Wet Test, Temperature Measurement
(3.e) Inlet Water Temperature Measurements
A signal from each thermocouple attached to the inlet pipe (as shown on Figure
3.e-1 at page 27) to measure the inlet water temperature was collected simultaneously
with the other measurements (from the laser optical tachometer, load cell or force
transducer, and tri-axial accelerometer). The data acquisition device began collecting data
before the clothes washer began operating. The total acquisition time was 3120 seconds,
using 64 Hz sample rate measurements. The clothes washer contained 2 pounds (dry
weight) of test clothes, with high water level and a warm water temperature setting.
Note that each measurement started at different time frame thus there were some
minimal delays as shown in Figure 3.e-2 at page 27. The differences (as shown on Figure
3.e-2 at page 27) were very minimal therefore insufficient to impose any immediate
problem toward the measurement. Since the inlet water was supplied by the campus wide
water supply thus controlling the temperature of the inlet water were redundant and
uncalled-for. This is especially true for cold water supply, for the hot water supply since
it is maintained at a constant temperature within an individual building. And the hot
water’s temperature cool off over time whenever the water is not flowing in the water
supply pipe yet gradually rise to approximately the maintained temperature whenever it
permits to flow. Thus variations in hot inlet water temperature level at different time
frame throughout the laundry cycle will be observed.
Created by Phie Theng Lee
Michigan Technological University
26
Wet Test, Temperature Measurement
Thermocouple
Figure 3.e-1, Thermocouple Attached to the Inlet Water Pipe.
Regular wash cycle @ 64 Hz sample rate
120
Fast spin speed
Medium spin speed
Slow spin speed
Temperature, degree Fahrenheit
115
110
105
100
95
90
85
0
500
1000
1500
Time, second
2000
2500
3000
Figure 3.e-2, Hot Inlet Water Temperature Measurement for Regular Wash Cycle.
Created by Phie Theng Lee
Michigan Technological University
27
Wet Test, Temperature Measurement
(3.f) Drain Motor Temperature Measurement
A signal from a thermocouple attached to the housing of the drain motor (as
shown in Figure 3.f-1 at page 29) was collected simultaneously with the other
measurements (i.e. laser tachometer, load cell, and tri-axial accelerometer). The data
acquisition device began collecting data before the clothes washer began operating. The
total acquisition time was 3120 seconds, using 64 Hz sample rate for the measurement.
The clothes washer contained 2 pounds (dry weight) of test clothes, with high water level
and a warm water temperature setting.
Each measurement started at different time frame that leads to apparently an
insignificant amount of delay (as shown in Figure 3.f-2 at page 29). As shown in Figure
3.f-2 at page 29, the first couple of peaks were at approximately 500 seconds
(approximately 8 minutes) into the wash cycle with inconsistence maximum temperature
level measured were due to the initial temperature of the drain motor. If the measurement
were performed at the very beginning before a series of measurements compared to any
other measurement in that series, the drain motor’s temperature will be lower (the cold
start). This behavior will not persist once the drain motor get past the warm up period, as
seen from Figure 3.f-2 at page 29, the drain motor reached a more consistence maximum
temperature level after approximately 1250 seconds (approximately 20 minutes) into the
wash cycle. For the drain motor, its operating temperatures were within the range of 143
F to 150 F that occurs at the very end of the drain cycle that spread throughout the entire
wash cycle.
Created by Phie Theng Lee
Michigan Technological University
28
Wet Test, Temperature Measurement
Thermocouple Located at here
Figure 3.f-1, Thermocouple was attached to the Drain Motor Housing.
Regular wash cycle @ 64 Hz sample rate
Fast spin speed
Medium spin speed
Slow spin speed
Temperature, degree Fahrenheit
160
150
140
130
120
110
100
0
500
1000
1500
2000
Time, second
2500
3000
3500
Figure 3.f-2, Drain Motor Temperature Measurement for Regular Wash Cycle.
Created by Phie Theng Lee
Michigan Technological University
29
Wet Test, Temperature Measurement
(3.g) Drive/Spin Motor Temperature Measurement
Two different types of thermocouple were used to measure the clothes washer’s
drive motor’s core temperature level. The thermocouples were attached at two different
location of the drive/spin motor’s coil. The measurement was conducted simultaneously
with the other measurements (from Laser tachometer, load cell, and tri-axial
accelerometer). The data acquisition device began collecting data before the clothes
washer began operating. The total acquisition time was 3120 seconds (entire wash cycle),
using 64 Hertz measurement sample rate. The clothes washer contained 2 pounds (dry
weight) of test clothes, with high water level and a warm water temperature setting.
As shown in Figure 3.g-1 at page 31, both of the thermocouples were attached to
two different copper coils that located at different location of the stator. The main reason
in placing two different type of thermocouple at two different location of the stator is
trying to distinguish any observable differences in temperature level by using two
different thermocouples with different thickness. If both of the thermocouples were
properly calibrated, and if both of the thermocouples were measuring the temperature
level of the same object then the temperature level obtained should approximately the
same, as shown in Figure 3.g-2 at page 31 and Figure 3.g-3 at page 32. The temperature
level as measured during the clothes washer was spinning at Fast spin speed was
relatively higher then the rest as shown in Figure 3.g-2 at page 31 and Figure 3.g-3 at
page 32 were due to the drive motor required higher amount of work done in order to
spin up to the higher spin speed. It was approximately the same for the Medium and Slow
spin speed. The stator is the internal component of the clothes washer’s drive motor, the
stator is fixed and do not rotate. The stator is the white plastic piece as shown in the
middle of Figure 3.g-1 at page 31.
Created by Phie Theng Lee
Michigan Technological University
30
Wet Test, Temperature Measurement
Thermocouple
Figure 3.g-1, Thermocouples attached to the clothes washer’s copper coil.
Regular wash cycle @ 64 Hz sample rate, Thermocouple # 1
Fast spin speed
Medium spin speed
Slow spin speed
Temperature, degree Fahrenheit
180
160
140
120
100
80
0
500
1000
1500
2000
Time, second
2500
3000
3500
Figure 3.g-2, Drive/spin Motor Temperature Measurement for Regular Wash Cycle with
Thermocouple # 1.
Created by Phie Theng Lee
Michigan Technological University
31
Wet Test, Temperature Measurement
Regular wash cycle @ 64 Hz sample rate, Thermocouple # 2
Fast spin speed
Medium spin speed
Slow spin speed
Temperature, degree Fahrenheit
180
160
140
120
100
80
0
500
1000
1500
2000
Time, second
2500
3000
3500
Figure 3.g-3, Drive/spin Motor Temperature Measurement for Regular Wash Cycle with
Thermocouple # 2.
Created by Phie Theng Lee
Michigan Technological University
32