The Only 'Energy Efficiency Grade 1' Dryer in Korea? ... Reduces Electricity Bill by 20%

Lee, a 43-year-old housewife living in Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi Province, wanted to buy a dryer but her first concern was the electricity bill. Her husband's question about whether using a dryer would lead to a huge electricity bill seemed reasonable. However, Lee's intention to purchase was firm, and when she typed "energy consumption efficiency grade 1" and "dryer" into the search bar, "Grande" appeared one after another. Upon seeing the phrase "Electricity cost per drying cycle is 95 won, saving about 20% compared to existing products," she immediately made the purchase.

Clothes dryers, which have emerged as essential home appliances, do not consume as much electricity as expected, but when operating by distinguishing between different fabric types, it is hard not to worry about electricity bills. In such cases, simply choosing an energy consumption efficiency grade 1 product can significantly reduce power consumption. Experts advise that especially for home appliances used for a long time after purchase, switching to an energy consumption efficiency grade 1 product can lead to considerable annual electricity bill savings.

Samsung Electronics recently launched the "Grande Dryer AI," the only dryer in Korea certified with energy consumption efficiency grade 1. The Korea Energy Management Corporation has been operating an energy consumption efficiency rating system for dryers since March this year. A Samsung Electronics official explained, "We concentrated our accumulated eco-friendly technology in the Grande AI dryer, equipping it with the largest compressor and heat exchanger capacity in Korea, achieving high scores in power consumption, drying time, standby power, and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, thereby attaining energy consumption efficiency grade 1."

The compressor and heat exchanger are key components of a dryer; the larger their capacity, the higher the drying efficiency, which reduces energy consumption. Since the Grande Dryer AI has a large compressor and heat exchanger capacity, it can circulate more refrigerant at once, and the air passage is wider, shortening drying time. The drying time of the Grande Dryer AI is 41 minutes, about 30% shorter than existing products, making it the shortest among products sold domestically.

The Grande Dryer AI is praised for capturing three benefits?functionality, energy efficiency, and design?by enlarging key components while making the exterior slimmer. As a result, it set a record by surpassing 10,000 units sold within a month of its domestic launch.

Samsung Electronics received the highest award, the "Energy Grand Prize and Prime Minister's Award," at last year's "Energy Winner Awards" hosted by the Consumer Citizens' Organization and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. It also won the highest honor, the "Sustainability Excellence Award," at the "2019 ENERGY STAR Awards" hosted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, gaining recognition for its energy efficiency-related technology both domestically and internationally.

◆Design Differences Determine Energy Efficiency... Industry's Largest Capacity Compressor and Heat Exchanger= What criteria determine the energy consumption efficiency grade of dryers? Researcher Choi Han-gyu of Samsung Electronics says, "Design differences determine the energy efficiency grade."

Dryers dry laundry with warm air. Inside the drying drum, the moist air from wet laundry is dehumidified, and this air is reheated repeatedly during the drying process. The heat exchanger and compressor play the roles of cooling and heating the air.

To improve the energy efficiency of a dryer, the compressor's compression chamber capacity must be large. Researcher Choi explains, "Just as a large and wide elevator can move more people at once, the larger the compressor's compression chamber capacity, the more refrigerant can be compressed at once." Energy is used each time the refrigerant passes through the compression chamber, so reducing the number of passes lowers energy consumption. Samsung Grande AI increased the compressor capacity by 25.6% compared to previous models, significantly improving compression efficiency. Researcher Choi said, "We separately designed a compressor optimized in size for Samsung Grande AI to enhance energy efficiency."

The size of the heat exchanger is also important. It's like how a larger window allows better airflow and circulation. When the air passage widens, the air volume can increase. Researcher Choi said, "When air filtered from the drying drum circulates through the heat exchanger, a larger area allows easier and more efficient movement," adding, "The processes of condensing and heating the air also become easier, which directly leads to energy savings." He further explained, "To improve the heat exchange efficiency of the Grande Dryer AI, we enlarged the areas of both the evaporator and condenser that make up the heat exchanger, enabling easier drying with less energy."

The final condition is an integrated drying drum. Electric energy is required to rotate the drum where laundry is placed. According to Researcher Choi, products with integrated drums consume less energy than those with separate drums. Integrated drums have less friction during rotation, requiring less power to turn the drum. In contrast, separate drums cause friction due to felt inserted front and back, leading to energy loss as the motor uses more power. Researcher Choi emphasized, "By producing an integrated drying drum optimized for the Grande Dryer AI, we minimized friction to improve energy efficiency. Thanks to the integrated drum, bidirectional rotation is possible, allowing effective drying without worrying about laundry tangling."

◆Three Criteria for Choosing a Good Dryer= The primary principle of a dryer is to dry clothes while minimizing fabric damage. According to tests by the Korea Apparel Testing & Research Institute, fabric shrinkage doubles at 70 degrees Celsius compared to 60 degrees. The Grande Dryer AI is designed so that the maximum internal drum temperature does not exceed 60 degrees, reducing fabric damage concerns as if dried naturally.

Since dryers handle clothing that touches the body, hygiene must be thorough. Hygienic drying can be identified through design and certification. The Grande Dryer AI has been certified for thorough sterilization against harmful bacteria, house dust mites, and pollen with its "Air Sterilization+" feature. It also completes safe drying by alleviating concerns about residual water, dust, and rust. By adding a "Micro Safety Filter" to the existing filter, it minimizes dust going to the heat exchanger, applies special coating to prevent rust at heat exchanger joints, and uses an internal care course to almost eliminate residual water in the heat exchanger, preventing bacteria or odors and enabling clean management. It also maintains a function that allows consumers to safely inspect the heat exchanger directly.

Finally, it is important to check whether the entire drying process is efficiently managed. The Grande Dryer AI is the only dryer in Korea with energy consumption efficiency grade 1. It improves drying efficiency by enlarging the compressor capacity and heat exchanger, reduces energy use with an integrated drying drum, and shortens drying time with AI ultra-fast drying. Smart sensors detect temperatures inside and outside the dryer, enhancing drying process accuracy, and reduce operating time for small loads, preventing unnecessary additional energy use.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.