Setup and method for the thermal drying of goods

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus (1) for the thermal drying of goods containing a liquid, comprising a drying chamber (2), equipped with an inlet section (3), which is provided with an inlet (4) for the goods to be dried; a drying section (5), which is configured to receive the goods from the inlet section (3) and which is provided with heating devices (6) to convert the goods into dried goods by at least partially evaporating the liquid from the goods as a vapor; and an outlet section (7), which is configured to receive the dried goods from the drying section (5) and which is provided with an outlet (8) for the dried goods, characterized in such a way that the apparatus (1) is equipped with flow-hindering devices to hinder an inflow of ambient gases from an environment surrounding the apparatus (1) into the drying section (5).

Description

2 Latentheatabsorbedbytheliquidduringitsevaporationto avaporusuallycorrespondsbyfartoamajorpartofheat thatisconsumedduringthethermaldryingofthegoods. Thisheatcanbeaddedeitherdirectly,forexampleby5 blowinghotairoverthegoods,orindirectlythroughaheat exchanger. Ifapartialpressureofthevaporisequaltoatotal pressureofavaporousenvironmentinwhichthethermal10 dryingofthegoodsisperformed,thenthelatentheatcan berecoveredatasaturationtemperatureofthevaporous environment. If,duringtheevaporationoftheliquid,theresultingvapor15 ishowevermixedwithanothervaporand / orgasofanother composition,forexampleambientair,thepartialpressure ofthevaporislowerthansaidtotalpressure.Hence,after evacuationofthevaporwiththeothervaporand / orgasfrom thedryingsection,thelatentheatofthevaporcanthen20 onlybegraduallyrecoveredasatemperatureofthevapor withtheothervaporand / orgasisdecreased.Thisisbecause asvaporcondensesoutofamixturewithanothervaporof anothercomposition,aconcentrationofthevaporinthe mixturedecreasesandhencealsothepartialpressureofthe25 vaporandacondensationtemperatureofthevapor. Therefore,inordertorecoverthelatentheatatacertain pressureandatanashighaspossibletemperature,itis importanttoavoidasmuchaspossiblecontaminationofthe30 BE2025 / 5663 3 vaporresultingfromevaporatingtheliquidfromthegoods withothervaporsand / orgases. Summaryoftheinvention 5 Thepresentinventionaimsatreducingorsolvingatleast oneoftheaforementionedand / orotherdisadvantages. Morespecifically,theobjectiveofthepresentinventionis toensurethatthevaporresultingfromevaporatingthe10 liquidfromthegoodsisnotmixedwithcontaminatingvapors and / orgasesofanothercomposition,andhencetoenablea recoveryofthelatentheatofvaporizationinthevaporat ahighestpossibletemperature.15 Thereto,accordingtoafirstaspectoftheinvention,the inventionhasasitssubjectadeviceforthermaldryingof goodscontainingaliquid, comprisingadryingchamberprovidedwith aninletsection,whichisprovidedwithaninletfor20 thegoodstobedried; adryingsection,whichisconfiguredtoreceivethe goodsfromtheinletsectionandwhichisprovidedwith heatingmeansforconvertingthegoodsintodriedgoods byevaporatingatleastpartiallytheliquidfromthe25 goodsasavapor;and anoutletsection,whichisconfiguredtoreceivethe driedgoodsfromthedryingsectionandwhichis providedwithanoutletforthedriedgoods, withthecharacteristicthatthedeviceisprovidedwith30 flowhinderingmeansforhinderinganinflowofambientgases BE2025 / 5663 4 fromasurroundingsaroundthedeviceintothedrying section. Theeffectofsuchadeviceaccordingtotheinventionis