Abstract: An infrared wood product dryer apparatus (10) constructed in accordance with the invention broadly includes enclosure structure (12) defining an interior (20), a conveyor assembly (14) configured for conveying a particulate material along a material flow path through the interior (20) substantially between an inlet (22) and an outlet (24), an array of infrared radiant energy sources (22) configured for exposing the material to infrared radiant energy while it is conveyed along the path (38), and a series of agitators (18) configured for agitating the material in order to increase the exposure of the material to the infrared radiant energy. A gas recirculation assembly (52) is provided to direct a heated interior gas onto the material in order to convection-dry the material. An exhaust assembly (62) reduces the moisture content of the interior gas by drawing a quantity of the gas from the dryer (10) so that fresh gas having a lower moisture content may be drawn into the dryer (10).

Abstract: This invention pertains to a process as well as an apparatus for the production of elongated pasta products, particularly lasagna, wherein the pasta products are formed via a pasta production apparatus in parallel lines, positioned on drying rods, dried and upon solidification, cut into packaging lengths and packed for consumer use. After cutting, the lasagna are moved, in series, via slides, and stacked in portions, of predeterminable numbers, at a conveyor. The conveyor preferably takes the form of a ring-type conveyor for the serial packaging of these portions, whereby inspections, additions and exact weight determination of these portions can be accomplished.

Abstract: The invention relates to a single pass airflow apparatus for cooling and drying corrugated product having open flutes, comprising an airflow exhaust duct having a first cross-sectional area, an inlet plenum with a cross-section area greater than the airflow exhaust duct and having an exit in airflow communication with an inlet to the airflow exhaust duct. The plenum has an open faced chamber abuttingly facing the stack of corrugated product which presents the open flutes to the plenum. A fan is provided for drawing airflow through corrugated product into the plenum and from there into airflow exhaust duct from whence the drawn air is exhausted to atmosphere. The invention is directed to the structure and to the method of its use.

Abstract: A dryer with zone temperature controls for drying thick polymer-solvent layers on a substrate. The dryer is formed with several heating elements located in an air duct. The cool air is heated a specific amount as it passes each heating element. The heated air is then applied to the polymer-solvent solution on the substrate in a continuous fashion so that the polymer-solvent solution slowly heats up as it passes through the drying apparatus. The preferred design is to ensure a zone residence time of less than 10 seconds and a web heating rate of 10.degree. F./second or less. Most preferred design is a zone residence time less than 5 seconds and a heating rate less that 5.degree. F./second. The dryer is designed to have a continuous temperature gradient, especially in the critical later stages of drying when the solvent content of the film is less than 20%.

Abstract: A method for drying wood strands and the like is shown and described. In a preferred embodiment, the strands are fed onto a conveyor which then moves the strands as a bed through a dryer housing. The housing may be partitioned into various zones and levels, depending on the desired configuration. A volume of drying air is heated and then passed through the bed of strands to reduce the moisture content of the strands. In a preferred embodiment, the strands are agitated to promote the even exposure of the strands to the drying heat. The strands are then conveyed through a conditioning zone before being discharged from the dryer housing.

