Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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Better Dishwasher Dryer

A dryer for your dishwasher that works more like a hairdryer
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My dishwasher (and yours too!) dries dishes by using, as far as I can tell, a heating coil. It heats up the air inside the washer until the moisture evaporates / boils away and any plastic you accidentally loaded into the bottom rack has been melted out of shape.

The drying process takes quite a while (I haven't bothered timing it) and when it's done the dishes are too hot to touch so you have to wait even longer.

My question is, wouldn't it be faster and more effective to design a drying mechanism more like a big hair dryer? On one side, a fan and a heating coil; on the other side, an exhaust vent. I figure two-three minutes should be plenty of time to dry everything nicely.

dpgrieves, May 09 2008

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       I was hoping this idea would be used to dry the dishwasher itself rather than the contents within.   

       Regardless, I see an implementation issue introducing an electric fan into the wet chamber. Would a door or vent be able to reliably seal the fan duct until all the water has drained after a wash cycle is complete?
ed, May 09 2008
  

       My Miele dishwasher has a fan-assist dry-cycle.
A solenoid-operated shutter keeps the door-mounted fan and its motor dry during washing.
It still uses the heater in the cavity for heat, and simply uses the fan to dump the moist air (and it seems to work).
So baked (or steamed) - maybe if you'd googled...[checks profile page] Oh, you're too lazy to do your own research?
coprocephalous, May 09 2008
  

       Modern fears of the dreaded 'moisture' in one's home have driven a change in dishwasher drying concept.   

       Years ago, dishwashers had a steam vent to aid drying. Moisture was carried away from the dishes and vented to the outside of the appliance. Makes sense. Tragically, the moisture previously on the crockery was discovered to now be suspended within the breathable air inside the home. Contemporary concerns for childhood asthma, diabetes, heart disease, top soil erosion, and cranial cysts rendered this situation unacceptable.   

       Now dishwashers are fully sealed, and rely on the moisture on the dishes condensing onto the internal walls of the appliance. This is inferior for drying, as anything with less thermal mass than said walls (e.g. plastic containers) will cool too quickly, thus emerging thoroughly wet.   

       So as for the posted idea, well it's been done before. It enjoyed its day in the sun, but has since been replaced by the new and "improved" method.
Texticle, May 10 2008
  
      
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