Gas Or Vapor Humidity Regulation Patents (Class 34/474)
  • Publication number: 20020038521
    Abstract: A method and an appliance are disclosed for the non-thermal drying of articles, in particular motor vehicle bodies, freshly painted with a water-based paint. The articles to be dried are subjected to dry air by forced convection in a drying tunnel and the moisture-laden air is dried in an air drying device by condensation to a specific target value of absolute residual moisture. So that fluctuations in the incidence of moisture can be leveled out with a low degree of inertia, with the high condensation performance remaining unchanged, only a fraction of the circulated air which is adapted in size, as required, is dried in the air drying device to a residual moisture markedly below the circulating-air target moisture, and the remaining untreated part of the circulated air is led back into the drier housing after being intermixed with the dried part-air stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2001
    Publication date: April 4, 2002
    Inventor: Hans-Joachim Speck
  • Patent number: 6328099
    Abstract: Free-flowing solid particles are dried in a moving bed dryer by passing the particles adjacent to a heat exchanger plate containing a heated fluid while passing a dehumidified gas into the solid particles from a gas flow manifold in the heat exchanger plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: Mississippi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: George Allen Hilt, Donald Ray Thomas
  • Patent number: 6289606
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for control of moisture content of material such as thermoplastic pellets (80) in a hopper (30) is controlled by supplying dehumidified air from a dessicant bed (90) to the hopper (30) and returning air from the hopper (30) to the dessicant bed (90). A dew point sensor (10) in the return air path determines the moisture content of the material (80) in the hopper (30), and when the dew point drops to a pre-set level, a diverter (134) causes the return air flow to bypass the dessicant bed (90) and to be re-supplied to the hopper (30) without dehumidification. Two dessicant beds are provided, one of which is on-process while the dessicant in the other is regenerated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Novatec, Inc.
    Inventors: W. John Gillette, Paul M. Frank
  • Patent number: 6280504
    Abstract: A hygroscopic material having at least one passageway or channel therethrough. In a dehumidifier embodiment, the material is shaped to provide a surface area to facilitate gas flow, and drying of an ambient gas by creating a chimney effect which facilitates mixing of the gas. This causes the heavier water vapor or other compound containing gas to contact adsorbent material adjacent to the passageway or channel, adsorb at least some of the compound, and cause the lighter gas to exit the passageway or channel. The dehumidifier may have various shapes and sizes and can be reactivated to restore its drying capacity. When utilized as a humidifier, the material desorbs or adds the constituent (such as water vapor) to the gas and a downdraft rather than a chimney effect is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Inventor: James P. McMahon
  • Patent number: 6226890
    Abstract: A method of desiccating an environment surrounding a moisture-sensitive electronic device sealed within an enclosure, includes selecting a desiccant comprised of solid particles having a particle size range 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Michael L. Boroson, Jeffrey P. Serbicki, Peter G. Bessey
  • Patent number: 6167638
    Abstract: Very dry air is made for drying grain and other particulates. The air is dried by first cooling under pressure to remove moisture, then contacted with a drying device such as a vessel containing desiccant, then heated and released into a bed of particulates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: Clearwater, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew E. Vavro, Wayne Mueller
  • Patent number: 6158147
    Abstract: Very dry air is made for drying grain and other particulates. The air is dried by first cooling under pressure to remove moisture, then contacted with a drying device such as a vessel containing desiccant, then heated and released into a bed of particulates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: Clearwater, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin W. Smith, Wayne Mueller
  • Patent number: 6128832
    Abstract: A system and method for providing conditioned air to a yarn traveling on a textile machine includes an air conditioning unit local to said textile machine and configured to receive input air and to condition the air to a first desired relative humidity. An air delivery conduit is in communication with the air conditioning unit and conveys the conditioned air therefrom. A diffuser is in communication with the delivery conduit so that the conditioned air flows into the diffuser. The diffuser defines a nonuniform opening so that the conditioned air leaves the diffuser in a turbulent flow. The opening is disposed at a predetermined distance from the yarn so that an air mixture, comprising the turbulent conditioned air and ambient air drawn into the turbulent flow, has a second desired relative humidity upon reaching the yarn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: LTG Air Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Helmut Stueble
  • Patent number: 5970625