Abstract: Apparatus for production of long pasta products has a press, a movable bar hanging arrangement from which the products are suspended and a drier. The drier is constructed as a single level drier with a rapid heating zone and an intense drying zone. The rapid heating zone has several different climate zones of differing temperatures, and fresh and exhaust air ducts. The intense drying zone has a plurality of ventilated elements. The drier includes a climate controller for each climate zone. The rapid heating zone and intense drying zone are formed as a circulating system for fresh and exhaust air. Inside the drier, air flow is zonally controlled and directed, in each element, from top to bottom or bottom to top. A supplemental air system is provided for the plurality of ventilated elements. At least part of the circulating air is blown in as in a turbo system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for drying a non-aqueous liquid electrolyte through the non-contact use of a desiccant includes a closed system having separate containers for the electrolyte and the desiccant. The closed system is charged with an inert gas, and a means is provided to circulate the gas between the containers. A stirring means is provided to stir the electrolyte to facilitate the release of water from the electrolyte.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for processing a workpiece in an ambient-free, atmosphere of selected gas. A preparation vessel has an opening for entry of the workpiece and a diffuser oriented to emit across the vessel opening a laminar curtain flow of the selected gas which enters, purges the vessel and prevents the infiltration of air. The workpiece on its carrier is transported into the preparation vessel where air is purged out and replaced with selected gas. A processing vessel has a similar workpiece entry opening and diffuser. The preparation vessel and the processing openings are brought into coincidence, and the carrier is transported into the processing vessel for processing of the workpiece in the atmosphere of selected gas provided by the processing vessel diffuser.

Abstract: A parts washer for cleaning individual parts is disclosed having a compartmentalized washing enclosure housing individual washing and drying chamber which are separated by slideable partitions which open to admit parts, close to isolate parts during a particular washing operation, and open to release parts to a subsequent chamber. The partitions are operated in a predetermined sequence by pivoting arms which are acted on by positive motion cams mounted on a motor driven camshaft. The wash chambers have nozzles connected to a cleaning medium supply for directing cleaner such as hot water or steam onto the part to be cleaned in a predetermined pattern for optimized cleaning and, similarly, the drying chambers utilize nozzles connected to a source of dried, compressed air to dry the heated parts. A feed track moves the parts to be cleaned from the parts source, such as a manufacturing machine, to and through the parts washer.

Abstract: An apparatus for incubating and/or incubating shaking biological test specimens having a detachable autoclavable chamber. The main incubating chamber is provided with a support plate and diffuser plate for directing a controlled flow of heated air to the biological test specimen. A transverse blower is provided to assist in providing uniform air flow within the main incubating chamber.

Abstract: In the process and apparatus for kiln-drying of malt, at least two zones (A and B) are provided for preliminary drying and one zone (A1) is provided for secondary drying and/cooling of the malt. The unsaturated exhaust air from the secondary drying and/or cooling zone (A1) is admixed as return air with the intake air system, while in the preliminary drying zones (A and B) respectively different preliminary drying times are achieved by the degree of their loading with malt, the design of the floor surface and/or by adjusting the volume flow, the temperature and/or the moisture content of the intake air, so that during the secondary drying in the secondary drying zone (A1), a predrying process is always in operation in at least one predrying zone (A or B). Each individual zone (A, B and A1) is separated in operation as to air technology from the others.

Abstract: A high pressure conditioning system apparatus and control network. A direct fired steam generator supplies a mixture of super-heated steam and oxygen-deficient non-condensable gases to a pressurized conditioner constructed for heating, mositurizing, and conditioning matter including cereals, grains, beans, full fat soybean, barley, and seeds for a selected period of time. The high pressure conditioner is adapted for homogeneous interaction of the direct fired steam, non-condensable gases and the matter to be conditioned. A pressurized resting chamber is used statically steam the conditioned matter. A myriad of chemical changes are advantageously induced by the utilization of high pressures, controlled time, temperature, direct fired steam, moisture content, and the homogeneous interaction thereof.

Abstract: Flat structural components such as sheetrock panels are dried sequentially by two different drying methods and devices. The first drying is performed as a convection drying, whereby surface layers of the panels are dried. The second drying is performed by a high frequency drying, whereby a still moist central core layer is dried down to a desired remainder moisture content. During the second drying by a high frequency generator, the moisture is driven out by diffusion, whereby any over-drying of outer surface layers is reversed again so that any over-drying, or rather damages that may be caused by dehydration of the gypsum in the sheetrock panels is repaired again since the outwardly diffusion moisture enables the gypsum to cure and set again.

