Including Plural Chambers Or Zones Patents (Class 34/636)
  • Patent number: 11053611
    Abstract: An oxidation furnace for the oxidative treatment of fibers, in particular for producing carbon fibers, the furnace having a housing with an inner space which is gas-tight apart from areas for the passage of the fibers. A process chamber is located in the inner space of the housing. Guide rollers guide the fibers arranged adjacently as a fiber carpet in a serpentine manner through the process chamber, the fiber carpet spanning respective planes between opposite guide rollers, a partial area of the inner space being defined both above and below said planes. The process chamber extends between a primary blowing device arranged on a blowing end of the housing and a primary suction device, where a primary gas is blown into a partial area by the primary blowing device in such a way that the process gas flows through the process area in a process flow direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: EISENMANN SE
    Inventor: Lars Meinecke
  • Patent number: 9488411
    Abstract: A method and device for drying sheets is described. The sheets are guided through a drier divided into drying chambers and brought in contact with the drying air by means of impinging jet aeration. The impinging-jet aeration utilizes cross-aerated nozzle boxes and the main drying stage exhaust air is introduced in the pressure chamber of one or more drying chambers in the first half of the final drying stage. Pan of the exhaust air in the recirculated-air operation is used for drying in the drying chamber and part of the exhaust air is introduced into the suction chamber of the respective subsequent drying chamber. The exhaust air collectively passes through the final drying stage in this manner, and the exhaust air from one or more drying chambers in the second half of said stage is extracted at a significantly lower temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: GRENZEBACH BSH GMBH
    Inventors: Christoph Straetmans, Karl Friedrich Lang
  • Publication number: 20140319721
    Abstract: An oven for baking a thermally curable binder in a mat of mineral fibers, including plural compartments through which the mat of fibers passes successively, the mat being compressed and transported through the compartments by gas-permeable upper conveyors and lower conveyors, each compartment having a length along a direction of movement of the mat and including a mechanism introducing a hot air flow, located either below or above the fiber mat, and a mechanism extracting the air after having passed through the mat, respectively arranged either above or below the opposite face of the mat, so that the binder is progressively brought to a temperature higher than its curing temperature. In one compartment the mechanism introducing hot air includes air inlets that open partly on openings formed on a first lateral side of the compartment and partly on openings formed on the opposite lateral side of the compartment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: SAINT-GOBAIN ISOVER
    Inventors: Pierre Celle, Bernard Baudouin
  • Publication number: 20140033560
    Abstract: A high efficiency steam box, particularly for the processing of fabrics. The box housing is subdivided into a plurality of steam chambers isolated from each other but communicating with a perforated steam tube which extends throughout the housing. Steam is delivered to the center portions of the steam tube and flows toward the ends. Valve pistons are movably positioned in the opposite end portions of the steam tube to confine the steam. The valve pistons are axially adjustable by a screw shaft extending through the steam tube and can be positioned to isolate outer chambers when processing narrow fabrics to prevent or minimize the discharge of steam from steam discharge slots extending beyond the edges of the fabric. Steam flow control can be integrated with positioning of the valve pistons to provide uniform steam flow per unit length of the discharge slots for optimum efficiency in processing and steam utilization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Inventors: Mark Troy West, Barry Defoy Miller
  • Patent number: 8216033
    Abstract: A low pressure blow-off assembly provides converging airflow around a length of material moving through the assembly. The assembly generally includes a body having an interior wall and an exterior wall. The interior wall defines a bore extending through the body for receiving the material through the body, and the exterior wall surrounds the interior wall and defines an air reservoir within the body generally between the exterior wall and interior wall. A cap is configured to be coupled to the body to cover at least part of the air reservoir. The bore includes a generally tapered end and the cap includes a generally tapered inner lip, where the tapered end of the bore and the tapered inner lip of the cap define an opening therebetween for discharging air from the air reservoir through the opening in a generally converging airflow pattern around the material passing through the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Process Air Solutions, LLC
    Inventor: Edward Kelly Ball
  • Publication number: 20100269366
    Abstract: A drying device including: a travelling unit and a drying unit. The travelling unit transports a sheet-like substrate in a travelling direction. The sheet-like substrate includes a thin film body wherein at least one surface of the thin film body is coated with a coating material including an active material. The drying unit dries the thin film body. The drying unit includes a radiative heater and a first nozzle. The radiative heater irradiates an infrared ray to a to-be-dried surface of the thin film body. The first nozzle blows a dry air to the to-be-dried surface in a direction opposite to the travelling direction of the sheet-like substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroko Kitamoto, Keiichi Sato, Naohiko Matsuda, Masahiro Sugihara
