US 9,140,495 B2 · Rotary biomass dryer

Abstract

A biomass drying system includes a rotary biomass dryer that includes a helically threaded auger shaft rotatably driven by a prime mover, such as an electric motor. No external source of heat is required to dry a wet biomass material that is supplied to an input of the biomass dryer. Instead, the helical threads on the shaft have a variable width, designed to gradually increase the compression applied as the biomass material is advanced through a generally cylindrical bore in the biomass dryer. A variable compression nozzle is disposed at a distal end of the bore and can be adjusted to achieve a desired level of a parameter such as the moisture content of the dried biomass material produced by the system. The variable compression nozzle, which can be automatically controlled, includes longitudinally extending segments that are forced radially inwardly to increase the compression force applied to the biomass material.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus for reducing a moisture content of a biomass material that is relatively wet, comprising:

(a) a prime mover;
(b) an elongate housing extending between a proximal end and a distal end, said housing having an inlet disposed adjacent to the proximal end for receiving the relatively wet biomass material and an outlet disposed adjacent to the distal end, through which the biomass material passes after being dried to a substantially lower moisture content;
and
(c) a generally helical screw shaft disposed within the elongate housing and drivingly coupled to the prime mover so as to be rotated thereby about a longitudinal axis of said shaft, in a direction selected so that helical screw threads formed on said shaft force the biomass material entering through the inlet to move through the housing, toward the distal end, and then out through the outlet of the housing, wherein the biomass material is compressed as it moves through the elongate housing, forcing moisture from the biomass material, friction resulting from the compression and movement of the biomass material through the housing also heating the biomass material to drive out much of the moisture remaining in the biomass material.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Rotary biomass dryer

Life of this patent

Rotary biomass dryer

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20