Abstract: A material dryer, especially for bulk material, includes a single entrance pressurized drum housing and an endless conveyor for passing the material through the drum housing. The conveyor may include a screen belt. The housing and the dryer components in the housing are divided into identical modular units, except for the entrance and discharge units. Each modular unit includes a tubular housing section, a conveyor section, and a treatment medium handling section for circulating and heating the drying medium such as super-heated steam. The heating and circulating of the treatment medium is individually controllable in each modular unit. The entrance unit is equipped with conveyor belt guides and with a sealed material supply device. The discharge unit is equipped with a belt drive and with a sealed material discharge device.

Abstract: A dryer, especially for wood, has at least two drying chambers separated from each other by at least one partition wall, at least one fan in each of the drying chambers, and at least two connection passages for the reciprocal connection of the drying chambers. Each of the connection passages can be constricted or blocked off by blocking devices. To properly convey drying agent to where it is to be used, a fan is mounted in at least one of the drying chambers connected together by the connection passages, is associated with one connection passage, and is arranged directly adjacent to the connection passage. The blocking device includes a flap on one side only. When the flap is closed, it forms a part of the side wall of one connection passage. The flap is arranged directly in front of and in the conveying direction of the fan, such that, when it is open, it forms a deflector for the drying agent conveyed by the fan.

Abstract: Referring to process and equipment for the indirect drying of sludge, especially for the drying of wastewater sludge, which may undergo previous mechanical dehydration and/or preheating, it is intended to provide a method that permits utilizing low-value energy for drying purposes while avoiding environmental nuisance. With reference to the process, the problem is solved by drying the sludge under vacuum which is produced by withdrawing the water vapor by means of an injection condenser, the equipment provided for solving the problem comprising a barometric condensor associated with a mechanical sludge dehydrator and at least one sludge drier for indirect drying with an hermetically closed sludge space, the gas dome of the sludge space being connected to the injection condenser through a line for withdrawal of the water vapor.

Abstract: Method of and apparatus for temperature conditioning of matter of the type wherein matter to be conditioned is exposed to a vapor within a vessel for select heating and/or moisture absorption or desiccation. The system includes selectively providing a mixture of condensible and noncondensible gases while controlling the enthalpy, partial pressure and dew point thereof. The gas mixture is delivered to a vessel and interacted with matter disposed therein. The temperature of the matter is brought to the approximate dew point of the condensible and noncondensible gas mixture. In this manner, both the ultimate temperature and moisture content of the matter to be conditioned may be controlled by selectively controlling the aforesaid parameters of enthalpy, partial pressure and dew point. Control of the aforesaid parameters may likewise be affected by controlling the vessel pressure and the rate at which energy is supplied to the condensible and noncondensible gas mixture.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for heating selected portions of an article include transport means for moving the article into a heating compartment. Shroud means, which are disposed within the heating compartment and located adjacent to limited portion of the article, direct a stream of heated gas toward a marginal portion of this article. Supply means deliver a volume rate flow of heated gas to the shroud means, and discharge means remove a volume rate of exhaust gas flow from the heating compartment. The discharge means is constructed and arranged to provide a volume rate of exhaust gas flow from the heating compartment which is greater than the volume rate of heated gas flow supplied into the shroud means.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method vitrifying radioactive fission prods in liquid solution. The liquid solution is pumped in metered quantities from a feed container to a vitrifying oven. The offgas occurring during vitrification is scrubbed of entrained radioactive dust particles and the like by a scrubbing liquid in a scrubber. In order to obtain a simplified sequence of method steps for metering the liquid solution and for scrubbing the offgas, the radioactive fission product solution from the feed container itself is used as the scrubbing liquid. This fission product solution is taken from the feed container and conducted to the counterflow scrubber through which it is passed in a direction opposite to the flow of the offgas. The fission product solution used as a scrubbing liquid is returned to the feed container after passing through the counterflow scrubber.

