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Ökologische Optimierung von Gebrauchtgeräten. Entwicklung von technischen Lösungen zur energieeffizienten Aufrüstung von gebrauchten Waschmaschinen

The project investigates possibilities to reduce energy and water consumption of used washing machines. The idea behind is, that upgraded washing machines do not have inevitably environmental advantages compared to new washing machines, as the latter usually consume much less energy and resources in the use phase. Generally energy and resource consumption reducing innovations are only applied to new washing machines. However, used washing machines hold a high energy and resource saving potential. Therefore, in addition to the advantage of waste reduction by upgrading, the aim is to optimise consumption parameters for the second use phase.

Several upgrading measures were tested and their environmental and economic per- formances were analysed. It was tested

the optimisation of the washing programme using a microcontroller,
the installation of a jet-system and
the installation of a warm water supply.
This pilot study has unveiled the following key findings:

Upgrading with microcontroller and warm water supply reduce cumulated pri- mary energy demand below the level of the new reference machine.
Water consumption in the use phase can be reduced by the microcontroller, but not to the level of the new washing machine.
The installation of a jet-system has a marginal impact on water consumption and doesn't lead to a reduction of electricity consumption as the additional pumps need energy themselves.

The pilot study demonstrated that energy efficiency of used washing machines can be improved by technical upgrading. The key measure to reduce electricity and water con- sumption is to install a microcontroller and to adjust it to the individual washing ma- chine characteristics. A prototype demonstrates the technical feasibility of an energy efficient upgrading of used washing machines. For the microcontroller - as a substitute for a mechanical control unit - the patent No. 102 27 240.9-26 has been registered at the German Patent Office (Deutsches Patentamt).

• Behrendt, Siegfried; Erdmann, Lorenz; Baldas, Otmar; Wolfrum, Klaus und unter Mitarbeit von Gentner, Jürgen und Stebis, Lutz (2004): Ökologische Optimierung von Gebrauchtgeräten. Entwicklung von technischen Lösungen zur energieeffizienten Aufrüstung von gebrauchten Waschmaschinen. WerkstattBericht Nr. 62. Berlin: IZT – Institut für Zukunftsstudien und Technologiebewertung. Download (561.1 KB)