Abstract: An airflow device includes a motor to drive an impeller to cause a first airflow and a second airflow. A housing at least partially encloses the motor and impeller, and the housing defines at least a first path and a second path. Via the first path, the first airflow recirculates and is heated with the first path including a first wall with a nozzle array through which the first airflow passes to contact printed media passing external to the first wall. The second path receives a second airflow of air to travel alongside the motor and exit through a first port to join the first airflow at the impeller.

Abstract: Methods for curing ink printed on a print medium are disclosed. The methods comprise heating air to a temperature suitable for curing the ink, and blowing the air through a plurality of holes onto the print medium.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for drying slurry-like materials, in particular sludge from wastewater treatment plants, including two drying stages, namely: a first indirect drying stage (2), supplied with hot fluid, which receives sludge having an entry dryness Se, and outputs sludge having an intermediate dryness Si and water steam, which is channelled towards a condenser (8) in which a heating fluid, in particular water, is reheated and, in turn, heats a heating gas for a second drying stage (6); and a step (5) of forming strings of sludge at the exit from the first stage; the second stage (6) of drying the strings of sludge using gas at least partially heated by the heat extracted from the condenser, said second stage outputting a slurry having a final dryness Sf; the intermediate dryness Si is controlled according to the measured entry dryness Se and the desired exit dryness Sf, for minimum consumption of the total energy used for drying, the flow rate, pressure and/or temperature of the hot fluid (3)

Abstract: In a process for the continuous conditioning of gypsum plaster, the gypsum plaster is passed from a calcination facility connected upstream to a gypsum plaster cooler in the form of particles. In the gypsum plaster cooler, soluble calcium sulphate anhydrite is initially converted to calcium sulphate hemi-hydrate and calcium sulphate dihydrate to calcium sulphate hemi-hydrate, and crystal defects are eliminated. Subsequently, the gypsum plaster is brought into contact with ambient air and dehumidified by the latter and thereby simultaneously cooled indirectly.

Abstract: A disclosed heating apparatus for heating a substrate on which a film is coated includes a process chamber having a gas supply opening for supplying a first gas to the process chamber and a gas evacuation opening for evacuating the first gas from the process chamber; a heating plate that is arranged in the process chamber and includes a heating element for heating the substrate; plural protrusions arranged on the heating plate so as to support the substrate; plural suction holes formed in the heating plate so as to attract by suction the substrate toward the heating plate; and a gas inlet adapted to supply a second gas to a gap between the heating plate and the substrate supported by the plural protrusions.

Abstract: Glassy articles are prepared by subjecting to hydrolysis and policondensation a solution or suspension of a suitable precursor, mainly comprising a silicon alkoxide, and by drying the obtained gel in a pressure chamber, the gel solvent having been substituted by a non-protic solvent, mainly acetone, under nitrogen flowing, at temperature and pressure conditions lower than the gel solvent critical values. The dried gel is then densified by a thermal treatment.

Abstract: A method of drying a lactulose solution comprises introducing the solution into a vacuum chamber at elevated temperature and at reduced pressure so that the solution forms a foam, drying the foam under reduced pressure, and milling or grinding or breaking the dried foam into powder.

Abstract: A dryer uses a two-phase drying system having a brief water condensation interval, followed by impinging parallel laminar recirculating hot air jets which impinge on wet ink to increase the copy rate of inkjet printing and to increase the quality of the printed image.

Abstract: In a process and an apparatus (1) for spray drying or spray cooling of the so-called Filtermat.RTM. type, a more uniform product layer (7) is achieved by collecting and/or treating the product on a screen means (8, 14, 19) providing a pressure difference being at least 1.5, preferably from 1.5 to 30 and particularly from about 2 to about 20 times that provided by the product layer, when collected.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus and process for cooling and de-steaming hot calcined stucco used in the production of gypsum boards or bagged plaster. The apparatus is a fluid bed stucco cooler and comprises a cooler housing having a plenum with two chambers, a first chamber having a stucco inlet and a second chamber having a stucco outlet. The stucco cooler includes cooling coils that are located within the plenum and a fluidization pad positioned through the fluidization pad help to mix the air and the stucco powder to insure fluidization, prevent channeling, and prevent the stucco powder from building up on the cooling coils. The air also forces steam from the hot calcined stucco out through an air outlet located at the top of the stucco cooler, thereby de-steaming the stucco. The stucco flows through the plenum and passes over the cooling coils, thereby cooling the stucco as it reaches the stucco outlet.

Abstract: In a process for making plastic granulate, a polymeric material is plastifyed into a plastic mass which is divided into single plastic strands. After pressing the plastic strands in a stream of cooling liquid, the plastic strands are shredded in the cooling liquid into granules, thereby forming a dispersion which is conveyed through a first conduit to a separator. The dispersion is concentrated in the separator by withdrawing a portion of cooling liquid, and subsequently transported to a dryer along a second conduit which is longer than the length of the first conduit. In the dryer, the cooling liquid is separated from the granulate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing freeze-dried blood cells, stem cells and platelets comprising the steps of: pre-treating a liquid selected from the group consisting of blood including blood cells, bone marrow fluid (hemopoietic stem cells), and platelets in blood plasma, with a solution containing at least one substance selected from the group consisting of saccharide, biopolymer, acid and acid salt; conducting granulation of the aforementioned pre-treated liquid into a granules of a predetermined size; performing rapid cooling of the granules; and drying the resultant frozen material by sublimation of the water content contained therein.