  • Publication number: 20090288311
    Abstract: A method for drying a fibrous web, especially a paper, cardboard or tissue web, the moving web is treated with hot air from a hot air hood in the area of a upstream pre-defined drying zone, and is subsequent carried to the drying zone in a downstream drying cylinder, especially a Yankee-Cylinder, to which an additional hood is allocated and in whose area the fibrous web is dried further. The hot air for the hot air hood allocated to the upstream drying zone is recovered, at least partially, from the exhaust air of the hood allocated to the downstream drying cylinder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Publication date: November 26, 2009
    Inventors: Luiz C. Da Silva, Thomas Scherb, Ronaldo Parucker, Oswaldir Rizzatto
  • Patent number: 7526878
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for drying a coating film comprising drying a coating film of an organic solvent-containing coating liquid applied to a running band-shaped flexible substrate, the drying method comprising the steps of: providing a heater at a position opposed to the band-shaped flexible substrate at a running position immediately after coating; and heating the band-shaped flexible substrate by the heater; wherein when TW( ° C.) denotes the surface temperature of the band-shaped flexible substrate; TH( ° C.) denotes the surface temperature of the heater; ?(W/m·K) denotes the heat-transfer coefficient of air; d(m) denotes the distance between the heater and the band-shaped flexible substrate (web); ? denotes the efficiency of heat transfer; and ? denotes the Stefan-Boltzmann constant (5.670×10?8 W/m2K4), the ratio of radiant heat transfer represented by QR/(QR+QC) is 0.25 or more and 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Sonobe, Takashi Yahiro
  • Publication number: 20080235983
    Abstract: In a pin tenter, a wet film is conveyed and dried in a state that side edges of the wet film are pierced by pins. The plurality of pins are fixed to a pin plate. The pin plate is supported by a pin carrier. The pin carrier is disposed between rails. Movement of the pin carrier is guided by the rails. In a steam cleaning area, steam is blown onto the pins, the pin plates, the pin carriers, and the like so as to remove foreign substances adhered thereto. In a jet gas cleaning area, nitrogen gas blows off residual foreign substances and residual water content remained from the steam cleaning.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshikazu Nakamura, Moritaka Kato
  • Publication number: 20080235982
    Abstract: In a pin tenter, a wet film is conveyed and dried in a state that edges of the wet film are pierced by pins. The plurality of pins are fixed to a pin plate. The pin plate is supported by a pin carrier. The pin carrier is disposed between rails. Movement of the pin carrier is guided by the rails. In a steam cleaning area, foreign substances adhered to the pins, the pin plates, and the pin carriers are removed by blowing steam. In a jet gas cleaning area, residual foreign substances and residual water content after the steam cleaning are blown off and removed by blowing nitrogen gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshikazu NAKAMURA, Moritaka Kato
  • Patent number: 7316184
    Abstract: A dryer is used for drying a web of material. The dryer includes a passage duct for the material web. Drying takes place within this passage duct which includes at least one straight section. The dryer is disposed on a printing group which includes vertical web guidance. The passage duct straight section is essentially horizontal and receives the web of material delivered to it by the printing group. The passage duct is comprised of at least two sections through which the web of material travels in opposite directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Georg Schneider, Wolfgang Otto Reder, Karl Erich Albert Schaschek
  • Patent number: 7204911
    Abstract: A microcavity-forming system for making microcavities in a wire (especially a tungsten filament wire). The system has a coating station receiving the wire and applying a polymer coating to the wire. A mask-forming station receives the polymer-coated wire and blows moist air over it to form air bubbles which result in holes in the polymer coating, thereby creating a mask. An etching station receives the wire, as coated with the polymer mask, from the mask-forming station and etches the wire through the holes in the polymer mask to form microcavities in the wire. A stripping station receives the wire from the etching station and removes the polymer mask from the wire, leaving the wire with microcavities. Processes of forming microcavities in a wire and, more generally, of making an etching mask having arrays of holes and conforming to substantially any surface, including an arbitrary curved surface, are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Xinbing Liu
  • Patent number: 6964117
    Abstract: An apparatus for drying a travelling wet fibrous web is provided which comprises a rotating air-permeable drum. The drum is at least partially surrounded by a hood which has an interior space for receiving a flow of air and directing the flow of air through a permeable inner wall towards the outer surface of the drum. At least a portion of the hood is divided into individual sections in a cross-machine direction. Apparatus is provided for supplying a flow of drying air at a first temperature to the hood, and for supplying profiling air at a selected different temperature different from the first temperature to at least one of the individual sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: Metso Paper USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Laurent R. Parent
