With Waste Gas Heat And/or Power Conservers Patents (Class 34/86)
  • Patent number: 7774953
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system to dry the hands of individuals. The system may include a pedestal, an air pedal and powder pedal hinged to the pedestal, a chamber having a dome connected to a shroud to define a chamber interior. The chamber interior may be divided into a first divided area, a second divided, and an overhead area that connects the first divided area to the second divided area. Each dived area may include a perforated tube to deliver pressurized air and powder into the chamber interior. An air compressor may be connected directly to the perforated tubes and connected to a powder chamber. In addition to pressurized air being delivered to the chamber interior, powder optionally may be delivered to the chamber interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Inventor: Napoli I. Duran
  • Publication number: 20100192401
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for processing wet material, in particular sewage sludge, having a plurality of drying stages. At least one high-temperature drying stage 2 and at least one low-temperature drying stage 10 are provided, wherein the waste heat of the at least one high-temperature drying stage 2 is used for heating the at least one low-temperature drying stage 10. Great savings in energy and economic efficiency can thereby be achieved. In addition, the invention relates to a plant for carrying out the process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2007
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Inventors: Klaus Stanke, Jürgen Geyer, Armin Vonplon
  • Patent number: 7765714
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for reducing the VOC and CO content of dryer offgas that is discharged into the atmosphere from a moist organic product drying process using thermal oxidizing apparatus that includes a furnace, mixing chamber, thermal oxidizer, tempering chamber, and an indirect gas-to-gas heat exchanger. The dryer offgas is separated into two portions, with a larger portion being preheated by indirect heat exchange with the hot gaseous output from the thermal oxidizer. The non-preheated portion is directed to a rotary waste heat evaporator in which moisture is removed therefrom. The preheated portion is recycled to the hot gas inlet of the dryer and serves the function of dryer heat transfer media. By removing moisture from the non-preheated portion of the offgas that is directed to the thermal oxidizing apparatus, simultaneous achievement of thermal oxidizer temperatures of 1600° F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Aeroglide Corporation
    Inventor: Richard L. Ronning
  • Publication number: 20100139115
    Abstract: A system for reducing organic contaminates from the condensate discharge of a closed loop industrial drying process. The system includes a dryer, a regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO) in flow communication with the dryer, and an energy recovery unit in flow communication with the RTO.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: EISENMANN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brian Schmidt, Bradley Ginger
  • Patent number: 7726040
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for the uniform drying of boards, such as gypsum wallboards. The apparatus includes a dryer through which a series of boards are conveyed in a side-by-side relationship. While in the dryer, heated air is delivered over the boards via a series of separate air channels. A bypass duct delivers a portion of or a totality of unreheated air to the outermost channels where the cooler air displaces a volume of the warmer air. As a result, the air in the outermost channels is cooler than the air in the interior channels. Air from the outermost channels is then directed over the exposed longitudinal edges of the boards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: CertainTeed Gypsum, Inc.