thattheinflowofambientgasesfromthesurroundingsaround5 thedeviceintothedryingsectionisstronglyreducedor eveneliminatedbytheflowhinderingmeans.Thishasthe advantagethatlessornoambientgasesfromthesurroundings aroundthedevicewillmixwiththevaporresultingfrom evaporatingtheliquidinthedryingsection,whichwill10 leadtolessornocontaminationofthevaporwiththese ambientgases. Inthisway,apartialpressureofthevaporinthedrying sectionislessreducedornotreducedbymixingofambient15 gaseswiththevaporincomparisontoaconventionaldevice forthermaldryingofliquid-containinggoodswhichdoesnot comprisetheflowhinderingmeans.Hence,latentheatof vaporizationcanberecoveredfromthevaporatahigher temperaturebycondensationofthevaporoutsidethedrying20 section. Inapreferredembodimentofthedeviceaccordingtothe invention,theflowhinderingmeanscomprisepressure maintainingmeansformaintainingapressureinatleastthe25 inletsectionandtheoutletsectionatasetpressurelevel whichisaboveanambientpressureofthesurroundings.Apracticalimplementationoftheflowhinderingmeanswith pressuremaintainingmeansmayavoidaneedformechanical30 sealingmeans,likealock,intheinletsectionorinthe BE2025 / 5663 5 outletsectionformechanicallysealingthedryingsection fromthesurroundingsaroundthedevice.Suchmechanical sealingmeansareexpensiveand / orfailure-proneduetotheir susceptibilitytowear. 5 Preferably,saidpressuremaintainingmeanscomprisevapor evacuationregulatingmeansforregulatinganevacuationof thevaporoutofthedryingsection. Bymeansofanappropriateregulationoftheevacuationof10 thevaporoutofthedryingsectionwiththeevacuation regulatingmeans,itcanbeavoidedthatthepressureinthe dryingchamberwoulddropunderthesetpressureleveland theambientpressureofthesurroundings. 15 Morepreferably,thevaporevacuationregulatingmeans compriseavariablespeeddrivenblowerorvariablespeed drivencompressor.Inanextpreferredembodimentofthedeviceaccordingto20 theinvention,theflowhinderingmeanscompriseinletflow arearestrictionmeansintheinletsectionforrestricting aninletflowareaavailableforsaidinflowoftheambient gasesviatheinlet. 25 Theinletflowarearestrictionmeanshinderandhencelimit theinflowoftheambientgasesviatheinletbyrestricting theinletflowareaavailableforthisinflow. Inadditiontohinderingtheinflowoftheambientgasesvia30 theinlet,theinletflowarearestrictionmeansmayalso BE2025 / 5663 6 hinderandhencelimitanoutflowofvaporfromthedrying chamberintothesurroundingsaroundthedevicewhenthe flowhinderingmeansalsocomprisetheaforementioned pressuremaintainingmeans. 5 Inafirstmorepreferredembodimentofthedeviceaccording totheinvention,theinletflowarearestrictionmeans compriseatleastoneinletflapgatewithahingedinlet flaporflexibleinletflapattheinlet. 10 Onlyalimitednumberofcomponentsisrequiredtoassemble suchaninletflapgate.Inaddition,suchaninletflap gatecanbeinstalledinanon-complicatedwayasinletflow arearestrictionmeansinthedevice. 15 Inasecondmorepreferredembodimentofthedeviceaccording totheinvention,theinletflowarearestrictionmeans compriseafirstinletflapgateandasecondinletflap gateinseries,wherebythefirstinletflapgateandthe secondinletflapgatedelimitasubsectionoftheinlet20 section. Byprovidingtwoinletflapgatesinseriesasinletflow arearestrictionmeans,theinflowofambientgasesfromthe surroundingsaroundthedeviceintothedryingsectionor,25 iftheflowhinderingmeansalsocomprisetheaforementioned pressuremaintainingmeans,theoutflowofvaporfromthe dryingsectionintothesurroundingsviatheinletiseven morelimitedthanwhenonlyoneinletflapgatewouldbe provided.30 BE2025 / 5663 