Abstract: Embodiments herein include devices adaptable to dehydrate articles, including foods. Embodiments are shown which can be compacted for reduced storage, and/or shipping requirements and/or for other purposes. Embodiments include simple, inexpensive means for controlling dehydrating conditions, including airflow. Various article holding devices, including devices to hold foods being dehydrated, are also shown. Such devices include vertical, diagonal, and horizontal panels to secure articles. Embodiments shown have variations which include the use of non-motorized convection airflow, as well as devices which incorporate motor driven air movement means. Embodiments are shown which may be used for preparing articles, including foods, for dehydration, including slicing such articles.

Abstract: In a modulating gas burner, the mixing ratio of a gas/air mixture is controlled over a modulation range of the gas burner by a pneumatic controller. During burner on phases, the combustion quality is monitored via a combustion quality sensor. The combustion quality is used to detect tolerances of the pneumatic controller and/or a potentially changing behavior of the pneumatic controller by checking if the combustion quality is inside or outside a defined combustion quality range. When the combustion quality is inside the defined combustion quality range, the mixing ratio of gas and air of the gas/air mixture is not changed. When the combustion quality is outside the defined combustion quality range, the mixing ratio of gas and air of the gas/air mixture is changed by adjusting a gas throttle to compensate for tolerances of the pneumatic controller and/or for a potentially changing behavior of the pneumatic controller.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process and to a unit for chemical looping oxidation-reduction combustion of a hydrocarbon feed, wherein heat exchanges are controlled through a level variation of a dense fluidized bed of active mass particles in an external heat exchanger (E1, E2), positioned on a transport line carrying particles circulating between a reduction zone (210) and an oxidation zone (200) for the particles in the chemical loop. The bed level variation is allowed through controlled application of a pressure drop on a fluidization gas outlet in the heat exchanger, said pressure drop being compensated by the level variation of an active mass particle bed in a reservoir zone provided on the particle circuit in the chemical loop.

Abstract: A drying device having a travel path along which a web (W) of paper travels, a plurality of drying ovens arranged side by side along the travel path, a plurality of conveyor rolls provided in each of the drying ovens to convey the web (W) along the travel path, a plurality of roll units each constituted by one or more of the conveyor rolls and separated from each other along the travel path, and a plurality of conveyor motors connected to the respective roll units to rotate the conveyor rolls, wherein a downstream one of the roll units with respect to the travel path is rotated at a lower rotating speed than an upstream one of the roll units.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a candle blower. More specifically, the present invention is an automated candle blower programmable to direct a flow of air to the general position of a flame on a burning candle.

Abstract: An ignition controlling device of a gas appliance includes a high-voltage provider, a controller, and a flame sensor. The gas appliance includes an ignition electrode and a burner, and the ignition electrode is beside burner. The high-voltage provider has an output terminal, and the output terminal is electrically connected to the ignition electrode to provide high-voltage pulses to the ignition electrode. The controller controls the high-voltage provider to provide the high-voltage pulses. The flame sensor is electrically connected to the output terminal of the high-voltage provider to detect a flame around the ignition electrode and the burner. After a flame is detected by the flame sensor, the controller controls the high-voltage provider to stop the high-voltage pulses.

Abstract: The solar heating apparatus has a base box and a main axle mounted on the base box. At least one mirror support arm is mounted orthogonal to the main axle and supports a plurality of mirrors. In a first embodiment, a circular plate on the side of the base box rotates the main axle to bank the mirrors to track azimuth and a belt or chain drive rotates the mirror support arms to track elevation. In a second embodiment, the main axle is a beam mounted on a rotating circular plate on top of the base box to track azimuth and bevel gears drive a belt or chain drive that rotates the mirror support arms to track elevation. In a third embodiment, the mirror support arms are driven to rotate by bevel gears and the main axle through belt or chain drives.

Abstract: A dishwasher includes a tub having an air outlet, an airflow conduit fluidly coupling the tub air outlet to ambient air, a blower assembly forcing air to flow from the tub and through the tub air outlet into the airflow conduit, a first reservoir associated with the airflow conduit and collecting liquid condensed from the air forced through the airflow conduit, the first reservoir fluidly coupled to the tub for draining the collected liquid into the tub, and a second reservoir associated with the airflow conduit downstream of the first reservoir and collecting liquid condensed from the air prior to the exhaustion of the air to the ambient air, wherein any liquid not collected by the first reservoir is collected by the second reservoir for evaporation.

Abstract: A collecting hood for capturing exhaust air above cooking areas, production devices and the like is provided. The collecting hood includes a vapor chamber, an extraction chamber and an air supply chamber. The vapor chamber is downwardly open and tapers upward. The extraction chamber is separated from the vapor chamber by a filter or a separator. The filter or separator forms an inclined boundary of the upwardly tapering vapor chamber. The air supply chamber tapers downward and merges at its bottom end into a curved deflection region which opens out into a discharge opening which is arranged at a bottom end of the vapor chamber. Supply air, which is blown into the air supply chamber, emerges from the discharge opening horizontally or upwardly at an angle in the direction of the filter or separator. A negative pressure chamber is arranged between the vapor chamber and the air supply chamber.

Abstract: One aspect of this disclosure provides a heating chamber for a gas furnace that comprises opposing halves joined together. The joined opposing halves form a clamshell panel having at least one truncated corner located adjacent a curve located at a back end of a chamber path of the one or more clamshell heating chambers.

