and the draying rate

respecting to the time interval.

68

viii

LIST OF TABLES

2.1 Specific humidity of a kilogram of air (at average sea level pressure) 13

3.1 Estimation cost for the project 40

ix

LIST OF FIGURES

2.1 Different types of tumbler dryers 8

2.2 Conventional air vented dryer 9

2.3 Closed- air cycle heat pump dryer 10

2.4 Amount of water in air at 100% relative humidity across a

Range of temperatures 14

2.5 Solar collector panel 15

2.6 Fan law impacts on air flow in AC condenser 16

3.1 Flow chart 18

3.2 Body of original dryer model 21

3.3 Marking process on galvanized metal 21

3.4 Cutting process by using shear machine 22

3.5 Bending process 22

3.6 Making a hole for a stove by using vertical drilling machine 23

3.7 Assembling process 23

3.8 Cutting side and top of cupboard to make a hole for airflow purposes 24

3.9 100% of cupboard body is done assembled 24

3.10 Gas stove is place at the bottom of cupboard 25

3.11 Weight balance is placed at the top of cupboard 25

3.12 Hanger bar and hanger is placed inside the cupboard 26

3.13 Complete assemble of original dryer model 27

3.14 Isometric view of an original dryer model 28

3.15 Basic component of using the cupboard 30

3.16 Recording data procedure for cotton clothes drying process 34

3.17 Recording data procedure for jeans trousers drying process 36

4.1 Air temperature inside cupboard during minimum, medium and 39

maximum flow rate of gas stove during unviability of air flow.

x

4.2 Air temperature inside cupboard during minimum, medium and 40

maximum flow rate of gas stove during availability of air flow at

second inlet and outlet of air flow.

4.3 Air temperature inside cupboard during minimum, medium and 42

maximum flow rate of gas stove during availability of air flow at

first inlet and outlet of air flow.

4.4 Air temperature inside cupboard during minimum, medium and 43

maximum flow rate of gas stove during availability of all inlet and

outlet of air flow

4.5 Clothes weight vs Time interval graph (minimum) 46

4.6 Clothes weight vs Time interval graph (medium) 48

4.7 Clothes weight vs Time interval graph (maximum) 50

4.8 Clothes weight vs Temperature during maximum flow rate of gas 51

4.9 Clothes drying rate vs Temperature during maximum flow rate of gas 52

4.10 Clothes weight vs drying rate during maximum flow rate of gas 53

4.11 Jeans trouser weight vs Time interval graph (maximum) 54

4.12 Drying rate vs Temperature during maximum flow rate of gas 55

4.13 Jeans weight vs Temperature during maximum flow rate of gas 56

4.14 Jeans weight vs drying rate during maximum flow rate of gas 57

xi

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND NOMENCLATURE

�̇� - Gas mass flow rate

∆T air - Air temperature difference

°C - Celcius

Cp - Air constant pressure (1.6794kJ/kg)

Dr - Drying rate

g - Gram

Gc - Gas cost

HTF - Heat Transfer Fluid

IEA - International Energy Agency

kg - kilogram

kJ - kilojoule

kW - Kilowatt

Max - Maximum flow rate

Med - Medium flow rate

MEPS - Minimum Energy Performance Standards

min - Minutes

Min - Minimum flow rate

xii

Qgas - Energy input from gas

s - Second

Tavg - Average air temperature

Ti - Initial temperature

W - Watt

Wi - Initial weight (clothes, jeans and propane gas)

Wo - Final weight (clothes, jeans and propane gas)

1

In this chapter, introduction of the most important topics that involves background,

problems statement, objectives, scope of the project is provided and the thesis

organization of overall chapters is provided within the chapter.

1.1 Background

Drying is a mass transfer process consisting of the removal of water or another solvent

by evaporation from solid, semi-solid or liquid. This process is often used as a final

production step before selling or packaging products (http://en.wikipedia.

org/wiki/Drying cited on 12 April 2015). There are two basic mechanisms involved in

the drying process; the migration of moisture from the interior of an individual

substance to the surface, and the evaporation of moisture from the surface to the

surrounding air. The rate of drying is determined by the moisture content and the

temperature of the substance, the (relative) humidity and the velocity of the air in

contact with the substance. A source of heat and an agent to remove the vapour

produced by the process are often involved. Desiccant may be used for extreme drying

application to absorb moisture. In past few decades there a several type of clothes dryer

generally used in residential which is tumbler dryer, microwave dryer and ventless

dryer. The ventless dryer can be divided into six type which is spin dryer, condenser

dryer, heat pump dryer, mechanical steam compression dryer, and convectant drying

and solar clothes dryer. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clothes_dryer cited on 1 may

2015).

