Abstract: A commercial scale system and process for chemically modifying wood and then heating the chemically-modified wood. The system/process separates the chemical modification step from the heating step by utilizing two different vessels for the modification and heating steps. The system and process can, in certain situations, include a containment room for preventing escape of vapors from a chemical wood modification reactor, a wood heater, and/or a chemically-modified bundle of wood as the bundle is transported from the wood modification reactor to the wood heater.

Abstract: A commercial scale system and process for chemically modifying wood and then heating the chemically-modified wood. The system/process separates the chemical modification step from the heating step by utilizing two different vessels for the modification and heating steps. The system and process can, in certain situations, include a containment room for preventing escape of vapors from a chemical wood modification reactor, a wood heater, and/or a chemically-modified bundle of wood as the bundle is transported from the wood modification reactor to the wood heater.

Abstract: A commercial scale system and process for chemically modifying wood and then heating the chemically-modified wood. The system/process separates the chemical modification step from the heating step by utilizing two different vessels for the modification and heating steps. The system and process can, in certain situations, include a containment room for preventing escape of vapors from a chemical wood modification reactor, a wood heater, and/or a chemically-modified bundle of wood as the bundle is transported from the wood modification reactor to the wood heater.

Abstract: A microwave heater capable of heating a bundle of wood and equipped with an optimized system for introducing microwave energy into the heater. The system uses a high-efficiency elongated waveguide launcher having a plurality of launch openings defined in relatively thin walls. The waveguide launcher can exhibit a launch efficiency of at least 50 percent, thereby providing substantially energy savings over conventional waveguide launchers.

Abstract: This application provides a process for producing a refried bean product. The refried bean product contains both homogenized cooked bean particles and larger sized cooked bean particles and provides a texture typical of refried beans. The present process includes hydrating dried beans in water a period of time sufficient to increase the moisture content of the beans, cooking the hydrated beans in water, coarse grinding the cooked beans to provide a bean slurry, dividing the bean slurry into first and second portions, milling the first bean portion to provide a milled bean portion, homogenizing the milled bean portion with water to provide an homogenized bean portion, combining the homogenized portion and the second coarse ground bean portion with water, spices and lard to provide a combined bean mixture, and mixing the combined bean mixture to provide a refried bean product.

Abstract: This application provides a process for producing a refried bean product. The refried bean product contains both homogenized cooked bean particles and larger sized cooked bean particles and provides a texture typical of refried beans. The present process includes hydrating dried beans in water a period of time sufficient to increase the moisture content of the beans, cooking the hydrated beans in water, coarse grinding the cooked beans to provide a bean slurry, dividing the bean slurry into first and second portions, milling the first bean portion to provide a milled bean portion, homogenizing the milled bean portion with water to provide an homogenized bean portion, combining the homogenized portion and the second coarse ground bean portion with water, spices and lard to provide a combined bean mixture, and mixing the combined bean mixture to provide a refried bean product.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system is provided with a rotatable arm having a movable joint, an infrared lamp coupled to the rotatable arm, and an electrical cable extending through the rotatable arm and the movable joint. In another embodiment, a system is provided with a base and an arm coupled to the base via a first rotatable joint, wherein the arm has an arcuate shape. The system also may include a head coupled to the arm via a second rotatable joint, an infrared lamp coupled to the head, and a temperature sensor disposed adjacent the infrared lamp. Furthermore, the system may include an air flow passage extending through the first rotatable joint, the arm, and the second rotatable joint. A fan also may be pneumatically coupled to the air flow passage. In addition, an electrical cable may be disposed in the air flow passage, wherein the electrical cable extends to the infrared lamp and the temperature sensor.

Abstract: This application provides a process for producing a refried bean product. The refried bean product contains both homogenized cooked bean particles and larger sized cooked bean particles and provides a texture typical of refried beans. The present process includes hydrating dried beans in water a period of time sufficient to increase the moisture content of the beans, cooking the hydrated beans in water, coarse grinding the cooked beans to provide a bean slurry, dividing the bean slurry into first and second portions, milling the first bean portion to provide a milled bean portion, homogenizing the milled bean portion with water to provide an homogenized bean portion, combining the homogenized portion and the second coarse ground bean portion with water, spices and lard to provide a combined bean mixture, and mixing the combined bean mixture to provide a refried bean product.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system is provided with a rotatable arm having a movable joint, an infrared lamp coupled to the rotatable arm, and an electrical cable extending through the rotatable arm and the movable joint. In another embodiment, a system is provided with a base and an arm coupled to the base via a first rotatable joint, wherein the arm has an arcuate shape. The system also may include a head coupled to the arm via a second rotatable joint, an infrared lamp coupled to the head, and a temperature sensor disposed adjacent the infrared lamp. Furthermore, the system may include an air flow passage extending through the first rotatable joint, the arm, and the second rotatable joint. A fan also may be pneumatically coupled to the air flow passage. In addition, an electrical cable may be disposed in the air flow passage, wherein the electrical cable extends to the infrared lamp and the temperature sensor.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, the present technique provides a system for curing a surface material disposed on a vehicle. The system includes an electrically actuated arm having an arm structure, a motorized drive coupled to the arm structure, and an actuator communicatively coupled to the motorized drive. The system also has a radiative curing device coupled to the arm structure, and a curing controller communicatively coupled to the radiative curing device.

