Back to results
US 12,181,219 B2Granted
Low profile design air tunnel system and method for providing uniform air flow in a Refractance window dryer
AssigneeE. & J. Gallo Winery
InventorsJorge Ortiz, Ernesto Rios Delao, Dan Burgess
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A low profile design air tunnel system and method for providing uniform air flow in a refractance window dryer are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a system comprises a conditioned air supply manifold that provides air into a drying chamber. The system has a drying belt directed through the drying chamber. A feed application tray at a first end of the drying belt applies a liquid to the drying belt. The system has an exhaust manifold located at the first end of the drying belt.
Claims20
A drying chamber, comprising:
- a belt with an upper surface configured to transport a product along a length of the drying chamber;
- a heated medium maintained at a pre-determined temperature below the belt and positioned so that the belt floats on the heated medium, wherein the heated medium comprises a heat transfer fluid;
- an air supply manifold positioned over the belt and across a width of the belt;
- and
- an exhaust manifold positioned over the belt and across the width of the belt,
- wherein air exiting the air supply manifold is configured to flow from the air supply manifold to the exhaust manifold above the product.
3 more elements
A drying method, comprising:
- transporting a product on an upper surface of a conveyer belt along a length of a drying chamber, wherein the conveyer belt floats on a heated medium maintained at a predetermined temperature;
- supplying air to the drying chamber via an air supply manifold positioned over the belt and across a width of the belt;
- and
- exhausting the air from the drying chamber via an exhaust manifold positioned over the belt and across the width of the belt so that the air flows above the product during drying.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.