7 Inanevenmorepreferredembodimentofthedeviceaccording totheinvention,whereintheflowhinderingmeansalso comprisetheaforementionedpressuremaintainingmeans,the deviceaccordingtotheinventionfurthercomprisesinlet vaporevacuationmeansforevacuatingthevaporfromthe5 subsectionoftheinletsection. Theinletvaporevacuationmeansallowtoevacuatevapor flowingoutofthedryingsectionintothesubsectionofthe inletsectionbeforethisvaporwouldescapeviatheinlet10 tothesurroundingsaroundthedevice.Thismayberequired, forexampleincasethevaporistoxic,flammable,ortoo hottobedischargedintosurroundings. Asanalternativetothisevenmorepreferredembodimentof15 thedeviceaccordingtotheinvention,thepressure maintainingmeanscompriseinletsupplymeansforsupplying avaporousmediumessentiallycomposedasthevaporandat saidsetpressureinthesubsectionoftheinletsection.20 Theinletsupplymeansallowtomaintainapressureinthe subsectionoftheinletsectionhigherthanthesetpressure level,sothatthedryingsectiondoesnotneedtobe maintainedatthispressureinordertoavoidinflowofthe ambientgasesfromthesurroundingsviatheinletintothe25 dryingsection. Inthisalternativeembodimentofthedeviceaccordingto theinvention,thefirstinletflapgateispreferably betweentheinletandthesecondinletflapgate,whereby30 theinletflowarearestrictionmeanscompriseathirdinlet BE2025 / 5663 8 flapgateattheinletorbetweentheinletandthefirst inletflapgate,wherebythethirdinletflapgateandthe firstinletflapgatedelimitasecondsubsectionofthe inletsection,andwherebythedevicefurthercomprisesinlet vaporevacuationmeansforevacuatingthevaporousmediumin5 thesecondsubsectionoftheinletsection. Theinletvaporevacuationmeansallowtoevacuatethe vaporousmediumflowingoutofthesubsectionoftheinlet sectionintothesecondsubsectionoftheinletsection10 beforethisvaporousmediumwouldescapeviatheinletto thesurroundingsaroundthedevice.Thismayberequired, forexampleincasethevaporousmediumistoxic,flammable, ortoohottobedischargedintosurroundings. 15 Inanextpreferredembodimentofthedeviceaccordingto theinvention,theflowhinderingmeanscompriseoutletflow arearestrictionmeansintheoutletsectionforrestricting anoutletflowareaavailableforsaidinflowoftheambient gasesviatheoutlet.20 Theoutletflowarearestrictionmeanshinderandhencelimit theinflowoftheambientgasesviatheoutletbyrestricting theoutletflowareaavailableforthisinflow. 25 Inadditiontohinderingtheinflowoftheambientgasesvia theoutlet,theoutletflowarearestrictionmeansmayalso hinderandhencelimitanoutflowofvaporfromthedrying chamberintothesurroundingsaroundthedevicewhenthe flowhinderingmeansalsocomprisetheaforementioned30 pressuremaintainingmeans. BE2025 / 5663 9 Inamorepreferredembodimentofthedeviceaccordingto theinvention,theoutletflowarearestrictionmeans compriseatleastoneoutletflapgatewithahingedoutlet flaporflexibleoutletflapattheoutlet.5 Onlyalimitednumberofcomponentsisrequiredtoassemble suchanoutletflapgate.Inaddition,suchanoutletflap gatecanbeinstalledinanon-complicatedwayasoutlet flowarearestrictionmeansinthedevice.10 Inasubsequentmorepreferredembodimentofthedevice accordingtotheinvention,theoutletflowarearestriction meanscompriseafirstoutletflapgateandasecondoutlet flapgateinseries,wherebythefirstoutletflapgateand15 thesecondoutletflapgatedelimitasubsectionofthe outletsection. Byprovidingtwooutletflapgatesinseriesasoutletflow arearestrictionmeans,theinflowofambientgasesfromthe20 surroundingsaroundthedeviceintothedryingsectionor, iftheflowhinderingmeansalsocomprisetheaforementioned