Abstract: The present technique provides a system and method for finishing and curing a desired material applied to a surface of a target object, such as a vehicle. An adjustable arm assembly is used to position a curing device, such as a radiative curing mechanism, adjacent the surface having the desired material. The adjustable arm assembly has an arm structure, which is rotatable between minimum and maximum vertical positions. At a head of the arm structure, the adjustable arm assembly has an adjustable height mechanism to adapt the vertical range of the arm structure to a particular target object, such as a large-sized or small-sized object. The head may support any suitable finishing or curing device, such as an infrared lamp. The adjustable height mechanism may have a reversible coupling assembly, mutually exclusive high and low couplings, a pivotal offset coupling, a rail assembly, or any other suitable coupling having at least two different height options.

Abstract: A system and method for developing a heat treatment process using a model radiative-heating oven, which repeatably and accurately simulates an industrial heat treatment system. In order to simulate the industrial heat treatment system, the model radiative-heating oven uses a variety of scaling factors, such as heating density parameters. The model radiative-heating oven also may have a quickly openable and closable object carrier, which facilitates a timely start and end of a desired heat treatment process. An oven temperature stabilizer also may be provided for thermally stabilizing the model radiative-heating oven prior to the desired heat treatment process. The present technique also may utilize a variety of heat profile controls, such as time, temperature, and power levels, to provide the desired heat profile in the heat treatment process.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and method for improving the integrity of seams of ravioli in commercial production. The improvement includes applying dry steam to the top surface of the bottom layer of pasta dough and to the bottom surface of the top layer of pasta dough before sealing the seams together. Steam is applied via a pair of steam manifolds adjacent the pasta layers and increases the adhesiveness of the pasta. In another aspect, stresses in the layers of pasta dough are relieved by forming the individual pockets into convex shapes, reducing the stresses in the upper pasta dough layer.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and method for sealing the seams of ravioli in commercial production. The improvement includes applying dry steam to the top surface of the bottom layer of pasta dough and to the bottom surface of the top layer of pasta dough before crimping the seams together. Steam is applied via a pair of steam manifolds adjacent the pasta layers and increases the adhesiveness of the pasta.

Abstract: A plurality of treatment station includes a plurality of heat treatment portions and staging portions. The staging portions utilize non-contact temperature sensors to measure an intensity of infrared radiation emitted from a part to be heat treated. A plurality of wavelengths of infrared energy emitted from a part are read with the wavelengths used as inputs to an empirical equation to calculate an apparent actual temperature of the part. The staging portions and the heat treatment portions are shielded to prevent infrared energy from the heat treatment portion from interfering with the accuracy of the staging portions.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for heat treating a product. The apparatus includes a retort having a volume sized to receive a bed of fluidized particles having a predetermined elevation within the volume and a plurality of electrically powered infrared radiation sources. The sources are submerged within the bed of fluidized particles. Use of the apparatus to reclaim foundry sand is also disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for heat treating a granular material. The apparatus includes a retort having a volume sized to receive a bed of fluidizing particles at a predetermined elevation within the volume and a plurality of electrically powered infrared radiation sources. The sources are submerged within the bed. The apparatus includes a deflector plate for deflecting granular material from an upper elevation of said bed to close proximity to said radiation sources.

Abstract: A process for heat treating a coating applied to an automobile body is disclosed. The process is carried out with apparatus which includes radiant heating elements for generating radiant heat in a predetermined path and convection heating elements for generating the flow of heated air. The method comprises the steps of positioning a freshly coated automobile body within the apparatus and heating the body with the radiant heat for a time sufficient to set the coating on Class A surfaces of the body. After the Class A surfaces are set, heated air is flowed around the body to heat the body and cure the coating on the Class A surfaces and the non-Class A surfaces.

Abstract: An apparatus for heat treating a coating applied to an automobile body is disclosed. The apparatus includes radiant heating elements for generating radiant heat. Controls separately control zones of the elements in response to characteristics of the body to uniformly heat treat the body.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for heat treating a coating applied to an automobile body. The process includes the steps of radiant heating of a coating prior to convection heating.