Material Shaping Patents (Class 34/385)
  • Patent number: 9822309
    Abstract: Provided is a process where the biomass and bisolids are hydrothermally treated under a reductive gas. Using this process a high carbon content pumpable mixture of biomass and biosolid slurry is produced with a viscosity value of less than 1.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Chan Seung Park, Joseph Norbeck, Wei He
  • Patent number: 9222040
    Abstract: A system includes a slurry depressurizing system that includes a liquid expansion system configured to continuously receive a slurry at a first pressure and continuously discharge the slurry at a second pressure. For example, the slurry depressurizing system may include an expansion turbine to expand the slurry from the first pressure to the second pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Raymond Douglas Steele, Judith Pauline Oppenheim
  • Publication number: 20150041435
    Abstract: Methods provide for post processing at least one flexible glass sheet with the step of providing the glass sheet with an initial shape. The method then further includes the step of flexing the glass sheet into a secondary shape from the initial shape. The method then further includes the step of post processing the glass sheet while biasing the glass sheet into the secondary shape. The method then still further includes the step of releasing the glass sheet to at least partially return to the initial shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Jianqiang Gu, Jean-Marc Martin Gerard Jouanno, William Brashear Mattingly, III, Wenchao Wang, Yoshiki Yamashita, Rui Zhang
  • Publication number: 20140338217
    Abstract: The improved method and arrangement are for cooling torrefied lignocellulosic material. By adding water in controlled amounts to the torrefied material in a grinder at exit from a roaster the entire volume of torrefied material could be cooled down to a temperature well below the critical temperature without increasing the water content of the final product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: Valmet Power AB
    Inventor: Peter Björklund
  • Publication number: 20140090268
    Abstract: The invention relates to a drying device and method for drying a pumpable mixture. Such a mixture is for instance a manure or industrial effluent. The drying device according to the invention comprises: a supply holder for holding the mixture; a drivable endless carrier extending with an outer end into the supply holder during use, wherein drying medium flows during use through or along the mixture carried along by the carrier; and heating means for heating the ingoing mixture and/or the mixture in the supply holder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Inventors: Seine Roelofs, Willem Seine Christian Roelofs
  • Patent number: 8561317
    Abstract: A system for drying freshly grown forage involving the steps of placing loose mass forage on a receiving system; transporting the loose mass forage from the receiving system to a detangling mechanism; passing the loose mass forage through the detangling mechanism to break up any large clumps of forage and to create a forage carpet of a substantially uniform thickness; passing the forage carpet through a drying oven containing multiple chambers; drying the forage carpet to moisture content below the desired moisture content for the forage; and adding moisture to the forage carpet to bring the moisture content of the forage up to the desired moisture content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Top Quality Hay Processors LLC
    Inventors: Jeff Warren, John E. Davie
  • Publication number: 20130205613
    Abstract: The present invention provides a compact device (that may be installed onto a mobile or stationary platform) for conversion of waste to sources of energy or fertilizer. The device includes multiple stages for efficient conversation and processing of waste into energy or fertilizer, including a first stage for reducing a size of received waste, a second stage for compressing the reduced sized waste into partially dehydrated waste, a third stage for grinding and further compression of received waste from second stage to pulverize the constituent parts into highly dense substantially dehydrated pellets or fertilizers, with a fourth stage for further drying of the received pellets or fertilizers and a final fifth stage for cooling the received pellets or fertilizers into highly dense pellets. The device of the present invention further includes a controller for controlling each operational stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: MGS GRAND SPORT, INC.
    Inventor: Albert Avedis Mardikian
  • Publication number: 20120292743
    Abstract: In a silicon wafer which has a surface with a plurality of terraces formed stepwise by single-atomic-layer steps, respectively, no slip line is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Inventors: Tadahiro OHMI, Akinobu TERAMOTO, Tomoyuki SUWA
  • Patent number: 7895769
    Abstract: Raw meal sludge is dried in a vapor flow dryer by circulating exhaust vapor through a steam circuit which, prior to introduction thereof into the lower part of the dryer, is heated by indirect heat transmission from gaseous flows from a pre-heating system from a gas cyclone of a clinker production line. A partial vapor flow corresponding to water evaporated during raw meal sludge drying is removed from the steam circuit and extracted in the form of a condensate after increasing the vapor temperature by a vapor compressor and the passage of vapor arranged in the dryer over a heating surface of a vapor condenser. The sludge is sprayed into the lower part of the dryer where water is evaporated by the heat of the circulating exhaust vapor and heat from the condenser heating surface. Dried raw meal is separated from the exhaust vapor in a cyclone separator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: KHD Humboldt Wedag GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Jochem, Klaus Kühne
  • Publication number: 20090255144
    Abstract: This invention discloses systems and methods for conversion of high moisture waste materials to dry or low moisture products for recycle or reuse. The equipment systems comprise a gas turbine generator unit (preferred heat source), a dryer vessel and a processing unit, wherein the connection between the gas turbine and the dryer vessel directs substantially all the gas turbine exhaust into the dryer vessel and substantially precludes the introduction of air into the dryer vessel and wherein the processing unit forms the dried material from the dryer vessel into granules, pellets or other desired form for the final product. Optionally, the systems and methods further provide for processing ventilation air from manufacturing facilities to reduce emissions therefrom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Applicant: EarthRenew, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian N. Gorbell, Christianne Carin, Alvin W. Fedkenheuer, John S. Jonasson, Alexander Starosud
  • Patent number: 6602520