Abstract: An auxiliary wood furnace for a bulk curing tobacco barn is arranged for installation in a basement immediately below the conventional oil or gas fired furnace for ease of barn modification and adaptation to burning wood as the source of heat.

Abstract: A method of curing a wet catalyst-curable resin on a substrate in which the substrate is passed through a treating zone provided by a sealed vapor-curing chamber connected to sealed entrance and exit ante chambers at respective ends. The ante chambers are each separated from the vapor-curing chamber by a wall provided with a passage having height-adjustable means to limit passage of gas. The substrate is passed in turn through the entrance chamber where the boundary layer of air is substantially replaced by inert gas, through the entrance chamber into the vapor-curing chamber where it is exposed to the catalyst vapor, and then through the exit chamber where the curing vapor is removed. When a web provides the substrate, a jet of curing vapor is impinged on the web surface as it enters the vapor-curing chamber at an angle and at a velocity effective substantially to remove the barrier layer of gas and permeate the coating.

Abstract: A heat exchanger for exchanging heat between solid particles and a gas where the particles fall vertically through a column under gravitational forces and the gas flows upwardly in the column. The heat exchanger has at least one stage in the column including a stack of packing elements supported by a support having openings through which gas may flow at a velocity sufficient to form a loose fluidized bed of particles. A grill is positioned in the lower part of the column through which gas may flow to support a dense fluidized bed of particles.

Abstract: Apparatus for processing meat products in a controlled environment, in which chambers are arranged in pairs, side by side with one another, and defined by outside walls, and a common median wall, with meat support means arranged on facing surfaces of the walls and having air ducts provided in the walls and openings provided over the extent of the inside surfaces of the walls whereby air may flow from side to side across the chambers and air supply ducts connected to distribution ducts in the walls, and a fan for forcing air therearound, and means whereby flow through the various ducts may be reversed at periodic intervals so that air flow will take place across the chambers in opposite directions, reversing at predetermined intervals during the treatment.

Abstract: A drier cabinet for drying fire-hoses of other similar hoses comprises an elongated horizontal receptacle (10), in which a plurality of hoses (19) may be placed side by side in extended positions to undergo drying in said receptacle. In order to permit a continuous operation of the drier cabinet, the receptacle (10) is divided into two parallel drying chambers (11), extending in side by side relationship along the length of the receptacle. At their upper ends, the drying chambers (11) have longitudinally extending openings which are individually closable by means of appurtenant covers (13). The two covers (13) are rigidly mounted on a common rotatable shaft (14), located between them and connected to a single driving motor (16). Additionally, the two covers (13) act as counterweights for each other to reduce the required driving power.

Abstract: A heat cycling apparatus and method is provided for heating at least two chambers utilizing a pressurized heat source. The heated air is directed first to one chamber and then to the other on a predetermined repetitive time cycle.

Abstract: An apparatus for drying fruits or other products comprises a drying unit and a connected cooling unit having conveyors therein for moving products to be dried from the cooling unit through the drying unit and then back to the cooling unit in a succession of cycles. Hot air from a heating unit is supplied to the end of the drying unit adjacent the cooling unit, and is directed through the drying unit away from the cooling unit for exhaust from the end of the drying unit remote from the cooling unit whereby, as the products being dried move through the drying unit away from the cooling unit they pass successively through air which is increasingly less hot and less dry and as said products thereafter move through the drying unit back toward the cooling unit they pass through air which is increasingly hotter and drier before reaching the cooling unit to start a new cycle.

Abstract: An oven, having a series of separate and isolated chambers which are horizontally aligned and sealed from each other and the ambient atmosphere and through which a continuous element is passed for treatment by heated gas within the chambers, is disclosed. The oven is provided with means for circulating heated gas to the chamber of the oven last-to-be-encountered by the element and cascading such heated gas successively through the other chambers to the first chamber to be encountered by the traveling element, or in an upstream direction relative to the travel of the element. Thus, the source of heated gas for a particular chamber is from the next succeeding downstream chamber which is contrary to present day ovens wherein each chamber is normally supplied with its own burner system for separately temperature conditioning gas circulated to that particular chamber.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for producing hardened carbonaceous agglomerates from a feedstock selected from the group consisting of finely divided coal solids, finely divided coal-derived solids and hydrocarbonaceous binders is disclosed.

