DRYER WITH A HEAT PUMP AND A WATER CONTAINER COMPRISING AN ELECTRODE AND PROCESS FOR ITS OPERATION

The invention relates to a dryer 1 with a drum 2 for laundry items to be dried; a process air circuit 3, wherein heated process air is moved by means of a blower 12 above and through the laundry items to be dried; a heat pump circuit 8, 9, 11 comprising an evaporator 8, a compressor 11 and a condenser 9; a water container 5 for the collection of water 31 condensed at the evaporator 8, the water container 5 being in contact with at least one electrode 7 and an electric pump 6 for pumping water 22 out of the water container 5, wherein the electric pump 6 is adapted to start pumping when at least one of the electrodes 7 senses its contact with water 22 in the water container 5; and a control unit 4 comprising a clock 19 for measuring the time elapsed during a drying process; and wherein the control unit 4 is adapted to measure and register time periods Δti, wherein i is an integer from 1 to n, during the drying process in which the electric pump 6 is not running between pumping steps of a preset duration Δtop and to analyze the measured time periods Δti with respect to the development of the drying process. The invention also relates to a process for the operation of this dryer.