  • Patent number: 6823606
    Abstract: A dryer section for drying a moving material web, specifically a paper or cardboard web, including several dryer groups that are located successively in the direction of web travel, whereby at least one of these is a double row configuration and whereby the material web is continuously supported in at least one transitional zone from a single row dryer group to an immediately following double row dryer group and/or in a transitional zone between two double row dryer groups that are located immediately following each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Voith Paper Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Erich Rollenitz, Bernhard Schleidt
  • Patent number: 6735882
    Abstract: A concentration of a gas introduced into a circulation blower and an exhaust blower is reduced with a simple apparatus configuration. In an exhaust system, exhaust gases from a plurality of drying chambers are joined to a joining duct to be then exhausted by an exhaust blower. A plurality of exhaust ducts having inlets at different positions in each drying chamber are provided, and the exhaust duct having the inlet in the lowest gas concentration area is used as a duct for an exhaust gas circulated to a circulation blower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinsuke Takahashi
  • Patent number: 6591518
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for is provided for supporting and connecting drier cassettes of an air knife type of drier. The drier cassettes exhaust air on traveling printed matter and are joined and supported by expander units that also exhaust air on the printed matter to increase drying efficiency. Gas or air is supplied to either the drier cassettes or the expander units or both and window apertures may be provided to allow the gas to communicate between the drier cassettes and the expander units. The relative exhaust pressures of the expander units and the drier cassettes may be regulated to create a pressure gradient on the printed matter as it travels through the exhaust so that the path of the paper suffers from less disruption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: Technotrans America West, Inc.
    Inventor: Steve J Barberi
  • Patent number: 6581302
    Abstract: In known rack dryers, the drying effect is weaker in the outer area on the side of the air intake into the pipe chambers than in the other areas. Said weaker drying effect is caused by turbulence in this area, which leads to a drop in the static pressure. The aim of the invention is to provide a dryer which ensures even drying of the goods across the entire width, even in the problem areas. The rack dryer is equipped with conductive bodies (20, 26) which are located on the partition wall (5) and which streamline the current in the area of the air intake into the pipe chambers in such a way, that a predominantly even static pressure prevails throughout the entire pipe chamber. The invention can be used for drying sandwich-type plaster board or wood veneer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Inventors: Rudi Philipp, Burkhard Behrendt
  • Patent number: 6564474
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for subjecting a substrate on which a coating film is formed to heat processing, and the method comprises the steps of heating the substrate to a predetermined high temperature and decreasing the temperature of the substrate to a predetermined low temperature, wherein in the step of decreasing the temperature of the substrate to the low temperature, a first step of decreasing the temperature of the substrate from the predetermined high temperature to a predetermined intermediate temperature and a second step of decreasing the temperature of the substrate from the intermediate temperature to the predetermined low temperature are performed separately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Shinji Nagashima
  • Patent number: 6523279
    Abstract: Roll and drying section of a machine for producing a material web and process for drying a material web. The roll includes a jacket having a plurality of throughput openings, a device for supplying gas through the jacket, and a second jacket located within the jacket being arranged to form a ring chamber with the jacket. The second jacket is gas tight to seal the ring chamber in a gas-tight manner from an interior of the second jacket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Voith Paper Patent GmbH
    Inventor: Georg Kugler
  • Patent number: 6425271
    Abstract: The invention discloses an apparatus for treating fabrics which comprises a first chamber for forming a reserve of infeed fabric, a second chamber for forming a reserve of outfeed fabric, first means for slowly infeeding the fabric into the first chamber, second means for slowly removing the fabric from the second chamber, a duct allowing for the passage therethrough of the fabric between the first chamber and the second chamber, fabric transport means capable of forward and backward operation which generates a forward and backward movement of the fabric between both chambers, and control means, operation of which causes inversion of the forward and backward movement, and collision members adapted to be impacted by the fabric, which move between a collision position and a free passage position in synchronism with the forward and backward movement of the fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2002
    Assignee: Jaume Anglada Viñas S.A.
