Dryer system with improved throughput
AssigneeMaag Gala, Inc.
InventorsCharles E. Aaron, Duane A. Boothe, John M. Linkenhoker, Kerry P. Morris, Samuel F. Hannah, Wayne L. Smith, Thomas C. Wenrich
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A centrifugal dryer that has improved throughput capacity resulting from the combination of a high angle agglomerate catcher with optional overflow, increased dewatering capacity, a cylindrical dewatering feed chute, a modified rotor design with positionally and structurally modified lifters in the feed and dewatering section, the drying and propagating section, as well as the pellet discharge section, and an efficient circumferential foraminous membrane.
Claims19
A method of drying particulate by directing the particulate through a first rotor assembly of a dryer system, directing the particulate through the first rotor assembly further comprising:
- feeding the particulate into a wet particulate feed section of the first rotor assembly, the wet particulate feed section comprising a first plurality of outwardly extending lifting blades arranged in horizontal rows and having a blade angle of greater than 0° and less than 45° defined by the inclination of a trailing edge of a blade above that of a plane drawn horizontally through a leading edge of the blade;
- upwardly directing, via the first plurality of lifting blades, the particulate through the wet particulate feed section to a drying section of the first rotor assembly positioned above the wet particulate feed section and comprising a second plurality of outwardly extending lifting blades arranged in horizontal rows and having a blade angle that is greater than the blade angle of the first plurality of lifting blades;
- and
- upwardly directing, via the second plurality of lifting blades, the particulate through the drying section and out of the first rotor assembly,
- wherein, compared to an alternative rotor assembly having lifting blades with a blade angle of 45° in a respective wet particulate feed section, directing the particulate through the first rotor assembly results in an increased throughput rate while increasing residence time of the particulate only in the wet particulate feed section of the first rotor assembly.
A method of drying particulate by directing the particulate through a first rotor assembly of a dryer system, directing the particulate through the first rotor assembly further comprising:
- feeding the particulate into a wet particulate feed section of the first rotor assembly, the wet particulate feed section comprising a first plurality of outwardly extending lifting blades arranged in horizontal rows and having a blade angle of greater than 0° and less than 35° defined by the inclination of a trailing edge of a blade above that of a plane drawn horizontally through a leading edge of the blade;
- upwardly directing, via the first plurality of lifting blades, the particulate through the wet particulate feed section to a drying section of the first rotor assembly positioned above the wet particulate feed section and comprising a second plurality of outwardly extending lifting blades arranged in horizontal rows and having a blade angle that is greater than the blade angle of the first plurality of lifting blades;
- and
- upwardly directing, via the second plurality of lifting blades, the particulate through the drying section and out of the first rotor assembly,
- wherein, compared to an alternative rotor assembly having lifting blades with a blade angle of 45° in a respective wet particulate feed section, directing the particulate through the first rotor assembly results in an increased throughput rate while increasing residence time of the particulate only in the wet particulate feed section of the first rotor assembly.
A method of drying particulate in a rotor assembly, the method comprising:
- upwardly directing particulate via a first plurality of outwardly extending lifting blades that form a wet particulate feed section, the first plurality of lifting blades being arranged in horizontal rows and having a blade angle of 35° defined by the inclination of a trailing edge of a blade above that of a plane drawn horizontally through a leading edge of the blade, wherein the first plurality of lifting blades having the blade angle of 35° increases a throughput rate while increasing residence time of the particulate only in the wet particulate feed section of the rotor assembly compared to an alternative blade angle of 45°;
- and
- upwardly directing the particulate received from the wet particulate feed section out of the rotor assembly via a second plurality of outwardly extending lifting blades that form a drying section positioned above the wet particulate feed section, the second plurality of lifting blades being arranged in horizontal rows and having a blade angle of 45° defined by the inclination of a trailing edge of a blade above that of a plane drawn horizontally through a leading edge of the blade.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.