Space age clothes drying: no heat, no friction

Clothes dryers are notoriously energy consuming, which is one reason many households prefer to minimise their use.

But scientists in the US are about to change that with a new ultrasonic dryer which uses vibrations instead of heat and will dry clothes in half the time.

Unlike traditional dryers that rely on heat to evaporate the water out of clothes, the ultrasonic dryer uses a completely different process that’s less energy-intensive. It works by using piezoelectric transducers – a device which converts electricity to vibration. When voltage is added, the transducers vibrate at a high-frequency and turn the water into a cool mist as it’s removed from the fabric.

The elimination of heat from the process means that consumers will see a reduction in lint and fading of clothes. They’ll also spend less time laundering. The ultrasonic dryer is expected to cut drying time to about 20 minutes per load – down significantly from the average 50 minutes it currently takes households to do their laundry.

Researchers are now working with GE Appliances to make design tweaks, perform field tests and build out a cost-effective production line, with expectations of having product on the market within five years.