pressuremaintainingmeans,theoutflowofvaporfromthe dryingsectionintothesurroundingsviatheoutletiseven morelimitedthanwhenonlyoneoutletflapgatewouldbe25 provided.Inanevenmorepreferredembodimentofthedeviceaccording totheinvention,whereintheflowhinderingmeansalso comprisetheaforementionedpressuremaintainingmeans,the30 devicefurthercomprisesoutletvaporevacuationmeansfor BE2025 / 5663 10 evacuatingthevaporfromthesubsectionoftheoutlet section. Theoutletvaporevacuationmeansallowtoevacuatevapor flowingoutofthedryingsectionintothesubsectionofthe5 outletsectionbeforethisvaporwouldescapeviatheoutlet tothesurroundingsaroundthedevice.Thismayberequired, forexampleincasethevaporistoxic,flammable,ortoo hottobedischargedintosurroundings. 10 Asanalternativetothisevenmorepreferredembodimentof thedeviceaccordingtotheinvention,thepressure maintainingmeanscompriseoutletsupplymeansforsupplying avaporousmediumessentiallycomposedasthevaporandat saidsetpressureinthesubsectionoftheoutletsection.15 Theoutletsupplymeansallowtomaintainapressureinthe subsectionoftheoutletsectionhigherthanthesetpressure level,sothatthedryingsectiondoesnotneedtobe maintainedatthispressureinordertoavoidinflowofthe20 ambientgasesfromthesurroundingsviatheoutletintothe dryingsection. Inthisalternativeembodimentofthedeviceaccordingto theinvention,thefirstoutletflapgateispreferably25 betweentheoutletandthesecondoutletflapgate,whereby theoutletflowarearestrictionmeanscompriseathird outletflapgateattheoutletorbetweentheoutletandthe firstoutletflapgate,wherebythethirdoutletflapgate andthefirstoutletflapgatedelimitasecondsubsection30 oftheoutletsection,andwherebythedevicefurther BE2025 / 5663 11 comprisesoutletvaporevacuationmeansforevacuatingthe vaporousmediumfromthesecondsubsectionoftheoutlet section.Theoutletvaporevacuationmeansallowtoevacuatethe5 vaporousmediumflowingoutofthesubsectionoftheoutlet sectionintothesecondsubsectionoftheoutletsection beforethisvaporousmediumwouldescapeviatheoutletto thesurroundingsaroundthedevice.Thismayberequired, forexampleincasethevaporousmediumistoxic,flammable,10 ortoohottobedischargedintosurroundings. Inanextpreferredembodimentofthedeviceaccordingto theinvention,theflowhinderingmeanscompriseaninlet siphonelementattheinletandanoutletsiphonelementat15 theoutlet. Insuchaninletsiphonelementandoutletsiphonelement, theinflowofambientgasesfromthesurroundingsintothe dryingsectionishinderedbymeansofablockingliquid20 throughwhichthegoodsenterandthedriedgoodsexitthe dryingchamber. Inanextpreferredembodimentofthedeviceaccordingto theinvention,thedevicefurthercomprisesheatrecovery25 meanstorecoverheatfromthevaporbycondensationofthe vaporoutsideofthedryingsectioninonesteporinseveral serialorparallelsteps.Asthelatentheatofvaporizationinthevaporcanbe30 recoveredbycondensationoutsidethedryingsectionatas BE2025 / 5663 12 highaspossibleatemperature,thislatentheatrecovery canbeperformedinanenergeticallyoptimalwaybymeansof theseheatrecoverymeans. Iftheheatrecoverymeansoperateinseveralserialor5 parallelsteps,heatcanberecoveredfromthevaporat differenttemperatures. Inanextpreferredembodimentofthedeviceaccordingto theinvention,thedevicefurthercomprisesconveyingmeans10 tocontinuouslyorsemi-continuouslyconveythegoodstobe driedthroughtheinletintothedryingchamberandthedried goodsthroughtheoutletoutofthedryingchamber. Inthisway,thedeviceaccordingtotheinventioncanbe15 usedasacontinuousorsemi-continuousdryingsystem deliveringdriedgoodsinacontinuousorsemi-continuous