Thermo-physical effects of tumble drying on the delivery of fabric care benefits: Fabric drying and treatment models

Tumble dryer sheets are used to deliver fabric care benefits including static reduction, softening, de-wrinkling and freshening during domestic clothes drying. Approximately 2 grams of active material is transferred from a substrate to deliver these benefits without visibly staining the fabrics. To maximise efficiency a high proportion of the active must be deposited homogeneously into the pore structure of the fabric over the time scale of the drying cycle. The process is affected by the design and operation of each tumble dryer, the quantity, composition and moisture content of the washed fabric and the active and substrate properties of the dryer sheet. Fabric drying and treatment models simulating drying kinetics and active material transfer will be developed to optimise through the dryer benefits when using dryer sheets. These will be validated using experimental techniques including Positron Emission Particle Tracking, extending on the previous work done for washing machine dynamics.