Drying device for wet blasting bead pills

Abstract

The drying device comprises a rotary drum and a base, and when the rotary drum is arranged on the base, a first gear and a second gear are meshed with each other and are driven by a driving mechanism to rotate; when the rotary drum rotates on the base, the driven wheel ring is matched with the supporting wheel, and the driving wheel ring is matched with the driving wheel, so that the rotary drum stably rotates on the base. Through cooperative operation of the heat exchange system and the intelligent control mechanism, the temperature and humidity sensor can monitor the moisture state of a wall material in real time, the air supply temperature and the rotating drum steering rhythm are adjusted, the drying process accurately meets the requirements of the four stages of speed increasing, constant speed, speed reducing and balancing, and the integrity rate of blasting beads is increased. When the drum body of the polygonal structure rotates, the angular linear speed is obviously higher than that of the plane center, forced convection of high-speed throwing-low-speed spreading is formed, wet pellets are dispersed and uniformly rolled, the problem of material adhesion of a circular drum is solved, and the special-shaped rate can be reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This patent relates to the field of tobacco technology, specifically to a drying device for wet capsules. Background Technology

[0002] Cigarette flavor capsules, also known as flavor beads or flavoring beads, are spherical objects made of edible gum that encapsulate a uniquely flavored liquid made from flavorings, herbal extracts, and appropriate solvents. Adding flavor capsules to cigarettes is a flavor enhancement technology that compensates for the original taste. By adding different components to cigarette flavor capsules, the aroma of cigarettes can be enriched, the taste improved, and harmful components reduced. "Flavor capsule addition," as a new cigarette flavoring technology, has become an important technical means of constructing cigarette products centered on flavor shaping. Therefore, in recent years, with the rapid development of flavor capsule cigarettes in domestic and international markets, the demand for flavor capsule production from tobacco companies has been continuously increasing.

[0003] The commonly used method for the industrialization of bursting bead preparation is the concentric film-forming method. In this method, the concentric nozzles of a dripping machine spray wall material and core material solutions at different speeds. The wall material encapsulates a certain amount of core material before being dripped into another immiscible cooling liquid, where it solidifies and forms the bead. Subsequent processes include solidification, cleaning, drying, and screening to obtain the final bursting bead product. Wet bursting bead production involves fluidized bed drying in a rotary drum, where heat exchange between air and the wet bead removes moisture. Airflow in the rotary drum drying technology is one of the key factors for achieving a highly efficient drying process.

[0004] Currently, drying methods mainly include natural air drying and rotary drum drying. Since both the wall material and core material of the burst beads are formed from liquid, the wet beads are in a soft state before drying. During rotary drum drying, it is difficult to control their shape and fluidization state, easily resulting in irregular shapes such as ovals, protrusions, and hemispheres. This reduces product quality and production efficiency.

[0005] The rotary drum of a rotary drying device is generally circular. During the drying process, the wet pellets accumulate at the bottom of the circular drum, resulting in a thick material layer. Drying air cannot effectively pass through the middle of the material, which is not conducive to heat exchange. In addition, the circular drum structure causes the material to move along a fixed circumference at a uniform linear velocity, which does not utilize the tumbling movement of the material and reduces drying efficiency. Therefore, there is an urgent need to propose a solution for a polygonal rotary drum drying device. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This invention aims to overcome three major drawbacks in existing circular rotary drum drying processes for wet pellets: material buildup, low heat exchange efficiency, and high wet pellet damage rate. By designing a rotary drum with a polygonal mesh structure and a matching drying device, this patent provides the following technical solution:

[0007] In a first aspect, a drying device for wet capsules containing popping beads is provided. The drying device includes a rotating drum and a base. A first gear is provided on the rotating drum, and a second gear is provided on the base and fixedly connected to a drive mechanism. When the rotating drum is placed on the base, the first gear and the second gear mesh with each other and rotate under the drive of the drive mechanism. A driven wheel and a driving wheel are provided on the rotating drum, and a support wheel and a drive wheel are provided on the base. When the rotating drum rotates on the base, the driven wheel and the support wheel cooperate, and the driving wheel and the drive wheel cooperate, so that the rotating drum rotates stably on the base.

[0008] Furthermore, the engagement method between the drive wheel and the driving wheel can be one or more of the following: ratchet drive, grooved wheel drive, cam drive, flange roller drive, gear drive, helical drive, worm gear drive, belt drive, chain drive, or friction wheel drive.

[0009] Furthermore, the driven wheel rim and the support wheel can be coupled in one or more of the following ways: ratchet drive, grooved wheel drive, cam drive, flange roller drive, gear drive, screw drive, worm gear drive, belt drive, chain drive, or friction wheel drive.

[0010] Furthermore, the base also includes a frame, an air supply mechanism, and casters. The casters are located at the bottom of the frame, and the top of the base has a receiving slot for placing the rotating drum.

[0011] Furthermore, the air supply mechanism is installed inside the frame, and the air supply mechanism includes an air outlet that supplies air towards the receiving tank.