Abstract: A heat cycling apparatus and method is provided for a bulk tobacco curing barn having at least two chambers in which the tobacco is cured in bulk utilizing a pressurized heat source. The heated curing air is directed first to one chamber and then to the other on a predetermined repetitive time cycle. Crops other than tobacco may be cured or dryed with the same apparatus and method on an appropriate time cycle.

Abstract: A tobacco bulk curing barn construction including a furnace section and a plurality of portable barn sections each having imperforate side walls and top wall that form substantially complete exterior walls and roof of an integral transverse section of a composite curing part of the barn construction. Flanges and sealing gaskets are provided along edges of each section to provide sealing engagement of adjacent sections in a series row formation. A screen is secured across one end of the barn section to define with the side walls a full section open curing space for receiving tobacco filled in bulk therein when the section is disposed flat on the screened end. A pair of open frames is mounted between the side walls for movement from open positions after an initial amount of tobacco has been filled into position on top of the leaves to limit the amount of compression which can subsequently be applied to the initial tobacco by virture of the subsequent full loading of leaves into the curing space.

Abstract: Incoming fresh air, which is introduced for heating in the furnace of a bulk curing barn for tobacco, travels the length of the barn in heat exchange relationship in a direction opposite to that of the hot, moist exhaust air leaving the curing chamber. The incoming fresh air is further preheated by means of a solar roof immediately beneath which the fresh air flows on its way to the furnace. The curing chamber itself is made substantially air tight, is insulated, and has the floor thereof elevated above the ground, thereby preventing heat loss as much as possible. The barn is sometimes portable so that it can be loaded with tobacco adjacent or near the tobacco field and moved to whatever location desired for the curing operation.In a preferred embodiment, additional amounts of fresh air are introduced beneath the edges of a corrugated surface which forms the solar roof, which air streams are heated both by the solar furnace from above, and also by the hot exhaust air in an exit duct immediately therebeneath.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a greenhouse curing and drying structure adapted to collect energy associated with available solar radiation and to utilize the heat associated therewith in curing and drying material within said greenhouse curing and drying structure. Basically the curing and drying structure comprises an outer transparent housing and an interiorly disposed solar energy collector housing defining a drying area or chamber thereunder. During phases of curing and drying material in the drying area or drying chamber, an outside air system is directed between said outer transparent housing and said collector housing where solar energy in the form of heat collected is transferred to the passing air system.

Abstract: Two or more compartments or steam chamber increments are separated by intermediate walls, and headers or conduits lead into such compartments for individually supplying steam thereto. The bottom wall of the compartments has longitudinal slots through the length thereof for discharging steam from the compartments down on a pulp mat. These slots are formed by upwardly and inwardly turned extensions on the side walls of the chamber in combination with one or more V-shaped troughs, and the upper edge portions of these extensions and the troughs have reversely turned ends for supplying rigidity to these members. In one arrangement, horizontal headers or conduits extend in from one end wall of the steam chamber and have steam supplying portions in the respective compartments.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and process for drying grains in situ immediately after harvesting without having to remove the moisture-containing grain from the truck or bin in which it was collected in the field during harvest. Perforated duct means are located longitudinally throughout the bin near the substantially air impervious floor of the bin, and this, in conjunction with perforated side panels within the bin, allows for heated air under pressure within the duct to be forced laterally outwardly through the grain and through the perforated side panels wherein the moisture-containing hot air is then allowed to exit upwardly through a flue space defined by the perforated side panels and the normal side panels of the bin or the like.