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1

2

Clothes drying are an easy and daily work can be done in open places naturally where

the sun is available but it consumes more time for clothes to dry. In some areas where

seasonal rains continuing profusely and for a high level commendation in high building

are not suitable for naturally drying. Drying of clothes implies the removal of the water

from the clothes. In clothes drying process, drying is accomplished by vaporizing the

water that is contained at the clothes, and to do this latent heat of vaporization is

supplied. There are, thus, two important process controlling factors that enter into the

unit operation of drying which is; transfer of heat to provide the necessary latent heat

of vaporization and movement of heat through the clothes and then away from it to

effect separation of water from the clothes (http://www.nzifst.org. nz/unitoperations/

drying1.htm cited on 1 may 2015).

Conventional tumbler dryer has been used for 30-40 years ago by using electricity as

a source of energy to generate a heat to dry the clothes inside a drum. Limitations

associated with conventional tumbler dryer encourage researchers to investigate new

ideas that enable to overcome this dilemmas such as high cost, environmental effects

(fossil fuel at power plant) and dangerous. The current project will consider as an

alternative way which be able to provide same function without using electrical heater.

The current project is done by conducting a designing process, fabricating and

experimental work. The design are considered the heat generation inside a cupboard

by setting up inside a closed space with some hole at the side of cupboard to allow air

to force the heat rise. The cupboard are made up from 6 pieces of galvanized metal.

Gas stove is apply to generate heat inside the cupboard to dry the clothes. The

temperature, weight of the clothes before and after drying process, and time taken to

dry the clothes will be recorded.

1.2 Problem Statements

Conventional tumbler dryer is associated with some limitations such as high energy

consumption to generate heat and to run the system itself, environmental effect due to

tumbler dryer is still rely on fossil fuel as internal combustion at power plant to

generate an electricity and dangerous. Hence, it is always desirable to consider about

3

energy saving generating heat for the future with more safety. The current project is

considered as an alternative solution, which is able to provide same function of drying

process with avoiding using electrical heater. However the problem statement is to

design a new application to perform the drying process by using gas stove.

1.3 Objectives

The study sets out to investigate the possibility of using original dryer model for drying

process and to consider the economic analysis to compare with conventional dryer.

Specific objectives:

1. Design and develop the gas stove clothes dryer.

2. Measurement of temperature, clothes weight and record the time to dry a

clothes and calculate the drying rate.

3. To establish economic analysis via comparing the cost of drying between the

current original model and conventional laundry clothes dryer.

1.4 Scope

Consider the venue to implement this project are the important factor. Metal

Fabrication Laboratory at (FTK) UTeM is used to design and fabricate the current

project. Experimental work, is implemented at Air Distribution Laboratory (FTK),

UTeM due to a lot of measuring parameters equipment are available. The area under

consideration is to focus on energy consumption for original dryer model that will be

used as an alternative way to dry the clothes. Besides, recording data related to drying

process which is temperature, clothes weight and time taken for clothes to dry to

calculate the drying rate and make an economic analysis.

4

1.5 Organization of the thesis

This report compromises of five chapters. Chapter 1 is the introduction of the project

including the background, problem statements, objectives, and research limitations as

well as work scope of the study. Chapter 2 is written to review the theories,

experimental works and findings that have been done in the past research with respect

to the current project. In chapter 3, the methodology used to achieve the objectives that

have been set for this study will be explained clearly. Besides, all materials and

equipment, procedures, and experimental work used for this study are described. In

Chapter 4, the results and findings of the study are presented. The data of temperature

collected in interval time and time taken for the drying process using the generated

heat will be tabulated in graphs and figures. Discussions on the results are also

provided in the same chapter. Chapter 5 summarizes the outcomes of this research

according to the objectives. Conclusion will be made and some recommendations will

be stated as suggestions for future research.

5

In this chapter, some literature researches on previous studies which are in the line

with the conducted current project are reviewed. The major sources of the gained

information are from open-sourced published articles in books and journals and

internet websites Some important information are presented in the chapter which

include introduction of drying process, conventional clothes dryer, conventional

electric drier system description, air flow, and related work for this studies.

