Parallel Circulation Only Patents (Class 34/213)
  • Patent number: 8726539
    Abstract: A gas heater with specialized controls allows an operator to deploy a single device to heat and to dry when extracting moisture from a structure. The heater has a fan in a blow thru arrangement ahead of a burner. The burner uses either natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas. The heater has air flow, fan motor, temperature, and ignition controls and sensors. The heater delivers high temperature air to the structure that hastens evaporation as the heated air absorbs great concentrations of water vapor. Then the moisture laden heated air exits the building as the heater draws in fresh air, ducts it into a structure, and pressurizes the structure. This moisture laden air then leaks from the building through select windows using the energy imparted from the fan and then exhausts the moisture to the atmosphere, drying the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Cambridge Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary J. Potter, Marc Braun, Jeffrey A. Kieffer
  • Patent number: 7883886
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for malting cereals comprising a tower (2) consisting a certain number of stories which are separated from each other by storey floors (9, 10), each storey comprising an air-proof carrier plate (13) carrying germinating cereals (24). Said tower also comprises air conditioning means for air conditioning, transfer means provided with a feeding channel and a removing channel for transferring conditioned air by means of the feeding channel which extends from air conditioning means downwards to the bottom of the carrier plate, passes along said carrier plate and a cereal layer arranged thereon in a direction of the top surface of said cereal layer and exits said top surface of the cereal layer by means of the removing channel. The inventive device is characterized in that the feeding channel and/or removing channel extend through a central opening in at least one storey floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Buehler AG
    Inventor: Gerardus Swinkels
  • Patent number: 5755039
    Abstract: A component drier for drying electronic components which are washed with solvent. The component drier includes a drying chamber, in which a vat having a bottom surface wall allowing passage of air and water is arranged. The vat stores components to be dried. Heated air is introduced into the drying chamber through an air inlet which is positioned above the vat. The air in the drying chamber is forcibly discharged through an air outlet which is positioned below the vat. Thus, a space under the vat has a sufficient negative pressure as compared with a space above the vat so that the air forcibly passes through clearances between the components downwardly from above the vat, thereby removing most part of the solvent moistening the components in the liquid state. A small quantity of liquid which is left on the components is subsequently efficiently vaporized by the heated air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masataka Mae, Masaaki Okane
  • Patent number: 5575714
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a stream of fluid around fresh produce, which produce is stored in containers provided with openings in the sides. A consecutive row of a multiplicity of such containers is arranged along a wall some distance from the latter, in such a way that an interspace is formed between the wall and the row. At least one bag which extends along at least one edge of the row is inflated in the interspace by feeding a fluid to the bag, in such a way that the bag produces a seal against the wall on one side and against the row on the other. The fluid fed to the bag flows via outflow openings made in the bag into the interspace and builds up an elevated pressure here. The fluid then flows from the interspace, via the openings in the sides of the container, around the fresh produce. The invention can be used in particular in storage rooms in which rows of containers containing fresh produce can be arranged along opposing side walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1996
    Assignee: Binair Groep B.V.
    Inventor: Johannes C. M. Rijs
  • Patent number: 5309827
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1994
    Assignee: Buehler AG
    Inventors: Josef Manser, Friedrich Egger, Werner Seiler
  • Patent number: 5249374
    Abstract: An apparatus for continuously drying and shrinking lengths of textile material (111) comprises a plurality of chambers (21 to 44), in which the textile material (111) is sucked through an inlet by means of drying air and carried along a treatment path to an outlet. The textile material is advanced to the inlet by means of a rotating winch. The chambers (21 to 44) are interconnected in series providing a treatment path for the textile material (111). The textile material is carried in sequence from the outlet of one chamber to the inlet of the succeeding chamber. The chambers (21 to 44) are arranged in succeeding, mutually separated groups (21 to 27, 28 to 35, 36 to 43, and 44), each group comprising an air feeding device (90) feeding heated drying air substantially to all its inlets (50), said air feeding device receiving air from all the succeeding groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1993
    Assignee: Vald. Henriksen A/S
    Inventors: Erik Henningsen, Jeppe Stigsen, Helge Christensen
  • Patent number: 5105558
