Dual-purpose drying and cooling apparatus

In a dual-purpose rotatable cooling/drying apparatus of the type comprising a rotatable cylinder wherein air, steam, and water supplied from sources external of the cooling/drying cylinder are selectively introducible into and removable from a space defined inside the cylinder, the cylinder having associated therewith at least one rotary joint, the improvement comprising:

• a first flow path through which the water is selectively introducible into the cylinder space;
• a second, separate flow path through which either of the air and steam are selectively introducible into the cylinder space;
• wherein the apparatus is characterized by a cooling mode, in which the water and air are selectively introducible into the cylinder space through the first and second flow paths, respectively, and a drying mode, wherein the steam is selectively introducible into the cylinder space through the second flow path;
• and
• wherein the separate first and second flow paths are defined through the same rotary joint associated with the rotatable cooling/drying cylinder.

A dual-purpose cooling/drying apparatus comprising:

• a rotatable cylinder wherein air, steam, and water supplied from sources external of the cooling/drying cylinder are selectively introducible into and removable from a space defined inside the cylinder;
• a first flow path through which the water is selectively introducible into the cylinder space;
• a second, separate flow path through which either of the air and steam are selectively introducible into the cylinder space;
• and
• a common third flow path separate from the first and second flow paths for selectively removing steam condensate and water from the cooling/drying cylinder space;
• wherein the apparatus is characterized by a cooling mode, in which the water and air are selectively introducible into the cylinder space through the first and second flow paths, respectively, and a drying mode, wherein the steam is selectively introducible into the cylinder space through the second flow path;
• wherein the separate first and second flow paths are defined through a single rotary joint associated with the cooling/drying cylinder;
• and
• wherein further the first flow path includes at least one distribution nozzle characterized by a variable orientation so that the direction in which water is introduced into the cooling/drying cylinder space may be selectively varied.