Appliance Design April 2011

April 2011 REACHING OEM DESIGN ENGINEERS ACROSS CONSUMER AND COMMERCIAL MARKETS WORLDWIDE PUMPING UP FLUID HANDLING P...

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April 2011

REACHING OEM DESIGN ENGINEERS ACROSS CONSUMER AND COMMERCIAL MARKETS WORLDWIDE

PUMPING UP

FLUID HANDLING P. 29

INSIDE 16 Decoration 20 Cooling 24 Motors 29 Fluid Handling

www.applianceDESIGN.com

WHAT DO YOU CALL IT WHEN 10 INCREDIBLE INNOVATORS

ARE COMBINED INTO ONE? WE CALL IT

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CONTENTS APRIL 2011 volume 59, no. 4 REACHING OEM DESIGN ENGINEERS ACROSS CONSUMER AND COMMERCIAL MARKETS WORLDWIDE

20

DEPARTMENTS 4 Editorial: Small Appliance Trends 6 Shipments/Forecasts 8 News Watch 31 Advertiser’s Index 32 Association Report: CEA

16

FEATURES DECORATION 16 Advanced LED technologies offer new opportunities to use color, sensing and control in the illumination of appliances.

COOLING TECHNOLOGY 20 To help bring medicine to those in need, a local manufacturer developed a line of refrigerators powered directly by solar energy.

29

MOTORS 24 A number of advances in drive technology are helping OEMs meet user demand for smarter motor control.

appliance DESIGN ONLINE WEB EXTRAS WEB EXTRAS

The Need for Compatible and Reliable Performance for DR-Ready Appliances The use of advanced electronics components provides the platform needed to support demand response (DR) activities. New Era of Slide Technology Conventional drawer slides typically used in appliances have progressed to meet the demands of modern appliances.

26 A growing selection of motors for specific applications provides a variety of benefits in a range of price points.

FLUID HANDLING 29 Fluid handling technology must tackle reduced noise, proper evacuation of soiled water and quick replacement of new water.

Case Study: Phone Cable Makers Use Realistic Simulation for Design Solution Engineers at Sumitomo Electric Industries saw a need to enhance cell phone cable durability. Commentary: A New Breed of Design Thinking Given the magnitude of 21st century challenges, it is clear that effective designers and engineers must be capable of designing for sustainability.

BLOGS Kevin Henry's The Essential Kitchen AD's Remix Blog Paul's European Perspective

COVER

www.applianceDESIGN.com 2 applianceDESIGN April 2011

Current washing machines demand more from fluidhandling components. Photo: Maytag www.applianceDESIGN.com

Real parts. Really fast. Simply upload your 3D CAD model, and choose the best option for your needs.

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It’s easy to work with Proto Labs. Choose CNC machining or injection molding, whichever is best for your project. Upload your CAD model and receive an automated, interactive quote in hours. Once approved, our cluster computing technology and automated manufacturing systems will deliver real parts using real materials in as little as one day. And that’s the real story. ©2011 Proto Labs, Inc.

Have a smartphone? Download a case study.

Get Tips for Better Plastic Parts! The Protomold Design Cube is an indispensible aid that illustrates key aspects of designing parts for injection molding. Visit www.protolabs.com/appliance today and request your free Design Cube! Enter code AD11B.

Call 877.479.3680 or visit www.protolabs.com

ISO 9001:2008 Certified

EDITORIAL ®


Small Appliance Trends Include Bright Colors, Convenience

A

nice change of pace from the component side of things, I was able to attend this year’s International Home and Housewares Show (IHHS) in Chicago in March, to check out the latest kitchen and home appliances, technologies and companies. Aside from the excitement of the celebrity chefs, cooking demonstrations and keynote speech given by recent Chicago Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel, product innovation was the real draw at this year’s show. Aesthetically, bright colors and clean lines were popular across the board. Technology wise, energy savings and ease of use were buzz words I heard repeatedly from booth to booth. For example, Keurig’s new Mini Plus brewing systems come in five colors— including moss green and yellow. The system brews one cup of coffee, tea, hot cocoa or iced beverage in less than two minutes and an energy savings mode shuts the machine off after 90 seconds of no use. Eastman Chemical Co. was another booth I was looking forward to visiting and it didn’t disappoint. The company manufactures and markets chemicals, fibers and plastics worldwide for commercial and residential housewares and plastic parts for appliances. The company was showcasing different kitchen and home products throughout their booth and demonstrated the difference between its copolyester and polycarbonate (PC) in many small appliance applications. The copolyester is made without bisphenol-A (BPA) and has a lower density than PC. It also saves time

publishing staff Darrell Dal Pozzo Group Publisher

and energy during manufacture because it doesn’t require a separate annealing step. Cuisanart, Hamilton Beach and Bodum, also all caught my eye during my time at the show with their small appliance debuts. Bodum showcased its outdoor kitchen and grilling appliances—and, again, I saw greens, oranges and other bright colors. Cuisinart demonstrated its soup maker and blender appliance, which makes soups from ingredients through the cooking stage—all in one place. Extreme Brew coffeemakers from the company were also in sight and those manning the booth promised that the product could brew a full pot 25% faster than other systems using re-engineered brewing technology. This year’s show demonstrated that convenience and visual appeal are the current trends in small kitchen products and appliances. Interestingly, price point didn’t seem to be as important as I’d thought it might be this year. In addition, these trends all seem to be spilling over to white goods and other commercial and residential appliances: the visual design of the product, along with its energy saving qualities and convenience features are big selling points that OEMs must be sure to incorporate from design through manufacture and product life.

(847) 405-4044 [email protected]

Maggie McFadden Shein Editor


Daryl Delano Economics Editor


Paul Roggema Kevin Henry New Media Contributors


MaTT Britcher Art Director


circulation Rita Foumia Corporate Strategy Director Christina Roth Audience Development Coordinator

(248) 786-1687 [email protected] (248) 244-6435 [email protected]

Alison Illes Multimedia Specialist


Catherine M. Ronan Corporate Audience Audit Manager

[email protected]

(248) 244-8259

Robert Liska List Manager

(800) 223-2194 x726 [email protected]

Shawn Kingston

(800) 409-4443 x828 [email protected]

marketing Michele Raska Marketing Coordinator


Deana Weber Trade Show Coordinator


editorial advisory board Bob Brown Vice President, Marketing & Sales, North America, Emerson Industrial Automation Brad Cleveland John Davis

President and CEO, Proto Labs Inc.

Business Development Manager, Traulsen

Kevin Henry

President, Group42

Joseph McGuire

President, Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM)

Andreas Schuessler

Maggie McFadden Shein, Editor E-mail: [email protected] Twitter: @aplncdsgn

[email protected]

Lindsay Nagy Production Manager

Richard Watson

Product Designer, BSH Bosch and Siemens Founding Partner, Essential

Stephen Yurek, JD President, Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI)

| HVAC | Majors | Water Processing | Housewares | Commercial Appliances | Vending | Medical | Lab | | Test & Measurement | Lawn & Garden | Electronics | Computers | Communications | Business Equipment | APPLIANCE DESIGN (ISSN 1552-5938) is published 12 times annually, monthly, by BNP Media, 2401 W. Big Beaver Rd., Suite 700, Troy, MI 48084-3333. Telephone: (248) 362-3700, Fax: (248) 362-0317. No charge for subscriptions to qualified individuals. Annual rate for subscriptions to nonqualified individuals in the U.S.A.: $178.00 USD. Annual rate for subscriptions to nonqualified individuals in Canada: $216.00 USD (includes GST & postage); all other countries: $228.00 (int’l mail) payable in U.S. funds. Printed in the U.S.A. Copyright 2011, by BNP Media. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for product claims and representations. Periodicals Postage Paid at Troy, MI and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: APPLIANCE DESIGN, P.O. Box 2148, Skokie, IL 60076. Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608. GST account: 131263923. Send returns (Canada) to Pitney Bowes, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON, N6C 6B2. Change of address: Send old address label along with new address to APPLIANCE DESIGN, P.O. Box 2148, Skokie, IL 60076. For single copies or back issues: contact Ann Kalb at (248) 244-6499 or [email protected].

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April 2011

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Asking a couple guys in suits to rate your new LED TV, not very efficient. Getting 24-hour turnaround on ENERGY STAR® certification, very efficient. You can’t simply waddle into the market. You have to get there fast and make them melt. That’s why Intertek’s Energy Efficiency solutions address your success. For starters, we have the size and speed to save you both time and money. Our 18 Energy Efficiency testing laboratories across the globe have the capacity to slide you into market, faster. What’s more, with our unflappable core of energy expert reviewers ready, you’ll get ENERGY STAR certification in 24 hours after testing is complete. Now is not the time to wing it. Built with 50 years of Energy Efficiency testing experience, from the innovators who brought you 15-day ETL testing, we help products prepare for today’s harsh climate. So, see the big picture. Get Intertek and get to market first. We’ll help you move up the pecking order, faster. 1-800-WORLDLAB

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SHIPMENTS Product

FORECASTS Jan-11

Jan-10

%Chg 1 Mo. 2011 1 Mo. 2010

%Chg

DVD PLAYERS/RECORDERS – Shipments (Thousands of Units)

MAJOR APPLIANCES (Thousands of Units) TOTAL

3,556.9

3,706.0

-4.0%

3,556.9

3,706.0

-4.0%

Cooking-Total Electric Cooking - Total Electric Ranges Electric Ovens Surface Cooking Units Gas Cooking - Total Gas Ranges Gas Ovens Surface Cooking Units Microwave Ovens

