Methods and systems for drying materials and inducing controlled phase changes in substances

A system for removing a target substance having a vapor pressure threshold from a flow of material comprising the target substance, the system comprising:

• a conveyor conduit having an upstream end and a downstream end terminating at a discharge end of the conveyor conduit;
• a pump communicating with the conveyor conduit and configured to establish within the conveyor conduit a sub atmospheric pressure environment wherein the pressure is greater than the vapor pressure threshold of the target substance within the conveyor conduit;
• a feed assembly arranged to feed the material to the conveyor conduit;
• a mechanism for causing the material to flow through the conveyor conduit to be discharged from the conveyor conduit at the discharge end thereof;
• at least one venturi nozzle adjacent the discharge end of the conveyor conduit configured and arranged such that the material flows through at least a portion of the venturi nozzle upon being discharged from the conveyor conduit;
• a plenum surrounding and sealing the at least one venturi nozzle and the discharge end of the conveyor conduit;
• a pump communicating with the plenum and being configured to supply high velocity low pressure air through the plenum to the venturi nozzle to establish a pressure drop zone through which the material flows upon being discharged from the conveyor conduit, the pressure within the pressure drop zone being less than the vapor pressure threshold of the target substance within the pressure drop zone to cause at least a portion of the target material to transition to vapor with the vapor becoming entrained in the flow;
• and
• an apparatus downstream of the pressure drop zone for separating the vapor from the flow of material.