    Inventor: Felipe J. Yanes
  • Publication number: 20100107439
    Abstract: A drier for drying wet material includes a drying chamber receiving material to be dried. Heating fluid is flowed generally overall concurrently with the material through at least a portion of the chamber and drying fluid is flowed generally overall countercurrently relative to the material through at least part of the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: Tri-Phase Drying Technologies, LLC, an Iowa Limited Liability Company
    Inventors: Steve D. Shivvers, Lloyd E. Lerew
  • Publication number: 20100088920
    Abstract: A multi-stage harvest dryer (10) is provided for drying an agricultural harvest product (12), such as, for example, corn, sunflowers, beans, seeds, etc. The dryer (10) includes multiple drying stages (14a-14d) connected in sequence to dry a volume of harvest product (12) passed from one drying stage (14) to the next. Heat exchangers (16a, 16b, 18a, 18b, 18c) are located in the stages (14a-14c) to transfer heat to the harvest product (12) in each of the corresponding stages (14a-14d). The heat exchangers (16a and 16b) are radiant heat exchangers that efficiently heat the harvest product (12) via radiant heat transfer, with heaters (19a, 19b) being provided to maintain the heat exchangers (16a, 16b) within a desired temperature range. The heat exchangers (18a-18c) are condensers that efficiently recycle the heat within the dryer (10) by transferring heat back to the harvest product (12) by condensing water that has been evaporated from the harvest product (12) elsewhere in the dryer (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Inventor: Albert M. LaRou
  • Publication number: 20100077632
    Abstract: A dryer includes a dryer body, a driving device, a groove, and an upper cover. The groove is located around the opening of the dryer body. The upper cover has a cone shape and is located at the opening of the dryer body. The edge of the bottom of the upper cover is located at the groove. The angle of the cone end of the upper cover makes the water droplets condensed on the inner wall of the upper cover slide downward along the inner wall of the upper cover so that they are collected in the groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: YES-SUN HOLDINGS LIMITED
    Inventor: Shing-Hong Lee
  • Patent number: 7685737
    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: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: EarthRenew, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian N. Gorbell, Christianne Carin, legal representative, Alvin W. Fedkenheuer, John S. Jonasson, Alexander Starosud
  • Patent number: 7654011
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for reducing the VOC, CO, and, alternatively, the NOx content of dryer offgas that is discharged into the atmosphere from a moist organic product drying process using thermal oxidizing apparatus that includes a burner, furnace, mixing chamber, thermal oxidizer, tempering chamber, and an indirect gas-to-gas heat exchanger. The dryer offgas is separated into two portions, with a larger portion being preheated by indirect heat exchange with the hot gaseous output from the thermal oxidizer. The non-preheated portion is directed to the burner in the function of flue gas recycle for NOx control. The preheated portion is separated into two portions, with one portion being directed to the furnace/mixing chamber of the thermal oxidizing apparatus. The other portion of the preheated offgas is recycled to the hot gas inlet of the dryer and serves the function of dryer heat transfer media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Ronning Engineering Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard L. Ronning, Michael V. Wilson
  • Publication number: 20100018072
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a laundry treating apparatus (100) which enables supply of heated air of temperature ranges different from one another thereto, including a cabinet (10) having an inside space for holding clothing, a steam generator (20) provided to the cabinet (10) for supplying steam to the inside space (11), selectively, and a heated air supply device (40) in the cabinet (10) for making selective supply of air with at least three temperature ranges to the inside space (11).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2007
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Young Soo Kim, Seong Hae Jeong
  • Publication number: 20100005678
    Abstract: An exhaust air dryer includes a process airflow entering from outside as supply air, which removes moisture from laundry introduced in a treatment compartment and which emerges to the outside as exhaust air through an air outlet, a heat exchanger between the treatment compartment and the air outlet, seen in the airflow direction, which removes heat from the process airflow, while forming condensate, a dispersal device arranged downstream of the treatment compartment in the airflow direction and in front of the air outlet, which adds at least part of the formed condensate to the exhaust air, and a hydrophilic body belonging to the dispersal device, which projects into the process airflow and is impinged upon by condensate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Applicant: BSH BOSCH UND SIEMENS HAUSGERAETE GMBH
    Inventor: Guenter Steffens
  • Publication number: 20100006013
