Washing machine with steam generating device and method for controlling the same

• Main Authors: KIM HYUNG G, OAK SEONG M, PYO SANG Y, KIM HYUN S, PARK SEON W, PARK JEE H
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 18.05.2006
• Subjects: AGRICULTURE; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; CLEANING; CLEANING IN GENERAL; FISHING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FORESTRY; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HUNTING; LAUNDERING; LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILEARTICLES; NEW PLANTS OR PROCESSES FOR OBTAINING THEM; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PLANT REPRODUCTION BY TISSUE CULTURE TECHNIQUES; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL; TEXTILES; TRANSPORTING; TRAPPING; TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE

A washing machine having a drying function, which includes a steam generating device for spraying steam directly onto laundry, and a method for controlling the same. The method for controlling the washing machine, which supplies hot air, heated by a drying heater, to laundry through a drying duct, includes heating supplied wash water to generate steam; spraying the generated steam onto the laundry through the drying duct to perform a washing operation; determining whether or not a drying operation after the washing operation is performed; and performing a dehumidifying operation such that a drying fan is operated to remove moisture remaining in the drying duct when it is determined that the drying operation is not performed, thereby improving washing capacity, reducing an energy consumption rate, and effectively removing the moisture remaining in the drying duct when the drying operation after the washing operation is not performed.