1,058.5 279.5 215.5 40.5 23.6 167.9 143.8 3.3 20.8 611.1

1,124.7 301.4 234.3 42.7 24.3 183.8 158.4 4 21.4 639.6

-5.9% -7.2% -8.1% -5.3% -2.7% -8.7% -9.2% -17.0% -3.0% -4.5%

1,058.5 279.5 215.5 40.5 23.6 167.9 143.8 3.3 20.8 611.1

1,124.7 301.4 234.3 42.7 24.3 183.8 158.4 4 21.4 639.6

-5.9% -7.2% -8.1% -5.3% -2.7% -8.7% -9.2% -17.0% -3.0% -4.5%

Home Laundry - Total Automatic Washers Dryers - Total Electric Gas

750.9 415.2 335.7 268.2 67.5

980 527.9 452.1 364.9 87.3

-23.4% -21.3% -25.7% -26.5% -22.6%

750.9 415.2 335.7 268.2 67.5

980 527.9 452.1 364.9 87.3

-23.4% -21.3% -25.7% -26.5% -22.6%

Kitchen Clean Up - Total Disposers Dishwashers - Total Built-In Portable Compactors

744.7 393 348.7 344.3 4.4 3.1

807.1 447.8 356.1 351.8 4.4 3.1

-7.7% -12.2% -2.1% -2.1% 0.7% -2.3%

744.7 393 348.7 344.3 4.4 3.1

807.1 447.8 356.1 351.8 4.4 3.1

-7.7% -12.2% -2.1% -2.1% 0.7% -2.3%

Food Preservation - Total Refrigerators Freezers - Total Chest Upright

559.5 453.6 105.9 64 41.9

587.2 480.5 106.8 62.2 44.6

-4.7% -5.6% -0.8% 3.0% -6.1%

559.5 453.6 105.9 64 41.9

587.2 480.5 106.8 62.2 44.6

-4.7% -5.6% -0.8% 3.0% -6.1%

Home Comfort - Total Room Air Conditioners Dehumidifiers

443.2 300.7 142.5

207 60.6 146.4

114.1% 396.0% -2.7%

443.2 300.7 142.5

207 60.6 146.4

114.1% 396.0% -2.7%

Note: Figures (in units) include shipments for the U.S. market whether imported or domestically produced. Export shipments are not included. Source: Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM).

HVAC - Shipment figures for unitary air conditioners, heat pumps, furnaces, and water heaters can be found at www.ahrinet.org.

36>*6:;=HYPHISL:WLLK*VU[YVSZ -VY-HUZ)SV^LYZ/\TPKPÄLYZ:[V]LZ/LH[LYZ >OVSL/V\ZL=LU[PSH[VYZ9HUNL/VVKZ3HTWZ DIAL-A-TEMP Plug-In 2.5 Amps-120VAC.

2010 5598.9 8376.2 8433.8 11,625.4

2011 5638.1 8870.4 8712.1 12,392.7

2012 5762.1 9234.1 9147.7 12,975.2

For 2011, a 4.6% increase to 35.613 million units For 2012, a 4.2% increase to 37.119 million units Data Source: CEA Forecast Source: Delano Data Insights

ELECTRIC RANGES & OVENS – Shipments (Thousands of Units) Qtr: 1 2 3 4

2010 1078.2 1147.8 1049.8 1172.9

2011 1109.5 1198.3 1119.1 1230.4

2012 1167.2 1266.6 1184.0 1296.8

For 2011, a 4.7% increase to 4.657 million units For 2012, a 5.5% increase to 4.915 million units Data Source: AHAM Forecast Source: Delano Data Insights

RESIDENTIAL GAS WATER HEATERS – Shipments (Thousands of Units) Qtr: 1 2 3 4

2010 1086.9 1033.0 884.0 914.3

2011 1066.2 1052.6 938.0 980.1

2012 1120.6 1103.1 976.4 1013.5

For 2011, a 3.0% increase to 4.037 million units For 2012, a 4.4% increase to 4.214 million units Data Source: AHRI Forecast Source: Delano Data Insights

UNITARY AIR CONDITIONERS & HEAT PUMPS – Shipments (Thousands of Units) Qtr: 1 2 3 4

2010 1031.3 1917.8 1334.0 884.3

2011 1008.6 1910.1 1402.1 944.4

2012 1081.3 2061.0 1494.6 1012.4

For 2011, a 1.9% increase to 5.265 million units For 2012, a 7.3% increase to 5.649 million units Data Source: AHRI Forecast Source: Delano Data Insights

KBWC-Wall Box Mount 2.5, 5.0, 6.0, 8.0, 10.0, 12.0 & 15.0 Amp models, 120 & 240VAC, 50/60Hz.

KBMC-Panel Mount 2.5, 3.0 & 4.0 Amp models, 120 & 240VAC, 50/60Hz.

Designed for Shaded Pole, AC/DC and Permanent Split Capacitor (PSC) Motors. Send for complete literature. If it’s not in our catalog, let KB engineers design a custom control for your application.

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Qtr: 1 2 3 4

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DISPOSERS – Shipments (Thousands of Units) Qtr: 1 2 3 4

2010 1317.3 1305.9 1408.3 1288.8

2011 1331.8 1339.9 1452.0 1354.5

2012 1390.4 1401.5 1505.7 1399.2

For 2011, a 3.0% increase to 5.478 million units For 2012, a 4.0% increase to 5.697 million units Data Source: AHAM Forecast Source: Delano Data Insights

REFRIGERATORS – Shipments (Thousands of Units) Qtr: 1 2 3 4

2010 1953.9 2798.5 2540.0 2076.5

2011 2010.6 2815.3 2672.1 2167.9

2012 2105.1 3009.5 2805.7 2289.3

For 2011, a 3.2% increase to 9.666 million units For 2012, a 5.6% increase to 10.210 million units Data Source: AHAM Forecast Source: Delano Data Insights Note: All forecasts begin in Q1/2011

6 applianceDESIGN April 2011


DESIGN MART This appliance DESIGN Design Mart section brings you information on new products and services available through print and online. To receive more information about the the products and services in this section, visit appliance DESIGN online at www.applianceDESIGN.com.

TEMPERATURE SENSOR EXPERTS

IP68 WATERPROOF TEMPERATURE SENSORS thermistor.com QUALITY THERMISTOR, INC WWW.THERMISTOR.COM 800-554-4784

TEMPERATURE ISSUES?

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Want to see YOUR Product here? appliance DESIGN’s Design Engineering readers are interested, active and always looking for information to help them design and specify products and services to use in the creation of their appliances.*

Contact Jennifer Nagel at 248-244-1729 or [email protected] for more information. *AM Editorial Readership Study, August 2004

applianceDESIGN April 2011 7

NEwS watch

Study Suggests the More Secure consumers feel, the less they value possessions

r

esearch from the University of New Hampshire has found that people who feel more secure in receiving love and acceptance from others place less monetary value on their possessions. The research was conducted by Edward Lemay, assistant professor of psychology at UNH, and colleagues at Yale University. The study reported that people who had heightened feelings of interpersonal security—a sense of being loved and accepted by others—placed a lower monetary value on their possessions than people who did not. In their experiments, the researchers measured how much people valued specific items. In some instances, people who did not feel secure placed a value on an item that was five times greater than the value placed on the same item by more secure people. “People value possessions, in part, because they afford a sense of protection, insurance and comfort,” Lemay said. “But what we found was that if people already have a feeling of being loved and accepted by others, which also can provide a sense of protection, insurance and comfort, those possessions decrease in value.” Added Lemay, the findings seem to be particularly relevant to understanding why people may hang onto goods that are no longer useful. 

aShraE rElEaSES polIcY rEcoMMENDatIoNS for NEw coNGrESS

ASHRAE released a potential roadmap for the federal government to use in addressing issues related to energy efficiency and environmental concerns. “Protecting America’s Economy and Conserving Our Environment: The Buildings Answer” provides policy recommendations for the new Congress from ASHRAE. In its recommendations, ASHRAE notes that: fueled in part by population growth and the rise in building floorspace, the nation’s demand and consumption of energy is expected to grow by 14% through 2035. Residential and commercial building energy expenditures accounted for $445.8 billion in 2008, and lead the way in primary energy use, accounting for approximately 40%, ahead of industry (32%) and transportation (28%). “As part of the call for fiscal and environmental conservation, all individuals and stakeholders must work to discover 8 applianceDESIGN

April 2011

ways to use our financial resources wisely and protect the environment,” said Lynn G. Bellenger, ASHRAE president. The report provides detailed recommendations on shaping energy policy. Some of the recommendations include: Include energy efficiency as a renewable fuel source within renewable standards portfolio Encourage decoupling of utility rates from energy sales Encourage states to implement utility demand-side management programs Support implementation of smart grid and micro-grid systems Remove barriers to grid-connection for on-site power generation Set realistic depreciation schedules for HVAC&R equipment to encourage high-efficiency replacements Support implementation of technologies utilizing energy previously deemed as waste heat Make the Business R&D Tax Credit permanent Fund research on on-site and off-site

renewable energy technologies Establish ASHRAE Standards 62.1, 62.2 and 55 as the major national minimum guidelines on indoor air quality (IAQ) and thermal comfort management Support research to significantly advance understanding of the impact of IEQ on work performance, health symptoms and perceived environmental quality in offices Fund research to understand the influences of HVAC&R on airborne pathogen transmission in public spaces and develop effective control strategies For more information, visit www.ashrae.org/advocacy.

hoNEYwEll, haIEr laUNch partNErShIp

Honeywell Inc. and China’s leading household electric appliances manufacturer Haier Group signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in www.applianceDESIGN.com

Satisfy your customers’ most demanding long-term steam & hot water needs.

Scan this QR code* to learn more about the Series 8220 steam & hot water valve. * Requires QR code reader.

Count on smiling customers everywhere from commercial laundries and dishwashers to manufacturers of commercial cooking equipment. The Series 8220 steam and hot water valve from ASCO is the hottest new thing in its class. Its high-flow design provides unequaled throughput, with up to 60 percent more flow. Its ultra-reliable construction endures the rigors of steam and hot water service up to four times longer than other valves. It even reduces inventory by eliminating the need for separate valves for steam and hot water service. Use the Series 8220 to satisfy nearly every steam and hot water application you’ve got!

The ASCO trademark is registered in the U.S. and other countries. The Emerson logo is a trademark and service mark of Emerson Electric Co. © 2011 ASCO Valve, Inc.