    Abstract: A process for energy recovery and transfer including: warming fresh air in a heat recovery and pressure control unit; feeding waste feed and the warm fresh air into a processor; reducing a moisture content of the waste feed by breaking the waste feed into a fuel powder in the warm fresh air in the processor; filtering contaminated air through an initial filter to remove the fuel powder from the contaminated air; pre-heating the contaminated air in the heat recovery and pressure control unit; raising the temperature of the pre-heated contaminated air in a chamber; passing the chamber discharge air through the heat recovery and pressure control unit to pre-heat contaminated air passing on to the chamber and to warm fresh air passing on to the processor; and filtering terminal air through a terminal filter to remove particles from the terminal air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Inventor: Patrick Potter
  • Publication number: 20090307922
    Abstract: A gas heater with improved combustion efficiency and a dryer comprising the same are disclosed herein. The gas heater includes a cabinet, a gas tube disposed inside the cabinet to supply a gas into the cabinet, a nozzle provided to the gas tube, a mixing tube disposed to face the nozzle such that air and the gas can be mixed in the mixing tube, and a mixing member provided to the mixing tube to generate a vortex of air flowing into the mixing tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2008
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Applicant: Daewoo Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Chang Hoo Kim
  • Publication number: 20090300941
    Abstract: A household appliance and a method for drying a damp item via an air current are provided. An air current is conducted in a substantially enclosed dry air channel and is driven by a fan. The air current can flow through a treatment chamber with the item, a cooling arrangement for cooling the air current and removing moisture from the air current by condensation after it has flown through the treatment chamber, and a heating arrangement for heating the air current before it flows through the treatment chamber. The cooling arrangement has a first heat exchanger, via which heat from the air current is fed to a process gas that is conducted in a regenerative gas circulation process, and the heating arrangement has a second heat exchanger, via which heat from the process gas is fed to the air current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Applicant: BSH BOSCH UND SIEMENS HAUSGERÄTE GMBH
    Inventor: Andreas Stolze
  • Publication number: 20090293303
    Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a system for drying biosolids using waste heat from a cement-making process. The system includes an interface with a cement-making component, where the interface is configured to channel a waste heat gas generated during a manufacture of cement. The system includes a dryer that receives wet biosolids and uses heated dryer air in direct contact with the wet biosolids to produce a dried product. The dryer air has an oxygen content below a level allowing combustion to occur. The system includes a heat exchanger that receives the waste heat gas from the interface and uses the waste heat gas to heat the dryer air for the dryer, wherein the waste heat gas and the dryer air do not mix.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Inventor: Thomas J. Maestri
  • Patent number: 7624514
    Abstract: In a drying system using a compression refrigeration system, a condenser is divided into a regulating condenser and a heating condenser. The regulating condenser is capable of regulating the amount of exhaust heat discharged to outside the system. The heating condenser produces moist air by feeding heat to an aqueous object to be dried placed in a processing vessel to evaporate the moisture in the object. Heat of condensation of steam is recovered by an evaporator as heat of a refrigerant, and the recovered heat is discharged in the heating condenser to use it for the vaporization of the moisture in the object, and excess heat is discharged by the regulating condenser to outside the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Green Seiju Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihisa Konabe, Isao Kurobe
  • Publication number: 20090235555
    Abstract: A clothes drying cabinet which consists of a base, a frame, a cover and a control unit is disclosed. A heat source, a warm air cushion chamber and a clothes drying chamber are provided inside the clothes drying cabinet. The heat source comprises a fan motor and a PCT heating element. The frame is positioned on the base and supported by the hanger braces. The division plate for the warm air cushioning chamber forms the warm air cushioning chamber with the protection plate of the warm air channel in the lower parts and forms the cloth drying chamber. The frame is covered outside by the cover. The control unit comprises a control panel and switches. The clothes drying effect can be improved and the drying speed can be increased, furthermore the clothes drying cabinet is safe so that the danger due to clothes falling down can be prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2007
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Inventor: Hu Jie Bo
  • Patent number: 7581334