    Inventor: Jaime Anglada Viñas
  • Patent number: 6412189
    Abstract: A steam box in a paper machine, the steam box including a main steam zone and at least one side steam zone through which steam is blown to a paper web. The side steam zone is placed in a side section of the steam box and arranged to form a curtain in order to prevent air from entering between the steam box and the paper web from outside the steam box and/or to prevent steam from exiting between the steam box and the paper web. Steam is supplied to the side steam zone from a steam chamber through a side steam zone valve arranged inside the steam box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: Metso Paper Automation Oy
    Inventor: Kari Pellinen
  • Patent number: 6397488
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for drying printing composition on a print medium are disclosed. A method embodiment for use in a printing device includes depositing printing composition onto a print medium and enclosing the print medium in a sealed environment. The method additionally includes reducing a pressure in the sealed environment below an ambient pressure and heating the print medium in the sealed environment to dry the printing composition on the print medium. An apparatus embodiment for use in a printing device having a print engine for depositing printing composition onto a print medium includes an enclosure configured to provide a sealed environment around the print medium. The apparatus additionally includes a vacuum source fluidly coupled to the enclosure and configured to reduce a pressure in the sealed environment below an ambient pressure and a heater configured to apply heat energy to the print medium in the sealed environment to dry the printing composition on the print medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventor: Richard Brinkly
  • Patent number: 6286229
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of treating board-like material with a gaseous treatment agent and an apparatus for implementing the method. According to the method, a gaseous treatment agent is passed through the board-like material being treated. The board-like material is introduced into at least one treatment zone, where the gaseous treatment agent is contacted with at least one side of the board-like material and is caused to pass through the thickness of the material. The properties of the gaseous treatment agent, including its temperature, moisture content and/or composition, are controlled as needed in order to achieve a desired effect on the board-like material being treated. The apparatus includes a chamber and a support for the board-like material in the chamber. When positioned in the chamber, the board-like material forms at least part of a partition separating the chamber into two regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: Valmet Panelhandling Oy
    Inventors: Kari Simolin, Erno Tulonen
  • Patent number: 6280576
    Abstract: A method and arrangement for drying a paper to be surface-treated, in particular fine paper, in an after-dryer in a paper machine. The paper web is first dried in a forward dryer section of the paper machine by one or more groups with single-wire draw that are open downward on support of a drying wire, the paper web is then finished in a finishing section, e.g., surface-sized or coated, and thereafter, the paper web is dried by an upwardly open inverted group with single-wire draw. In the inverted group with single-wire draw, the tendency of curling formed in the paper web in the forward dryer section can be substantially eliminated and/or compensated for.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: Valmet Corporation
    Inventors: Antti Kuhasalo, Pasi Ahonen
  • Patent number: 6223448
    Abstract: In a device for conditioning a preferably freshly printed paper web (2) with a dryer (1) and a remoistening device, wherein the dryer (1) exhibits a heating zone (3), a temperature maintenance zone (4) and a cooling zone (5) and the remoistening device exhibits spray jets (10), arrayed above and below the transport surface of the said paper web (2), through which moisturizing agents can be admitted, and spray chambers (9) containing the same, a particularly compact form of construction is achieved, in that the cooling zone (5) of the dryer (1) contains a moisturizing device (8) for the purpose of remoistening and cooling the said paper web (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: Baldwin Grafotec GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Motzke, Bruno Brischler
  • Patent number: 6192596
    Abstract: The present invention is an active microchannel fluid processing unit and method of making, both relying on having (a) at least one inner thin sheet; (b) at least one outer thin sheet; (c) defining at least one first sub-assembly for performing at least one first unit operation by stacking a first of the at least one inner thin sheet in alternating contact with a first of the at least one outer thin sheet into a first stack and placing an end block on the at least one inner thin sheet, the at least one first sub-assembly having at least a first inlet and a first outlet; and (d) defining at least one second sub-assembly for performing at least one second unit operation either as a second flow path within the first stack or by stacking a second of the at least one inner thin sheet in alternating contact with second of the at least one outer thin sheet as a second stack, the at least one second sub-assembly having at least a second inlet and a second outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
    Inventors: Wendy D. Bennett, Peter M. Martin, Dean W. Matson, Gary L. Roberts, Donald C. Stewart, Annalee Y. Tonkovich, Jennifer L. Zilka, Stephen C. Schmitt, Timothy M. Werner
