Back to results
US 6,311,411 B1Granted
Vertical dryer with vertical particle removal plenum and method of use
AssigneeWenger Manufacturing, Inc.
InventorDouglas Clark
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Loading patent…
Loading patent…
AssigneeWenger Manufacturing, Inc.
InventorDouglas Clark
Estimating the term…
An vertical dryer (10) is provided having a plurality of individual dryer decks (12-18) including alternating fan and heater decks (14, 16), an air circulation assembly (11), and an upright, common plenum chamber (26) in communication with the decks (12-18). The assembly (11) is operable to create a continuous drying air stream which passes upwardly in countercurrent flow relationship to product on the decks (12-18). Also, the assembly (11) serves to pass the drying air stream into, through and out of the plenum (26) at the level of each heater deck (16); in the plenum (26), the air stream velocity is decreased, causing particulate fines to fall out of the stream for collection. The use of the common plenum (26) also allows independent control of the decks (12-18) in terms of air flows therethrough and recirculation characteristics.
In a vertical dryer including a plurality of superposed, air-pervious drying decks which support quantities of product to be dried thereon and which are selectively openable to allow the product quantities to descend from deck-to-deck during drying thereof, and a drying air circulation assembly operable to generate and direct a continuous drying air stream through said decks and the product quantities thereon, the improvement which comprises an upright, common plenum chamber in communication with said decks, said air circulation assembly operable to pass said air stream into, through and out of said plenum chamber as the air stream passes between respective decks.
In a method of drying product in a vertical dryer including a plurality of superposed, air-pervious drying decks which support quantities of products to be dried thereon, the method including the step of generating and directing a continuous drying air stream through said decks and the product quantities thereon, the improvement which comprises providing an upright, common plenum chamber in communication with said decks, and passing said air stream into, through and out of said plenum chamber as the air stream passes between respective decks.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.