800-972-ASCO (2726) | www.ascovalve.com/smile | e-mail: [email protected]

NEWS WATCH developing and promoting low-emission and high-efficiency solutions. The two sides will collaborate in various aspects, namely household appliances, smart home, civil combustion and control, as well as intelligent building. Honeywell’s research and development center in China will cooperate with Haier’s national laboratory, and support R & D of smart home appliances. According to Shane Tedjarati, president and CEO of Honeywell China and India, more than 50% of Honeywell’s product portfolio is related to energy-saving, in accord with Haier’s global brand strategy and appeal in energy-saving and environmental protection. Shariff Kan, president of Haier America, said besides household appliance, Haier would commit itself to develop high-efficiency and energy-saving solutions in smart home, intelligent building and other industries.

search citing laundry capacity as very important to consumers. Other key findings from this independent national poll of 1,000 U.S. consumers include: Two-thirds of consumers agree that doing laundry is one of the most timeconsuming household chores; 92% agree that being able to wash more clothes in fewer loads would allow them more time to focus on activities they enjoy; 62% of those polled say saving time by being able to wash more clothes in fewer loads would allow more time for “doing other chores around the house;” half of consumers say they would spend this extra time browsing the Internet/checking emails (51%) or spending more time with family/ friends (49%); and More than half (53 percent) rated energy and water efficiency as a top feature when looking to purchase a washer/dryer pair. Responding to market sentiment, LG’s top-load washers measure 5.2 cubicfeet (IEC) of capacity. The LG washer’s 5.2-cubic-foot (IEC) capacity means it can accommodate larger or harder to fit items, like king-sized comforters, or a greater number of clothes or laundry items.

MEETINGS April EMC BY YOUR DESIGN SEMINAR AND WORKSHOP April 12-14, Northbrook, Illinois Website: www.dlsemc.com/1001 MID-ATLANTIC DESIGN-2-PART SHOW April 13-14, Phoenixville, Pennsylvania Website: www.d2p.com 2011 AGMA/ABMA ANNUAL MEETING April 14-16, San Antonio, Texas Website: www.agma.org ASC 2011 SPRING CONVENTION April 17-19, Tampa, Florida Website: www.ascouncil.org KITCHEN AND BATH INDUSTRY SHOW (KBIS) April 25-28, Las Vegas, Nevada Website: www.kbis.com NAMA: THE ONE SHOW April 27-29, Chicago, Illinois Website: http://vending.org

May IPSO ALLIANCE ADDS NEW MEMBERS TO KICK OFF 2011 LG RESEARCH SAYS CONSUMERS WANT TO REDUCE TIME SPENT ON LAUNDRY

Nine in 10 consumers (88%) believe that a larger load capacity is one of the most important features in clothes washers and dryers, and 80% say that bigger is always better when it comes to the load capacity of washers and dryers, according to a national survey of American consumers, commissioned by LG Electronics. Fueling this sentiment is consumers’ desire for appliances that could reduce the amount of time they have to spend doing laundry and give them more time to focus on the activities they enjoy. The survey reaffirms LG’s own consumer re10 applianceDESIGN

April 2011

The IPSO Alliance announced the addition of five companies to its membership: BII Group (Beijing Internet Institute) at the promoter level and AvaLAN Wireless Systems, Tritech, Synapse Wireless and Ubilogix as contributors-level members. IPSO focuses on employing Internet Protocol (IP) for smart objects, allowing items ranging from appliances to factories to cars to communicate over the Internet. “The dynamic of 57 companies collaborating together is energizing,” said IPSO’s chairman, Geoff Mulligan. “As our membership continues to expand, so does our potential to deliver innovative applications based on IP. BII Group is the

ANTEC 2011 May 1-5, Boston, Massachusetts Website: www.4spe.org/ INTERTECH 2011 May 2-4, Chicago, Illinois Website: www.intertechconference.com EMBEDDED SYSTEMS - SILICON VALLEY May 2-5, San Jose, California Website: http://esc-sv09. techinsightsevents.com METALFORM MEXICO May 11-13, Monterrey, Mexico Website: www.metalform.com/ mexico/monterrey/english/exhibit/


NEWS WATCH

PEOPLE NEWS MACTAC NAMES SALES REP Pressure-sensitive adhesives company, MACtac Specialty Products, appointed Travis Francy as sales representative for the Northeastern and Southeastern United States territories as well as part of the Midwest. Francy brings more than 10 years of sales experience from various industries to the position and will focus on solutions for specialty applications in the medical, foam and gasket fabrication, manufacturing and construction industries.

Francy

PENNENGINEERING APPOINTS GLOBAL PRODUCT MANAGER PennEngineering appointed LillyAnna Penn as global product manager with responsibility for the company’s assembled line of products. Penn will develop and drive short- and long-term strategy for the continued growth of the company’s multi-component fastener lines, including PEM brand panel fasteners.

first organization from China to join the Alliance, showing a vibrant worldwide interest for the Internet of Things.”

COMPONENTS ENABLE ULTRA-FAST HEATER TECHNOLOGY

Datec Coating Corp. a Canadian-based, high-tech materials company that provides heating solutions and coatings for high performance products, developed its latest thick-film technology for applying a high power electric heat source to an aluminum substrate using Vicote coatings from Victrex Polymer Solutions as the insulating component for the top and bottom dielectric layers of the thick-film element. Datec’s thick-film heating system has integral conductive and resistive layers, which are screen-printed directly onto an aluminum heat sink that is coated with the Vicote coating. Previously, heaters of this performance level could only be printed on stainless steel and alumina substrates. According to Datec CEO, Dominic Talalla, “The key to Datec’s innovation is the combination of the dielectric material containing the Vicote coating and the patented conductive and resistive materials. The coating www.applianceDESIGN.com

is an excellent binder which, when combined with our other components, creates a strong bond to the substrate and provides excellent dielectric strength. It works very well with our resistor and conductor layers and together the layered system absorbs thermal expansion mismatch between the heating layers and the substrate.”

The coating’s crystalline structure provides scratch and wear resistance, strength and durability, particularly at high temperatures. By using aluminum, said the company, the heating solution is lightweight and offers superior thermal conductivity, thereby delivering more heat, more efficiently to its intended target.

TOWER OFFERING UL/CSA ON MOST PRODUCTS PRO AND EUROPEAN APPROVALS ON CERTAIN SNAP-ACTION THERMOSTATS AND SWITCHES

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www.towermfg.com applianceDESIGN

April 2011 11

NEWS WATCH GREEN ALTERNATIVE FOR HVAC OEMS

Superb convenience for refrigerators. Quadro Compact Every refrigerator has the potential to become a luxury appliance. This transformation couldn‘t be easier with the new full extension Quadro Compact drawer slide with Silent System. The Silent System closes all drawers gently and softly, regardless of the load. Crisper and deli drawers, as well as external drawers, fully extend for easy access. And the best part: they all close by themselves and in complete silence.

www.hettich.com

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April 2011

Manufacturers of furnaces, boilers and air conditioners, have a new tool at their disposal called PureTemp, which is a 100% renewable, biodegradable, eco-friendly phase change material (PCM) that can help improve the performance of HVAC systems and units. Whether heating or cooling, PureTemp can capture wasted energy, reducing annual energy costs by 22% or more, according to Entropy Solutions, manufacturer of the technology. Like a microprocessor chip that powers and enhances the performance of a laptop computer, PureTemp is a specially engineered, passive technology developed through research by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Science Foundation (NSF) and Department of Defense (DoD) that enhances the ability of products or structures to better control temperature extremes over extended periods of time. Available in liquid, microencapsulated and macro-encapsulated forms in more than 200 transition temperature configurations, PureTemp can be helpful in many applications, including coating and insulating material. The product can store up to 200 joules of energy per gram, boosting performance more than 50-fold in comparison to HVAC systems that use water as a temperature-controlling phase change medium. It is a USDA Bio-Preferred phase change material (heat transfer fluid category) and retains its peak performance through more than 60,000 liquefying and solidifying thermal cycles without degradation. Unlike non-renewable sources such as paraffinic (pe-

troleum-based) or salt hydrate, PureTemp is a non-corrosive, non-toxic and non-flammable alternative. The natural vegetable-based PCMs that are at the core of PureTemp technology will not oxidize or become rancid through the total life of an HVAC system or product, according to the company. PureTemp’s phase change range is anywhere between -40-deg. F and 160-deg. F. When integrated into the infrastructure of an HVAC system, PureTemp captures wasted energy generated when a furnace, water heater or air conditioner restarts and cycles through to reach or maintain its target temperature. The technology uses the stored energy to power system restarts when the temperature fluctuates, creating greener, more efficient, and cost-effective residential and commercial HVAC systems. Incorporating PureTemp into an air conditioning unit, for example, can allow a manufacturer to use smaller coils, reducing the amount of refrigerant needed compared to an A/C unit that does not include a phase change material such as PureTemp.

CO. TO HELP OEMS ADOPT SMART GRID DNA Group Inc., a provider of integrated power delivery solutions for OEMs, announced the launch of a smart grid development initiative aimed to help OEMs incorporate solutions for current sensing and wireless communication at the appliance level into their products. “With the next generation of device and appliance design being centered around the smart grid, it is critical that we www.applianceDESIGN.com

NEWS WATCH offer our OEM customers the best solutions available to easily connect their products to the grid,” said Eric Vaughn, president of DNA Group. DNA Group’s smart grid technologies focus on micrometering, the sensing and measurement of electrical current consumption at the individual device and appliance level. By integrating current sensing into selfcontained interconnection plugs and modules, OEMs can incorporate smart grid technologies into their products, without the need for a major product redesign, said DNA Group. “DNA Group has already seen first hand the value smart grid enabled devices and appliances create for both consumers and OEMs,” said Bill Romick, vice president of business development and head of this new smart grid Initiative. “By dedicating myself to this initiative, we will be able to continue finding new and creative ways for our customers to more easily integrate these transformational technologies into their products than ever before. We truly are at the tipping point of smart grid innovation and I look forward to helping DNA Group be a driving force in its development.”