  • Patent number: 6185836
    Abstract: A roller or roll heated by a gaseous heat carrier medium, preferably steam, having axially parallel peripheral passages for use in the pressing or smoothing station of paper making machines is connected to a device for the feeding and draining of the heat carrier medium so that for cooling the heated roller a cooling means is switched into the heating/cooling circuit and the direction of flow of the heat carrier medium may be reversed. Further aspects in accordance with the invention permit regulated cooling of the roller by blending heat carrier condensate into the return flow of heat carrier, by switching over between operation with a gaseous heat carrier and operation with a condensed heat carrier, as well as application of the invention in rollers having roller drive arranged on one flanged trunnion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Schwabische Huttenwerke GmbH
    Inventor: Heinz-Michael Zaoralek
  • Patent number: 6168743
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for steam-treating yarn, films, fibers, fiber tow and other polymeric articles is described. The apparatus includes a first orifice for generating minimum pressure areas and a second orifice to provide a sonic shock region operative to isolate the pressure in one chamber from the pressure in another chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: Arteva North America S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Glen Patrick Reese, James Richard Goodall
  • Patent number: 6155518
    Abstract: Apparatus for levitated guidance of a material web moving in a travel direction, includes a blow box which defines an air chamber in communication with a source for supply of blowing air. The blow box has a planar surface portion positioned in facing relationship to the material web and formed vith at least one row of nozzles. Side walls converge from the curved edge zones of the surface portion and diverge toward the material web, to thereby demarcate a pressure conversion compartment of trapezoidal cross section. Arranged adjacent the side walls are diffusion channels which are directly connected with the air chamber of the blow box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Langbein & Engelbracht GmbH
    Inventor: Udo Bannenberg
  • Patent number: 6108942
    Abstract: A drying apparatus for sliced veneer sheets having a conveying system comprising two superposed conveyor belts lying one above the other which are guided over a drying path around guide members. The drying path includes both rectilinear and curvilinear sections and includes a three roller configuration for making a one hundred eighty degree turn in the drying path. The drying path is designed to provide for pressing of the veneer and to allow for the effects of shrinking of the veneer during the drying process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Fezer S.A. Industrias Mecanicas
    Inventor: Carlos Alberto Fernando Fezer
  • Patent number: 6006446
    Abstract: To provide uniform treatment criteria over the entire surface of a material web (10) in the region of a drying chamber (11), the treatment air or intake air is directed onto the material web (10) from above and below by means of slot nozzles (19, 24) from nozzle boxes (17, 18). The return air reflected from the material web (10) is conducted away upwards and downwards via return-flow ducts (25, 26) in the nozzle boxes (17, 18) into a collection space (34), on the one hand, and a return-air space (35), on the other hand.). The return air is conveyed upwards from the lower return-air space (35) through return-flow shafts (36, 37) into the region of the upper collection space (34).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: Pagendarm Technologie GmbH
    Inventor: Ralph Pagendarm
  • Patent number: 5992051
    Abstract: A carpet drying system is provided including at least one housing and a plurality of air ports mounted on a bottom of the housing for being inserted within a carpet. Also included is an air compressor connected to the housing and in fluidic communication with the air ports for directing air therethrough, thereby aerating the carpet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Inventor: Peyman Salehibakhsh
  • Patent number: 5970627
    Abstract: An active web stabilizer including a structure having a leading edge and a working surface coupled by a curved surface, the working surface being positioned proximate to a passing web. An internal pressurized air duct extends along the working surface orthogonally to the passing web. An air nozzle is provided at the leading edge and is in fluid communication with the air duct, the nozzle directing air flow around the curved surface and along the working surface. The air duct includes first and second chambers separated by a perforated baffle. An extension surface extends from the working surface and includes a trailing end which is angled away from the passing web. A comb is associated with the nozzle to promote web spreading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Thermo Wisconsin, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas S. Stenz, Paul H. Stibbe
  • Patent number: 5970626
    Abstract: A drier for broad articles such as plasterboard has a conveyor in entraining the plasterboard along a drying path in a transport plane and the nozzle boxes for contacting the plasterboard with the drying air have their orifice surfaces inclined to the plasterboard to achieve uniformity of drying in terms of residual moisture content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Babcock-Bsh GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Schmidt, Karl Maurer, Gerhard Lehn, Friedrich Bahner, Klaus Hentschel, Karl-Friedrich Lang
