# US 2019/0376744 A1 · A system for controlled concentration and solids recovery > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0376744 A1 - Document ID: US20190376744A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/550,241 - Filed: 2019-08-25 - Published: 2019-12-12 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-01 - Assignees: Janak Ramanlal Shah - Inventors: Janak Ramanlal SHAH; Manoj Shyamnarayan TIWARI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190376744A1 ## CPC - F26B 25/10: Floors, roofs, or bottoms; False bottoms - B01D 1/18: to obtain dry solids (B01D1/24 takes precedence) - F26B 17/10: with movement performed by fluid currents, e.g. issuing from a nozzle, {e.g. pneumatic, flash, vortex or entrainment dryers}(F26B3/08 takes precedence) - F26B 17/107: {pneumatically inducing within the drying enclosure a curved flow path, e.g. circular, spiral, helical; Cyclone or Vortex dryers (swirl or curved flow path induced mechanically, i.e. by rotating element F26B3/0923)} - F26B 21/00: Arrangements for supplying or controlling air or other gases for drying solid materials or objects - F26B 21/50: Ducting arrangements from the source of air or other gases to the materials or objects being dried - F26B 21/55: Outlets for directing or distributing the air or other gases - F26B 25/185: {Spacers; Elements for supporting the goods to be dried, i.e. positioned in-between the goods to build a ventilated stack (separators for articles packaged in stacks B65D57/00; manipulating spacers for stacking purposes B65G57/005)} - F26B: DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM (drying devices for combines A01D41/133; racks for drying fruit or vegetables A01F25/12; drying foodstuffs A23; drying hair A45D20/00; body-drying implements A47K10/00; drying household articles A47L; drying gases or vapours B01D; chemical or physical processes for dewatering or like separating liquids from solids B01D43/00; centrifugal apparatus B04; drying ceramics C04B33/30; drying yarns or fabrics in association with some other form of treatment D06C; drying frames for laundry without heating or positive air circulation, domestic laundry-or spin-driers, wringing or hot pressing laundry D06F; furnaces, kilns, ovens F27) - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) ## Abstract The present invention relates to a system for one pot solids recovery from solutions, slurries, emulsions, dispersions, gels, semisolids, and their like. Further the system can be used for controlled concentration of solutions, slurries, emulsions, dispersions, gels, semisolids, and their like to enable easy to operate cost effective energy efficient processes. The system is so constructed to enhance the contact between the liquid medium and the gaseous medium used in the process for effective heat transfer. The system can be used for controlled concentration and/or recovery of substantially dry solids in applications related to foods, nutraceuticals, natural products, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, etc. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: operating a fluid-bed system for controlled concentration and recovery of solids, fluidizing the solids in a fluidized bed, and drying the solids; wherein the fluid-bed system comprises a gas pressurizing module, a container module, and a vapor extraction module, in this order arranged from bottom to top of the fluid-bed system such that the container module is located between the gas pressurizing module and the vapor extraction module, wherein the container module is above the gas pressurizing module and the vapor extraction module is above the container module, wherein the gas pressurizing module produces a pressurized gas that is introduced into the container module; wherein the container module comprises: a first container that is provided with a first perforated base for movement of the pressurized gas, a second container disposed in the first container so as to form a first continuous annular space on sides of the first container and the second container as well as to define a first space between the first perforated base of the first container and a base of the second container, and a third container disposed inside the second container to define a second continuous annular space on sides of the second container and the third container as well as to define a second space between the base of the second container and a second perforated base of the third container, the second perforated base of the third container being provided with a passage; wherein the first continuous annular space and the second continuous annular space are contiguous; wherein the first continuous annular space and the second continuous annular space are closed at a top of the first continuous annular space and the second continuous annular space; wherein the first perforated base of the first container is operably connected with an outlet of the pressurized gas; wherein the gas pressurizing module, the container module and the vapor extraction module are fixed to each other to form an integrally connected fluid-bed system; and wherein the first container has a first axis, the second container has a second axis, and the third container has a third axis, and the first axis, the second axis and the third axis are a same axis and are vertical. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first container, the second container and the third container are of frusto-conical geometry. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the passage in the third container is configured to distribute gas in a bulk of a liquid medium to create turbulence for enhancement of contact between the gas and the liquid medium for improved heat transfer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the passage is inclined to the horizontal at an angle of 15° to 85°. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the gas pressurizing module is a compressor or a blower. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the container module is operably connected to an expansion chamber and further to a filter housing. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a shape of the passage comprises oval, flat oval, rectangular, circular, square, elliptical or a combination thereof. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a ratio of a thickness of the second perforated base to a length of the passage is in a range of 0.250 to 0.999. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a ratio of a total area of the passage to an area of the second perforated base is in a range of 0.01 to 0.50. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the passage is provided with internal serrations to provide swirling motion to the pressurized gas passing through the passage. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the passage has a cross section comprising round, oval, flat oval, rectangular, square or a combination thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein more than three containers are disposed to create more than two annular spaces between the more than the three containers. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the pressurized gas is air. ### Claim 14 A method for controlled concentration and recovery of solids, from liquid medium, wherein the method comprises: a) providing a fluid-bed system comprising a gas pressurizing module, a container module, and a vapor extraction module, in this order arranged from bottom to top of the fluid-bed system such that the container module is located between the gas pressurizing module and the vapor extraction module, wherein the container module is above the gas pressurizing module and the vapor extraction module is above the container module, wherein the gas pressurizing module produces a pressurized gas that is introduced into the container module; wherein the container module comprises: a first container that is provided with a first perforated base for movement of the pressurized gas, a second container disposed in the first container so as to form a first continuous annular space on sides of the first container and the second container as well as to define a first space between the first perforated base of the first container and a base of the second container, and a third container disposed inside the second container to define a second continuous annular space on sides of the second container and the third container as well as to define a second space between the base of the second container and a second perforated base of the third container, the second perforated base of the third container being provided with a passage; wherein the first continuous annular space and the second continuous annular space are contiguous; wherein the first continuous annular space and the second continuous annular space are closed at a top of the first continuous annular space and the second continuous annular space; wherein the first perforated base of the first container is operably connected with an outlet of the pressurized gas; wherein the gas pressurizing module, the container module and the vapor extraction module are fixed to each other to form an integrally connected fluid-bed system; and wherein the first container has a first axis, the second container has a second axis, and the third container has a third axis, and the first axis, the second axis and the third axis are a same axis and are vertical. b) filling the liquid medium selected from solution, dispersion, emulsion, slurry, gel or semisolid, into the third container; c) making pressurized gas flow from the base of the first container, through the first continuous annular space, into the second continuous annular space, and further through the passage in the base of said third container to mix with the liquid medium; d) causing the solvent to evaporate, concentrating the liquid medium, and recovering the solids from the liquid medium. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the first container, the second container and the third container are of frusto-conical geometry. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the passage in the third container is configured to distribute gas in a bulk of a liquid medium to create turbulence for enhancement of contact between the gas and the liquid medium for improved heat transfer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the passage is inclined to the horizontal at an angle of 15° to 85°. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the gas pressurizing module is a compressor or a blower. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the container module is operably connected to an expansion chamber and further to a filter housing. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein a shape of the passage comprises oval, flat oval, rectangular, circular, square, elliptical or a combination thereof.