[0012] Furthermore, the rotating drum also includes a material gate and a drum body. The material gate is fixed to the driven wheel ring and can be opened. The drum body is formed into a polygonal structure by a mesh plate. The mesh plate is provided with ventilation holes, and the diameter of the ventilation holes is smaller than the diameter of the wet bursting beads.

[0013] Furthermore, the shape of the cylinder can be one or more of the following: triangular prism, square prism, pentagonal prism, hexagonal prism, heptagonal prism, or octagonal prism.

[0014] Furthermore, the drum can rotate in both the forward and reverse directions under the drive of the drive mechanism.

[0015] Furthermore, the drying device also includes a heat exchange system and a control mechanism. The heat exchange system detects the heat exchange data between the wet capsules and the environment and transmits the heat exchange data to the control mechanism to control the operation of the rotating drum.

[0016] Furthermore, the bursting wet capsule is a sphere containing a liquid core.

[0017] This patent has the following beneficial effects:

[0018] 1. This patent provides a drying device for drying wet capsules containing bursting beads, including a rotating drum and a base. The rotating drum is provided with a first gear, and the base is provided with a second gear fixedly connected to a drive mechanism. When the rotating drum is placed on the base, the first gear and the second gear mesh with each other and rotate under the drive of the drive mechanism. The rotating drum is provided with a driven wheel and a driving wheel, and the base is provided with a support wheel and a drive wheel. When the rotating drum rotates on the base, the driven wheel and the support wheel cooperate, and the driving wheel and the drive wheel cooperate, so that the rotating drum rotates stably on the base. The rotating drum is driven to rotate through the cooperation of the gear tooth structure, and other wheel belt mechanisms are provided to support and promote the rotation of the rotating drum.

[0019] 2. In this patent, the polygonal plane enclosed by the mesh plate allows the wet pellets to be laid flat in a single layer, reducing the thickness of the material layer. The mesh plate is provided with ventilation holes of various shapes. Through the breathable structure design of the ventilation holes on the mesh plate, the resistance to hot air penetration is reduced, the efficiency of simultaneous evaporation of moisture inside and outside the rubber is improved, and the drying cycle is shortened.

[0020] 3. In this patent, the rotating drum can rotate in both the forward and reverse directions. The dual-mode drive mechanism provides an adaptive drying path: when rotating in the forward direction, the wet pellets slide smoothly down the inclined surface to avoid initial mechanical damage; when rotating in the reverse direction, the edges and corners lift the wet pellets up and throw them into the air, and strong convection breaks up the later agglomeration, improving the uniformity of drying.

[0021] 4. The drying device is equipped with a heat exchange system and a control mechanism. Through the coordinated operation of the heat exchange system and the intelligent control mechanism, the temperature and humidity sensors can monitor the moisture status of the wall material in real time, dynamically adjust the air supply temperature and the rotation rhythm of the drum, so that the drying process can accurately match the four stages of speed increase, constant speed, speed decrease and balance, and improve the integrity rate of the burst beads.

[0022] 5. The cylinder body is formed into a polygonal structure by mesh plates. The bursting wet pellets are placed on the mesh plates and dried by rotating the cylinder. The mesh plates are a breathable structure with ventilation holes to promote heat exchange of the bursting wet pellets. When the cylinder body with polygonal structure rotates, the linear velocity of the edges is significantly higher than that of the center of the plane, forming a forced convection of "high-speed throwing - low-speed spreading", which makes the wet pellets dispersed and rolled evenly, solving the problem of material adhesion in the circular rotating cylinder and reducing the irregularity rate.

[0023] Fan

[0024] As a core piece of equipment for industrial gas transportation, the working principle of a blower relies on the impeller rotation to apply kinetic energy to the gas, realizing the conversion of mechanical energy into fluid energy. When the motor drives the impeller to rotate, the blades exert a force on the gas molecules, causing the gas to accelerate. According to Newton's third law, the gas simultaneously exerts a reaction force on the blades, forming a pressure gradient. In the central region of the impeller, the centrifugal force generated by the rotation causes the gas to move at high speed to the outer periphery, resulting in a low-pressure zone on the inlet side, prompting continuous gas intake; while on the outer periphery of the impeller, the high-speed gas decelerates and is pressurized through the gradually expanding cross-section of the volute-shaped channel, converting kinetic energy into static pressure energy, and finally outputting it in a high-pressure state. This energy conversion process follows Bernoulli's equation—the pressure increases when the gas velocity decreases, and vice versa. The performance of the blower is directly affected by the impeller geometry and rotational speed. A forward-curved blade design can increase the flow rate but sacrifices efficiency, while a backward-curved design balances high efficiency and stable operation. In industrial applications, changes in gas density (usually considered as an incompressible fluid) and system resistance jointly determine the actual operating point of the blower, requiring matching of characteristic curves to avoid abnormal conditions such as surge.

[0025] Based on the direction of gas flow, fans are mainly divided into two types: centrifugal and axial. Centrifugal fans account for more than 70% of industrial applications. In centrifugal fans, the airflow enters the impeller axially and then turns radial, exiting after being diffused by the volute casing. They are characterized by medium to high head and a medium flow range, making them particularly suitable for scenarios requiring overcoming system resistance, such as hot air delivery through material layers in pod drying. Their core performance parameters include impeller diameter, blade configuration, and specific speed. Axial fans, on the other hand, maintain axial gas flow and excel at high flow rates and low head applications, commonly found in ventilation and cooling systems.