ORGANIZATION APPROVES VERIFICATION STANDARD

Accellera, an Electronic Design Automation (EDA) standards organization approved a new version of Accellera’s Standard Co-Emulation Modeling Interface (SCE-MI) specification as a verification standard. Version 2.1 speeds up electronic design verificawww.applianceDESIGN.com

tion since it allows a model developed for simulation to run in an emulation environment and vice versa. Version 2.1 has added support for a subset of the SystemVerilog Direct Programming Interface (DPI) and built a streaming, variable length messaging system on top of this, which reduces the number of synchronizations when compared to other available methodologies. “Accellera standards improve the electronic design experience for the semiconductor industry,” remarked Shishpal Rawat, Accellera Chair. “We created this standard to alleviate one of the most critical bottlenecks in the electronic design cycle: verification. Given the reality of continually increasing design size and complexity, significant verification is enabled by SCE-MI as it allows simulation and emulation to be more interoperable.” A previous version of the standard, SCE-MI 2.0, was approved by the Accellera Board in May 2007. The SCI-MI standard was first created and is being continually improved by Accellera’s interface technical committee (ITC). The SCE-MI standard provides an easy way to connect and migrate transactor models between simulation, emulation and rapid prototyping environments. With it, design and verification teams can realize improved electronic design productivity. Model portability enhancements for transaction-level verification on heterogeneous platforms make it worthwhile for more developers to support SCI-MI-based models and for more users to make it part of their verification methodology.

LG EXPANDS COMMERCIAL AIR CO PRESENCE

LG Electronics will continue to invest in the U.S. commercial air conditioning market. This investment is marked by the planned opening of a commercial air conditioning (CAC) training academy in Chicago in fall 2011. LG’s goal is to provide architects, consulting engineers and building owners with a broader range of cost- and energy-efficient climate control solutions that do not sacrifice stylish design or quiet operation. “This announcement is an example of LG’s commitment to the U.S. marketplace and a result of LG’s continued growth,” said James Lee, senior vice president, LG Electron-

ics USA, Air-Conditioning and Energy Solutions business unit. “As we continue to bring innovative and energy efficient products to market it is critical that we support our brand with the right technology and training to ensure success.” The new facility will provide training rooms for education on LG’s Multi-V applied commercial systems, duct-free mini split and PTAC systems, as well as layout and model selection software. Hands-on training will provide detailed experiences with LG’s products in diverse situations for full application training. Attendees can participate in half-day courses for a basic introduction or a more intensive five-day training sessions for detailed content.

Join the industry’s leading embedded systems event (Translation: Can’t miss event) ESC brings together the largest community of designers, technologists, business leaders and suppliers in one place.

Fireside Chat

Steve Wozniak

Co-Founder, Apple Computer, Inc. and electronics industry visionary addresses the audience on Tuesday, May 3rd at ESC Silicon Valley! Categories and Tracks that address the most relevant issues facing engineers and the industry. Take a moment to review this content, so that you can customize your educational experience.

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NEWS WATCH The Chicago facility is LG’s fifth training academy in the U.S. and first in the Midwest. LG opened its first CAC training academy in Georgia in 2009 and has since opened additional facilities in California, Texas and New Jersey.

EAO EXPANDS HMI SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT

EAO Switch Corp., a supplier of human machine interface (HMI) components and systems, expanded its final test and assembly facility, and announced additional field service and engineering personnel who will focus on HMI systems development. EAO now offers final test and assembly capabilities at their Milford, Conn. facility. In other words, EAO can accommodate small runs in-house, saving the customer turnaround time and can work with a customer from the design stage through assembly using the customer’s CAD files. As part of their expansion, EAO will be hiring new personnel to better meet customer demands for HMI components and systems.

consumer) and covers the cross-cutting issues of finance, policy, technology and market transformation. The three-day forum seeks to build strategic alliances among international governments, business and the public interest sector. This year’s forum is an official sideevent of the sixth European Union Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW). EUSEW draws more than 30,000 attendees and expands the pool of energy leaders who will be in Brussels during EE Global. The inaugural EE Global was held in Washington, D.C., in 2007 and drew more than 850 exhibitors, speakers, media and attendees representing 32 countries. For more information, visit http:// eeglobalforum.org.

CHROMALOX EXPANDS CHINA PRESENCE

ballast creating minimal maintenance. Designed for long life, the LED offers a small 2-foot, 2-lamp form factor and operates natively off of low voltage, including battery banks, small generators, solar panels and other off-grid power sources without the need for additional power supplies or transformers. With a T6 temperature rating and a separate paint spray boot certification, the low profile EPL-24-2L-LED-LV explosion proof LED light is application for most any hazardous location area application. Drawing less than 3 amps on 12 volts, a single deep cycle 80 amp hour rated battery could operate this LED light for more than 25 hours. “There is a growing demand for remote area explosion proof LED lighting for small, vibratory areas,” said Rob Bresnahan of Larson Electronics.

Chromalox, manufacturer of electric heat and control products, expanded its presence in China with the addition of sales representation by Lumax International Corp. Lumax will provide sales, design and service for customers across China with offices in Dalian, Beijing and Suzhou in addition to the existing Chromalox office in Shanghai.

DANFOSS TO SPONSOR EE GLOBAL

Danfoss, a manufacturer of high efficiency electronic and mechanical components and controls for air-conditioning, heating, refrigeration and motion systems, is set to sponsor the Alliance to Save Energy’s EE Global Forum for the fourth consecutive year and participate in a plenary session. The 2011 Energy Efficiency Global Forum (EE Global) will be held April 12-14, 2011, in Brussels, Belgium. Danfoss President and CEO Niels Christiansen will participate in one of three plenary sessions that will bring together government officials and business representatives in an open dialogue format, to discuss the most recent advances and insights into the global energyefficient movement. Now in its fourth year, EE Global focuses solely on energy efficiency from the perspective of all energy end-use sectors (buildings, industrial, transportation and 14 applianceDESIGN

April 2011

AIR PURIFIER PROMISES ULTRA QUIET OPERATION

EXPLOSION PROOF LED LIGHT DESIGNED FOR LOW VOLTAGE APPS

Larson Electronics’ magnalight.com added its EPL-24-2L-LED-LV low voltage explosion proof LED light to its product line. Designed to operate off of 12 or 24 VDC or AC, the 30 watt LED light carries a UL 844 Class 1 Division 1 and Class 2 Division 1 hazardous location rating as well as a separate paint spray booth certification. The low voltage explosion proof LED light is designed to last at least 50,000 hours operating on 12 or 24 VDC or AC. The light fixture does not have separate

An in-room air purifier with a compact design that improves air quality in any room is being introduced by Blueair. The air purifier is designed for rooms 150 ft2 (14m2) or smaller. The Blueair Model 103 uses patented HEPAQuiet air purifying technology to deliver clean air with less noise. The filter design consists of variable weave fibers that remove larger particles first for maximum efficiency and airflow and then smaller particles to purify the air. According to the company, the filter combines features of electrostatic and mechanical filter technology, yielding a 99% filtration efficiency rate and removing dust, smoke, mold spores, pet dander and other impurities. www.applianceDESIGN.com

NEWS WATCH MERTIK MAXITROL AND HONEYWELL REACH SETTLEMENT

Mertik Maxitrol Inc., a Michigan-based provider of gas-pressure, -filter and -safety devices, announced a settlement in its copyright infringement and unfair competition lawsuit against Honeywell GmbH. Under terms of the settlement, Honeywell GmbH has agreed to immediately cease the sale, distribution, and advertising in or from Germany of its gas control valve V5475 or spare parts for the valve. Mertik Maxitrol’s complaint, filed in the regional court of Stuttgart/ Germany, alleged that Honeywell produced in China an unauthorized copy of Mertik Maxitrol’s GV30 gas valve. In addition, Mertik Maxitrol claimed that Honeywell was marketing and selling the counterfeit valve (V5475) throughout France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Eastern Europe. In addition to the proceedings in Germany, in June 22, 2010, a complaint was


filed in the Eastern United States District court of Michigan by Mertik Maxitrol’s attorney Jeffrey Sadowski of Howard & Howard Attorneys PLLC, alleging that Honeywell is in violation of unfair competition, trade dress infringement, breach of contract and violation of the Michigan Consumer Protection Act.

CHEMICALLY RESISTANT EPOXY WITHSTANDS A YEAR IN ACID

For applications demanding chemical resistance, especially to acids, fuels and oils, Master Bond developed its EP21AR. The two-component epoxy can withstand harsh, acidic environ-

ments, including prolonged immersion in 96 to 98% sulfuric acid and 36% hydrochloric acid for over a year, whether coating, lining, bonding or sealing, according to the company. With a dielectric strength of 400 volts/mil, EP21AR is a durable and stable epoxy that is also a superb electrical insulator. Its coefficient of thermal expansion is 45 to 55 ppm/deg. C, and it is serviceable from -60-deg. F to +275-deg. F. It produces high strength, abrasion resistant bonds with a tensile strength more than 10,000 psi, a shear strength exceeding 2,700 psi, and a compressive strength greater than 14,000 psi at 75-deg. F. The epoxy has a working life of 45 to 55 minutes at ambient temperature for a 200 gram batch, and cures at room temperature or faster at elevated temperatures. It bonds well to a variety of substrates, including metals, glass, ceramics, cements, vulcanized rubbers, wood and many plastics.