  • Patent number: 5908290
    Abstract: A heat treatment furnace for fiber for heat-treating a fiber bundle (yarn) formed of many continuous filaments in hot gas while running the yarn. The heat treatment furnace has a plurality of heat treatment chambers provided in a furnace body. The temperature in each individual heat treatment chamber is independently adjusted to a temperature which is different from the temperatures in the other heat treatment chambers. Thereby, the heat treatment furnace can be made small and is able to heat-treat fiber efficiently.This heat treatment furnace is useful, particularly, as a heat treatment furnace (an oxidizing heat treatment furnace, or a oxidizing furnace) for producing an oxidized fiber needed to produce a carbon fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1999
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Toshinori Kawamura, Eiichi Yamamoto, Makoto Endo, Mikiya Takechi, Haruki Morikawa
  • Patent number: 5798026
    Abstract: A steam applicator to apply steam to a web passing by the applicator. The applicator is a main supply header and a plurality of profiling steam chambers to receive steam from the main supply header. The pre-heat chambers adjacent the profiling steam chambers. The flow of steam is controlled from the main supply header to each profiling steam chamber. At least one outlet in each profiling steam chamber allows a supply of steam from the applicator. The supply of steam from each outlet can be controlled. The apparatus is compact and has the virtue avoiding condensate dripper onto the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1998
    Assignee: Measurex Devron Inc.
    Inventors: Witold Wacinski, Eugene Kolesniak
  • Patent number: 5659975
    Abstract: In order to dry boards, the boards are guided on racks through a drier and brought into contact with drying air in two stages. In a stage A with a higher drying power, the drying air is supplied at a higher temperature and with an at least average humidity, and in the other stage B, it is supplied at an average temperature and with a low humidity. The waste heat of the outgoing air from stage A is used for preheating the drying air. This process should reduce the consumption of primary energy. For that purpose, a process is known that consists of also using the outgoing air condensation heat. This has the inconvenience, however, of requiring substantially more secondary energy, as important air mass flows are required to transfer heat because of the low condensation temperature. Primary energy should be reduced by using condensation heat without substantially increasing secondary energy requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1997
    Assignee: Babcock BSH AG
    Inventors: Friedrich Bahner, Manfred Braun, Karl-Friedrich Lang, Gerhard Lehn, Karl Maurer, Manfred Schmidt, Josef Steinkuhl
  • Patent number: 5588223
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for restrained paper drying in order to produce high performance paper with enhanced stiffness and, in the process, substantially improve paper properties and reduce fiber usage. The paper web is held in a restrained position on a fabric by air suction imposed from beneath the web and is of sufficient application to prevent shrinkage of the web. The web is simultaneously dried by high velocity, high temperature air or superheated steam. For improved finish properties, the wet paper web may be pressed onto a polished heated metal cylinder with restraint being imposed by gluing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1996
    Assignee: Asea Brown Boveri Inc.
    Inventor: Hugh G. Marshall
  • Patent number: 5581909
    Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus for yarn including a plurality of heat treatment apparatuses provided for a plurality of spindles, respectively, disposed at horizontally spaced intervals. The heat treatment apparatus provided for each of the spindles, includes a heat treatment tube through which at least one yarn passes, and a heat insulating jacket to surround the tube. An orifice having a throttling function is provided upstream of a part which provides communication between the heat insulating jacket and the heat treatment tube, while a nozzle for injecting a heated fluid is provided in the heat treatment tube downstream of the communication part. The throttling orifice is arranged to have a fluid resistance greater than the fluid resistance of the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Kunihiko Ueda, Takao Sano, Shuko Arakane
  • Patent number: 5579590
    Abstract: A drying apparatus for a strip of material or web, including a conditioning zone immediately following but fully integrated with the dryer, to lower the bulk temperature of web. The web of material can be introduced to conditioned air which is substantially free of contaminants being evolved from the coating on the web. The temperature of the conditioned air is low enough to absorb heat from the web, effectively lowering the solvent evaporation rate, and can be controlled such that it is greater than the dew point of the contaminants being evolved from the web, thereby mitigating condensation that normally forms and visible vapors that form outside of the dryer enclosure. Pressure control is provided in the conditioning zone so that solvent vapors will not escape and so that ambient make-up air can be regulated as required. Gas seal between the conditioning zone and the dryer prevents hot, solvent vapor laden air from the dryer from escaping into the conditioning zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1996
    Assignee: W. R. Grace & Co.-Conn.