    Abstract: Rapidly disintegrating preparations containing at least one active pharmaceutical ingredient and at least one excipient can be obtained by a simple process in which at least the predominant part of the complete composition of the ingredients for the preparation to be produced is granulated, the resulting granules and, where appropriate, the remainder of the ingredients are shaped in the presence of liquid virtually without pressure, and the resulting shaped articles are dried.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: Bayer AG
    Inventors: Marco Schroeder, Klaus-Jürgen Steffens
  • Patent number: 6266893
    Abstract: The inverted bonnet hair dryer is comprised of a bowl with a closed end and an open end. The bowl is pivotally supported on a stand and is rotatable to a position with its open end facing upward. The bowl is comprised of a hemispherical concave inner wall which is generally spaced from an outer wall. The perimeter of the inner wall is connected to the outer wall to define a space between the walls. A hollow tube is attached to the outer wall. An aperture at an outer end of the tube is in communication with the space within the bowl. The aperture is adapted to receive the head of a conventional hand-held electric blow dryer. When the open end is facing upward, the bowl is adapted to be positioned under the head of a person. The head is inverted to hang the hair under the head. The inner wall of the bowl is adapted to evenly support the hair. When the blow dryer is activated, hot air is forced into the space between the walls and released through holes on the inner wall to dry the hair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Inventor: Laurel Standley
  • Patent number: 6163981
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for drying material, especially wood particles, having moisture therein, comprising depositing the material to a selected depth onto a transport conveyor at the first end of a drying chamber. Heat is applied to the material as it is transported toward the opposite second end of the drying chamber so that, adjacent the second end, the material forms essentially two layers, a first layer having a first level of moisture therein and a second layer having a second level of moisture therein which is different from the moisture content of the first layer. Means are provided adjacent the second end for removing the second layer, which has the desired moisture, from the conveyor and directing that layer exteriorly of the chamber. The first layer, which has a remaining moisture content greater than the first layer, may be further dried to achieve the desired moisture content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Inventor: Bengt Nilsson
  • Patent number: 5983522
    Abstract: In a drying and pressing machine that includes a pressing cylinder, a flow spun stainless steel pressing cylinder is used, produced in one piece and without welding. This cylinder (10) has a reduced thickness. It rests on rollers (10) that comprise glass fiber reinforcement and a resin matrix. Each roller (12) is mounted on a fixed spindle (24) using a ball bearing (26).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: Electrolux Systemes de Blanchisserie
    Inventor: Michel Adler
  • Patent number: 5740617
    Abstract: A rotary drum dryer dries a slurry into discrete solid particles. The dryer contains three long horizontal cylinders: an outer cylinder, a perforated cylinder inside the outer cylinder, and an inner cylinder inside the perforated cylinder. As the cylinders rotate, slurry in the outer cylinder is compressed through the perforated cylinder by the inner cylinder and deposited onto the inner wall surface of the outer cylinder in discrete masses. The masses are dried as the cylinder rotates and then are removed by a scraper and conveyed outside the dryer for further treatment and/or packaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1998
    Inventor: Norman P. Rittenhouse
  • Patent number: 5373647
    Abstract: A method and a system serve to completely or partially dehydrate sludge by evaporation which originates from e.g. sewage. The sludge is dried with addition of heat in a drying chamber (2), the sludge being transported on an endless travelling grate (3) from an inlet opening (8) in the drying chamber (2) to a discharge opening (9) in it. The sludge is deposited on the grate in a plurality of juxtaposed sludge strings (18) by means of an extruder (6), in which the sludge is preheated to almost 100.degree. C. prior to extrusion. The extruded strings (18) are then heated with such an intensity that the water in the sludge immediately begins to boil, and that a zone of preferably saturated water steam is formed at any rate in the immediate vicinity of the sludge. This provides a light and porous, dried sludge product which is in no way either burnt or scorched, and which constitutes excellent fuel as well as excellent compost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1994
    Assignee: FLS Industries A/S
    Inventors: Steen Bernes, John R. Jensen
  • Patent number: 5361513
    Abstract: The subject invention is an integrated process for economically drying and briquetting coal to produce strong briquettes. The subject invention utilizes a conditioner to output dried coal having a selected moisture content and temperature and mean particle size and size distribution for briquetting. The conditioner reduces the moisture content of coal particles by contacting them with steam. The preferred conditioner fluidizes a bed of coal particles with steam generated during the coal drying process. The moisture content of the dried coal is in the form of steam which fills the pores and inter-particle void spaces of the coal particles. The moisture content of the dried coal is controlled by supplying heat to heat exchange tubes in the coal bed in response to coal bed temperature. The bed temperature is related to the moisture content of the dried coal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1994
    Assignee: Amax Coal Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul W. Woessner
  • Patent number: 5355590
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the drying and granulation of aspartame through the thermal treatment of a wet mass of aspartame crystals using a hot carrier gas, characterized in that a wet mass of aspartame crystals is supplied, in a continuous process, to a high-speed paddle dryer fitted with a jacket heated to a temperature of 80.degree.-190.degree. C. and with paddles, mounted on a central shaft with a controllable speed of rotation, at an adjustable distance from and angle to the jacket, which are positioned so that the required particle size of the granules is realized, the speed of rotation being chosen so that the Froude number is higher than 1, and the supplied product is treated in the paddle dryer for 15-600 seconds, with the simultaneous presence of a carrier gas having an inlet temperature of 100.degree.-200.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1994
    Assignee: Holland Sweetener Company V.o.F.
    Inventors: Hubertus J. M. Slangen, Mathieu H. M. Mertens