[0026] A centrifugal fan is essentially a variable flow rate constant pressure device. Its core components include an air inlet, impeller, and motor. The blades are classified into three types: backward-curved, forward-curved, and radial. At a constant rotational speed, the theoretical pressure-flow rate curve of a centrifugal fan should be a straight line. However, due to internal losses, the actual characteristic curve is curved. The pressure generated in a centrifugal fan is significantly affected by changes in inlet air temperature or density. For a given inlet air volume, the pressure is lowest at the highest inlet air temperature (lowest air density). For a given pressure-flow rate characteristic curve, there is also a power-flow rate characteristic curve. When the blower operates at a constant speed, for a given flow rate, the required power increases as the inlet air temperature decreases.

[0027] Axial flow fans mainly consist of impellers, casings, and motors. The support frame is made of steel sections connected to the casing and fan duct. Corrosion-resistant axial flow fans use fiberglass for both the impeller and casing, while other types are generally made of steel plates. The working principle of axial flow fan blades is similar to that of an aircraft wing. However, while the latter applies lift upwards to the wing to support the aircraft's weight, the axial flow fan is fixed in position and moves the air. When the impeller rotates, gas enters axially from the inlet, gains energy due to the pushing action of the blades, and then flows into the guide vanes. The guide vanes deflect the airflow axially and guide the gas into the diffuser, further converting the gas's kinetic energy into pressure energy, before finally introducing it into the working duct. The cross-section of an axial flow fan is generally an airfoil. The blades can be fixed in position or rotate around their longitudinal axis. The angle between the blades and the airflow, or the blade spacing, can be fixed or adjustable. One of the main advantages of axial fans is their ability to change blade angle or spacing. Smaller blade spacing and angle result in lower flow rates, while increasing the spacing produces higher flow rates. Advanced axial fans can change their blade spacing while the fan is running (similar to a helicopter rotor), thus changing the flow rate accordingly. This is called a variable-pitch (VP) axial fan.

[0028] Servo motor

[0029] A servo motor is an engine that controls the operation of mechanical components in a servo system; it is a type of auxiliary motor with indirect speed change.

[0030] Servo motors can control speed and position with extremely high accuracy. They convert voltage signals into torque and speed to drive the controlled object. The rotor speed of a servo motor is controlled by the input signal and can respond quickly. In automatic control systems, they are used as actuators and have characteristics such as a small electromechanical time constant and high linearity. They can convert received electrical signals into angular displacement or angular velocity output on the motor shaft. Servo motors are divided into two main categories: DC and AC servo motors. Their main characteristic is that they do not rotate when the signal voltage is zero, and their speed decreases uniformly as the torque increases.

[0031] A servo motor is a motor used in servo systems to drive mechanical components. By inputting control signals and processing them through a servo controller, the servo motor is ultimately driven to output motion. A servo system is an automatic control system that enables the output controlled variables, such as the position, orientation, and state of an object, to follow any changes in the input target. The working principle of a servo motor is based on its ability to rotate by a corresponding angle upon receiving a pulse, thereby achieving precise displacement control. This characteristic allows the servo motor to convert voltage signals into torque and speed to drive the controlled object.

[0032] The working mechanism of a servo motor can be summarized in the following steps:

[0033] A. Input control signals: First, the external system sends control signals to the servo controller. These signals usually contain commands such as position, speed, or torque.

[0034] B. Signal processing: After receiving the control signal, the servo controller processes it and converts it into a voltage or current signal suitable for driving the servo motor.

[0035] C. Drive Motor: The processed signal is sent to the servo motor, which then begins to rotate. The rotor of the servo motor starts to rotate under the influence of the electromagnetic field, while the encoder built into the motor provides real-time feedback on the rotor's position.

[0036] D. Feedback and Adjustment: The encoder feeds back the actual position information of the rotor to the servo controller. The servo controller compares the feedback position information with the target position information. If a deviation is found, it adjusts the output signal to make the servo motor continue to rotate until the target position is reached.

[0037] E. Output Motion: Through continuous feedback and adjustment, the servo motor ultimately outputs precise motion, achieving precise position control of the object.

[0038] drive motor

[0039] The drive motor system is the part that directly converts electrical energy into mechanical energy, and it determines the performance indicators of the equipment. The drive motor system consists of a drive motor (DM), a drive motor controller (MCU), and a cooling system. It is electrically and thermally connected to other systems through high and low voltage wiring harnesses and cooling pipes.

[0040] The drive motor includes a permanent magnet synchronous motor, a rotary transformer, and a temperature sensor.

[0041] Permanent magnet synchronous motor: A typical drive motor with advantages such as high efficiency, small size, and high reliability. It is the actuator of a power system and the carrier of electrical energy converted into mechanical energy. It relies on a built-in rotary transformer and temperature sensor to provide the motor's operating status information and sends the motor's operating status information to the MCU in real time.