way.Thisisparticularlyadvantageousifthereisamoreor lesscontinuousdemandforthedriedgoods.20 Inanalternativepreferredembodimentofthedevice accordingtotheinvention,thedevicefurthercomprises vacuumingmeansforvacuumingthedryingchamberinoneor moresequentialstepsand / orflushingmeansforflushingthe dryingchamberinoneormoresequentialsteps.25 Inthisway,thedeviceaccordingtotheinventioncanbe usedasabatchdryingsystemdeliveringdiscretebatchesof driedgoods.Thisisparticularlyadvantageousifthereis ahighlyvariabledemandforthedriedgoods.30 BE2025 / 5663 13 Accordingtoasecondaspectoftheinvention,theinvention alsorelatestoamethodforthermaldryingofgoods containingaliquid, wherebythegoodsareheatedtoatleastpartiallyevaporate theliquidfromthegoodsasavaporintoavaporous5 environment, withthecharacteristicthatthevaporousenvironmenthas essentiallyasamecompositionasthevapor.Inthisway,apartialpressureofthevaporinthevaporous10 environmentislessreducedornotreducedbyamixingof thevaporwithothervaporsand / orgasesofanother compositionincomparisontoaconventionalmethodfor thermaldryingofliquid-containinggoodsinwhicha resultingvaporissubstantiallymixedwithvaporsand / or15 gasesofanothercomposition.Hence,latentheatof vaporizationcanberecoveredfromthevaporatahigher temperaturebycondensationofthevaporoutsidethedrying section. 20 Inapreferredembodimentofthemethodaccordingtothe invention,thevaporousenvironmentisatapressureabove atmosphericpressureorisonlyinfluidcommunicationwith anenvironmentatapressureaboveatmosphericpressure. 25 Inthisway,thevaporousenvironmentdoesnotneedtobe mechanicallysealedtoavoidamixingofthevaporresulting fromevaporatingtheliquidfromthegoodswithambient gases.30 BE2025 / 5663 14 Finally,accordingtoathirdaspectoftheinvention,the inventionalsorelatestoauseofadeviceaccordingtoany ofthepreviousembodimentstoexecuteamethodaccordingto anyofthepreviousembodimentsforthermaldryingofgoods containingaliquid.5 Itisself-evidentthatsuchauseaccordingtotheinvention benefitsfromtheadvantagesoftheembodimentsofthedevice andmethodaccordingtheinventionasdescribedhereabove. 10 Inapreferredembodimentoftheuseaccordingtothe invention,beforethethermaldryingofthegoods, thegoodstobedriedarebroughtintothedrying chamber;and anyambientgasesthatarebroughtwiththegoodstobe15 driedintothedryingchamber,areremovedfromthe dryingchamberbyvacuumingand / orflushingthedrying chamberinoneormoresequentialsteps. Inthisway,thedevicecanbeusedasabatchdryingsystem20 whichisparticularlyadvantageousifthereishighly variabledemandforthedriedgoods.Inanextpreferredembodimentoftheuseaccordingtothe invention,thedeviceisusedforthermaldryingofgoods25 containingasubstantiallypureliquidorgoodscontaining aliquidmixturesubstantiallycomposedofliquidcomponents withsubstantiallyasamevaporizationtemperature. Withinthiscontext,theterm‘substantiallypureliquid’30 shouldbeinterpretedasaliquidcomprisingatleast70wt% BE2025 / 5663 15 ofamainliquidcomponent,andtheterm‘liquidmixture substantiallycomposedofliquidcomponentswith substantiallyasamevaporizationtemperature’shouldbe interpretedasaliquidcomprisingatleast70wt%ofliquid componentswithsubstantiallyasamevaporization5 temperature. Forgoodscontainingasubstantiallypureliquidorforgoods containingaliquidmixturesubstantiallycomposedofliquid componentswithsubstantiallyasamevaporization10 temperature,thelatentheatofvaporizationcanberecovered fromthevaporatasubstantiallyasingletemperatureby condensationofthevaporoutsidethedryingsection.Briefdescriptionofthedrawings15 