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DECORATION

MAXIMIZE AESTHETIC APPEAL WITH LEDS

Demand for unique LED solutions in the kitchen is increasing due to the styling and packaging benefits that LED technology offers compared to traditional incandescent lighting. Photo: OSRAM Opto Semiconductors

Advanced LED technologies offer new opportunities to use color, sensing and control in the illumination of appliances.

by nina weilhammer and michael godwin Nina Weilhammer is global white goods LED marketing manager at OSRAM Opto Semiconductors GmbH, Regensburg, Germany, and Michael Godwin is director of visible LEDs at OSRAM Opto Semiconductors Inc., Sunnyvale, Calif. 16 applianceDESIGN April 2011

T

he kitchen is the hub of the home. Kitchen lighting affects the mood of a room and tops the list of things homeowners would like to improve in their living space. Good kitchen design balances practical workspace lighting with lighting for visual effect and includes layers of ambient, task and accent lighting. In a well designed kitchen, the appliance façade, cabinets, counters, general lighting and ambient lighting are integrated to create emotion and a welcoming environment for entertaining and every-day living. Lighting is a subtle but important factor in this environment. Today’s advanced LED technologies offer new opportunities to use color, sensing and control in the illumination of appliances. Compact, high-brightness, energy-saving LEDs are the perfect light source for such environments. Advanced LEDs utilize proprietary phosphor blends, advanced semiconductor packaging and state-of-the-art thin-film and ThinGAN semiconductor technologies. Advancements enable industrial designers to optimize the use of color to improve not only the functionality, but also the ambiance and aesthetic appeal of appli-

ances throughout the kitchen and home.

Advantages LEDs give designers a new palette of color and offer sensing and digital control that delivers convenience and emotional ambiance for a multi-dimensional interactive experience. In addition, LEDs: are point source emitters that enable precise optical control; are available in nearly all saturated and unsaturated colors including red green and blue; are available in all classes of performance and packaging styles (i.e., with and without lens, surface top-mount, reverse mount and side mount); are digital with “instant on-off ” capability and can be precisely controlled and dimmed; can do more than just illuminate; they can be choreographed with digital sensing and control. Designers can create a lighting experience that responds to human interaction with light and sensing functionality that is not possible with conventional incandescent www.applianceDESIGN.com

DECORATION

With precise binning controls, LEDs provide excellent color control and uniformity of light. As semiconductor products, white LEDs are sorted in a process known as binning to ensure consistency of color and quantity of light so that designers can specify precisely the color locations and brightness for specific applications. Image: OSRAM Opto Semiconductors Custom colors delivered through kitchen appliances allow the consumer to customize their world. Photo: OSRAM Opto Semiconductors

There are several key LED characteristics to consider in the design and specification process, including color consistency, lighting color quality, reliability, and sensing and control.

“Specifications for the Chromaticity of Solid State Lighting Products.” This standard specifies the range of chromaticities recommended for general indoor lighting with LED products and ensures that the white-light chromaticities of the products can be communicated to users. It applies to LED-based SSL products incorporating control electronics and heat sinks. It is important for the designer and component specifier to understand the importance of color and intensity (i.e., candela or lumen) binning, because color binning is by far the most discernable to the observer. Smaller color bins yield the tightest color consistency within an application. Designers should pay special attention to the shippable binning limits (i.e. CIE X, Y quadrangle area) of various LED suppliers. With expensive durable goods such as

1. COLOR CONSISTENCY AND WHITE BINNING In 2002, OSRAM Opto Semiconductors Inc., under the direction of Ford Motor Company, introduced the industry’s first fine white binning system, which Ford implemented on its Lincoln models with white LED light for the interior. At the time, this binning system was state-of-the-art with a 10-step Mcadams ellipse. With advancements in phosphor blending control, wafer steering and the reduction in manufacturing variation, LED color binning capabilities have advanced over the last 10 years to meet the requirements of the general lighting industry. Early in 2008, the American National Standard Lighting Group (ANSLG) published ANSI_NEMA_ANSLG C78.377-2008,

This diagram illustrates the range of human eye response to visible and infrared wavelengths in respect to other usable electromagnetic wavelengths. Image: OSRAM Opto Semiconductors

lighting. LEDs bring a whole new dimension of possibilities to appliance lighting and design. Due to their compact size they are also a space-saving solution. Saving space can be achieved cost effectively while delivering the color, control and light pattern along with the effect of digital control that LEDs offer. While consumers expect only functional lighting in their appliances, LEDs can deliver this function while also adding an aesthetically pleasing component to the kitchen environment.

Selection


White fine binning of LEDs (defined by the orange lines) is segmented to correspond with the ANSI quadrangles (defined by the black lines). White fine binning accommodates applications such as appliance illumination where precise color matching is critical. Each bin fits inside a 3-step MacAdam ellipse (represented by the blue ovals), representing the limit of color difference that can be perceived by the human eye. Image: OSRAM Opto Semiconductors

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DECORATION Food illuminated with different color rendering index (CRI) ratings/values demonstrates the impact of lighting on the contents of a refrigerator. Photo: OSRAM Opto Semiconductors

Application engineering expertise is needed to properly design LEDs into reliable appliance applications. Image: OSRAM Opto Semiconductors

an appliance, harmonizing between many finished products and within several applications of a product is not a small task. Targeting the smallest binning quadrangle is a critical requirement to maintain lighting color consistency in the finished products. Color binning selection is one of the most important decisions that a design engineer should factor into the LED lighting application. 2. LIGHTING COLOR QUALITY OEMs need to consider many color quality standards and metrics when considering LEDs in the kitchen and appliance environment. There are three core quality metrics to consider: color coordinated temperature (CCT), color spectrum and color rendering index (CRI). The first metric is the correlated color temperature (CCT), which is the relative color temperature of a white light source. CCT is an industry standard based on the black body locus of the sun rising and falling. LEDs can be produced in CCT ranging from 2,500K (warm/yellow white) to 12,000K (cold/blue white). A neutral white light source at 4,200K is an excellent CCT target for most appliance and general lighting applications. Color spectrum, on the other hand is the spectral power distribution across all visible

DESIGN ELEMENT Electrical Optical Thermal Mgt Substrate LED Package

OPTION A Resistor driver Reflector Fr4 or Cem1 Top Mount

wavelengths from 380 nm to 760 nm. White LEDs emit in the blue (450 to 460 nm) wavelength and excite a phosphor mixture to create the spectrum called white. Varying the wavelength of the blue light and the phosphor blend can manipulate the color spectrum to achieve the desired CCT and CRI. The color rendering index (CRI) is very important to aesthetic appeal. The CRI is the only internationally agreed upon metric for rendering evaluation. The CRI, also referred to as simply “color,” is a quantitative measure of the ability of a light source to reproduce the colors of various objects faithfully in comparison with an ideal or natural light

OPTION B Linear driver Light guide Metal Core Substrate Side Mount

OPTION C Switch mode driver Lens Flexible Circuit Reverse mount

source. Light sources with a high CRI are desirable in color-critical applications. Managing all three of these LED specifications—CCT, color spectrum and CRI—in kitchen appliances can create varied scenarios, from sterile/clean to soft/warm. 3. APPLICATION ENGINEERING OPTIMIZATION—RELIABLE LED SOLUTIONS In addition to managing the color quality of the LED, the design engineer must ensure the reliability of the system by incorporating the appropriate electronic driver topology, cost effective and efficient optical prescrip-

The OSLON Black series LED has a lens with a 90-deg. beam angle and can be useful for space-saving applications. It produces a typical brightness of 115 lm at an operating current of 350 mA and a color temperature of 6500K, and is unaffected by fluctuations in temperature. Photo: OSRAM Opto Semiconductors

Table 1 highlights the broad technical options and decisions that an engineer must make when designing an LED application. After the color temperature, desired color spectrum and suitable CRI are defined, the designer needs to consider the electrical, optical and thermal attributes along with the LED package form factor. Image: OSRAM Opto Semiconductors 18 applianceDESIGN April 2011


DECORATION IR sensor LEDs with optical touch switch can optically detect the presence of an object and can be useful for refrigerator and other white good applications. Photo: OSRAM Opto Semiconductors

tions and, most importantly, effective material selection and proper thermal management. Functional and efficient system design means that the lighting engineer/designer not only needs to consider the quality of light but also the other functional elements of the lighting system. After the color temperature, desired color spectrum and suitable CRI are defined, the OEM needs to consider the electrical, optical and thermal attributes along with the LED package form factor. With the continuous technology advancements in this field it is not possible to describe every option, but Table 1 offers some general guidelines for consideration. 4. SELECTING THE POWER CLASS The LED power class and radiation pattern selected depend on the design of the appliance light source. There are a wide array of LED options that offer high thermal stability, efficient performance and optimal brightness to achieve high reliability. If saving space is a www.applianceDESIGN.com

critical requirement in the application, a color binned, efficient 1-watt device is preferred. 5. CUSTOM COLOR Another unrealized benefit of LED lighting is the ability to brand appliances with custom colors. The automotive and architectural industries have successfully deployed red, green and blue LED custom colors to help consumers identify with a particular brand. They have also successfully incorporated color changing LEDs into vehicles making it possible for a user to dial in the color they want on any given day. This same technology can be transferred to appliance design, allowing consumers to customize their kitchens with a simple turn of a dial, changing the color from red to green or mint to bright yellow. 6. SENSING AND CONTROL Appliances are also a prime application for infrared (IR) LED sensing technologies. For example, integration of an optical

switch and control circuits enable the brightness of the LED light source to be dimmed or increased when reaching inside a refrigerator. LEDs are very small, directional light sources that are easy to incorporate into the construction of shelves, drawers and liners of an appliance. IR sensors can be integrated as motion detectors and can choreograph the illumination of shelves and drawers as they are triggered via human interface. Utilization of digital IR emitters and detectors with appropriate control logic allows additional sensing and dimming control not easily achievable with other analog technologies. With IR sensors, LEDs can be automatically adjusted to produce ambient lighting and to deliver the appropriate brightness, depending on the time of day or zone of the refrigerator in use.

A Bright Future LED technology is here to stay for the foreseeable future and brings a whole new dimension to appliance design. Appliances in the kitchen and throughout the home are important applications where the value of LEDs make them the light source of choice for new and contemporary designs. Innovative, aesthetically appealing design is key to the successful adoption of LED lighting by the consumer. Proper integration of the best lighting color quality, application engineering, sensing and control with the latest LED and IR products will optimize the LED lighting system and enhance the overall performance and appeal of LED solutions in appliances. For more information, visit: www.osram-os.com applianceDESIGN

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COOLING TECHNOLOGIES

M R E T G N FOR LO

TI A R E G I R E FR

ON

The Solar Therm units from the Fridge Factory feature two 90-W monocrystalline panels.

