Drying apparatus and methods
AssigneeColumbia PhytoTechnology, LLC
InventorMark Savarese
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure concerns a drying or heating apparatus that is capable of independently controlling the temperature of the product being heated (e.g., to achieve a desired temperature profile) and the wavelength of the radiation (e.g., to maximize the heat transfer rate). To such ends, a drying apparatus can be provided with one or more heat sources that are movable relative to the product being heated in order to increase or decrease the gap or spacing between the heat source and the product. By adjusting the gap between the product and the heat source, it is possible to control the source temperature in such a manner that produces the desired product temperature and wavelength of radiation.
Claims21
A drying apparatus comprising:
- a movable product conveyor having a product support surface for supporting a product to be dried;
- at least first and second heater supports, each heater support supporting one or more dry radiant heating elements and being movable relative to each other and relative to the conveyor to adjust the distance between each heater support and the conveyor;
- the product conveyor being configured to move relative to the first and second heater supports such that the product supported on the conveyor is successively heated by the heating elements of the first heater support and the heating elements of the second heater supports;
- and
- a controller configured to adjust the temperature of the heating elements of each heater support and the distance between the heating elements of each heater support and the conveyor such that the heating elements emit radiant heat at a predetermined wavelength and heat the product according to a predetermined product temperature profile.
A drying apparatus comprising:
- a movable product conveyor having a product support surface for supporting a product to be dried;
- at least first and second heating zones, the conveyor being operable to convey the product through the heating zones;
- the first heating zone comprising a first set of one or more radiant heating elements mounted underneath the product support surface for movement upwardly and downwardly relative to the product support surface;
- the second heating zone comprising a second set of one or more radiant heating elements mounted underneath the product support surface for movement upwardly and downwardly relative to the product support surface;
- and
- a controller configured to continuously monitor a wavelength of the heating elements in each zone and a product temperature in each zone and to adjust a temperature of the heating elements in each zone and a distance between the heating elements of each zone and the conveyor such that the heating elements emit radiant heat at a predetermined wavelength in each zone and heat the product according to a predetermined product temperature profile.
A method of drying a product, comprising:
- applying a product to be dried onto a product support surface of a movable conveyor;
- conveying the product on the conveyor through at least a first heating zone and a second heating zone;
- heating the product with a first set of one or more dry radiant heating elements in the first heating zone and heating the product with a second set of one or more dry radiant heating elements in the second heating zone;
- and
- as the conveyor conveys the product through the first and second heating zones, adjusting the temperature of the heating elements and the distance between each set of heating elements and the product support surface to heat the product at a predetermined temperature profile and to cause the heating elements to emit radiant heat at a predetermined wavelength.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.