A drying uniform double-layer dehumidification rotary cage

Abstract

The application discloses a double-layer dehumidification rotating cage with uniform drying, which comprises a machine box, the inside of the machine box is divided into a front area and a rear area by a vertical partition plate, a horizontal partition plate is arranged in the front area to divide the front area into an upper layer and a lower layer which are not communicated with each other, a flow passage with a width of 50-80 mm is formed between the side edge of the horizontal partition plate and the door of the machine box, at least two rotating cages are arranged in the upper layer and the lower layer, each rotating cage is independently provided with an air inlet, an air outlet and a detachable filter screen, a dehumidifier is arranged in the rear area, the dehumidifier is connected with the rotating cages through air pipes, air volume adjusting valves and surface coolers are arranged on the air pipes. Temperature sensors and humidity sensors are arranged in each rotating cage, and the temperature is controlled in linkage with the data of the surface coolers. The rotating cage is fixed to the machine box through a manual bolt and can be rolled out of the machine box along a detachable rear guide rail. The application has reasonable structure design, realizes the simultaneous work of the double-layer rotating cages, improves the drying efficiency, and has accurate temperature and humidity control and good drying uniformity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of drying technology, and more specifically, to a double-layer dehumidifying rotary drum for uniform drying. Background Technology

[0002] After the production of medical soft capsules is completed, the soft capsules need to be dried to reduce the overall water content. Soft capsules are composed of gelatin, glycerin and water. When they are freshly produced, the water content is generally 30%-40%. The drying process usually needs to reduce the water content of the soft capsules to 6%-10% to prevent the soft capsules from sticking together or the drugs loaded inside from being hydrolyzed due to excessive water content.

[0003] In May 2023, the State Intellectual Property Office published a patent application with publication number CN219829358U entitled "A Double-Layer Multi-Rotating Cage Dryer". The main technical solution of the patent application is as follows: Several units are arranged in a horizontal arrangement inside the casing. Each unit has a rotating cage area at the front and a dehumidification area at the rear. The two areas are separated by a vertical partition. The rotating cage area is divided into upper and lower layers. Each layer has one rotating cage. Each rotating cage is connected to the rotating cage motor through a transmission mechanism. Except for the flow channel, a closed horizontal partition is set between the upper and lower rotating cages. A vertical dehumidifier unit is set in the dehumidification area. The dehumidifier of the dehumidifier unit is arranged horizontally. The regeneration air channel and the treatment air channel of the dehumidifier are arranged vertically. The air inlet pipe of the dehumidifier is connected to the upper rotating cage area, and the air outlet pipe of the dehumidifier is connected to the lower rotating cage area.

[0004] The aforementioned existing patented technology uses two independent units symmetrically arranged inside the chassis. Each unit integrates upper and lower rotating drums and a dedicated vertical dehumidifier unit, forming a split-type drying module. The dual units working together increase dehumidification capacity. Simultaneously, independent air circulation (hot and humid air from the upper rotating drum → dehumidifier unit → cool and dry air from the lower rotating drum → return through the flow channel) avoids airflow interference, reducing temperature and humidity differences between the rotating drums and improving drying uniformity. However, based on the analysis of the technical content disclosed in the above patent, (1) in the rotary drum drying equipment, the phenomenon of uneven drying of capsules is common, which can easily lead to the adhesion between capsules and affect product quality; (2) in the traditional equipment, the air volume distribution between the drums is uneven, the air volume of the edge drums is insufficient while the central drum is overloaded, resulting in inconsistent drying effect; (3) the problem of mismatch between the fan air volume and the dehumidification drum processing capacity is prominent, which can easily lead to continuous fan surge and breakage of the main shaft, affecting the service life of the equipment. Therefore, it does not meet the existing needs. In this regard, we propose a double-layer dehumidification drum with uniform drying. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to solve the technical problems mentioned in the background section and to provide a double-layer dehumidifying drum with uniform drying.

[0006] The above-mentioned technical objective of the present invention is achieved through the following technical solution: a uniformly drying double-layer dehumidifying drum, comprising a chassis, wherein the interior of the chassis is divided into a front zone and a rear zone by a vertical partition; the front zone is provided with a horizontal partition that divides it into an upper layer and a lower layer that are not interconnected, and a flow channel with a width of 50-80mm is formed between the side of the horizontal partition and the chassis door; each upper layer and the lower layer are provided with at least two drums, each drum being independently equipped with an air inlet, an air outlet and a removable filter; the rear zone is provided with a dehumidifier, which is connected to each drum through an air duct, and the air duct is provided with an airflow regulating valve with a ceramic sealing valve seat and a surface cooler.

[0007] The present invention is further configured such that the width of the flow channel is 60 mm.

[0008] The present invention is further configured such that: the upper rotating cage is connected to the upper drive motor and the upper motor, and the lower rotating cage is connected to the lower drive motor and the lower motor.

[0009] The invention is further configured such that: each rotating drum is equipped with a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor; the surface cooler is linked with the sensor data to control the temperature of the rotating drum within a set threshold.

[0010] The present invention is further configured such that: the air volume regulating valve is installed on the air duct in the rear area, and its fan air volume is greater than the dehumidification wheel's processing capacity, with the difference being supplemented by the air volume regulating valve.