Using the sun’s rays to power refrigerators helps bring medicine to those in need.

by larry adams Larry Adams is a contributing writer to appliance DESIGN. 20 applianceDESIGN April 2011

S

waziland is a country facing many challenges. The nation of 1.2 million people located in Southern Africa has massive economic and health-care troubles. Most people are subsistence farmers or livestock herders; nearly 70% of the population lives in poverty. Health-care problems are equally drastic: more than one in four adults are infected with HIV; tuberculosis is widespread and there is an 18% mortality rate. Life expectancy is one of the lowest in the world at 31.88 years. The country is primarily rural, and getting medicine to the population is difficult. Storing it after it gets to the desired location adds to the difficulty, especially since the electrical grid in the country is spotty at best and large areas remain underserved. To address this problem, a local manufacturer working to World Health Organization (WHO) specifications has developed the Solar Therm line of refrigerators powered directly by solar energy. Models include a commercial unit, a residential unit and a unit designed for use in off-grid medical clinics. The Fridge Factory, originally established

as Palfridge, is based Matsapha, Swaziland. The company is principally a niche manufacturer of off-road camping and outdoors products. The Solar Therm concept was originally developed by another manufacturer in conjunction with the Danish Technical Institute (GTZ). That unit was designed to work in ambient temperatures of 25-deg. C, said Peter McCullough, Fridge Factory CEO. While that temperature level is “fine for an air-conditioned clinic, it is not very practical for rural remote off-grid clinics in Africa,” he added. Instead, the refrigerators needed to meet WHO specifications, which are more stringent. For instance, the medical unit refrigerator needs to maintain internal temperatures of between 2-deg. C and 8-deg. C for a minimum of five days when ambient temperatures are 42-deg. C. In addition to meeting these internal temperature specs, Tish Foster, marketing director at Fridge Factory, said that the company was challenged to manufacture a unit that runs solely on solar power. There could be www.applianceDESIGN.com

COOLING TECHNOLOGIES

The LC 86-Commercial unit features a controller and compressor. Beverages are stored in a shelf suspended from the top of the cabinet. Photo: Fridge Factory

no battery backup as a power source, she explained, even in the event of low or no sunshine. Batteries, said Foster, contain lead, mercury and other materials that are not environmentally friendly. They can also be a target for thieves, and are costly to replace and maintain.

Simple Design While powering refrigerators and other electronics with solar energy is not a new concept, the simplicity of the Fridge Factory’s design sets these units apart. Most solar refrigerators work by converting solar energy into direct current (DC) electrical energy via a photovoltaic array, said Roy Singh, technical director at Fridge Factory. The current typically ranges from 12 VDC to 48 VDC. An inverter is required

to convert the D alternating current (AC) to power a refrigerator. Battery banks are used to store energy. A controller regulates voltages and charge levels. This concept, while used extensively and successfully, has endemic considerations that the Fridge Factory wanted to avoid such as conversion loss that can occur as the light energy passes to the photovoltaic array, the battery, inverters, compressors and so on. The Solar Therm units feature two 90-W monocrystalline solar modules that convert the solar radiation into 12 VDC. The power passes directly to a Danfoss DC compressor without any required interfaces. The connection between the solar panels and the compressor is a simple male/female hella plug. The compressor drives the refrigerant

and cools the unit. Each Solar Therm model features separate freezer and refrigerated compartments. The freezer compartment contains a ballast load that is full of water that freezes, and the ice thermally stores the energy, said Singh. A damper located between the two compartments regulates the flow of energy from the freezer to the refrigerated section. The damper shuts off automatically when the temperature in the refrigeration compartment reaches specs. In addition, the compressor shuts off when temperature specifications are met and also at night. The ballast load keeps the unit cold overnight and during low-light conditions. The next day, the process continues. Another key to maintaining the internal temperatures, especially during periods of

The LS150-Domestic Unit is a single door design with a separate fridge and freezer compartments. Photo: Fridge Factory


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COOLING TECHNOLOGIES The MC 72-Medical Unit is a chest-type refrigerator unit for vaccine storage and comes with a freezer compartment. A mechanical damper regulates the amount of cooling and keeps it between 2-deg. C and 8-deg. C. Photo: Fridge Factory

low or no sunlight, is an extra thick layer of rigid polyurethane foam insulation from Bayer MaterialScience. A conventional unit has an insulation thickness of approximately 60 mm for the freezer, and 40 mm for the refrigerator. The Solar Therm unit has an insulation thickness of 120 mm. The extra thickness results in lower energy consumption and helps maintain internal temperatures, Singh said.

Efficient Construction In addition to the solar panels and thicker insulation, the company has designed its refrigerator units to more efficiently cool its cabinets. The refrigerators feature galvanized steel piping around the freezer compartment, which is attached to the freezer tanks using thermal conducting paste and thermal tape. This helps ensure maximum contact to the unit and maximizes freezing potential—resulting in even freezing, improved temperature conservation and electrical savings through reduced component run time, as well as reduced wear and tear on components. The compressors are stored behind a removable grate, which increases airflow to the unit’s working parts. The airflow places less demand on the working components,

saves electricity and extends the working life of the units. This construction has “proven to be more robust and suitable” for the African market as they are less likely to collect dust and grime that can reduce the cooling effectiveness and efficiency, according to McCullough.

Environmentally Friendly The company has co many of its productio materials to ensure a m friendly product and a carbon footprint. The company undertook what it calls the GreenFreeze Factory upgrade program. As part of the program, the Fridge Factory converted its foam expansion blowing agents and refrigerants to more environmentally friendly materials. The company replaced hydro chlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) R-141b blowing agents with cyclopentane, an organic compound that has a zero global warming potential

(GWP) rating. Cyclopentane features low foam density, uniform cell size and high R-values. The foam expansion agent is highpressure foam injected at 200 Bars. In addition, the company converted its refrigerants from R-134a—a hydrofluorocarbon with a GWP of 1,430—to natural refrigerants including R290 Butane and R600 Isobutane gases that have zero GWPs. McCullough said these refrigerants are, by far, more efficient cooling agents than 134a. Efficiency is key for a refrigerator used in a country with little electrical infrastructure. The Solar Therm refrigerator runs completely on solar power in remote locations, and the local population will depend on its ability to keep medicine and food safe. Swaziland is an old culture with many challenges, but few resources. One resource is sunshine, and the Fridge Factory’s Solar Therm refrigerators and freezers utilize that resource in an effort to solve, or at least alleviate, some of the nation’s troubles. 

Bayer MaterialScience supplies the polyurethane rigid foam that is used in the Solar Therm refrigeration units. Solar panels provide the electric power to run a Danfoss compressor. 22 applianceDESIGN April 2011


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MOTORS Washing machines can provide tough motor control challenges. In this application, an SMVector drive was used in industrial washing machines to combat changeable high inertia loads, while delivering precise speed control at low speeds during wash cycles. Photo: Lenze

Motor Drive Trends Deliver Value A number of important advances in drive technology are helping OEMs meet user demand for smarter motor control.

T

he latest motor drive technologies offer virtually limitless design possibilities for a wide, cross-industry group of OEMs, integrators and design engineers engaged in demanding applications. Within any application, motion control offers a means to an end. The objectives might be to make a process more costeffective, a product more robust or a production line faster, but the overarching goal is bringing products to market faster and more competitively. The right motor drive can advance that goal, while improving energy efficiency, motor performance and functionality in appliance applications.

Basics & Benefits

by tom robbins Tom Robbins is an applications engineer for Lenze Americas, Uxbridge, Mass. 24 applianceDESIGN April 2011

Available in a range of basic voltage models with single or three phase power, operating a 230 V, 480 V or 600 V motor, drive selection is contingent on motor type, voltage, current rating, input source and I/O requirements. Sizing depends on a number of application-specific factors, including the full load rating and maximum voltage under full load conditions. Speed variability is the primary advantage of a drive inverter. Rather

than running a motor directly across the available power supply, the inverter converts the voltage during start up and at varying stages during operation, depending on the application requirements. An HVAC fan, for example, may not need to run at full speed at all times. An inverter can reduce the voltage and energy usage of the fan. Although still a relatively new technology itself, pulse-width modulation (PWM) has more than a decade of proven reliability relative to cost. Often associated with the dimmer switch seen in homes, PWM controls the duty cycle of the motor by reducing voltage and current, thereby reducing power usage and loss. PWM supports motors found in a wide range of applications, including office buildings and HVAC consumer appliances— wherever there is a need for immediacy and accuracy of controllable constant and variable speeds during start-up, operation and motor braking. Occasionally, appliance applications call for very slow motor speeds. A standard AC 3-phase induction motor should not run below 50% of its base speed, but can only run www.applianceDESIGN.com

MOTORS In a recent application, a SMVector IP65 drive, with integrated PID functionality, was selected to help a manufacturer improve performance of its industrial vacuum cleaners. Photo: Lenze

at speeds based on applied voltage. Reduced voltage slows fan speed, preventing motor cooling and eventually leading to burn-out often seen in traditional AC 3-phase motors.

