Product drying apparatus and methods
AssigneeWenger Manufacturing, Inc.
InventorsAdrian L. Strahm, Keith A. Erdley, Scott E. VanDalsem, Adam S. Hinton, Douglas S. Clark
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides improved apparatus and methods for the monitoring and control of apparatus designed to remove moisture from an initially wet product, such as a continuous dryer (14). The net rate of water removal from the wet product (16) is determined during drying thereof, preferably on a real-time basis. A control assembly (20) is operatively coupled with the dryer (14) and includes sensors (24, 26, 28, 34), which are operatively coupled with a digital controller (38). The controller (38) has a PID controller operable to continuously determine the average net rate of water removal from the product (16).
Claims19
A method of controlling the operation of apparatus operable to remove water from initially wet product passing through the apparatus by contacting the wet product with input air to create dried product and moisture-laden exit air, said method comprising the steps of employing an exhaust fan to exhaust said exit air from the apparatus, determining the volumetric flow rate of said exit air from said exhaust fan, and using said volumetric flow rate to determine the net rate of water removal from said wet product during operation of said apparatus, said step of determining the net rate of water removal from said wet product including the steps of:
- (1) determining the rate of water leaving the apparatus as a part of the exit air from said exhaust fan;
- (2) subtracting from rate (1) the rate of water entering the apparatus as a part of the input air, and as a part of said initially wet product to obtain the net rate of water removal from said wet product, and adjusting at least one control parameter of the apparatus in order to alter the rate of water removal from the wet product in response to the determined net rate of water removal therefrom, said control parameter selected from the group consisting of the temperature of said input air, the speed of said wet product passing through the apparatus, the contact time between the wet product passing through the apparatus and said input air, and combinations thereof.
A method of controlling the operation of apparatus operable to remove water from initially wet product passing through the apparatus by contacting the wet product with input air to create dried product and moisture-laden exit air, said method comprising the steps of employing an exhaust fan to exhaust said exit air from the apparatus, and determining the net rate of water removal from said wet product in real time during operation of said apparatus, said step of determining the net rate of water removal from said wet product including the steps of:
- (1) determining the rate of water leaving the apparatus as a part of the exit air from said exhaust fan;
- (2) subtracting from rate (1) the rate of water entering the apparatus as a part of the input air, and as a part of said initially wet product to obtain the net rate of water removal from said wet product, and adjusting at least one control parameter of the apparatus in order to alter the rate of water removal from the wet product in response to the determined net rate of water removal therefrom, said control parameter selected from the group consisting of the temperature of said input air, the speed of said wet product passing through the apparatus, the contact time between the wet product passing through the apparatus and said input air, and combinations thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.