In this paper the energy efficiency of commercial laundry dryers is investigated. Previous studies have found that a small energy saving can be found in household tumbler dryers, but there has been no investigation of larger commercial gas-fired tumbler dryers. Two relatively new gas-fired dryers have been tested in an in situ commercial setting in Auckland. One of the dryers incorporated an energy efficiency measure that allowed it to recirculate the exhaust air directly back into the drum. Both the dryers were found to be very energy intensive but to remove moisture at very high rates. The recirculation was found to decrease both the energy efficiency and the moisture removal rate of the dryer.
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