    Abstract: A drying apparatus is provided with a gas burner indirect heat exchanger wherein a turn down ratio thereof maybe controlled. In a housing of the gas burner indirect heat exchanger, a gas burner and a heat exchanger are contained. Combustible gas in the gas burner is supplied to the heat exchanger. The air having entered the housing is heated as passing around the gas burner and, furthermore, passing through the heat exchanger. The housing is connected to the dryer booth by a blowing duct. A blower provided in a middle of the blowing duct supplies the hot air heated in the gas burner indirect heat exchanger to the dryer booth. In the dryer booth, an aluminum web coated with coating liquid is transferred. The hot air is blown to the coated surface of the aluminum web so as to dry the coated liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Shinji Majima
  • Publication number: 20090188128
    Abstract: A process and a device for utilization of waste heat from a high-temperature hood in the dryer section of a paper machine. The waste heat from the high-temperature hood is applied to the waste steam and the condensate, respectively, from a steam system by means of a heat exchanger, thus improving utilization of the energy contained in the exhaust air from a high temperature hood.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2009
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Inventors: Klaus Gissing, Wolfgang Promitzer
  • Publication number: 20090145000
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system for purifying contaminated soil, which restores soil contaminated by a variety of pollutants to the condition before the contamination, and which itself provides the driving source required for the purification. The system includes: a dryer which dries contaminated soil, separates waste gas generated during the drying from the contaminated soil, and discharges the waste gas; a pyrolysis apparatus which indirectly heats the dried contaminated soil in a hermetic condition to divide the contaminated soil into purified soil and pyrolysis gas, and separately discharges the purified soil and the pyrolysis gas; a transfer fan for forcibly transferring the discharged pyrolysis gas; a burner for oxidizing the waste gas discharged from the dryer and the pyrolysis gas forcibly transferred by the transfer fan, to heat the pyrolysis apparatus; and a cooling facility for directly spraying cooling water on the discharged purified soil to cool the purified soil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2008
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Inventors: Sang Ahn HA, Hyuk Mok CHOI
  • Publication number: 20090139107
    Abstract: The invention relates to an exhaust air dryer with a drying compartment for objects to be dried, a supply air duct upstream of the drying compartment, a first fan for the supply of process air from a supply air inlet to the drying compartment and to an exhaust air outlet, an exhaust air duct between the drying compartment and the exhaust air outlet and a heat pump, with a heat sink in the exhaust air duct and a heat source in the supply air duct, characterized in that the first fan in the supply air duct is arranged between the supply air inlet and the heat source and a second fan in the supply air duct is arranged between the heat source and the drying compartment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicant: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Grunert, Thomas Nawrot, Guenter Steffens, Andreas Stolze
  • Publication number: 20090119943
    Abstract: The invention relates to a vented dryer having a drying chamber for items to be dried, a supply air duct for supply air, in which is situated a heater for heating the supply air and the heated supply air (process air) can be directed by means of a first fan over the items to be dried, an exhaust air duct, a motor for driving the drying chamber, a first heat exchanger in the exhaust air duct and a condensate pan arranged beneath the first heat exchanger, whereby the vented dryer has first means for the discharge of warm air from a housing interior surrounding the motor toward the condensate pan and away across the latter. The invention also relates to a method for the operation of this vented dryer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Grunert, Guenter Steffens, Andreas Stolze
  • Publication number: 20090113740
    Abstract: A dryer with a drying chamber that includes a process air duct for guiding process air through the drying chamber, a heat pump with a heat sink in the process air duct and through which air can flow in an outlet air direction for cooling down the process air, and a heat source arranged in the process air duct and through which air can flow in an inlet air direction for heating up the process air. The outlet air direction and the inlet air direction are substantially parallel to one another. The heat sink and the heat source are in a plane substantially perpendicular to the outlet air direction and to the inlet air direction alongside one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Applicant: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Grunert, Guenter Steffens, Andreas Stolze
  • Publication number: 20090100702