[0042] Rotary transformer: It detects the position of the motor rotor. After the rotary transformer decoder in the motor controller decodes the position, the motor controller can know the current position of the motor rotor, thereby controlling the corresponding IGBT power transistors to conduct, energizing the three coils of the stator in sequence, and driving the motor to rotate.

[0043] Temperature sensor: Its function is to detect the temperature of the motor windings and provide the information to the MCU. The MCU then transmits the information to the VCU via the CAN line, thereby controlling the water pump, water circulation, cooling fan operation, and regulating the motor operating temperature. Attached Figure Description

[0044] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this patent, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this patent and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0045] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram showing the fit between the rotating drum and the base;

[0046] Figure 2 An exploded view of the rotating drum;

[0047] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the rotating drum;

[0048] Figure 4 Exploded view of the base;

[0049] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the base;

[0050] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the drying device.

[0051] The reference numerals in the attached figures are explained as follows:

[0052] 100: Rotary drum;

[0053] 110: First gear;

[0054] 120: Active wheel rim;

[0055] 130: Body;

[0056] 131: Mesh plate;

[0057] 132: Ventilation hole;

[0058] 140: Driven wheel rim;

[0059] 150: Material gate;

[0060] 200: Base;

[0061] 210: Second gear;

[0062] 220: Drive mechanism;

[0063] 230: Drive wheel;

[0064] 231: First drive wheel;

[0065] 232: Second drive wheel;

[0066] 240: Rack;

[0067] 241: Receiving tank;

[0068] 250: Air supply mechanism;

[0069] 251: Air vent;

[0070] 252: Electric motor;

[0071] 260: Support wheel;

[0072] 261: First support wheel;

[0073] 262: Second support wheel;

[0074] 270: Casters. Detailed Implementation

[0075] The detailed features and advantages of this application are described below in the specific embodiments. The content of this description is sufficient to enable any person skilled in the art to understand the technical content of this application and implement it accordingly. Based on the specification, claims and drawings disclosed in this specification, a person skilled in the art can easily understand the related objectives and advantages of this application.

[0076] The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference numerals denote similar elements. While specific structures and arrangements are discussed, it should be understood that this is done merely for illustrative purposes. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other structures and arrangements can be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention can also be used in a variety of other applications.

[0077] In this specification and claims, several terms will be used, and unless otherwise indicated, these terms will be defined to have the following meanings:

[0078] The singular forms “a” and “the” include their corresponding plural forms. “At least one” means one or more, and “more” means two or more. “At least one of the following” or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can be expressed as: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0079] All figures used to represent component amounts, properties (e.g., molecular weight), reaction conditions, etc., should be considered to be modified in all cases by the terms "within the unavoidable margin of error" or "about". Therefore, the numerical values ​​set forth herein are approximate and may vary depending on the desired properties sought to be obtained by the present invention. The principle of equivalents, which is applied to a minimum and not intended to limit the scope of the claims, should be applied, for example, each value should be interpreted at least according to the reported significant digits and by applying conventional rounding techniques.

[0080] It should be understood that the term "and / or" in this article is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. A and B can be singular or plural. Additionally, the character " / " in this article generally indicates an "or" relationship between the preceding and following related objects, but it can also represent an "and / or" relationship. Please refer to the context for a more accurate understanding.

[0081] In the description of this embodiment, it should be noted that the terms "upper", "lower", "inner", "bottom", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship in which the product is usually placed during use. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0082] Unless otherwise indicated, the following abbreviations have the following meanings, and any other abbreviations used herein but not defined have their generally accepted standard meanings:

[0083] All other terms used herein for special definition are intended to have the general meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, and in particular, meaning that one of ordinary skill in the art, upon reading the claims, specification and drawings of this patent, can directly and without doubt determine how the technical solution of this patent can be implemented.

[0084] Even if there are incomplete descriptions, omissions, or ambiguities in the grammar, words, punctuation, graphics, symbols, etc. of the claims, specification, and drawings of this patent, a person skilled in the art can still arrive at the only correct understanding by reading the claims, specification, and drawings as a whole without extensive reasoning or experimentation, and effectively exclude various incorrect interpretations that are not aimed at achieving the purpose of this patent.

[0085] Those skilled in the art would first choose to read the claims, specification, and drawings of this patent to reasonably interpret the terms; secondly, they would choose to refer to the relevant definitions in other documents published by the applicant before the filing date to reasonably interpret the terms; thirdly, they would choose the references cited in this patent to reasonably interpret the terms; and finally, they would choose to combine the technical dictionaries, technical manuals, reference books, textbooks, national or industry technical standards, etc., commonly used by those skilled in the art to reasonably interpret the terms.