VFD Meets Vector Technology Advances in variable frequency drives (VFD), coupled with vector technology, make it a strong value proposition for challenging appliance applications. While VFD delivers close to 100% starting torque, vector technology can offer 200% starting torque to overcome the initial load. As a result, an engineer can significantly decrease motor size and application cost. At the core of vector technology is sophisticated patented algorithms that achieve optimal torque production, speed and process control. Vector-controlled drives provide more information to the motor, with greater flexibility in dynamic positioning and speed. While a standard drive typically has a 10:1 motor speed range, flux vector mode operates at a 60:1 factor to speed with superior motor and torque even at very low speeds. A higher starting torque places less demand for current drawn by the motor at lower speeds, thereby reducing the risk of burning up the motor. Another advantage of vector control is that it doesn’t require closed-loop feedback. Open-loop speed regulation eliminates the additional cost of a feedback device associated with closed-loop systems. VFD-vector drive options are numerous in today’s marketplace. The most advanced vector drives on the market today can be used with 3-phase AC induction motors and are available in NEMA 1 (IP31) and NEMA 4X (IP65). Programmable digital and analog I/Os allow the drive to be configured for many application-specific tasks, such as multiple preset speeds, electronic braking and www.applianceDESIGN.com

motor jogging. Operation modes include V/Hz, Enhanced V/Hz, vector speed and torque. Benefits include high starting torque, auto-tuning, advanced low-speed control and dynamic speed regulation. With a power range up to 20 HP, VFDvector drives excel in environments where inverter technology was once considered too costly, including packaging machinery, food processing equipment, material handling/ conveyors and HVAC systems. At any NEMA rating, VFD-vector drives are suitable and competitively priced compared to other drives with less functionality. NEMA rating is typically matched to the available shielding and the mounting environment and conditions, whether the enclosure is indoor or outdoor use. Temperature, humidity and other environmental conditions inform the NEMA rating of a drive enclosure. For indoor installation in a relatively clean environment, a NEMA 1 enclosure can provide limited protection against normal ambient temperature, humidity and other conditions. NEMA 4X for indoor applications protects against windblown dust and rain, splashing water, hose-directed water, corrosive or caustic agents, and damage from external ice formation. NEMA 4X for outdoor installations extends the same benefits in a more robust encasement. Remote keypads make it possible to mount a drive in a protected location while operating the drive at a distance. This

would be advantageous in certain circumstances, such as a wet environment that might require a remote watertight keypad. Optional integrated serial communication motor control capabilities are available for applications where multiple communication software systems intersect. Drive communication options include Ethernet/IP, Profibus-DP, DeviceNet, CANopen and Modbus/RS485. Users can maintain their own preferences with pop-in communication modules factory-installed or inserted into an existing drive, enabling compatibility in virtually any control environment. Dynamic braking circuits can allow a drive to decelerate the motor in conjunction with load to prevent motor voltage spikes and trips when used under a heavy load. PID controls can save energy by maintaining a set pressure, temperature or water level in an appliance or unit holding tank, or any application involving motor control of a process. The environment in which a motor drive is designed to operate is arguably one of the most important critical determinants of inverter selection. A high level of familiarity and knowledge about an application and the intended user environment is recommended as a critical first step to specifying the right drive. A number of important advances in drive technology are making the design engineer’s job easier—and helping OEMs meet user demand for smarter motor control. For more information, email: [email protected] or visit: www.lenzeamericas.com applianceDESIGN

April 2011 25

MOTORS

Select the Best Motor A growing range of motors for specific applications provides a variety of benefits, limitations and price points.

O

ur society takes for granted that washers will agitate, dryers will spin and furnaces will circulate warm air, often not understanding the sophisticated motor technologies that make these products reliable, quiet and efficient. As a design engineer, selecting motor and control technologies is not always an easy task. A growing range of motors for specific applications provides a variety of benefits, limitations and price points. So how can OEMs choose the best fit for an application?

The Basics Normally, motor specifications begin with the fundamentals, including: s !VAILABLEPOWERSUPPLY (voltage and current), s )NTENDEDPROJECTEDUSEOFTHEMOTOR s $UTYCYCLE s (ORSEPOWER s 3PACELIMITATIONS s !MBIENTANDOPERATINGTEMPERATURES s !NDENVIRONMENTALCONDITIONS

by kamron wright Kamron Wright is team leader - ECM HVAC engineering at Genteq, Fort Wayne, Ind. 26 applianceDESIGN April 2011

Based on this information, it’s ideal to select the simplest motor available to permit fast delivery and to eliminate the cost of special features but, if any application details are overlooked, the chosen motor may fail to perform to the standards of the JOB)NSOMECASESEVENSPECIALLYENGINEERED designs may fail. )TSIMPORTANTTOCONSIDERALLOFTHEFOLLOW INGFACTORSRELATINGTOAPROJECT WHETHERITBE for a dishwashing, laundry, refrigeration or (6!#APPLICATION

s 7HATISSTANDARD s 7HATISREADILYAVAILABLE s 7HATCANBEOFFEREDDIFFERENTLYFROMTHE standard, but with a minimum penalty in time and expense? s 7HATARETHEREQUIREDMOTORSTANDARDS or regulatory requirements for the application?

Motor Horsepower and Operating Point(s) Start by understanding the device the motor is driving, its load and speed, starting load and duty cycle. The horsepower needs to be determined at the intended operating speed(s). This can be calculated using machine handbook formulas and tables, or from the manufacturers of the driven devices such as fans and blowers, which provide graphs and charts as guides to the load requirements that will achieve a certain output. OEMs also need to consider any efficiency losses of the unit being driven from bearINGS BELTS GEARS OR FRICTION )N ADDITION it’s important to account for the worst case loading such as when the washing machine is full of wet clothes versus dry, or when an air handling system is operating at high external static pressures.

Motor Type Engineers should pay attention to the types of motor that best meet load requirements and power supply specs for an individual application. Fractional and sub-fracwww.applianceDESIGN.com

MOTORS

tional horsepower motors are classified by electrical types. Shaded pole motors are simple in mechanical construction and are usually low in price. However, their low efficiency, power factor, dip torque and starting torque typically limit their application to direct drive fan and blower applications and submersible pumps where efficiency is not a concern and price is the main consideration. Permanent split capacitor motors are widely used when starting torque requirements are not too high and moderate electrical efficiency is needed. They are typically used on fans, blowers, small pumps and gear motors. Like most AC induction motors, permanent split capacitor motors have a peak efficiency that occurs at a point 5 to 10% below synchronous speed that decreases dramatically as you move toward no load speed or locked rotor. They are typically designed for 1 to 5 speeds.

Split phase motors often are used in appliances such as washers and dryers. They have a start and a run winding. They can accommodate larger starting load requirements. Once a certain speed is reached, the start winding drops out by a mechanical switch or relay to run on the lower power run winding. Capacitor start motors are typically used in compressors and pumps. They have a start and a run winding. However, the additional capacitor, in series with the auxiliary start winding, helps produce a higher starting torque per ampere than the split phase motor. As a result, a capacitor start motor can accommodate larger starting load requirements. Once a certain speed is reached, the start winding drops out, typically using a mechanical switch or relay to run on the lower power run winding. Variable speed electronically controlled (including permanent magnet)

HORSEPOWER FORMULA

motors include the category known as electronically commutated motors (ECM). The single phase AC power is converted to DC power using a rectifier and filter capacitor bank. The DC power is then converted back to AC power by using power transistors and a microprocessor control. This allows control of the current and frequency to the motor winding, allowing torque and speed control. Since both current and frequency can be controlled, the motor can operate up to the 80% efficiency range for larger fractional horsepower motors. While induction motors can be designed to run almost that efficient at a single speed, these motors maintain high efficiencies across wide speed ranges. The electronic control of the motor allows various input control methods such as 24 VAC, PWM (pulse width modulation or duty cycle control), and others from the user system control board.

WHAT MOTOR SPEED / RPM (ROTATIONS PER MINUTE) IS REQUIRED?

A typical formula for determining power for fractional horsepower motors is:

Most AC single phase induction motors will operate at their most efficient point at 5 to 10% below synchronous speed.

horsepower = speed (RPM) X torque (oz. ft.) / 84032

Synchronous Speed = 120 x Frequency (Hz) / # of Poles

Horsepower (1 HP = 746 watts). The shaft power may also be specified as “watts out” for very small motors. The efficiency of the motor is then determined by dividing “watts out” by the “input electrical watts” (“watts in”). For sub-fractional horsepower, the torque may be specified in ounce-inches; integral motors may be specified in pound-feet. The conversion constant must change accordingly. www.applianceDESIGN.com

For a six-pole motor operating at 60Hz, that would be 120 X 60/6 = 1200 RPM synchronous speed. A typical single speed motor’s operating RPM at the motor’s peak efficiency would then be from 1080 to 1140 RPM.

applianceDESIGN

April 2011 27

MOTORS Enclosure and Mounting Type Considering the environment that the motor will be operating in and the requirements to keep the motor functioning reliably over the design life of the unit is important for OEMs. They should also take into account any required regulatory standards (UL, NEC, GAMA, CE, etc.). For outdoor motors, a totally enclosed motor may be required; it may also have to meet certain water mist or spray requirements. For indoor motors, an open or partially open motor may be acceptable, depending on whether water may drip in. A dusty environment may require additional protection if there is no filtering of air coming into the unit motor compartment. Many fractional horsepower motors have air flowing over them from the fan or blower they are driving. These are termed air-over motors. The type of bearing system required is another consideration. Sleeve use is where the shaft is subject to moderate thrust in any direction and may require oiling periodically. Ball use is where high thrust is exerted on the shaft and low maintenance is required. This is often for use in hard-to-re-lube locations.

Further Considerations How are you intending to mount the motor? Check with the motor manufacturer in order to use a standard mounting system or bolt pattern. Some typical mounting con-

Poles

Split Phase and Capacitor Start

Shaded Pole / Permanent Split Capacitor above 1/3HP

Shaded Pole / Permanent Split Capacitor 1/3HP and below

2

3450 (2850)

3250 (2710)

3000 (2500)

4

1725 (1425)

1625 (1350)

1550 (1300)

6

1140 (950)

1075 (900)

1050 (875)

8

850 (710)

810 (675)

800 (665)

Typical Full Load Speeds for Single Phase Fractional Horsepower motors at 60 Hz (and 50Hz) Line Voltage Frequency. Source Genteq

figurations are: lugs attached to the motor; belly band (customer supplied); resilient or welded to shell base mount; or through bolts from motor face. What power will be supplied to the motor? Typical single-phase power runs from 100 through 575 VAC, with a frequency of 50 or 60 Hz. Depending on where the end product will be sold in the world, this will vary greatly. Lower-cost motor designs will try to stay with one voltage and frequency to minimize cost. Three-phase motors also are an option. Electronically controlled motors may allow operation over a wider input voltage and frequency range, reducing the number of models required to serve a spectrum of products. What type of overload protecting is required? If none, then no internal motor overload

The starting and performance characteristics of the more common single-phase motors appear in the chart above. Image: Genteq 28 applianceDESIGN April 2011

protection may be required if the motor is protected by an external acceptable means. Engineers must be sure to check safety and regulatory codes or requirements. Automatic or thermal protectors are designed to reset and restart motor after a cooling period. Electronic protection is typically used in fan and pump application , and manual protectors are designed to prevent the motor from becoming reenergized until reset by hand. What safety and regulatory standards apply to the application? Many applications have their own regulatory standards with motor specifications. All applicable safety and certifying authorities, along with local, state or other standards should be reviewed.

