Abstract: A drying apparatus for washed objects is capable of drying the objects in a reduced period of time, effectively preventing contamination of the objects during drying thereof, and attaining energy saving and a reduction in consumption of chemicals used. Mist of an organic solvent is generated by means of an ultrasonic wave in an organic solvent mist generating tank and the objects are immersed in a pure water tank, the pure water tank and organic solvent mist generating tank are then operated to communicate with each other to discharge pure water and place the objects in an atmosphere of the organic solvent mist, and then nitrogen gas is fed to the pure water tank to purge the organic solvent mist with the nitrogen gas.

Abstract: A basket or dryer liner that has the usual basket shape, i.e, generally cylindrical, but is resiliently compressible or deformable along multiple axes for reshaping into irregular shapes. It has perforate bottom wall and side walls and an open top and is generally symmetrical about x, y, and z axes that are orthogonal to each other. The basket may be manually compressed alone these axes and then allowed to return to its normal shape when released. Thus, it has a non-compressed, relaxed state wherein it has maximum exterior dimensions and can stand-alone and serve the normal functions of a basket. The basket also has a compressed condition wherein at least certain of the dimensions of the basket are less than said maximum dimensions so that it can be fitted into a dryer, allowed to expand, and serve as a dryer liner. Wet clothes and other items can then be placed in the basket through the dryer opening in the normal manner.

Abstract: The invention permits the application of an identifying mark onto a fast-dissolving dosage form without the need for application of pressure or printing directly onto the dosage unit. The invention comprises preparing of a fast-dissolving dosage unit that is embossed with an identifying mark such as a manufacturer's logo, medicinal component strength, or other information relating to the unit. The desired identifying mark is first embossed onto the base of the container such as a blister pocket. Liquid suspension is then filled into the container and solidified, e.g., freeze-dried, therein. The resulting dosage unit in the container is thereby embossed with a substantial copy of the identifying mark that was embossed on the base of the container. The embossed identifying mark on the base of the container remains thereon as well thereby affording the ability to learn the identifying mark on the enclosed unit without opening the packet.

Abstract: A process and an apparatus for recovering and treating hazardous and non-hazardous components from process streams generated from a continuous system for selectively separating organic and inorganic constituents from contaminated material. The contaminated material is heated to a first temperature sufficient to volatilize water and lower boiling point constituents contained in the material, thereby producing a dried solid material and a first gas containing water vapor and volatilized lower boiling point constituents. The contaminated material is heated in a dryer, which includes an indirect heated hot oil screw dryer having a screw for conveying the material. The first gas is separated from the dried solid material. The lower boiling point constituents are recovered from the first gas.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for minimizing the amount of smoke to which a shielded person is exposed. The apparatus, or air rail, has a conduit and a fan. The conduit has an air outlet through which air is forced by the fan. In operation, the fan generates an air flow that enters the conduit and exits through the air outlet. The exited air flow is directed generally away from the shielded person and is interposed between the shielded person and the smoke. The exited air flow therefore creates a barrier which minimizes the amount of smoke to which the shielded person is exposed. By minimizing the amount of smoke to which the shielded person is exposed, the apparatus and method creates a better environment for the shielded person.

Abstract: The air mixer defined herein serves for static mixing of a heated air stream in a flow channel of a circulated air stream upstream of a heat treatment chamber for drying textile goods or tissue webs for example. For this purpose the air mixer is provided with air mixing parts that consist of hollow bodies arranged in the flow cross section of the first air stream with spaces between them, said bodies being provided to receive and conduct the second air stream with inlet openings and outlet nozzles located endwise on one side.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning a belt dryer (10) with at least one belt (18) running through a drying space (17) for receiving the products to be dried, and a cleaning nozzle emitting a cleaning agent into the drying space (17) of the belt dryer (10) the apparatus includes at least one nozzle (31, 32, 33; 61) arranged for traveling in the longitudinal direction (22) and/or transverse direction (29) of the belt (18). The invention relates furthermore to a belt dryer, in the drying space (17) of which at least one traveling slide (30, 44) and/or at least one extensible arm (60) is arranged, applied to the slide or arm is at least one nozzle (31, 32, 33; 61).

Abstract: A hair dryer is provided which dries hair by convection and infrared radiation heating. The dryer includes a hand grip extending downward, an intake opening and an exhaust opening, and a halogen heater comprising a U-shaped quartz tube with a tungsten filament. Infrared radiation is emitted by the quartz tube and a fan is rotated by a motor which causes air from the air intake opening to flow past the halogen heater to heats an air stream that is discharged from the exhaust opening.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing particles from a surface of an article, such as a semiconductor wafer in a clean room. The particles are supplied with an electric charge. Subsequently, an ultrasonic wave or a gas stream is applied onto the surface of the article while an electric field is applied for driving away the electrically charged particles from the surface, thereby removing particles having a dimension smaller than 1 micrometer from the surface. The presence of a collecting member allows the removal of resulting, floating particles.

Abstract: A hair dryer used for drying and styling hair includes a heating element in a passage connecting an air inlet and an air outlet. The heating element has a ceramic coating layer, which is coated with mixed powder of extreme infrared material and poly-element minerals, both in powder form.

Abstract: The invention is a convective airflow dryer system for coffee beans and other such crops, that includes a removable materials container. The removable, stackable container has at least one interior airway structure extending from, preferably, the bottom or sidewall surface to about the top of the container. The airflow structure is configured to freely admit, flow and transfer air, including moisture ladened air, through a port or vent in the bottom or sidewall, over its length and breadth into and out of the coffee beans or other crops or materials being dried, and out the top of the container. The dryer system and the containers are configured for directing the full airflow of the dryer system through the container or set of interconnected containers when in place, and to easily remove the containers from the dryer for emptying, refilling and reuse.