[0086] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the embodiments of this application will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0087] A rotary drum 100 for drying wet capsules includes a first gear 110, a material gate 150, a driven wheel ring 140, a drum body 130, and a driving wheel ring 120. The driven wheel ring 140 and the driving wheel ring 120 are respectively disposed at both ends of the drum body 130. The first gear 110 is adjacent to the driving wheel ring 120 and disposed at the other end of the driving wheel ring 120. The driven wheel ring 140 and the driving wheel ring 120 are circular structures. The material gate 150 is openably fixed on the driven wheel ring 140. The material gate 150 is circular and its size is the same as the size of the circle in the annulus of the driven wheel ring 140, so that the material gate 150 is fixed on the annular surface of the driven wheel ring 140 and opens or closes around the fixed point from the annular surface.

[0088] Please refer to Figure 1 The drying device includes a rotating drum 100 and a base 200. The rotating drum 100 is provided with a first gear 110, and the base 200 is provided with a second gear 210 fixedly connected to a drive mechanism 220. When the rotating drum 100 is placed on the base 200, the first gear 110 and the second gear 210 mesh with each other and rotate under the drive of the drive mechanism 220. The rotating drum 100 is provided with a driven wheel 140 and a driving wheel 120, and the base 200 is provided with a support wheel 260 and a drive wheel 230. When the rotating drum 100 rotates on the base 200, the driven wheel 140 cooperates with the support wheel 260, and the driving wheel 120 cooperates with the drive wheel 230, so that the rotating drum 100 rotates stably on the base 200.

[0089] Please refer to Figures 2-3 The material gate 150 and the driven wheel rim 140 are connected by one or more of the following methods: hinge connection, snap-fit ​​connection, magnetic connection or bolt connection. As long as the material gate 150 can be opened and closed on the driven wheel rim 140, this patent is not limited to this.

[0090] In this embodiment, the material gate 150 and the driven wheel rim 140 are connected by a hinge, wherein the connecting component is a hinge, one side of the two hinges is fixed to the material gate 150 by bolts and the other side is fixed to the annular surface of the driven wheel rim 140 by bolts.

[0091] The driven wheel rim 140 and the support wheel 260 are coupled in one or more of the following ways: ratchet drive, grooved wheel drive, cam drive, flange roller drive, gear drive, screw drive, worm gear drive, belt drive, chain drive, or friction wheel drive.

[0092] In this embodiment, the driven wheel rim 140 and the support wheel 260 are coupled by a grooved wheel drive. The driven wheel rim 140 has raised baffles on both sides of its side, and the middle provides a track for the support wheel 260 to rotate, which guides and constrains the support wheel 260 to rotate on the side of the driven wheel rim 140 and prevents it from deviating.

[0093] The engagement method between the drive wheel rim 120 and the drive wheel 230 is one or more of the following: ratchet drive, grooved wheel drive, cam drive, flange roller drive, gear drive, helical drive, worm gear drive, belt drive, chain drive, or friction wheel drive.

[0094] In this embodiment, the driving wheel rim 120 and the drive wheel 230 are coupled by a grooved wheel drive. The driving wheel rim 120 has raised baffles on both sides of its side, and the middle provides a track for the drive wheel 230 to rotate. This guides and constrains the drive wheel 230 to rotate on the side of the driving wheel rim 120 so that it cannot deviate, and assists the first gear 110 and the second gear 210 in meshing and driving each other, so that the drum 100 rotates.

[0095] The diameter of the first gear 110 is equal to the diameter of the driving wheel rim 120 and the driven wheel rim 140, and the teeth of the first gear 110 are evenly arranged along the circumferential direction on its side. The second gear 210 is fixed on the drive mechanism 220, which is installed in the middle of the side where the drive wheel 230 is located, and its height is equivalent to the radius of the driving wheel rim 120. The drive mechanism 220 can drive the second gear 210 to rotate in the forward or reverse direction. The diameter of the second gear 210 is smaller, and the teeth of the second gear 210 are also evenly arranged along the circumferential direction on its side.

[0096] The shape of the cylindrical body 130 can be one or more of a triangular prism, a quadrangular prism, a pentagonal prism, a hexagonal prism, a heptagonal prism, or an octagonal prism. This patent is not limited to this. It should be noted that the polygonal structure of the cylindrical body 130 should at least include edges rather than having an arc-shaped cross-section.

[0097] Specifically, when the polygonal rotating cylinder 100 rotates, the linear velocity at the corners is much higher than that at the center of the plane. This causes the material to be thrown up at high speed at the corners and spread out at low speed when it falls back to the plane, forming forced tumbling. The speed difference breaks the adhesion of the material, making the wet pellets disperse more evenly. The circular rotating cylinder 100 rolls at a uniform speed, and the material is easy to accumulate into clumps, thereby reducing the airflow penetration resistance and improving the heat exchange efficiency.

[0098] In this embodiment, the cylinder body 130 is a hexagonal prism, and the side of the cylinder body 130 is hexagonal. The cylinder body 130 includes a mesh plate 131 and a ventilation hole 132. The length of the mesh plate 131 is slightly less than the length of the frame 240. Six mesh plates 131 form the cylinder body 130, and the bottom of the drive wheel ring 120 has a hexagonal boss for fixing the side of the cylinder body 130.

[0099] Ventilation holes 132 are evenly arranged on the mesh plate 131 and are used to allow the wet capsules on the mesh plate 131 to fully exchange heat with the external environment. In this embodiment, the ventilation holes 132 are waist-shaped holes. Waist-shaped holes are long and narrow holes with a large ventilation area, which are not easy to be blocked.

