Dryer for herbaceous material having inclined vanes
AssigneePhilip Morris Products S.A.
InventorsStefan Lauenstein, Pierre Buffat, Igor Bottacco
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The dryer comprises a dryer receptacle having an inner space for receiving herbaceous material and a driving device for rotating the dryer receptacle about a rotation axis of the dryer receptacle. Vanes for engaging herbaceous material received in the inner space of the dryer receptacle extend from an inner surface of the dryer receptacle into the inner space of the dryer receptacle. In a cross-section with a sectional plane perpendicular to the rotation axis, the vanes are inclined with respect to the radial direction. Vane heating elements are incorporated into the vanes.
Claims14
1-16. (canceled)
A rotary dryer for drying herbaceous material, comprising a dryer receptacle having an inner space for receiving herbaceous material;
- and
- a driving device for rotating the dryer receptacle about a rotation axis of the dryer receptacle,
- wherein the rotary dryer comprises vanes for engaging herbaceous material received in the inner space of the dryer receptacle, the vanes extending from an inner surface of the dryer receptacle into the inner space of the dryer receptacle,
- wherein in a cross-section with a sectional plane perpendicular to the rotation axis, the vanes are inclined with respect to the radial direction,
- wherein in the cross-section with the sectional plane perpendicular to the rotation axis, the vanes have a curvature, and
- wherein the rotary dryer further comprises vane heating elements incorporated into the vanes.
A method for drying herbaceous material, comprising the steps of
- introducing the herbaceous material into an inner space of a dryer receptacle having vanes extending from an inner surface of the dryer receptacle into the inner space of the dryer receptacle;
- rotating the dryer receptacle having the herbaceous material received therein about a rotation axis of the dryer receptacle in a direction of rotation;
- engaging the herbaceous material received in the dryer receptacle with engagement surfaces of the vanes;
- and
- actively heating the vanes with vane heating elements incorporated into the vanes, wherein in a sectional plane perpendicular to the rotation axis, angles between the engagement surfaces of the vanes and the inner surface of the dryer receptacle are larger when measured in the direction of rotation of the dryer receptacle than when measured against the direction of rotation of the dryer receptacle, and wherein in the sectional plane perpendicular to the rotation axis, the vanes have a curvature.
A method comprising using asymmetrical structures on an inner surface of a rotating dryer receptacle receiving herbaceous material for influencing the distribution of the herbaceous material during rotation of the dryer receptacle about a rotation axis, wherein the asymmetrical structures are actively heated by heating elements incorporated into the asymmetrical structures, wherein the asymmetrical structures are vanes, wherein in a cross-section with a sectional plane perpendicular to the rotation axis, the vanes are inclined with respect to the radial direction and have a curvature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.