Multi-chamber dryer using adjustable conditioned air flow
AssigneeE. & J. Gallo Winery
InventorsJoseph Rossi, Richard Magoon, Steven J. Anderson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multi-chamber dryer using adjustable conditioned air flow is disclosed. According to one embodiment, an apparatus includes a drying belt configured to receive a product to be dried on a first surface of the drying belt and a heat medium in contact with a second surface of the drying belt. The heat medium is configured to heat the product and is maintained at a pre-determined temperature. The apparatus further includes a manifold that is positioned above the drying belt, where the manifold includes one or more orifices that inject conditioned air laterally across a width of the drying belt to remove evaporated water from the product
Claims14
An apparatus, comprising:
- a drying belt, wherein the drying belt floats on a body of water;
- one or more orifices disposed in a drying chamber for injecting conditioned air across a width of the drying belt to pick up moisture;
- a duct to discharge moisture laden air from the drying chamber, wherein the duct is parallel to a length of the drying belt and adjacent to an opposite edge of the drying belt;
- and
- a screen element disposed underneath the one or more orifices and extending beyond an edge of the drying belt, wherein the screen element guides a flow of the conditioned air from the one or more orifices, and wherein the screen element prevents the conditioned air from disturbing the water.
A method, comprising:
- disposing a product on a surface of a drying belt, wherein the drying belt floats on a body of water;
- injecting conditioned air from one or more orifices disposed in a drying chamber, wherein
- the conditioned air is injected across a width of the drying belt to pick up moisture, and wherein a flow of the conditioned air is guided by a screen element disposed underneath the one or more orifices and
- extending beyond an edge of the drying belt, and wherein the screen element prevents the conditioned air from disturbing the water under the drying belt;
- exhausting moisture laden air from the drying chamber using a duct, wherein the duct is parallel to a length of the drying belt and adjacent to an opposite edge of the drying belt;
- and
- removing the product from the drying belt.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.