# US 10,309,724 B2 · Dryer and method for drying flat materials > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,309,724 B2 - Document ID: US10309724B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/036,284 - Filed: 2014-10-22 - Published: 2016-09-29 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2013-11-13 - Assignees: Ipco Germany GmbH - Applicants: Sandvik Materials Technology Deutschland GmbH - Inventors: Hans-Kurt Schromm; Matthias Kleinhans; Manfred Gottlöber - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10309724B2 ## CPC - F26B 21/50: Ducting arrangements from the source of air or other gases to the materials or objects being dried - F26B 13/10: Arrangements for feeding, heating or supporting materials; Controlling movement, tension or position of materials (heating processes F26B3/00) - F26B 21/40: using gases other than air - F26B 21/55: Outlets for directing or distributing the air or other gases - F26B: DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM (drying devices for combines A01D41/133; racks for drying fruit or vegetables A01F25/12; drying foodstuffs A23; drying hair A45D20/00; body-drying implements A47K10/00; drying household articles A47L; drying gases or vapours B01D; chemical or physical processes for dewatering or like separating liquids from solids B01D43/00; centrifugal apparatus B04; drying ceramics C04B33/30; drying yarns or fabrics in association with some other form of treatment D06C; drying frames for laundry without heating or positive air circulation, domestic laundry-or spin-driers, wringing or hot pressing laundry D06F; furnaces, kilns, ovens F27) ## Abstract A dryer for flat materials, in particular panels, films or sheets, wherein a porous gas-permeable metal plate is provided for arranging at a distance from the flat material which is to be dried, wherein an arrangement is provided for delivering a gaseous fluid through the metal plate, and wherein the metal plate is of a metal foam. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A dryer for flat materials comprising a porous, gas-permeable metal plate for arranging at a distance from a flat material which is to be dried, and a suction arrangement for suctioning a gaseous fluid through the metal plate, and wherein the metal plate consists of a metal foam. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The dryer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the suction arrangement includes an intake for taking in gas from a region between the metal plate and the flat material which is to be dried. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The dryer as claimed in claim 2, wherein the suction arrangement has at least one flow space, which is bounded on one side by a surface of the metal plate, wherein the surface of the metal plate is directed away from the flat material which is to be dried, wherein the at least one flow space has at least one entry opening and at least one exit opening for delivery gas and is designed to guide the delivery gas past the surface of the metal plate which is located in the at least one flow space in order to generate an intake action through the metal plate. ### Claim 4 A method for drying flat materials comprising arranging at least one metal plate made of porous, gas-permeable metal foam at a distance from the flat material which is to be dried and delivering gaseous fluid through the metal plate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the flat material which is to be dried is guided past the metal plate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method as claimed in claim 4, including taking in gaseous fluid through the metal plate from a region between the flat material and the metal plate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein arranging at least one metal plate includes arranging a first metal plate at a distance from a first surface of the flat material and arranging at least a second metal plate at a distance from a second surface of the flat material and delivering gaseous fluid through the first and second metal plates. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method as claimed in claim 7, including a contactless drying of the flat material in the region between the two metal plates. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The method as claimed in claim 4, including guiding delivery gas past a metal-plate surface which is directed away from the flat material which is to be dried and taking in gaseous fluid through the metal plate by the delivery gas guided past the metal-plate surface. ### Claim 10 A dryer for flat materials comprising a porous, gas-permeable metal plate for arranging at a distance from the flat material which is to be dried, wherein means are provided for delivering a gaseous fluid through the metal plate, and wherein the metal plate consists of a metal foam. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The dryer as claimed in claim 10, wherein the means for delivering a gaseous fluid has an intake for taking in gas from a region between the metal plate and the flat material which is to be dried. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The dryer as claimed in claim 11, wherein the means for delivering a gaseous fluid have at least one flow space, which is bounded on one side by a surface of the metal plate, wherein said surface is directed away from the flat material which is to be dried, wherein the at least one flow space has at least one entry opening and at least one exit opening for delivery gas and is designed to guide the delivery gas past the surface of the metal plate which is located in the flow space, in order to generate an intake action through the metal plate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The dryer as claimed in claim 12, wherein a plurality of flow spaces, each with at least one entry opening and at least one exit opening, are arranged one behind the other in a longitudinal direction of the flat material which is to be dried. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The dryer as claimed in claim 10, wherein the metal plate is arranged above a circulating belt, to which a liquid material is applied in order to produce the flat material, said flat material solidifying on the belt. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The dryer as claimed in claim 10, comprising at least one airlock upstream and/or downstream of a drying space of the dryer, wherein the airlock has at least one bar-like or rod-like strip arranged transversely to a longitudinal direction of the flat material which is to be dried, wherein the flat material is moved past the strip in the longitudinal direction, wherein the strip, at least over a part of an outer surface thereof which is directed toward the flat material, consists of porous, gas-permeable metal foam, and wherein means are provided for delivering airlock gas through the metal foam in a direction of the flat material. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The dryer as claimed in claim 10, wherein the metal foam consists of a stainless steel. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The dryer as claimed in claim 16, wherein the metal foam is between 45 percent and 80 percent nickel and between 15 percent and 45 percent chromium. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The dryer as claimed in claim 17, wherein the metal foam has carbon, copper, iron, molybdenum, manganese, phosphorus and/or zinc, the percentage of each being less than 1 percent. ### Claim 19 (depends on 10) The dryer as claimed in claim 10, wherein the metal foam has a porosity of 90 percent or more. ### Claim 20 (depends on 10) The dryer as claimed in claim 10, wherein the metal foam has an average pore size ranging between 0.3 mm and 2.5 mm.