# US 4,393,603 A · Dryer thermal efficiency > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,393,603 A - Document ID: US4393603A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/278,159 - Filed: 1981-06-29 - Granted: 1983-07-19 - Earliest claimed: 1981-06-29 - Assignees: Phillips Petroleum Company - Inventors: John R. Casperson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4393603A ## CPC - F26B 3/24: the movement being rotation - F26B 11/045: {using heated internal elements, e.g. which move through or convey the materials to be dried (loose bodies, e.g. balls F26B11/0472)} - 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) ## Abstract The thermal efficiency of a dryer is improved by affixing to the shell of the dryer that contains the material to be dried projections which contact a heating medium surrounding the shell of the dryer and protrude into the interior of the shell. Heat is transferred from the heating medium by the projections to the material to be dried that is inside the shell of the dryer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A process for removing liquid from particulate matter which comprises: (a) feeding said particulate matter containing the liquid into a rotary drum vessel which has attached thereto projections extending from the outside of the drum vessel through the drum vessel wall to the inside thereof, and having portions extending into the drum vessel and portions extending into the space outside of the drum vessel, (b) contacting the outside of said vessel and those portions of said projections which extend into the space surrounding said vessel with a heating medium, (c) rotating said rotary drum vessel containing said particulate material (d) exposing the particulate matter containing liquid to those inside portions of said projections which extend from the interior of the vessel through the walls of the vessel to the exterior of the vessel and which contact the heating medium that contacts the vessel thereby transferring heat through said projections, (e) vaporizing the liquid to be removed, and (f) recovering particulate matter having reduced liquid content. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said projections are rods. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said projections are fins. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said projections are rods integral to lifters affixed to the inner periphery of the vessel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said projections are fins integral to lifters affixed to the inner periphery of the vessel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein the liquid to be removed that has been vaporized is withdrawn from the vessel by passing a purge gas through the vessel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said particulate matter is carbon black and the liquid is water. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said particulate matter is cement and the liquid is water. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said vessel is a dryer shell rotating along its cylindrical axis. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein the heating medium is hot gases contacting the outside of said vessel and the projections. ### Claim 11 An apparatus for removing liquid from particulate matter comprising: (a) a rotary drum vessel having projections extending from the interior of said vessel through the wall of said vessel to the exterior of said vessel, the internal and the external sections of the projections forming an integral part for heat conduction, (b) a housing surrounding at least a portion of said vessel and having an interior spaced from the exterior surface of the vessel forming a chamber with said external sections of the projections extending into the space formed between said vessel and said housing, (c) means for supplying a heating medium to contact the exterior of said vessel in said chamber (d) a means for feeding particulate matter containing liquid into the vessel, (e) a first outlet means for removing particulate matter with reduced liquid content from the vessel, and (f) a second outlet means for withdrawing liquid which has been vaporized and removed from the particulate matter inside the vessel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) An apparatus in accordance with claim 11 wherein said vessel projections are rods. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) An apparatus in accordance with claim 11 wherein said vessel projections are fins. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) An apparatus in accordance with claim 11 wherein said vessel projections are rods integral to lifters affixed to the inner periphery of said vessel. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) A process in accordance with claim 11 wherein said vessel projections are fins integral to lifters affixed to the inner periphery of said vessel.