Withtheintentiontobetterdemonstratethecharacteristics oftheinvention,anumberofpreferredembodimentsofa deviceandmethodforthermaldryingofgoodscontaininga liquidaccordingtotheinventionandauseofsuchadevice20 toexecutesuchamethodaredescribedbelow,withoutany restrictivecharacter,withreferencetotheaccompanying drawings,wherein: Figure1showsadeviceaccordingtotheinventionfor25 thermaldryingofgoodscontainingaliquid; Figure2showsafirstvariantofthedeviceshownin Figure1; Figure3showsasecondvariantofthedeviceshownin Figure1;30 BE2025 / 5663 16 Figure4showsathirdvariantofthedeviceshownin Figure1; Figure5showsafourthvariantofthedeviceshownin Figure1. 5 Detaileddescriptionofthedrawings Figure1showsadevice1accordingtotheinventionfor thermaldryingofgoodscontainingaliquid.Thedevice1comprisesadryingchamber2providedwithan10 inletsection3whichhasaninlet4forthegoodstobe dried,adryingsection5whichisconfiguredtoreceivethe goodsfromtheinletsection3andwhichisprovidedwith heatingmeans6forconvertingthegoodsintodriedgoods, andanoutletsection7whichisconfiguredtoreceivethe15 driedgoodsfromthedryingsection5andwhichisprovided withanoutlet8forthedriedgoods. Theheatingmeans6areconfiguredforevaporatingatleast partiallytheliquidfromthegoodsasavapor.20 Inaddition,thedevice1isprovidedwithflowhindering meansforhinderinganinflowofambientgasesfroma surroundingsaroundthedevice1intothedryingsection5. 25 Inthiscase,theflowhinderingmeanscomprisepressure maintainingmeansformaintainingapressureinthedrying chamber2atasetpressurelevelwhichisaboveanambient pressureofthesurroundings.Thepressuremaintainingmeans compriseinthiscasevaporevacuationregulationmeans930 forregulatinganevacuationofthevaporoutofthedrying BE2025 / 5663 17 section5suchthatthepressureinthedryingsection5 doesnotdropunderthesetpressurelevel.More specifically,thevaporevacuationregulatingmeans9 compriseavariablespeeddrivenblower10inthiscase. Alternatively,thevaporevacuationregulatingmeans9may5 compriseavariablespeeddrivencompressor. Thedevicefurthercomprisesheatrecoverymeans11to recoverheatfromthevaporbycondensationofthevapor outsideofthedryingsection5inonesteporinseveral10 serialorparallelsteps.Inthiscase,theheatrecovery means11receivethevaporwhichhasbeenevacuatedfromthe dryingsection5inaregulatedwaybymeansofthevapor evacuationregulationmeans9. 15 Theflowhinderingmeansalsocompriseinletflowarea restrictionmeansintheinletsection3forrestrictingan inletflowareaavailablefortheinflowoftheambientgases viatheinlet4.Morespecifically,theinletflowarea restrictionmeanscompriseaninletflapgate12witha20 hingedinletflapattheinlet4.Alternatively,theinlet flowarearestrictionsmeansmaycompriseaninletflapgate withaflexibleinletflapattheinlet4. Furthermore,theflowhinderingmeanscompriseoutletflow25 arearestrictionmeansintheoutletsection7for restrictinganoutletflowareaavailablefortheinflowof theambientgasesviatheoutlet8.Morespecifically,the outletflowarearestrictionmeanscompriseanoutletflap gate13withahingedoutletflapattheoutlet8.30 Alternatively,theoutletflowarearestrictionsmeansmay BE2025 / 5663 18 compriseanoutletflapgatewithaflexibleoutletflapat theoutlet8. Figure2showsafirstvariantofthedevice1shownin Figure1.5 Inthisfirstvariant,thedevice1furthercomprises conveyingmeans14tocontinuouslyorsemi-continuously conveygoodstobedriedthroughtheinlet4intothedrying chamber2andthedriedgoodsthroughtheoutlet8outof10 thedryingchamber2.Inthiscase,theconveyingmeans14 arecarriedoutasaconveyorbelt15.Itshouldbenoted thatitispossiblewithintheframeworkoftheinventionto applyotherkindsofconveyingmeansaswell. 