    Abstract: An automated air filtration and drying system including an energy and environmental management system for controlling, monitoring and supervising the operation and performance of the air filtration and drying system, a capture apparatus for capturing and controlling overspray, and a drying/curing control module for rapidly drying a painted article using a continuously filtered and dehumidified flow of recycled air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Optimum Air Corporation
    Inventors: Fred G. Scheufler, Richard D. Scheufler, William H. Bayard
  • Patent number: 5915816
    Abstract: A method of preparing an adsorbent which contains a medium, which medium may comprise water. The medium is removed from the adsorbent by a hot regeneration gas, and the adsorbent is then cooled, wherein heat recovered during said cooling is used to heat the regeneration gas in a heat accumulator/exchanger. In order to improve the dewpoint characteristics of the dried gas, the adsorbent is passed successively through the following zones:an adsorption zone in which the adsorbent adsorbs the given medium;a regeneration zone in which the regeneration gas is passed through the adsorbent; anda cooling zone in which heat is withdrawn from the adsorbent, to be transferred to the heat accumulator/exchanger. An apparatus suitable for carrying out the described method is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Inventor: Roderich W. Graff
  • Patent number: 5673496
    Abstract: The dry charge machine and method disclosed carefully monitor the temperature above and below the plates as well as the water temperature exiting the machine and introduce cooling water at a flow rate and temperature so as to maximize thermal efficiency in drying and minimize the energy necessary to raise the temperature of the drying gas. The machinery is arranged and controlled so that water droplets are not introduced into the air. Oxygen leakage into the machine in minimized and the oxygen content of the air is monitored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1997
    Assignee: Tiegel Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Paul C. Wegner, Ralph G. Tiegel
  • Patent number: 5659974
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for preparing and regenerating an adsorbent material which material contains a medium (particularly moisture). The medium is removed from the adsorbent material by a hot regeneration gas, following which the adsorbent material is cooled. In order to improve the energy efficiency ("energy balance") in a process for drying a humid gas, particularly humid air, it is proposed that regeneration offgas be passed through the adsorbent material immediately before the adsorbent material is subjected to (final) regeneration, the regeneration offgas having a lower temperature than the hot regeneration gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1997
    Inventor: Roderich Wilhelm Graeff
  • Patent number: 5588225
    Abstract: A method for drying the surface of a tool, particularly an injection molding tool, by feeding dry air from a drying device into a lower area of a chamber defined by a housing enclosing the tool. Moist air is removed from an upper area of the chamber and returned to the drying device, where moisture is removed from the air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1996
    Assignee: Filterwerk Mann & Hummel GmbH
    Inventors: Achim Becker, Michael Zlotos
  • Patent number: 5526581
    Abstract: A process for reordering tobacco or other suitable hygroscopic organic material, which results in no significant decrease in the equilibrium CV of the tobacco or other hygroscopic organic material, or significant degradation of the tobacco or other hygroscopic organic material, is provided. Material to be reordered is contacted with an air stream having a relative humidity near the equilibrium conditions of the material. As the OV content of the hygroscopic organic material increases, the relative humidity of the air stream contacting the hygroscopic organic material is increased to affect reordering of the material. Also provided is a process for drying tobacco or other suitable hygroscopic organic material, which results in no significant change in the equilibrium CV of the tobacco or other hygroscopic organic material or significant degradation of the tobacco or other suitable hygroscopic organic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1996
    Assignee: Philip Morris Incorporated
    Inventors: Warren D. Winterson, John C. Crump, III, Eugene B. Fischer
  • Patent number: 5456022
    Abstract: A drier having a boxlike housing (12) for receiving a hopper (13) therein which contains a batch of wet sludge. The hopper (13) cooperates with the housing, when closed therein, to define a closed air recirculation system which supplies dry pressurized warm air into an air-receiving chamber (79) located at the bottom of the hopper. The air passes upwardly through a perforated bottom wall (78) into and through the sludge to remove moisture therefrom. The moist air passes upwardly through the open top of the hopper, through a filter and is supplied to a drying unit (34) located in the housing for removing moisture therefrom, which moisture is externally discharged. The drying unit resupplies the dry air back to the drying chamber formed in the hopper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1995
    Assignee: JWI, Inc.
    Inventors: David P. McLeod, David J. Spyker, Daniel De Haan, Greg De Haan, Wesley G. Koops, James E. Roelofs
  • Patent number: 5433019
    Abstract: A new kind of teas named "dry fresh tea" is prepared by drying tea leaves in circulating air at low temperature and low humidity. Quality of teas is improved by preserving volatile flavors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1995
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Ya-ming Fu, Jyi-Ching Perng, Chen-Une Hwong, Liang-Jyi Fang