Physical Optics Corporation — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: Navy shipboard laundry dryers are major sources of shipboard fires because lint can ignite

Description

Navy shipboard laundry dryers are major sources of shipboard fires because lint can ignite in the exhaust ductwork. Existing ductless tumble dryers are low capacity and energy-inefficient. To address the Navy"s need for an energy-efficient, fire-safe, and ductless tumbler dryer, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Advanced Recirculation Tumble Dryer (ART-Dryer). This proposed machine will be an upgrade of the existing military tumbler-dryer, based on the unique integration of existing technologies in a new design. This innovation in condenser and heater design will enable the ART-Dryer to increase the drying rate and extract water without cooling the entire airflow. As a result, this technology reduces the temperature in the tumbler with significantly improved drying (~30%) and energy efficiency (~40%), and completely eliminates any ductwork, which addresses the NAVSUP requirements for novel shipboard clothes dryers. In Phase I, POC will demonstrate the feasibility of the ART-Dryer by computer-aided modeling and building of a conceptual prototype to determine its ability to meet all Navy requirements. In Phase II, POC plans to collaborate with the prime, EDCO Corp., to develop an ART-Dryer prototype for operational testing and evaluation at the production site with subsequent shipboard trials arranged by the Navy.