[0100] The mesh panels 131 are connected by one or more of the following methods: welding connection, tenon connection, pressure plate connection, quick-release connection or bolt connection. In this embodiment, six mesh panels 131 are welded into a cylinder 130, which can ensure the firmness of the connection of the cylinder 130.

[0101] The bursting wet pellets are spheres containing a liquid core. The diameter of the bursting wet pellets is 1.3-3.1 mm, 3.1-4.9 mm, or 4.9-6.7 mm, which is adjusted according to actual production. The diameter of the ventilation hole 132 is smaller than the diameter of the bursting wet pellets. Before drying, the bursting wet pellets are fed into the screen plate 131 through the material gate 150. During drying, the rotating drum 100 rotates, and the bursting wet pellets move synchronously with the rotating drum 100 and exchange heat with the external environment through the ventilation hole 132.

[0102] Please refer to Figures 4-5 The base 200 includes a second gear 210, a drive mechanism 220, a drive wheel 230, a frame 240, an air supply mechanism 250, a support wheel 260, and casters 270. The frame 240 has a cuboid structure. The bottom of the frame 240 is provided with four casters 270 for fixing or moving the drying device. The frame 240 has an internal cavity for accommodating the air supply mechanism 250, the support wheel 260, the drive wheel 230, the drive mechanism 220, and the second gear 210. The top of the frame 240 has a receiving groove 241 for placing a portion of the rotating drum 100 into the frame 240. The support wheel 260, the drive wheel 230, and the second gear 210 cooperate with the inserted portion of the rotating drum 100. The drive mechanism 220 is located in the middle of the side of the frame 240, and the second gear 210 is fixedly installed in the drive mechanism 220.

[0103] The drive mechanism 220 is preferably a servo motor or a drive motor.

[0104] The air supply mechanism 250 includes an air outlet 251 and a motor 252. The air outlet 251 supplies air to the receiving groove 241. The motor 252 is used to drive the air supply mechanism 250 to supply air. The air supply mechanism 250 can adjust the temperature and magnitude of the supplied air through a control mechanism.

[0105] In this embodiment, the air supply mechanism 250 is preferably a fan.

[0106] The receiving slot 241 is located on the top of the frame 240. Specifically, a rectangular opening is made on the top surface of the frame 240 and a semicircle is made on the top of the side of the frame 240. The radius of the semicircle is slightly larger than the radius of the driven wheel rim 140 and the driving wheel rim 120, so as to ensure that the rotating drum 100 can rotate smoothly on the base 200.

[0107] The support wheel 260 includes a first support wheel 261 and a second support wheel 262. The first support wheel 261 and the second support wheel 262 are respectively fixed to the upper part of one side of the frame 240 and are disposed below the receiving groove 241. The drive wheel 230 includes a first drive wheel 231 and a second drive wheel 232. The first drive wheel 231 and the second drive wheel 232 are respectively fixed to the upper part of the other side of the frame 240 and are disposed above the drive mechanism 220 and also below the receiving groove 241.

[0108] Please refer to Figure 6 When the rotating drum 100 is installed on the base 200, the rotating drum 100 is placed into the base 200 from the receiving groove 241. When the first support wheel 261 and the second support wheel 262 are embedded in the driven wheel rim 140, the first drive wheel 231 and the second drive wheel 232 are embedded in the driving wheel rim 120, and the first gear 110 and the second gear 210 are meshed and locked together, the rotating drum 100 is relatively stably placed on the base 200, which is considered as the installation of the rotating drum 100 and the base 200 being completed.

[0109] It should be noted that the lowest end of the rotating drum 100 is the first gear 110, and the driving wheel rim 120 is closer to the drum body 130 than the first gear 110. Therefore, the corresponding drive wheel 230 should protrude more than the second gear 210, while the second gear 210 is closer to the inner wall of the side of the frame 240, so that the engagement of the drive wheel 230 with the driving wheel rim 120, the first gear 110 and the second gear 210 does not interfere with each other.

[0110] The material gate 150 is fixed to the retaining ring, which can be opened. The retaining ring and the bottom plate are respectively set at both ends of the cylinder 130, which has a polygonal structure.

[0111] The cylinder body 130 is formed into a polygonal structure by the mesh plate 131, and the wet capsules are placed on the mesh plate 131 and dried by rotating the rotating cylinder 100.

[0112] The mesh plate 131 has a breathable structure with ventilation holes 132 to promote heat exchange of the bursting wet capsules.

[0113] The rotating drum 100 can rotate in both forward and reverse directions under the drive of the drive mechanism 220. When rotating in the forward direction, the second gear 210 connected to the drive mechanism 220 rotates synchronously in the forward direction, and the first gear 110 meshing with the second gear 210 also rotates synchronously in the forward direction. The drive wheel 230 and the support wheel 260 rotate in the forward direction on the drive wheel rim 120 and the driven wheel rim 140, respectively, so that the rotating drum 100 rotates in the forward direction as a whole. When rotating in the reverse direction, the second gear 210 connected to the drive mechanism 220 rotates synchronously in the reverse direction, and the first gear 110 meshing with the second gear 210 also rotates in the reverse direction. The drive wheel 230 and the support wheel 260 rotate in the reverse direction on the drive wheel rim 120 and the driven wheel rim 140, respectively, so that the rotating drum 100 rotates in the reverse direction as a whole.