    Abstract: Apparatus for improving the efficiency of dryer appliances that utilize heated air for drying and are disposed within a residence or other closed conditioned space includes an intake air duct connected between the dryer appliance and a source of intake air outside the conditioned space, an exhaust outlet diverter valve to receive exhaust air from the dryer and direct the exhaust air for release within the conditioned space or alternatively outside the conditioned space. Alternative embodiments provide for drawing intake air from more than one source, with and without heat exchange, for releasing heated air to more than one location, including into a heating system return air duct, either directly or through a heat exchanger. A method of controlling the operation of the apparatus is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Inventor: Robert Wood Fair
  • Publication number: 20090090019
    Abstract: The present invention relates a granular material treatment unit, comprising: a support structure (S); a silo or hopper (2) delimiting a receiving cavity (3) for a granular material, which has an upper loading mouth (4), a lower unloading mouth (5) for the granular material; at least one feeding duct (6, 6a) for a treatment gas means leading to a lower area of said receiving cavity (3). The treatment unit also includes at least one heat-exchanging group (8) located on top of the receiving cavity (3) so that it is hit, in use, by the treatment gas means delivered by the at least one feeding duct (6, 6a) and rising along the receiving cavity (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2008
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Inventor: Renato MORETTO
  • Publication number: 20090000139
    Abstract: A clothes dryer air intake system including a conduit having an outlet opening for connection to a clothes dryer and being positioned remote from the attic of a building. The conduit also has an inlet opening positioned within the attic of a building. A heater is connected to the conduit between the outlet opening and the inlet opening for warming air passing through the conduit. A thermostat detects the temperature of the air flowing through the conduit and energizes the heater in the event that the detected temperature is lower than a preset minimum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Inventor: Timothy M. Hodges
  • Publication number: 20080282570
    Abstract: Using the vented hot air of the electric and gas clothes dryer to dry clothes on hangers &/or wire mesh &/or other means of holding clothes, in an enclosed compartment. Also using hot air of said dryers that passed through the lint screen to dry clothes on hangers &/or wire mesh &/or others means of holding clothes, in an enclosed compartment. By using said hot air, it is recycled thereby saving energy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Inventor: Victor Ramirez Diaz De Rivera
  • Publication number: 20080235979
    Abstract: The preferred embodiment of Hi-N-Dri is a cover that conforms to the shape of traditional roto dryers and has fastening mechanisms and a central tube for attachment to the supporting structure and central pole of a roto dryer. To use Hi-N-Dri, an individual would place the cover over the outdoor dryer, lining up the central pole of the outdoor dryer with the adjustable tube in the center of the cover. The user then adjusts the center tube to fit the selected outdoor clothes dryer. Then, the user winds the velcro hook and loop strap around the supporting structure of the outdoor dryer in each corner to more firmly attach the cover to the outdoor dryer. Clothes can then be hung on the clotheslines of the outdoor dryer in the traditional manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventor: Michael D. Meecham
  • Publication number: 20080229610
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for reducing the VOC and CO content of dryer offgas that is discharged into the atmosphere from a moist organic product drying process using thermal oxidizing apparatus that includes a furnace, mixing chamber, thermal oxidizer, tempering chamber, and an indirect gas-to-gas heat exchanger. The dryer offgas is separated into two portions, with a larger portion being preheated by indirect heat exchange with the hot gaseous output from the thermal oxidizer. The non-preheated portion is directed to a rotary waste heat evaporator in which moisture is removed therefrom. The preheated portion is recycled to the hot gas inlet of the dryer and serves the function of dryer heat transfer media. By removing moisture from the non-preheated portion of the offgas that is directed to the thermal oxidizing apparatus, simultaneous achievement of thermal oxidizer temperatures of 1600° F.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: Ronning Engineering Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard L. Ronning
  • Publication number: 20080201980
    Abstract: The present invention harvests and utilizes fluidized bed drying technology and waste heat streams augmented by other available heat sources to dry feedstock or fuel. This method is useful in many industries, including coal-fired power plants. Coal is dried using the present invention before it goes to coal pulverizers and on to the furnace/boiler arrangement to improve boiler efficiency and reduce emissions. This is all completed in a low-temperature, open-air system. Also included is an apparatus for segregating particulate by density and/or size including a fluidizing bed having a particulate receiving inlet for receiving particulate to be fluidized. This is useful for segregating contaminants like sulfur and mercury from the product stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2007
