Here at Speed Queen, we've innovation is second nature. Our cloud-connected equipment, excluder lip seals for extreme protection against fine particles and now... the industry's largest commercial condenser dryer. These new dryers are currently only available in Europe, but its entirely possible we'll be seeing them deployed here in Australia at some point in the future.
These new condenser dryers are designed especially for on-premise laundries (OPL) and have several key advantages over their vented tumble counterparts, such as faster drying times or a smaller footprint without having to manage long vents. There are some units being tested in Sydney, but we hope to have them available across Australia soon!
How do dryers work again?
If you need a refresher; there are three key elements to drying linen; heat, the tumble motion, and airflow. Heat helps the water in the linen evaporate faster by agitating the water molecules. The tumble motion keeps air circulating all around the linen for an even dry and to continually expose dry air to the linen - enabling water to evaporate from the linen into the air. Finally, the airflow transfers fresh dry air into the drum and removes the humid air. This is how a regular, vented tumble dryer works.
So what is a Condenser Dryer?
The condenser works similarly to a tumble dryer in applying heat and motion, but the key difference is in what happens to the water. Much like a household dehumidifier, a condenser dryer will condense the moisture into liquid water and store it in a reservoir, as opposed to venting the moist steam outside.
Why would you want a Condenser Dryer?
The main reason is flexibility. Because condenser dryers don't need complicated ducting or vents, you have total freedom on where they are placed. You don't need to make hard decisions about balancing floorspace and ventilation or struggle to place a dryer in high, low, or cramped spaces. This also makes installation a breeze and is perfect for a temporary or quick solution. Need to move it? No problem, because you don't need to move ducting as well.
On top of this, our Commercial Condenser Dryers are very efficient at their job, especially when compared to alternative condenser dryers. Our dryer is able to dry up to 8.2 Kg per load, in just 60 minutes (using 3 phase power)! They can also extend the life of your garments due to less mechanical action in the drying process.
While these new dryers are incredible, there are some things you should be aware of. Firstly, they require someone to regularly empty the water tank, a small but important task which can completely halt your drying if not done. Alternately you can make use of the built in pump to evacuate water out, but it will need to be plumbed to waste. The removable condenser core and lint filter will require cleaning (lint builds up like any dryer). Finally, these types of dryers are slightly more expensive than alternatives, although their flexibility can more than make up for this added cost.
Keep in mind Condenser Dryers are NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE in Australia, but if you'd like to find out when they are, sign up to our newsletter below to get notified as soon as they are!