15 Figure3showsasecondvariantofthedevice1shownin Figure1. Inthissecondvariant,thedevice1furthercomprises vacuumingmeans16forvacuumingthedryingchamber2inone20 ormoresequentialsteps.Alternativelyoradditionally,the device1furthercomprisesflushingmeansforflushingthe dryingchamber2inoneormoresequentialsteps. Figure4showsathirdvariantofthedevice1shownin25 Figure1. Inthisthirdvariant,theinletflowarearestrictionmeans compriseafirstinletflapgate17andasecondinletflap gate18inseries,wherebythefirstinletflapgate17and30 BE2025 / 5663 19 thesecondinletflapgate18delimitasubsection19ofthe inletsection3. Inthiscase,thefirstinletflapgate17istheinletflap gate12attheinlet4andthesubsection19oftheinlet5 section3spanstheentireinletsection3,buttheseare notnecessarywithintheframeworkoftheinvention.Thedevice1furthercomprisesinletvaporevacuation means20forevacuatingthevaporfromthesubsection19of10 theinletsection3. Inaddition,theoutletflowarearestrictionmeanscomprise afirstoutletflapgate21andasecondoutletflapgate22 inseries,wherebythefirstoutletflapgate21andthe15 secondoutletflapgate22delimitasubsection23ofthe outletsection7. Inthiscase,thefirstoutletflapgate21istheoutlet flapgate13attheoutlet8andthesubsection23ofthe20 outletsection7spanstheentireoutletsection7,butthese arenotnecessarywithintheframeworkoftheinvention. Thedevice1furthercomprisesoutletvaporevacuation means24forevacuatingthevaporfromthesubsection23of25 theoutletsection7. Figure5showsafourthvariantofthedevice1shownin Figure1. 30 BE2025 / 5663 20 Inthisfourthvariant,thepressuremaintainingmeans compriseinletsupplymeans25forsupplyingavaporous mediumessentiallycomposedasthevaporandatsaidset pressureinthesubsection19oftheinletsection3.5 Thefirstinletflapgate17isbetweentheinlet4andthe secondinletflapgate18,wherebytheinletflowarea restrictionmeanscompriseathirdinletflapgate26which ispositionedattheinlet4orbetweentheinlet4andthe firstinletflapgate17.Inthiscase,thethirdinletflap10 gate26istheinletflapgate12attheinlet4,butthis isnotnecessaryfortheinvention. Thethirdinletflapgate26andthefirstinletflapgate17 delimitasecondsubsection27oftheinletsection3,and15 thedevice1furthercomprisesinletvaporevacuation means20forevacuatingthevaporousmediumfromthesecond subsection27oftheinletsection3. Inaddition,thepressuremaintainingmeanscompriseoutlet20 supplymeans28forsupplyingavaporousmediumessentially composedasthevaporandatsaidsetpressureinthe subsection23oftheoutletsection7. Thefirstoutletflapgate21isbetweentheoutlet8and25 thesecondoutletflapgate22,wherebytheoutletflowarea restrictionmeanscompriseathirdoutletflapgate29which ispositionedattheoutlet8orbetweentheoutlet8and thefirstoutletflapgate21.Inthiscase,thethirdoutlet flapgate29istheoutletflapgate13attheoutlet8,but30 thisisnotnecessaryfortheinvention. BE2025 / 5663 21 Thethirdoutletflapgate29andthefirstoutletflap gate21delimitasecondsubsection30oftheoutlet section7,andthedevice1furthercomprisesoutletvapor evacuationmeans24forevacuatingthevaporousmediumfrom5 thesecondsubsection30oftheoutletsection7. Itshouldbenotedthatspecificfeaturesinthevariants showninFigures2to5shouldnotbeconsideredasbeing exclusiveforanindividualoneofthesevariants,butthat10 everyoneofthesespecificfeaturescanbeincludedand / or appliedineachofthevariantsaccordingtotheinvention. Thepresentinventionisbynomeansrestrictedtothe embodimentsdescribedbywayofexampleandshowninthe15.