[0114] It should be noted that when the rotating drum 100 rotates in the forward direction, the bursting wet capsules slide smoothly along the polygonal inclined surface, which is suitable for initial drying and avoids the bursting wet capsules from breaking due to violent collisions; when the rotating drum 100 rotates in the reverse direction, the bursting wet capsules are lifted up by the edges and thrown into the air, forming strong convection and tumbling, which is suitable for later drying to break up agglomerates.

[0115] The drying device also includes a heat exchange system and a control mechanism (not shown in the figure). The heat exchange system utilizes the principle of air heat exchange. By regulating the ambient temperature, humidity, air velocity, and flow rate, it ensures that hot air comes into full contact with the popping beads to evaporate excess moisture. This requires precise control to avoid damage to the popping beads due to excessive temperature. The fan blows air into the cylinder 130 through the air duct and ventilation holes 132. The air comes into contact with the wet popping bead rubber to exchange heat and remove the moisture from the rubber.

[0116] The wet capsules after dripping are dried by applying airflow to promote the convection mass transfer between the wet capsule shell and the air, thereby removing moisture from the wet capsule shell and shaping the wet capsules into dry capsules, giving the capsules physical properties such as hardness, roundness, and diameter.

[0117] Modern drying equipment is often equipped with advanced control mechanisms that can adjust the rotation speed of the drum, airflow parameters, etc., to meet the specific needs of different batches of popping beads, ensuring drying efficiency and product quality.

[0118] The control mechanism is the electrical control system of the equipment. It can be installed inside the equipment frame 240 or a separate control box can be made. Its main functions include controlling the start and stop of each motor 252 and fan, as well as adjusting the rotation speed of the drum 100 and the fan speed. Different control parameters are set according to the drying process.

[0119] When the rotating drum 100 rotates on the base 200, the sensing device inside the heat exchange system generates heat exchange data by detecting the moisture, shape, and surface temperature of the wall material and core material of the bursting wet pellets, as well as the temperature, humidity, air velocity, and flow rate of the environment in which the bursting wet pellets are located. The heat exchange data is then transmitted to the control mechanism. After comparing the data with the set values, the control mechanism regulates the operation of the air supply mechanism 250 and the rotating drum 100 by driving the drive mechanism 220 and the motor 252.

[0120] After the wet capsules are fed into the rotating drum 100, they tumble continuously inside the drum as it rotates, increasing their surface area in contact with hot air.

[0121] Hot air passes through the rotating drum 100, exchanging heat with the surface of the wet capsules and removing moisture. This process requires careful control to prevent the wet capsules from melting or deforming due to high temperatures.

[0122] The drying process is a slow one, requiring control of different drying rates at different stages. The moisture to be dried includes both the surface and interior of the wet capsule rubber. The drying process can generally be divided into the following four stages:

[0123] (1) Acceleration stage (warm-up stage)

[0124] After the surface of the popping bead wet pellets comes into contact with a heat source, the temperature gradually increases, and the drying rate increases rapidly at this time. The latent heat of vaporization required for evaporation is provided by external heat.

[0125] The surface temperature of the bursting beads eventually stabilizes at the wet-bulb temperature of the drying medium, with minimal moisture loss.

[0126] (2) Constant-rate drying stage (isolated stage)

[0127] The surface of the popping bead wet capsule remains moist, while the unbound water inside continuously migrates to the surface. The surface evaporation rate is in balance with the internal moisture diffusion rate, resulting in a constant drying rate.

[0128] The surface temperature of the bursting wet capsule remains constant, and the vapor pressure is equal to the saturated vapor pressure of water at the same temperature. At this time, the high inlet temperature will not cause the bursting wet capsule to overheat.

[0129] (3) Decreasing drying stage

[0130] The rate of internal moisture diffusion in the popping bead wet pellets is lower than the surface evaporation rate, causing a solid outer shell to gradually form on the surface. This reduces the evaporation area and significantly decreases the drying rate. The temperature of the popping bead wet pellets begins to rise, approaching the temperature of the drying medium, and the vapor pressure falls below the saturated vapor pressure.

[0131] (4) Equilibrium Phase

[0132] When the moisture content of the bursting capsules reaches a dynamic equilibrium with the humidity of the surrounding medium, the drying rate approaches zero, and the drying process ends. In actual production, the moisture content of the finished product is usually slightly higher than the theoretical equilibrium value. The result needs to be optimized by controlling the outlet temperature. The humidity control mechanism and wind speed adjustment of the control system ensure the optimization of the drying environment, reducing energy consumption and improving drying efficiency.

[0133] After drying is complete, the material gate 150 is opened, and the wet capsules are taken out from the cylinder 130, ready to enter the next packaging or processing step.

