Systems and processes for drying granular materials

Abstract

Systems for drying granular materials, such as resin granulates, powdered materials, and agricultural grains, can include a storage vessel for holding the granular material; a drying hopper having a body defining an interior volume configured to receive the granular material; a diffuser configured to direct process air into the interior volume; a vacuum source for transferring the granular material from the storage vessel and to the drying hopper; and a moisture sensor for determining a moisture content of the granular material at a location upstream of the drying hopper. At least one of the residence time of the granular material within the drying hopper, and the temperature, humidity, and flow rate of the process air are regulated based on the moisture content of the granular material measured upstream of the drying hopper at, for example, the storage vessel.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.