    Inventors: Paul G. Seidl, Steve J. Zagar
  • Patent number: 5568693
    Abstract: An apparatus for the processing of photographic sheet material having upstream and downstream drying chambers (101, 102). A heater (106) heats air entering the downstream chamber (102) to a downstream drying temperature. A fan (108) recirculates drying air from the downstream chamber (102) through the heater (106) while taking in fresh air through an inlet (116). A heater (110) heats air entering the upstream chamber (101) to a temperature higher than the downstream drying temperature. A fan (112) recirculates air from the upstream chamber (101) through the heater (110) while taking in air from the downstream chamber (102). Optimum drying of the sheet material is thereby achieved without risk of dimensional instability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1996
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert N.V.
    Inventors: Patrick Van den Bergen, Frans Joos, Marc De Niel, Bartholomeus Verlinden
  • Patent number: 5564200
    Abstract: The material web (1) is acted upon by heated circulating air which permeates with the aid of a fan (7) from a pressure chamber (14) via inlets (6, 6') into the nozzle casings (4, 4'). In order to achieve laminar flow and thus an improved distribution of air, the fan (7) is removed as far as possible from the inlets (6, 6') and preferably suspended beneath the cover-wall (16) of the housing (2). This results in a relatively large and longitudinally extended pressure chamber (14) between the inlets (6, 6') and the pressure side (12) of the fan (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Assignee: Solipat AG
    Inventor: Christian Strahm
  • Patent number: 5507102
    Abstract: A device for drying strips of printed material includes a drying chamber through which the strips of printed material are carried, the drying chamber being divided into at least two sections by walls and being as gas-tight as possible in relation to the environment, at least one burner connected to the drying chamber by an outlet duct for discharging at least a portion of combustion gases and connected to the drying chamber by a feed duct for feeding to the burner gases saturated with solvents and structure for feeding fresh air to a first of the at least two sections being located at a first outer end of the drying chamber. The feed duct is connected to a second of the at least two sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1996
    Assignee: Stork Contiweb B.V.
    Inventors: Clemens J. M. De Vroome, Martinus J. C. Van Liempt
  • Patent number: 5378377
    Abstract: Excess liquid is removed from a fast-moving thread, in that the latter is deflected, so that the liquid is hurled off, the hurled off liquid is removed from the thread, in that the thread is passed through a closed chamber, where a vacuum is produced in order to facilitate liquid evaporation and in that the thread is led through a narrow gap, so that the layer directly surrounding the thread and travelling therewith is peeled off. The combination of these drying effects constitutes one process stage. Advantageously, this process stage is performed several times in direct succession, so that in the case of a thread-protecting, small deflection angle a good thread drying can be achieved. The process is performed by an apparatus comprising several chambers (K.1-3) connected in series in the thread movement direction, the thread being deflected at the inlet and/or outlet with respect to each chamber by a deflection element (U.1-4) and passes through a narrow gap (S.1-). The chamber walls (20.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1995
    Assignee: Rieter Machine Works, Ltd.
    Inventor: Felix Graf
  • Patent number: RE37557
    Abstract: In order to dry boards, the boards are guided on racks through a drier and brought into contact with drying air in two stages. In a stage A with a higher drying power, the drying air is supplied at a higher temperature and with an at least average humidity, and in the other stage B, it is supplied at an average temperature and with a low humidity. The waste heat of the outgoing air from stage A is used for preheating the drying air. This process should reduce the consumption of primary energy. For that purpose, a process is known that consists of also using the outgoing air condensation heat. This has the inconvenience, however, of requiring substantially more secondary energy, as important air mass flows are required to transfer heat because of the low condensation temperature. Primary energy should be reduced by using condensation heat without substantially increasing secondary energy requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2002
    Assignee: Babcock BSH AG
    Inventors: Freidrich Bahner, Manfred Braun, Gerhard Lehn, Karl Maurer, Manfred Schmidt, Josef Steinkuhl, Karl-Friedrich Lang