Abstract: A method of treating a piece of lumber including the steps of a) analyzing the lumber to detect a surface defect at a site on the lumber; b) removing at least a portion of the surface defect to form an opening in the lumber at the site of the defect; c) drying the lumber using a process wherein moisture is allowed to escape from the lumber through the opening; and, d) inserting a solid plug in the opening to refill the opening in the lumber.

Abstract: A system (10) for processing wafers and cleaning wafer cassettes (160, 260, 460) includes a work cell (12) having a plurality of processing stations (14) for processing wafers, and at least one processing/cleaning station (30, 130, 230, 430) for receiving and delivering wafers to and from a wafer cassette (160, 260, 460), a transfer mechanism (16) for moving the wafers between the plurality of processing stations (14) and the cleaning station (30). The cleaning station (30, 130, 230, 430) may have an exterior door (32, 132, 232, 432), an exhaust (34, 134, 234, 434), an interior door (40, 140, 240, 440), a plurality of gas nozzles (166, 266, 466) for delivering a sweeping gas over the wafer cassette (160, 260, 460). The cleaning process can also be done with a loaded cassette (160, 260, 460) that is unloaded before cleaning.

Abstract: A heat exchanger for use on existing grain dryers or integral to new grain dryers that recovers heat from the moist hot exhaust air leaving the grain columns and uses this recovered heat to preheat ambient air being drawn into the grain dryer via a blower. The heat exchanger utilizes heat exchange columns separated from ambient air columns by heat conductive walls. The heat conductive walls allow for a transfer of heat from the moist hot exhaust air through the heat conductive walls and into the ambient air being drawn into the grain dryer through the ambient air columns. The heat conductive walls do not allow for the mixing nor contact of the moist hot exhaust air with the ambient air. Therefore, heat is transferred to the ambient air being drawn into the grain dryer without the addition of moisture to the ambient air and the resulting decrease in moisture holding capacity that would result.

Abstract: A process for drying semiconductor wafers includes loading a wafer wetted with rinsing fluid into a rotor and orientating the wafer along a substantially vertical plane. A gas saturated with a solvent vapor is passed over the wafer surfaces until condensation forms on the wafer and displaces residual fluid. The rotation of the wafer by the rotor at a first rotation speed to aids the flushing and displacement of residual fluid. The passage of a dry gas over the wafer combined with the rotation of the wafer at a second rotation speed promotes drying of solvent condensed on the wafer. The first rotation speed is limited to a rate that does not cause the condensed solvent film to evaporate as quickly as it forms. The second rotation speed may exceed that of the first rotation speed to complete the drying of the wafer. The rotor and process chamber are optionally pre-saturated with condensed solvent vapor prior to the introduction of a wafer to hasten the drying process.

Abstract: An air knife mouth arrangement for use in an air knife assembly having a laterally extending mouth through which pressurized fluid passes to operate on a coating applied to a surface of a sheet material passing the mouth in a longitudinal direction to control the thickness of the coating. In the preferred form of the invention shown the air knife mouth arrangement comprises a mouth defined by a pair of facing lips, each lip having in front elevation a curved shape along its length. The curved shapes of the two lips face each other. The lips of the air knife mouth arrangement are selectively laterally displaceable relative to each other by a moving means so as to thereby vary the separation of the lips and hence the width of the mouth along the length of the mouth.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for the gelatin coating of medicaments which includes a continuous conveyer system to advance a plurality of pallets through a loading station, at least one dipping station, at least one dryer station, a reorientation station and an unloading station. Medicaments to be coated are loaded into pallets at the loading station and advanced to the first dipping station where a vacuum is applied to secure the medicament to the pallet. The pallet is inverted and a first portion of each of the medicaments is dipped into a coating mixture. The pallet is then returned to its upright position, the vacuum is removed and the coating is dried. The medicaments are then transferred from the first pallet to a second pallet by a reorientation mechanism. The second pallet is then advanced to a second dipping station which operates in the same manner as the first dipping station.

Abstract: A method and device for thermal drying of a solid product in small pieces utilizing a first contact element and a second contact element between which a layer of the solid product can be brought into contact. The first contact element and, opposed thereto, the second contact element, are arranged so that at least one contact element is heated comprising a heat source forming part and at least one of the contact elements is gas permeable.

Abstract: A vacuum processing chamber preventing corrosion of a magnetic seal means and removing the heavy metals, organic matter, etc. produced by the corrosion, including a vacuum processing chamber, a rotated member (for example, a susceptor and a wafer holder), a rotary shaft penetrating one side of the vacuum chamber and rotating the rotated member, and a cavity being defined between an inner wall of the magnetic seal means and the rotary shaft, said magnetic seal means maintaining the air-tightness in the vacuum processing chamber by using a magnetic fluid in the cavity; a gas inlet introducing a barrier gas (for example, an inert gas like N2, Ar, or He or an inert gas having a slight amount of O2 added) to the cavity; and a gas outlet extracting a gas inside the cavity.

Abstract: The present invention provides method and apparatus for reducing particulate contamination during the processing of a substrate. In one embodiment, the step of preheating a substrate in a preheater to a desired temperature. The preheated substrate is transferred from the preheater to a buffer region having a pressure therein that is between about two (2) Torr and about seven hundred and sixty (760) Torr. The preheated substrate is transferred from the buffer region to a reaction chamber. Thermophoretic forces help repel particles away from the substrate surface during substrate transfer.