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Inventors: Charles W. Bullinger, Mark A. Ness, Nenad Sarunac, Edward K. Levy, Richard S. Weinstein, Dennis R. James, Matthew P. Coughlin, John M. Wheeldon
  • Publication number: 20080110044
    Abstract: A dryer for drying moist goods is provided. The dryer reduces the amount of conditioned air used during the drying cycle by drawing drying air from the exterior of the building rather than the interior of the building thereby reducing the overall energy efficiency of the building. The dryer includes an air flow passage extending between a fresh air inlet and an exhaust air outlet. A drying chamber forms a portion of the air flow passage and is interposed between the fresh air inlet and the exhaust air outlet. A blower moves air through the air flow passage. The fresh air inlet and exhaust air outlet are separated from one another by a common wall and are positioned adjacent to one another. The fresh air inlet and exhaust air outlet are configured to attach to a combined supply and exhaust duct such that exhaust air and fresh air are passed between the dryer and the exterior of the building through the combined supply and exhaust duct.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2006
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Applicant: ROBERTSHAW CONTROLS COMPANY
    Inventor: Gregory Allen Ehlers
  • Publication number: 20080098612
    Abstract: Roof drying apparatus (10) comprises: a housing (12) having one or more air inlets (26) and an air outlet (40); an internal combustion engine (24) mounted in the housing (12); and a blower mechanism (34) which is drivable by the engine (24) for forcing air out of the air outlet (40) of the housing (12). The apparatus is characterised in that an exhaust outlet (30) of the engine (24) is positioned to discharge exhaust gas in or onto an air flow path which extends from the or at least one of the air inlets (26) to the air outlet (40) so that, in use, at least a portion of the air outputted from the air outlet (40) by the blower mechanism (34) is pre-heated by the exhaust gas of the engine (24). A duct device for adapting an internal combustion engine handheld air blower device to form such roof drying apparatus is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2006
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Inventor: Gary Taylor
  • Patent number: 7331118
    Abstract: A conditioning system for a vehicle comprises an evaporator, positioned in an air conducting channel means, of an air conditioning unit, by means of which evaporator heat and/or moisture can be removed from the air to be introduced into a vehicle interior, a heating means being provided at the evaporator for at least local heating of the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: J. Eberspächer GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Günter Eberspäch
  • Patent number: 7325333
    Abstract: There are disclosed a heat pump device and a drying machine using the device in which abnormal water supplying into a water-cooling heat exchanger for use in water-cooling of a heat pump can be easily detected without disposing any water amount gauge particularly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignees: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., Sanyo Electric Techno Clean Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaya Tadano, Tetsuya Masuda, Takahiro Nakamura, Masafumi Nishino, Nobuhiro Asada, Mitsuru Naganawa
  • Patent number: 7322123
    Abstract: An object is to provide a drying machine which can accomplish delicate drying and reduce burdens on a matter to be dried during drying while securing a predetermined evaporation temperature in an evaporator. In summary, a dry cleaner equipped with a heat pump device comprises a water-cooling heat exchanger which removes heat from a refrigerant entering a capillary tube; and a control device which variably controls a discharged heat amount in the water-cooling heat exchanger and capacity of the compressor, wherein the control device has at least two kinds of drying modes including a usual drying mode and a delicate drying mode, and in the delicate drying mode, a temperature of air discharged into a storage chamber is set lower than in the usual drying mode to control the capacity of the compressor and to increase the discharged heat amount in the water-cooling heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignees: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., Sanyo Electric Techno Clean Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaya Tadano, Tetsuya Masuda, Takahiro Nakamura, Masafumi Nishino, Nobuhiro Asada, Mitsuru Naganawa
  • Publication number: 20070251115
    Abstract: The use of at least one central heat exchanger to extract and dry the heat energy released by laundry machines, in particular their gland steam. The energy thus recovered can be fed back to the laundry machines as hot air or hot water. This represents a significant reduction in the energy requirements of laundry machines as laundry machines discharge a great amount of unused energy into the environment, which, particularly in light of rising energy prices, represents an unnecessary operational cost for a laundry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: Wilhelm Bringewatt, Engelbert Heinz
  • Patent number: 7213349
