H2O or heat-pump dryers: Latest technology cuts costs

If mops and cleaning cloths are not needed again immediately and are to be put into storage, say over the weekend, they obviously have to be dry. This is for example needed to prevent any growth of micro-organisms. To meet these needs, Miele Professional offers tumble dryers with programmes for contract cleaners in the form of various models: From heat-pump dryers in a variety of sizes through to H2O dryers heated with cheap hot water.

H2O dryers are available in eight sizes ranging from 325 to 800 l with load capacities of 10 to 32 kg. Hot water, centrally heated using solar-thermal power, district heating or in the laundry itself or as a by-product of cooling a co-generation plant, heats the process air in the heater bank of the tumble dryer. Programmes have been specially optimised to facilitate drying at lower temperatures.

If the source of hot water is a co-generation plant, H2O dryers have virtually no consumption at all. In this case, the hot water is a by-product of cooling the generation plant and does not need to be heated separately. This approach also offers the additional benefit of cooling the water in the H2O dryer for reuse in co-generation as cooling water.

Both heat-pump dryers, with drum volumes of 250 and 325 l, reduce electricity consumption by 60%. They do not require any vent ducting and are particularly gentle to both mops and cloths made from cotton or micro-fibres. Both dryers excel in terms of their short cycle times: 10 kg of mops and cleaning cloths are thoroughly dried in only 44 minutes.

The closed air circuit dispenses with the need for vent ducting. This, in turn, means that there are no hidden costs for expensive venting. Similarly, as there is no air discharge outside the building there is no risk of smells or sound emissions annoying neighbours. Thorough dehumidification of the air allows the process air temperature to be kept very low (65°C). This guarantees top-class and gentle laundry care and is a boon particularly to microfibre mops.

This is achieved through SoftLift drum ribs, available only from Miele. Gently rounded edges ensure that laundry is not subjected to any harsh treatment. These also feature on models from the slimline range which includes a heat-pump dryer narrow enough to pass through standard doors with ease. With a width of only 71 cm, they require a footprint of less than 1 m². This is facilitated by a new heat-pump module which is now fully integrated into the dryer itself. It is located below the drum and can be pulled out towards the front for maintenance. And there's another important benefit: Thanks to its good sound insulation, it is extremely quiet in operation, producing sound emissions of no more than 63 dB(A).

All slimline dryers excel in terms of performance: They manage to dry 12 to 15 kg of laundry in a single cycle, equating to around 220 kg over an 8-hour day (presuming 16 cycles per day, each with 13.6 kg, and an initial moisture level of 50%). Slimline models are also available with electric or gas heating and with a choice of two easy-to-use sets of controls.

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Company profile: Miele is the world's leading manufacturer of premium domestic appliances including cooking, baking and steam-cooking appliances, refrigeration products, coffee makers, dishwashers and laundry and floor care products. This line-up is augmented by dishwashers, washer-extractors and tumble dryers for commercial use as well as washer-disinfectors and sterilisers for use in medical and laboratory applications (Miele Professional). The Miele company, founded in 1899, has eight production plants in Germany as well as one plant each in Austria, the Czech Republic, China and Romania. 2016/17 turnover amounted to approx. EUR 3.93 bn with sales outside Germany accounting for 70%. Miele is represented with its own sales subsidiaries and via importers in almost 100 countries. The Miele company, now in the fourth generation of family ownership, employs a workforce of around 19,500, 10,900 thereof in Germany. The company headquarters are located in Gütersloh/Westphalia, Germany.