Suppliers As OEMs consider specific motor products for an application, it’s important to keep in mind the quality and reputation of the manufacturer. Motors produced by reputable, longterm manufacturers will have the benefit of Six Sigma processes, failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA), statistical process controls, reliability prediction and proof of reliability testing. Although widely known throughout the industry, not all manufacturers take advantage of the quality assurance these processes provide. Some reputable manufacturers may even offer to test an application in their own test facilities. For more information, email: kamron. [email protected] or visit: www. thedealertoolbox.com www.applianceDESIGN.com

FLUID HANDLING Washing machines, with evermore features for water and detergent injection and evacuation, demand more from fluid-handling components. Photo: Maytag

New Washing Machines, Dishwashers Push Pump Technology ppliance OEMS continue innovating to meet customer demands. Teams of marketers assess consumer wants and relay those thoughts to designers who constantly tweak styles. This can be most readily seen in new washers and dryers, refrigerators and dishwashers. Consider how washers and dryers, once relegated to basements and out-of-the way back rooms and closets, now function as style elements that figure prominently in home décor. But for all the innovation on the surface, work continues on the guts. One focus is fluid handling for dishwashers and washing machines. Fluid handling in such applications must take into account the desire for reduced water usage, proper evacuation of soiled water and quick replacement of new water. And with these appliances occupying space in living areas, noise is another concern.

A

Wanted: Higher Pressures, Lower Noise, Less Energy Usage Take, for example, the Maxima washer from Maytag, expected to hit showrooms in April 2011. The high-tech wash system www.applianceDESIGN.com

employs a LED user interface to accept info and route it through a series of calculations and algorithms to determine the best wash method. It provides targeted water spray and variable detergent injection, all of which places demands on pumping components. That sophistication results in the use of about 11.5 gallons of water, according to Maytag officials, as compared to the 40 gallons used by many top-load washers as recently as 10 years ago. It also uses 86% less energy than these earlier models. With its PowerWash cycle for extra cleaning and thorough rinsing, along with an increased washer capacity of 5.0 cu. ft., the Maxima places extraordinary stress on pumps, all the while requiring quiet operation. The same holds true for dishwashers, as manufacturers develop steam systems and other high-temperature and high-pressure water-delivery methods to clean and rinse dishes and remove film. Pumps have to handle all of that to get the water in, and out. For example, consider GE dishwashers using the company’s PureClean system. PureClean provides five-stage filtration, including a coarse filter, new inlet filter, highlow filter, pump pre-filter and finally, the

Fluid handling technology must tackle reduced noise, proper evacuation of soiled water and quick replacement of new water.

by lou kren Lou Kren is a contributing writer for appliance DESIGN. applianceDESIGN

April 2011 29

FLUID HANDLING company’s ExtraFine filter. So how are pump suppliers for washing machines and dishwashers responding? Following are a couple of pump innovations.

Low-Noise Impeller Pumps One company, Johnson Electric, a maker of pumps used in washers and dishwashers, has introduced low-noise impeller pumps, based on the company’s proprietary hydraulic design and electronically commutated (EC) brushless motor technology. Though applicable to washing machines, the pumps initially are targeted for dishwasher use. Low noise, the chief benefit of these pumps, results from intelligent control of the EC motor, according to Chi Man, responsible for sales at the Hong-Kong-based supplier. That control minimizes vibration typical of pumps driven by synchronous and induction motors. Beyond that, the pumps reportedly provide 40% energy savings over traditional pump designs. “These new pumps address consumer demand for quieter dishwashers,” said Jim Dick, senior vice president of strategic marketing at Johnson Electric. “Manufacturers are provided with a valuable differentiation opportunity.” The company’s E16IWM-230-001 circulation pump provides a maximum flow rate of 83 liters/min. at 0.15 bar and can operate in temperature ranges of 2 to 85-deg. C while handling water and detergent. Its noise

level measures 48 dBA from less than arm’s length from the dishwashing unit. The new E11IWS-230-001 drain pump features a maximum flow rate of 20 liters/min. at 0.08 bar with a maximum pressure of 0.18 bar. It can handle water and fluid in temperatures from 2 to 85-deg. C with a noise level of 37 dBA.

Diaphragm Pumps A diaphragm pump, developed by Gorman-Rupp Industries, Bellevue, Ohio, for dishwasher and other applications, features a duckbill/umbrella valve that requires no external sealing and has no dynamic seals, reducing the potential for leaks and failure, according to company officials. The oscillating-diaphragm pump, with its twoin-one valve, includes an armature assembly extending from an electric coil to a diaphragm. Each DC pulse to the coil (at a rate of 60/sec.) forces liquid through the duckbill valve. On the return, liquid is pulled through the umbrella valve from the pump inlet. Self-priming to 5 ft., the pump offers flow rates to 350 ml/min. and discharge pressure to 35 psi. It can handle fluids with continuous temperature to 104-deg. F. The pump is powered by 115 or 230 VAC standard motors, with options for DC motors. Rated pump life is 4,000 hours. For more information, visit: www.gripumps.com or www.johnsonelectric.com

Higher temperatures and increased water pressure are driving fluid handling technology for dishwashers. Photo: Maytag

This pump, for a Maytag Maxima washing machine, provides the muscle to regulate water and detergent injection and removal.

At www.appliancedesign.com/articles/white_papers, readers can search our database of white papers by topic and category to find exactly what their looking for: whether technical papers on design and prototyping, components such as motors and fans, and more!

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If you receive appliance DESIGN’s monthly e-newsletter, you will automatically receive our quarterly White Papers e-blast (in March, June, September and December), which gives you direct access to the latest white papers we’ve added to the site.

Papers Use appliance DESIGN’s White Papers section as a reference to find the information you’re looking for!

Sign up for appliance DESIGN’s e-newsletter today, to start receiving our monthly Newsletter and quarterly White Papers e-blast at:

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ASSOCIATION REPORT: CEA

Buzzing About Innovation Gary Shapiro President and CEO Consumer Electronics Association

nnovation is the new buzzword in our nation, with President Obama now intensely focused on resuscitating the American economy by “outinnovating” other countries. At CEA, we have been intensely focused on innovation for decades, and recently I’ve seen the fruits of CEA’s focus on innovation as our economy moves into recovery. While some sectors of the economy retrenched or even retreated through the recession, consumer electronics companies demonstrated an unprecedented level of innovation, bringing thousands of new products to market. At the 2011 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the world’s largest technology trade show, I saw incredible innovations first-hand. No doubt you’ve seen them too—from Internet-connected televisions to new tablet computers, technology manufacturers have proven their commitment to invest and innovate through an historic economic downturn.

I

While some sectors of the economy retrenched or even retreated through the recession, consumer electronics companies demonstrated an unprecedented level of innovation, bringing thousands of new products to market.

This level of innovation also brings consumers new products designed with the environment in mind, as technology companies act as responsible stewards while responding to consumer demand for

32 applianceDESIGN

April 2011

such products. Amid the amazing innovation at CES, we saw advancements in smart home technology, solar power and other green products on the show floor. Even the environmental stalwart Greenpeace attended CES to present a report hailing the eco-friendly accomplishments of consumer electronics manufacturers. At CEA we’ve been working on environmental programs for years. A few days before CES, we released the CEA 2010 Sustainability Report to detail the environmental improvements manufacturers have made over the life of a product, from design to the end of useful life. This important report helped highlight the green trend for the show’s more than 140,000 attendees. During CES, I think it is important that CEA give back to the city of Las Vegas—our host that makes CES so successful each year—with a donation of ecofriendly technology. This year, I spoke at a local police station ceremony where seven electric vehicles were unveiled, made possible by a CEA donation, and I was happy to present Mayor Oscar Goodman a $75,000 donation for his Green Chips charity, a local nonprofit specializing in energy audits and retrofitting buildings with efficient solar panels. While most consumer electronics products by their very definition, use electricity, even there we see that innovation is on our side. In early February, CEA released a study that found high-definition liquid crystal display (LCD) and plasma TVs have improved efficiency dramatically over the past several years, with most sets using the power equivalent of just two household light bulbs. Innovation—in design, packaging and process— is more dynamic than just about anything. As our nation speeds toward economic recovery, innovation will reveal itself with even more exciting, eco-friendly advancements.


Tough, yet inspiring.

Corning is cooking up new possibilities for tomorrow’s kitchens with Gorilla® Glass. Elegant, lightweight, and incredibly damage resistant, Corning Gorilla Glass enables sleek, seamless designs. And touch-screen compatibility means surfaces can be as smart as they are beautiful. Corning Gorilla Glass already enhances the beauty and durability of today’s coolest electronic devices— and we haven’t even scratched the surface of its potential. Start innovating at CorningGorillaGlass.com

©2011 Corning Incorporated. All rights reserved.

Energy Saving Motors and Axial Fans For Refrigeration Applications save up to 66% in energy costs over typical shaded-pole motors!

The continually escalating cost of energy consumption has everyone looking for answers. The impact on the company bottom line has joined the increasing global awareness of the environmental consequences of wasted fuel to create a growing chorus for products that squeeze every ounce of energy from the power that they consume. Even ebm-papst can’t promise you that, but we do have a line of Energy Saving Motors (ESM) designed specifically to save you money in refrigeration fan applications. Whether it is a new product design or a retrofit application, our ESM fans can save you money!

check out more on ESM: www.ebmpapst.us/esm

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