Apparatus and method for reducing a moisture content of an agricultural product
AssigneeMathews Company
InventorsRobert James McMahon, JR., Kenneth William Kroeker
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention relates to an apparatus and a method that reduces a moisture content of an agricultural product, particularly by using moisture sensors and/or temperature sensors. The apparatus includes at least one moisture sensor, optionally at least one temperature sensor, a controller, a flow regulator and/or a dryer. The method includes obtaining a moisture content and a temperature to calculate a product flowrate and optionally an energy input. A product flowrate signal is used to vary the flow regulator and an energy input signal is used to vary the energy regulator.
Claims21
An apparatus for reducing a moisture content of an agricultural product, the apparatus comprising:
- a dryer passing the agricultural product through a drying chamber;
- a flow regulator varying a flow of the agricultural product through the drying chamber;
- a moisture sensor exposed to the agricultural product passing through the drying chamber;
- and
- a controller operatively connected with respect to the flow regulator and the moisture sensor, and the controller determining a product flowrate as a function of the moisture content.
An apparatus for reducing a moisture content of an agricultural product, the apparatus comprising:
- a dryer passing the agricultural product through a drying chamber, the drying chamber having an inlet and an outlet;
- a flow regulator varying a flow of the agricultural product through the drying chamber;
- a first moisture sensor exposed to the agricultural product flowing through the inlet and obtaining an inlet moisture content;
- a first temperature sensor exposed to the agricultural product flowing through the inlet and obtaining an inlet temperature;
- a second moisture sensor exposed to the agricultural product flowing through the outlet and obtaining an outlet moisture content;
- a second temperature sensor exposed to the agricultural product flowing through the outlet and obtaining an outlet temperature;
- an energy regulator in combination with the dryer, the energy regulator varying an output of an energy source;
- and
- a controller operatively connected with the flow regulator, the first moisture sensor, the first temperature sensor, the second moisture sensor, the second temperature sensor and the energy regulator, the controller determining a product flowrate as a function of the inlet moisture content, the inlet temperature, the outlet moisture content, the outlet temperature and an energy input, and the controller determining the energy input as a function of the inlet moisture content, the inlet temperature, the outlet moisture content, the outlet temperature and the product flowrate.
A method for reducing a moisture content of an agricultural product, the method comprising:
- obtaining the moisture content with a moisture sensor exposed to the agricultural product flowing through a drying chamber, operatively connecting the moisture sensor to a controller;
- obtaining a temperature with a temperature sensor exposed to the agricultural product flowing through the drying chamber, operatively connecting the temperature sensor to the controller;
- determining with the controller a product flowrate as a function of the moisture content and the temperature;
- varying a flowrate of the agricultural product through the drying chamber with a flow regulator operatively connecting to the controller;
- and
- drying the agricultural product in a dryer through which the agricultural product passes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.