[0134] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed devices, apparatus and methods can be implemented in other ways.

[0135] For example, the device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another device, or some features may be ignored or not executed.

[0136] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0137] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0138] In this specification, references to "an embodiment" or "a specific implementation" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment / specific implementation is included in at least one embodiment / specific implementation of the invention. Therefore, the phrase "in one embodiment / specific implementation" appearing in various places in this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment / setting, but rather to potentially different embodiments. Furthermore, specific features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in one or more embodiments / settings in any suitable manner, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.

[0139] Similarly, it should be understood that in the above description of exemplary embodiments / specific implementations of the invention, various features of the invention are sometimes combined in a single embodiment / specific implementation or its figures and description, with the aim of simplifying the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various aspects of the invention. However, except for expressly stated instructions to the contrary or obvious technical contradictions or exclusions, the method of description in this patent should not be construed as reflecting an intention that the claimed features of the invention are more than those expressly stated in each claim.

[0140] Conversely, the inventive aspect reflected in the claims lies in not all the features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment / specification. Therefore, the claims following the detailed description are expressly incorporated herein, each claim existing independently as a separate embodiment / specification of the invention.

[0141] Furthermore, while some embodiments / specific implementations described herein include, but are not limited to, other features included in other embodiments / specific implementations, combinations of features from different embodiments / specific implementations are intended to be within the scope of the invention and form different embodiments / specific implementations, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. For example, in the following claims, embodiments / specific implementations of any claim can be used in any combination.

[0142] The terms and expressions used in this specification are for illustrative purposes and not for limitation. In using these terms and expressions, it is not intended to exclude any equivalents of the features or portions thereof shown and described, but rather to recognize that various modifications may be possible within the scope of the invention.

[0143] Therefore, it should be understood that although the invention has been specifically disclosed through preferred embodiments, exemplary embodiments and optional features, those skilled in the art may take variations or modifications of the concepts disclosed herein, and such variations and modifications are therefore considered to be within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

[0144] The specific embodiments given in this specification are examples of useful implementations of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention can be implemented using many variations of the devices, device components, and method steps disclosed in this specification.

[0145] The foregoing description of specific embodiments fully discloses the general features of the present invention, enabling others to easily modify and / or adapt such specific embodiments for various applications by applying knowledge within the scope of the art, without conducting excessive experimentation and without departing from the general concept of the present invention.

[0146] Therefore, based on the teachings and guidance provided herein, it is intended that such modifications and alterations be included within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It should be understood that the wording or terminology used herein is for descriptive purposes and is not intended to be limiting; thus, the wording or terminology in this specification will be interpreted by those skilled in the art based on the foregoing teachings and guidance.

[0147] Furthermore, the scope of the invention should not be limited to any of the exemplary embodiments described above, but only to the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A drying apparatus for wet capsules containing popping beads, characterized in that, The drying device includes a rotating drum and a base. The rotating drum is provided with a first gear, and the base is provided with a second gear fixedly connected to the drive mechanism. When the rotating drum is placed on the base, the first gear and the second gear mesh with each other and rotate under the drive of the drive mechanism. The rotating drum is provided with a driven wheel and a driving wheel, and the base is provided with a support wheel and a drive wheel. When the rotating drum rotates on the base, the driven wheel cooperates with the support wheel, and the driving wheel cooperates with the drive wheel, so that the rotating drum rotates stably on the base.

2. The drying apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The engagement method between the drive wheel and the driving wheel is one or more of the following: ratchet drive, grooved wheel drive, cam drive, flange roller drive, gear drive, helical drive, worm gear drive, belt drive, chain drive, or friction wheel drive.

3. The drying apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The driven wheel rim and the support wheel are coupled in one or more of the following ways: ratchet drive, grooved wheel drive, cam drive, flange roller drive, gear drive, screw drive, worm gear drive, belt drive, chain drive, or friction wheel drive.

4. The drying apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base also includes a frame, an air supply mechanism, and casters. The casters are located at the bottom of the frame, and the top of the base has a receiving groove for placing the rotating drum.

5. The drying apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, The air supply mechanism is disposed within the frame, and the air supply mechanism includes an air outlet that supplies air towards the receiving groove.

6. The drying apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotating drum also includes a material gate and a drum body. The material gate is fixed to the driven wheel ring and can be opened. The drum body is formed into a polygonal structure by a mesh plate. The mesh plate is provided with ventilation holes, and the diameter of the ventilation holes is smaller than the diameter of the wet bursting beads.

7. The drying apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that, The shape of the cylinder can be one or more of the following: triangular prism, square prism, pentagonal prism, hexagonal prism, heptagonal prism, or octagonal prism.

8. The drying apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotating drum can rotate in both the forward and reverse directions under the drive of the drive mechanism.

9. The drying apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drying device also includes a heat exchange system and a control mechanism. The heat exchange system detects the heat exchange data between the wet capsule and the environment and transmits the heat exchange data to the control mechanism to control the operation of the rotating drum.

10. The drying apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bursting wet capsule is a sphere containing a liquid core.

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