Abstract: Heating devices and methods for mitigating heating device pollution are generally described. In an example embodiment, a heating device includes a primary combustion chamber for combustion of a fuel. A first and a second secondary combustion chamber are in fluid communication with the primary combustion chamber for receiving an exhaust flow of combustion products from the primary combustion chamber and are configured for combustion of one or more combustion products received from the primary combustion chamber. The first and second secondary combustion chambers may provide parallel fluid paths from the primary combustion chamber. A secondary combustion selector is provided for selectively allowing the exhaust flow through the first and second secondary combustion chambers.

Abstract: A furnace includes a combustion blower and one or more pressure switches. In some cases, the one or more pressure switches may be used to calculate one or more operating points for the combustion blower. Additional operating points may be calculated by interpolation and/or extrapolation, as appropriate. The furnace may temporarily alter these operating points as necessary to keep the furnace safely operating in response to minor and/or transient changes in the operating conditions of the furnace.

Abstract: A vibratory dryer includes a conveying surface over which a bed of materials to be dried is conveyed, the surface having an inlet end and an outlet end, and passages through which air passes through the conveying surface to pass through the bed of materials on the conveying surface, a source of heated air coupled to the passages to supply heated air to the bed through the passages, and a vibration generator coupled to the conveying surface. The dryer also includes at least one rotary mixer having an impeller spaced from the conveying surface at a distance so as to be disposed within the bed, the at least one rotary mixer disposed along the length of the conveying surface between the inlet end and the outlet end. The at least one rotary mixer is adapted to provide uplift within the bed without de-densification of the bed.

Abstract: A cooking hob, or a ceramic hob, for a fixed or mobile cooking appliance, the hob including at least one cooking area and at least one control and/or information area, the control and/or information area being formed by a window separated from the cooking area by at least one joint made of synthetic material. The joint includes a mechanism for fixing a control and/or display screen under the window.

Abstract: The present invention provides a gas safety ignition switch, comprising components of a gas switch body, a closer unit, a rotary knob unit, a presser, a micro switch and an electronic ignition device, characterized in that: one side of the gas switch body is configured with an opening, the opening being corresponding to an actuation point of the micro switch and the spindle, an actuator, configured inside the opening in a movable manner, including an contacting end and a pushing end, the pushing end being corresponding to the actuation point of the micro switch; the edge of the driving diaphragm is also configured with an indentation corresponding to one end of the actuator; thus, when pressing the spindle of the rotary knob unit, the driving diaphragm can move so that the contacting end of the actuator will be right inside the indentation, and when turning the spindle, the driving diaphragm will turn synchronously to tightly push against the contacting end, and will push the actuator to further drive the mic

Abstract: A steam-based faux fireplace comprising a boiler configured to receive a fluid and generate steam, and a manifold configured to receive the steam from the boiler and emit the steam to generate a steam plume at an output. The manifold has a conduit configured to receive fluid from a reservoir and route the fluid about the manifold to heat the fluid before being routed to the boiler. The manifold is already heated due to the emitted steam. This configuration pre-heats the fluid before being presented to the boiler, allowing a smaller low power boiler to be used because the manifold acts as a fluid pre-heater. A very realistic faux flame with a significant length is generated from the low power boiler. In addition, the manifold includes a deflector configured to receive the impinging steam from the output, causing the steam to lose some energy and billow about the deflector and then illuminated to create a realistically looking flame.

Abstract: A system includes a multi-feeder assembly. The multi-feeder assembly includes a first solids feeder, a liquid removal section, and a second solids feeder. The first solids feeder is configured to receive a solids flow from an upstream system. The liquid removal section is configured to reduce an amount of liquid in the solids flow. The second solids feeder is configured to receive the solids flow in series with the first solids feeder and output the solids flow to a downstream system.

Abstract: A partitioning apparatus for a washer/dryer combination includes a plurality of arch sections, a plurality of longitudinal couplers, a plurality of flanges attached to or formed on each of the plurality of longitudinal couplers, and a locking means for affixing the plurality of longitudinal couplers to a drum of the washer/dryer combination. The plurality of arch sections form a cylindrical body and the partitioning apparatus divides the drum of the washer/dryer combination into a cylindrical space and a plurality of arch spaces.

Abstract: A burner comprises a tubular diffuser wall and an inlet passage for a gas mixture into the diffuser wall, as well as a first diaphragm with one or more first through openings and a second diaphragm with one or more second through openings of different shape and distribution from those of the first through openings, said first and second diaphragms being substantially concentric and arranged in sequence in the inlet passage.

Abstract: A system of capturing waste heat includes a heat recovery unit (20) having a heat exchanger (35) arranged to transfer heat between a fluid circulating in a refrigerant loop (60) and a fluid circulating in a solar loop (70) and another heat exchanger (39) arranged to transfer heat between the fluid in the solar loop (70) and a fluid circulating in a water loop (50). Controllable first, second, and third three-way valves (V1-V3) provide or prevent, depending on fluid temperatures, an A-B, B-C, and A-C flow path through the valve. The first valve (V1) is arranged in the water loop (50) upstream of the second heat exchanger (39). The second (V2) is arranged in the solar loop (70) upstream of the second heat exchanger (39). The third valve (V3) is arranged in the solar loop (70) between the first and second heat exchangers (35, 39).