Theory Of Operation - GE DISR473TWW Technician Service Manual

2.1 How a Dryer Works
All dryers, whether gas or electric, operate
according to the same principle – they remove
moisture from damp clothes by bringing the
clothes in contact with a flow of heated air.
Mechanically the clothes must tumble to expose
all of their surfaces to heat, and the heated air
must be circulated within the dryer and then
vented.
Switches, timers and thermostats regulate the
air temperature and duration of the drying cycle.
When the start button is activated with the dryer
door closed, the motor is activated. The motor is
connected to the drum by a drive belt. This
drive belt rotates the drum through a pulley
system attached to the motor shaft. The drum
itself is supported by a bearing and slides at the
front.
II. THEORY OF OPERATION
2.2
Page 5
Axial Air Flow
Air is pulled into the cabinet from the rear, and
drawn up across the heaters located behind the
drum. This hot air is pulled through the drum
rear, across the clothes load, through the lint
filter and down the trap direct into the blower.
From the blower the air is pushed out the
exhaust system.
In electric dryers, the heat source is not
energized until the drive motor start turning.
Both the timer and thermostats energize coiled
resistance heaters. The temperature selector
switched control the number of heaters
energized.