DRYING UNIT AND DRYING PROCESS FOR DRYING PASTA OR SNACKS

Abstract

A drying unit (1) for drying pasta or snacks, characterized in that it comprises: a dryer (10) of the type having a circulating airflow; a heat exchanger (20) associated with the dryer (10) so that the airflow is heated before drying the products; a heat pump (30); a first circuit (40) of a first heat transfer medium, receiving heat from the heat pump (30) and transferring it to the airflow in the heat exchanger (20); a heat recovery system (50) comprising: - a second circuit (51) of a second heat transfer medium, associated with the heat pump (30), to serve as a heat source; - at least a first and a second heat recovery unit (52, 53) arranged in the second circuit (51) upstream of the heat pump (30) to heat the second heat transfer medium;- at least one first and one second heat source line (60, 70), each heat source line (60, 70) is configured to carry an exhaust fluid used in the internal processes of the drying unit (1) to one of the heat recovery units (52, 53) to heat the second heat transfer medium, at least one of the first and second heat source lines (60, 70) is an exhaust air extraction line from the dryer (10).;