2.1 Introduction of drying process

The process of removing either the water or water vapour from the solid material or

another solvent is known as drying process (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drying cited

on 12/04/2015). The overall drying process consist of three parts which is warm up

period, first drying period and lastly the second drying period. The drying process of

material or solvent begins with warm up period where the heat is supply to material

and the moisture start to evaporate from the surface. After warm up process is done,

the drying process will proceed to next period which is constant rate period of drying

or also known as first drying period. During this period, the water contained in the

material is evaporated due to the air flow by external diffusion. The drying rate of this

period is depending on temperature, moisture content (humidity) and mass flow of air.

The second period of drying process begins when the formation of moisture gradient

inside the material is accomplished. During this period, the water contained inside the

material is transferred to the surface by internal diffusion (http://uchi.vscht.cz/uploads

LITERATURE REVIEW

CHAPTER 2

6

/pedagogika/labchi-en/lab.chi.s.eng.pdf, cited on 5/2015). Basically, there a three

basic methods of drying are used today which is by exposed the material to the direct

sunlight or also known as sun drying, hot air drying where the material are exposed to

a blast of hot air and freeze drying change the phase of material directly from a solid

state to gaseous state by placing the material below its triple point

(www.nptel.ac.in/courses/103103027/pdf/mod4.pdf cited on 1 may 2015)

2.2 Conventional clothes dryer

Today, tumble dryers are frequently used in ordinary households to dry clothes. They

require little space and they dry clothes rapidly independent of weather conditions.

Electricity is the one of the fundamentals in designing air heating system. The

traditional technology involves the use of electric heaters to warm up the air which

operates the clothes drying process. However, high levels of electricity, which is the

one disadvantage of using, tumble dryers. According to the International Energy

Agency (2003) approximately 77 TW h (or 3.3% of the residential electricity

consumption) were used in 2000 for the drying of textiles in 22 IEA member.

Household tumble-dryers can be considered as insufficient devices, which are based

on a sixty-year old technology. Their energy consumption has attracted attention due

to the establishment of minimum energy-performance standards (MEPS) and various

utility objectives to encourage consumers to use more efficient units. Tumbler dryers

generally can be divided into two categories which is air vented dryers and condensing

dryers. According to Bansal et al. (2001) they state that an open-cycle condensing

dryer, with heat recovery, is more efficient than a standard air-vented dryer. This is

because in an open cycle condensing dryer, the air stream coming from the drum is

cooled and dehumidified inside an air to air heat exchanger where the external air is

pre-heated. If no external ducting provided, this solution makes it possible to add less

moisture to the room. Meanwhile, in air vented dryers, the drying process occurs when

the air stream from the outside will be heated to the suitable temperature before

entering the drum. Close-cycle condensing dryer consists of two heat exchanger which

is first heat exchanger will heat the air stream coming from outside by using electric

heaters. The purpose of second heat exchanger is to removes the moisture from the

7

clothes and then is cooled and dehumidified where the cooling fluid can be external

air or tap water. Actually, the heat and mass transfer between the humid air and the tap

water occurs by exposing the air stream to direct contact with water. The third type of

dryer is equipped with a heat pump. According to J.E. Braun et al (2002) the air cycle

heat pump dryer was found to be significantly more efficient than the traditional

tumbler dryer. The cost if the dryer, however, is considerably higher than the cost of a

traditional tumbler dryer. Conde M.R (1997) used a computer model in combination

with experiments concluded, that the optimum rate of exhaust re-circulation was

almost 79%, through tumbler-dryer modelling. Krokida and Bisharat (2004) reported

that 25% and 100% could be recirculated by using a heat exchanger and a heat pump,

respectively. Conde (1997) and D. Hekmat and W.J. Fisk (1984), state that the

condensing tumbler dryer has an increased energy use compared with the venting

tumbler dryer based on measurements which is computer modelling and experiment

methods. M. Cochran et al. (2009) found a significant improvement in the energy

efficiency of the condensing tumbler by incorporating surface tension elements instead

of the traditional air-to-air heat exchanger.

8

The Figure 2.1 below shows a type of tumbler dryer that currently used in ordinary

households to dry clothes

Tumbler dryer

types Diagram

Air vented dryer

(http://www.nwu.ac.za/faculty-engineering-energy-saving-

home-tumble-dryer cited on 16 may 2015)

Heat pump dryer

(http://www.reuk.co.uk/Heat-Pump-Tumble-Dryer.htm

cited on 16 may 2015)