Quantification of Fiber Shedding from Cotton Fabrics During Drying in a Domestic Heat Pump Tumble Dryer

Abstract

ABSTRACT Tumble drying of textiles is associated with mechanical and thermal stress, which leads to textile damage and shedding of fibers. In this study, fiber shedding from cotton textiles is investigated by evaluating the mass of fibers accumulated on different filters positioned downstream of the tumble dryer drum. The total mass of fibers at the end of drying was positively correlated with the dry mass of the loaded textiles. By observing the time-dependent accumulation of fibers on a high-performance filter, three different phases of fiber shedding could be identified. In the first phase, which lasted up to a textile moisture content of about 35%, only minimal fiber accumulation was detected. The following phase lasted almost until the end of drying and showed the highest fiber accumulation rates. In the last phase, the rate of fiber accumulation decreased. The experiments also showed that longer tumbling of textiles with a lower moisture content led to a greater total mass of accumulated fibers. To reduce fiber shedding, damage to the textiles and the resulting pollution, it is recommended to reduce the mechanical loading of textiles, especially in the final stages of the drying process.