    Abstract: While venting clothes dryer heat outside may be acceptable during the summer months, it is desirable to reuse such heat once the outside temperature starts to fall. The disclosed heat recovery unit for a clothes dryer works towards meeting this need. The heat recovery unit may include a housing having a support box and a cover attached to the support box by a hinge. The cover may include an exhaust register and an indicator light cover through which a ‘clean filter now’ light, a ‘low flow’ light, and a ‘high temperature warning’ light may be viewed when lit. The heat recovery unit also may include a controls box positioned in the support box, where the controls box maintains electronic intelligence of the recovery unit. A recovery unit fan may be positioned in the support box to blow room temperature air up through a heat exchanger in the support box. An internal bypass channel may channel clothes dryer air around and outside of the heat exchanger during hot days.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Inventor: Richard A. Brunner
  • Patent number: 7213348
    Abstract: A burner for a gas dryer is made up of a mixing tube having an open end for admission of gas fuel into the mixing tube. At least one other opening proximate to the open end serves to admit air into the mixing tube for mixing the air and the gas fuel. A burner head is located at an end of the mixing tube opposite the open end for allowing a mix of gas fuel and air to be discharged and be ignited into a flame. A baffle is attached to the burner at the base of the burner head and extends radially outward therefrom to prevent disruption of combustion of the gas fuel and air mixture as a result of secondary air being drawn outside and along the length of the mixing tube from the open end thereof toward the burner head. An air heater assembly for gas dryer includes combustion chamber having an air inlet and an air outlet for allowing air to flow therethrough and be heated for being passed over clothes to be dried in a drum of a dryer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: BSH Home Appliances Corporation
    Inventors: Uwe Ackermann, Brian Chatot, Travis Dardeau, Dirk Gauger, John Pendleton, Patrick Schueler, Guenter Steffens
  • Patent number: 7194822
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for controllably drying moisture-containing work pieces. The system comprises a drying compartment defining an internal workspace for housing and drying the moisture-containing work pieces by introducing heat into the internal workspace and heating the moisture-containing work pieces located in the internal workspace by removing heated moisture from the work pieces and absorbing the heated moisture into the air in the workspace to produce heated humidified air. A multi-directional air flow heat exchanger is employed for receiving heated humidified air and atmospheric air and for recycling waste heat from exhaust air from the drying compartment, and for heating the atmospheric air in the heat exchanger using recovered heat extracted from the heated humidified air to a temperature higher than ambient temperature thereby reducing energy costs and drying time and preventing the loss of circulation air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: American Wood Dryers, Inc.
    Inventor: Gary L. Kolari
  • Patent number: 7100301
    Abstract: A system for drying grain includes a receiving bin defining a cavity therein and further includes intake and outlet ports. A conduit is operably connected to the receiving bin that includes a plurality of check valves and a stop valve. The system further includes a mechanism for introducing air at a selected flow rate into the conduit and a combustion source that includes a pilot gas light wherein fire is created that burns between 2000–3000 degrees Fahrenheit. The combustion source includes a flue positioned thereabove and a drain outlet extending substantially orthogonal to the conduit. A heat exchanger is connected to the combustion source including a fan and a filter operably connected thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Inventors: Jason C. Humphrey, Robert E. Pitts
  • Patent number: 7055262
    Abstract: A drying apparatus for drying articles such as clothing is provided. The drying apparatus includes a chamber for containing articles to be dried and a system for supplying heated dry air at a first temperature to the chamber. The air supplying system comprises an air flow pathway having an evaporator for removing moisture from air exiting the chamber and for decreasing the temperature of the air to below dew point temperature. The air supply system further has a condenser for increasing the temperature of the air exiting the evaporator to the first temperature. The drying apparatus further has a heat pump system having a refrigerant loop which includes a compressor, the condenser, a TEV valve, and the evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Self Propelled Research and Development Specialists, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Goldberg, James C. Truman, Alexander B. Kniffin
  • Patent number: 6997966
    Abstract: A lint trap having an enclosure with an interior surface, an open end, with an inlet spaced from an outlet on the interior surface. A cover is removably mountable to the open end of the enclosure with a filter secured to the cover, where side edges of the filter slidably engage with the interior surface between the inlet and outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Airex Inc.
