Project

# Title Team Members TA Documents Sponsor
31 Dryer Diagnostic Unit
 Chenlong Fan
Jayanti Supransh Murty
Xiaobai Li
 Yifan Chen design_document5.pdf
final_paper2.docx
final_paper3.pdf
other3.pdf
presentation1.pdf
proposal1.pdf
# Team Members

- Chenlong Fan (cfan14)
- Xiaobai Li (xiaobai2)

# Problem

Temperature inside clothes dryers may become too high and may pose a safety risk. The embedded temperature sensor inside a dryer is supposed to detect the temperature of the dryer drum and prevent the dryer drum from overheating. However, mechanical failures may cause the temperature sensor to malfunction and output inaccurate temperature readings. Mechanical failures include wore-out metal contacts and metal contacts covered by volatilized fabric softener. Typical household consumers might not be aware of this overheating issue and have limited knowledge on when the embedded temperature sensor may need service.

# Solution

The product that we will be designing is an external diagnostic unit that informs the user if a dryer’s embedded temperature sensor needs service.

The diagnostic unit can be attached to a dryer. The diagnostic unit consists of a temperature sensor that will be temporarily placed inside the dryer, and a main control box that will be placed outside of the dryer.

If the diagnostic unit detects a temperature from 110 F to 210 F, then the embedded temperature sensor does not require service.
If the diagnostic unit detects a temperature of above 250 F, then the embedded temperature sensor requires service.

# Components

## Temperature sensor
- (a) a k-thermocouple that measures the temperature from within the dryer drum; a typical k-thermocouple will be able to withstand the temperature range of a dryer drum

## Control box
- (a) reads the signal from the k-thermocouple
- (b) processes the signal from the k-thermocouple
- (c) transmits the temperature reading to a mobile phone app via Bluetooth
- (d) calculates the heat dissipation rate inside the dryer drum and displays the rate on the app

## Mobile phone app
- (a) displays the temperature readings from the k-thermocouple
- (b) displays the heat dissipation rate
- (c) informs the user if the embedded temperature sensor needs service
- (d) informs the user if the vent needs service

# Criterion for Success

- (a) the diagnostic unit provides accurate temperature reading
- (b) the diagnostic unit is safe to use
- (c) the diagnostic unit is affordable

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