Energy efficient tobacco curing and drying system with heat pipe heat recovery

A drying system comprising:

• a drying chamber wherein a drying air is converted into a return air;
• a dryer comprising:
• an inlet for providing the drying air;
• a drying air pathway through which the drying air flows;
• a heating source for heating the drying air;
• a return air pathway through which the return air flows;
• a heat recovery heat pipe intersecting the drying air pathway and the return air pathway, wherein the heat recovery heat pipe actively transfers heat from the return air to the drying air;
• a wall separating the drying air pathway and the return air pathway;
• a door in the wall, the door being operable to allow for mixing of the air in the return air pathway into the air of the drying air pathway;
• and
• an outlet for exhausting the return air;
• a supply route for connecting the drying air pathway to the drying chamber;
• a return route for connecting the drying chamber to the return air pathway.

A drying system comprising:

• a drying chamber wherein a drying air is converted into a return air;
• a dryer comprising:
• an inlet for providing the drying air;
• a drying air pathway through which the drying air flows;
• a return air pathway through which the return air flows;
• a desiccant wheel intersecting the drying air pathway and the return air pathway, wherein the desiccant wheel actively transfers heat from the return air to the drying air;
• a heat source for heating the drying air, wherein the heat source comprises a furnace that emits a flue gas, the system further comprising:
• a flue gas pathway connecting the furnace and the return air pathway;
• the system wherein the desiccant wheel transfers heat from the flue gas to the drying air;
• and
• an outlet for exhausting the return air;
• a supply route for connecting the drying air pathway to the drying chamber;
• and
• a return route for connecting the drying chamber to the return air pathway.

A drying system comprising:

• a drying chamber wherein a drying air is converted into a return air;
• a dryer comprising:
• an inlet for providing the divine air;
• a drying air pathway through which the drying air flows;
• a return air pathway through which the return air flows;
• a vapor compression heat pump intersecting the drying air pathway and the return air pathway, wherein the vapor compression heat pump actively transfers heat from the return air to the drying air;
• a heat source for heating the drying air, wherein the heat source comprises a furnace that emits a flue gas, the system further comprising:
• a flue gas pathway connecting the furnace and the return air pathway;
• the system wherein the vapor compression heat pump transfers heat from the flue gas to the drying air;
• and
• an outlet for exhausting the return air;
• a supply route for connecting the drying air pathway to the drying chamber;
• and
• a return route for connecting the drying chamber to the return air pathway.

A dryer comprising:

• an inlet for providing a drying air;
• a drying air pathway through which the drying air flows;
• a furnace for heating the drying air, wherein the furnace emits a flue gas;
• a return air pathway through which a return air flows;
• a heat recovery heat pipe intersecting the drying air pathway and the return air pathway, wherein the heat pipe transfers heat from the return air to the drying air;
• an outlet for exhausting the return air;
• and
• a flue gas pathway connecting the furnace and the return air pathway;
• the dryer wherein the heat pipe transfers heat from the flue gas to the drying air.

A method of drying a product, the method comprising:

• providing a drying air;
• directing the drying air through a heat recovery heat pipe, thereby raising the temperature of the drying air;
• further heating the drying air with a furnace, wherein the furnace emits a flue gas;
• directing the flue gas from the furnace through the heat pipe, thereby lowering a temperature of the flue gas;
• exhausting the flue gas;
• directing the drying air through the product, whereby the drying air is converted into a return air;
• directing the return air through the heat pipe, thereby lowering the temperature of the return air, and
• exhausting the return air.

A method of drying a product, the method comprising:

• providing a drying air;
• directing the drying air through a heat recovery heat pipe, thereby raising the temperature of the drying air;
• further heating the drying air with a furnace, wherein the furnace emits a flue gas;
• directing the drying air through the product;
• directing the flue gas through the heat pipe, thereby lowering the temperature of the flue gas;
• and
• exhausting the flue gas.