Horizontal and radial airflow heat transfer system

A heat transfer system configured to alter a temperature of product with airflow, the system comprising:

• a conveyor belt configured to carry the product, wherein the conveyor belt has an air permeable outer side wall and an air permeable inner side wall and forms a conveyor stack having a plurality of tiers and a central space with a volume, wherein the conveyor stack is positioned in a chamber such that a first portion of the volume of the central space and a first plurality of tiers of the plurality of tiers are located in a first sub-chamber of the chamber and a second portion of the volume of the central space and a second plurality of tiers of the plurality of tiers are located in a second sub-chamber of the chamber;
• and
• generating means configured to generate the airflow in the chamber, wherein the generating means is configured to:
• produce, in the second sub-chamber, the airflow in a horizontal direction towards the conveyor stack such that the airflow flows in a horizontal and radial direction across the second plurality of tiers to enter the second portion of the volume of the central space;
• and
• draw, in the first sub-chamber, the airflow in a horizontal direction away from the conveyor stack such that the airflow flows in a horizontal and radial direction to exit the first portion of the volume of the central space across the first plurality of tiers.

A method of assembling a heat transfer system configured to alter a temperature of a product using airflow, the method comprising:

• positioning a conveyor stack formed by a plurality of tiers of a conveyor belt configured to carry the product, the conveyor belt including an air permeable outer side wall and an air permeable inner side wall and the conveyor stack having a central space with a volume, in a chamber such that a first portion of the volume of the central space and a first plurality of tiers of the plurality of tiers are located in a first sub-chamber of the chamber and a second portion of the volume of the central space and a second plurality of tiers of the plurality of tiers are located in a second sub-chamber of the chamber;
• and
• positioning generating means configured to generate the airflow in the chamber proximate the conveyor stack, wherein the generating means is configured to:
• produce, in the second sub-chamber, the airflow in a horizontal direction towards the conveyor stack such that the airflow flows in a horizontal and radial direction across the second plurality of tiers to enter the second portion of the volume of the central space;
• and
• draw, in the first sub-chamber, the airflow in a horizontal direction away from the conveyor stack such that the airflow flows in a horizontal and radial direction to exit the first portion of the volume of the central space across the first plurality of tiers.