    Abstract: Apparatus and process for the removal of moisture from cellulosic products such as pulp, paper and molded articles, and textile products, wherein gaseous water (steam) in a superheated state is utilized in an energy efficient manner as the drying medium. The apparatus is an enclosed system the operates continuously to dry the products while preventing air contamination from entering the apparatus and thereby reducing its drying efficiency. The apparatus comprises a plurality of drying sections wherein the number of drying sections connected in series is a function of the type and volume of the product or products to be dried. Within each drying section there exists indirect steam heating means, steam-recirculation means, an individual steam-supply chamber, and sections of a steam-return chamber which is open and common to all drying sections in the series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1992
    Inventor: Donald P. Curry
  • Patent number: 5101717
    Abstract: A description is provided of a process for producing long products with a moisture content of less than approximately 14% by weight and particularly approximately 11 to 13% by weight, the long product leaving the press head in the form of soft, moist-plastic dough strands being guided in suspended manner up to the final drying through varyingly heated climate zones and at the end of the drying process, the long product is cooled and/or dimensionally stabilized in a further climate zone. The long product leaving the press head is heated as rapidly as possible in a first climate zone, but in more than 10 minutes to a temperature of more than approximately 80.degree. C. under the action of a heating medium with a relative humidity of approximately 60 to 80% and then in a second climate zone under the action of a drying medium with a temperature of over approximately 80.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1992
    Assignee: Buhler AG
    Inventors: Josef Manser, Friedrich Egger, Werner Seiler
  • Patent number: 5025570
    Abstract: An oven employing a group of identical modular oven units, each unit divided into a main cavity with a first upper auxiliary chamber and a second lower auxiliary chamber. A barrier plate separating the upper chamber from the main cavity is gas pervious and serves as a filter to separate micron size particles and larger from entering the main chamber as the particles are carried by heated inert gas or air passing into the main cavity. The barrier plate separating the lower chamber from the main cavity is also gas pervious and serves as a sink to adsorb particles of sizes up to 100 microns. The group of modular ovens is partially surrounded by a heat transfer wall which allows heat to be rejected from the modular ovens and removed by a fluid coolant in contact with the wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1991
    Inventor: William A. Moffat
  • Patent number: 4653198
    Abstract: A plant for heat treating animal or vegetable material comprises apparatuses for two-stage or multi-stage heat treatment. A heat medium which is used in a second heat treatment apparatus (2), which follows a first heat treatment apparatus (1), consists of uncontaminated water/steam which is circulated in a closed circuit, that is to say separated from the heat medium of the first apparatus and from the treatment material of the second apparatus. The closed circuit extends from heat exchanger surfaces, which are supplied with heat energy from exhaust gas/exhaust steam from the first apparatus (1), via heat surfaces of the second apparatus (2) back to said heat exchanger surfaces. The closed circuit includes one or more steam compressor(s) (17) in order to bring in a manner known per se the heat medium of the circuit up to the process steam pressure before it is supplied to the heat surfaces of the second apparatus (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1987
    Assignee: Stord Bartz A/S
    Inventor: Jon Alsaker
  • Patent number: 4520750
    Abstract: Disclosed is a chamber which defines a constant gas flow environment for passing objects therethrough carried by a conveyor. The chamber comprises an elongate housing having an inlet opening and an outlet opening in the longitudinal direction and a moving conveyor which runs the length of said housing for transporting object from said inlet opening through said housing and thereout through said outlet opening, the space below said conveyor being enclosed and connected to a source of exhaust for exhausting gaseous substances therein. The space above the conveyor comprises an inlet zone, a central gas zone, and an outlet zone. The inlet zone and the outlet zone both are of a bi-cameral containment arrangement comprising an outer adjustable gate for determining the inlet opening, a central adjustable baffle gate, and an inner deflector wall. The space between the outer gate and the baffle gate is connected to a source of exhaust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1984
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1985
    Assignee: Ashland Oil, Inc.
    Inventor: Maher L. Mansour
  • Patent number: 4491610
    Abstract: Disclosed is a chamber which defines a constant gas flow environment for passing objects therethrough carried by a conveyor. The chamber comprises an elongate housing having an inlet opening and an outlet opening in the longitudinal direction and a moving conveyor which runs the length of said housing for transporting object from said inlet opening through said housing and thereout through said outlet opening, the space below said conveyor being enclosed and connected to a source of exhaust for exhausting gaseous substances therein. The space above the conveyor comprises an inlet zone, a central gas zone, and an outlet zone. The inlet zone and the outlet zone both are of a bi-cameral containment arrangement comprising an outer adjustable gate for determining the inlet opening, a central adjustable baffle gate, and an inner deflector wall. The space between the outer gate and the baffle gate is connected to a source of exhaust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1983
    Date of Patent: January 1, 1985
    Assignee: Ashland Oil, Inc.