    Inventor: Enzo Iantorno
  • Patent number: 6996917
    Abstract: A desolventizing system for removing solvent from a quantity of solvent-laden particles such as flakes comprises first and second desolventizer units, each having an inlet port for receiving solvent-laden particles, an outlet port for discharging at least partially desolventized particles, and a solvent vapor port. A solvent trap is connected between the outlet port of the first desolventizer through a first airlock, and to the inlet port of the second desolventizer unit. Particles entering the solvent trap through the first airlock are conveyed to the inlet port of the second desolventizer. The second desolventizer unit has an airlock connected to the outlet port of the second desolventizer unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Crown Iron Works Company
    Inventor: George E. Anderson
  • Patent number: 6981336
    Abstract: There is disclosed a washing/drying machine having a purpose of shortening a time required for a washing operation and improving an operation efficiency, and comprising: an inner drum in which things to be washed are accommodated and in which a washing operation of the things to be washed and a drying operation after end of the washing operation are performed; a water supply passage for supplying water into the inner drum and a drainage passage for discharging the water from the inner drum in the washing operation; a refrigerant circuit in which a compressor, a gas cooler, an expansion valve, an evaporator and the like are successively connected to one another in an annular form via a piping and in which carbon dioxide is used as a refrigerant; and a blower for blowing air which has exchanged heat with the gas cooler into the inner drum to allow the air passed through the inner drum to exchange the heat with the evaporator in the drying operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Etsushi Nagae, Hiroshi Mukaiyama, Koji Ono, Masaya Tadano, Tetsuya Masuda, Kazuyoshi Tomochika, Takahiro Nakamura, Masakatsu Morishige, Harumi Takeuchi, Kiyokazu Fujikawa, Tamotsu Kawamura, Motohiko Kosano, Shinichi Akiyama, Nobuo Koumoto
  • Patent number: 6966124
    Abstract: A drum washing machine, which has a clothes-drying unit with a plurality of heat pipes. The heat pipes recover, during a drying-mode operation of the drum washing machine, heat from high temperature humid air flowing from a water tub, and combine the recovered heat with low temperature dry air flowing from an area around a condensing nozzle, thus saving time and electricity during the drying-mode operation. In the clothes-drying unit, an air duct includes first and second duct parts, having a condensing nozzle installed in the first duct part, and a blower fan and a heater installed in the second duct part. A lower end of the heat pipe is arranged in a lower end of the first duct part, and an upper end of the heat pipe is arranged in an upper end of the first duct part. The heat pipe thus recovers the heat from the air, which flows in the lower end of the first duct part, and combines the recovered heat with the air, which flows in the upper end of the first duct part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Doo-Young Ryu
  • Patent number: 6966126
    Abstract: A laundry drier includes a filter is disposed removably in the air duct carrying the process air and is held in an at least two-part foldable frame. To extend its functionality with a view to the binding of odors from the laundry items, the filter contains a charcoal-fiber insert that is equipped to combine and/or convert odorous substances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventor: Martin Baurmann
  • Patent number: 6922908
    Abstract: A dryer is constructed and arranged to dry vegetable product, such as coffee beans. The dryer includes a thermal collector that is constructed and arranged to convert solar energy to heat energy, a heat transfer system, and a housing that defines a drying chamber. The thermal collector is positioned toward a light source and is thermally connected to the heat transfer system. The heat transfer system is also in thermal communication with the drying chamber. Therefore heat is able to move from the thermal collector to the drying chamber. Convective forces, or flow, can be used to move air inside the drying chamber, but photovoltaic energy could also be used to enhance this effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Inventor: Raul Raudales
  • Patent number: 6869506
    Abstract: An apparatus for decreasing heat emission and enhancing a vacuum system in a papermaking machine is provided. Such an apparatus includes a drying device having an inlet for receiving heated air for removing moisture from a paper web and an outlet for exhausting the moisture-containing air from the drying device. A vacuum system is configured to produce a suction and receive the moisture-containing air. A web handling device is disposed upstream of the drying device and is configured to interact with the web before the web is directed to the drying device. The web handling device is further configured to receive a portion of the moisture-containing air from the drying device, wherein the portion of the moisture-containing air is directed through the web by the web handling device to facilitate dewatering of the web before the moisture-containing air is received by the vacuum system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Metso Paper Karlstad Aktiebolag (AB)
    Inventor: Dennis Edward Jewitt
  • Patent number: 6742284
    Abstract: The invention is a drying system and a method for its use, the drying system having a container containing a product to be dried and a dryer. The dryer includes an inlet for providing the drying air, a drying air pathway, and a furnace for heating the drying air. The drying air flows through a supply route to the container, where the drying air dries the product and is converted into a return air. The return air flows through a return route back to the dryer. The return air flows through a return air pathway and a heat exchanger which intersects the return air pathway and the drying air pathway. The heat exchanger transfers heat from the return air to the drying air. The return air is exhausted through an outlet. In a preferred embodiment, the container is a tobacco barn and the product is tobacco.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Advanced Dryer Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Khanh Dinh