    Inventor: Maher L. Mansour
  • Patent number: 4475295
    Abstract: In an installation of this type, several chambers divided into groups A, B, C, D, are provided, the several groups of chambers B, C, D are traversed drying medium, while another group of chambers A is e traversed by a gaseous medium for the regeneration of the adsorbent present in this group of chambers. The partial streams of the drying medium have different moisture contents and are used in different phases of a drying process. Continuous switching takes place between the gas streams and the chambers, so that each of the chambers is periodically traversed, at first, successively by all of the partial streams of the drying medium in order of increasing moisture contents, and subsequently, by the gaseous medium to regenerate the adsorbent. Following each switching, at least one of the chambers of each group is assigned to the next following group in the cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 9, 1984
    Assignee: Mittex Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Peter Hussmann
  • Patent number: 4320585
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1977
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1982
    Inventor: Jean Duperret
  • Patent number: 4317290
    Abstract: An apparatus for the heat treatment of a material passing through a plurality of treatment zones using a heated gaseous treatment medium conducted in a substantially closed circuit through these zones. A heat exchanger is associated with each treatment zone. The heat exchanger defines, in an operative relation with the respective treatment zone a medium discharge path and a medium replacement path which paths are arranged in a heat exchange relationship. The fractional portion of a treatment medium discharged from each treatment zone transfers its heat and energy to the fresh replacement medium. A throttle or flow control in the medium replacement path for each treatment zone permits individualized control of draft and medium turnover according to the different conditions prevailing in each zone. A filter is also provided to prevent impurities in the medium discharge flow path from entering the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1982
    Assignee: H. Krantz GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: Gerhard Voswinckel
  • Patent number: 4268974
    Abstract: A hood for the cylinder drying section of paper making machines and other cylinder drying machines comprising a framework composed of hollow square or rectangular tubes supporting the hood through which heated air is passed for delivery between the cylinders, inlet air being drawn in by a fan and passing over a heat transfer unit and a steam battery separated from the cylinder chamber by an inclined diaphragm wall and an exhaust fan for drawing the moist air from the cylinder chamber through a damper valve controlled duct to the heater chamber for recirculation or exhaust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1981
    Assignee: Greenbank-Cast Basalt Engineering Co. Limited
    Inventor: Donald Price
  • Patent number: 4267645
    Abstract: An energy efficient crop-drying and curing system particularly suited for tobacco curing comprises a plurality of conventional oil or gas burner equipped barns illustrated as bulk-curing tobacco barns and an auxiliary wood furnace arranged so that the wood-provided heat can be selectively furnished to any of the barns as a sole or supplemental source of heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1979
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1981
    Inventor: Edwin W. Hill
  • Patent number: 4235023
    Abstract: A housing having propeller type fans in the housing adjacent to an object or objects to be dried. Shafts, carried by sleeves projecting through the side walls or top wall, rotate the fans. Motors externally of the housing drive the shafts.In one form of the invention, the air circulated by the fans is heated by steam coils adjacent to the periphery of the blades of the fans. In another embodiment, an open flame gas or oil burner, disposed in a combustion chamber, heats air, which is subsequently directed by ducts to the fans. Exhaust blowers and exhaust ducts exhaust the fume laden air from the chamber. Still another embodiment shows pairs of juxtaposed oppositely blowing fans carried by shafts protruding through the walls of the oven and spaced heaters between the fans. Still another embodiment shows opposed fans for drying a cylindrical member passed through the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1978
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1980
    Inventor: Willie H. Best
  • Patent number: 4173079
    Abstract: The method and apparatus of the present invention substantially reduce the incidence of cracking, flaking, bulging and other mold defects which originate during the drying step of the investment mold formation process. Drying is conducted under conditions which enhance uniformity of drying and which preclude harmful increases in pattern temperature resulting from changes in the moisture removal kinetics of the slurry layer. In particular, during the drying process, drying air of different quality is provided during the different stages of moisture removal from the slurry layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1978
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1979
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Carlton E. Cruff, William E. Harrison
  • Patent number: 3976122
    Abstract: This invention teaches a combination refrigerator-thawer cabinet that can be used as a conventional refrigerator or as a thawer for quick thawing frozen food without allowing the temperature of the food to exceed a predetermined guideline temperature, such as 45.degree.F. The disclosed unit is similar to a standard refrigerator having a cabinet for holding the food, but further has an auxiliary air circulating plenum located within the cabinet. Heating means are located within the plenum, and plenum fans draw the cabinet air into the plenum to be heated by the heating means and subsequently to be discharged back into the cabinet. The plenum air flow arrangement provides that the plenum outlets are adjacent the top and bottom cabinet walls and the plenum inlets are near the middle of the cabinet, and this minimizes the formation of hot spots where heated thawing air is blasted directly against the food.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1975
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1976
    Assignee: McGraw-Edison Company
    Inventor: Graham B. Neidhardt