[0011] The invention is further configured such that the rotating cage is fixed to the chassis by a manual pin, and can be rolled out along the guide rail after disassembly.

[0012] The present invention is further configured to include a control system for airflow status, the control system including system initialization, normal operation state simulation, abnormal state triggering, abnormal state operation and emergency triggering mechanism, the system initialization including power-on, checking the width of the flow channel through a laser rangefinder, zeroing the air volume regulating valve and calibrating all sensors. If all parameters are met, the dehumidifier pre-cooling is activated, the fan starts at low speed with an airflow of 30%, and the surface cooler is pre-set to a temperature of -5°C buffer. If any of the following parameters fails to meet the standards: flow channel width, sensor calibration, or airflow regulating valve, the system is locked and an alarm is triggered. Normal operation simulation involves transmitting data from field sensors to the PLC controller. The PLC controller processes the data and transmits it to the surface cooler for temperature and airflow valve adjustment. After adjusting to the baseline operating parameters, the airflow is transmitted to the rotating drum to dehydrate the soft capsules inside. Abnormal state triggers include: rotating drum abnormality triggering requires a temperature exceeding 25°C for 5 minutes; oil droplet rejection rate abnormality triggering requires a rejection rate less than 99% (verified by dual sensors); and fan surge abnormality triggering requires a pressure fluctuation greater than 20%. Abnormal operation includes: if the rotating drum triggers an abnormal state, the faulty rotating drum valve must be closed and the alarm activated; if the oil droplet rejection rate triggers an abnormal state, the flow channel for that floor must be locked and the backup dehumidifier activated; and if fan surge triggers an abnormal state, the fan power supply must be cut off.

[0013] The emergency triggering mechanism includes manual power cut-off and PLC-based valve shut-off at each level.

[0014] In summary, this invention has the following beneficial effects: the continuous rotation and tumbling of the rotating drum prevents the soft capsules from sticking together, ensuring uniform drying; when the width of the flow channel is 50-80mm, energy consumption is lowest, airflow uniformity is optimal, and blockage balance is best; the design of each rotating drum with an independent air inlet and outlet pipe improves airflow balance and avoids insufficient airflow in the edge drums and overload in the center drum; the independent air duct design avoids material dust mixing and effectively prevents cross-contamination; the setting of the airflow regulating valve solves the problem of continuous fan surge and extends the service life of the main shaft; the ceramic sealing valve seat improves the service life of the valve and avoids the problems of traditional valves being easily blocked by oil mist or deformed by high temperature; the temperature and humidity sensor is linked with the refrigeration unit for control, which stabilizes the temperature of the rotating drum and minimizes the difference in moisture content of the soft capsules; the overall design achieves efficient dehumidification and optimized energy consumption. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a front view of the uniformly dried double-layer dehumidifying rotary drum in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a rear view of the uniformly drying double-layer dehumidifying drum in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] In the diagram: 1. Chassis; 11. Horizontal partition; 12. Vertical partition; 2. Rotating drum; 3. Front zone; 4. Rear zone; 5. Dehumidifier; 51. Air outlet pipe; 52. Air inlet pipe; 6. Surface cooler; 7. Air volume regulating valve; 8. Upper motor; 9. Lower motor. Detailed Implementation

[0017] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention.

[0018] The implementation of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0019] In the accompanying drawings of this embodiment, the same or similar reference numerals correspond to the same or similar components. In the description of this invention, it should be understood that if terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, they are only for the convenience of describing this invention 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, the terms used to describe positional relationships in the accompanying drawings are only for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limiting this patent. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0020] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 2 The image shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Example like Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, a double-layer dehumidifying drum 2 for uniform drying includes a casing 1. The interior of the casing 1 is divided into a front zone 3 and a rear zone 4 by a vertical partition 12. The front zone 3 is provided with a horizontal partition 11, which divides it into an upper layer and a lower layer that are not interconnected.

[0022] The front zone 3 is the rotating drum 2 zone, which serves as a material container, carrying the soft capsules and continuously rotating and tumbling them to prevent capsule sticking and ensure uniform drying. A horizontal partition 11 is installed within the rotating drum 2 zone, dividing it into an upper and lower layer that are not interconnected. The distance between the side of the partition 11 and the door of the casing 1 forms a physical flow channel that allows only air to pass through but blocks solids and liquids. A laser rangefinder is embedded in the flow channel for measuring its width. The width of the flow channel is 50-80 mm; in a preferred embodiment, the width is 60 mm. This design allows the airflow to form a reasonable circulation path between the upper and lower layers, avoiding airflow short-circuiting and improving overall dehumidification efficiency.

[0023] When the flow channel is less than 50mm, the airflow is prone to turbulence, leading to a sharp increase in energy consumption for some fans, with a maximum peak increase of 25%. Noise levels also exceed standards. Furthermore, the small flow channel makes cleaning difficult, such as preventing hands from reaching in. Starting at a flow channel size of 50mm, the expansion of the flow channel reduces the barrier effect between upper and lower layers. When the flow channel is greater than 80mm, the airflow tends to be laminar, but it occupies more lateral space, weakening the barrier effect between upper and lower layers, reducing the barrier rate to 84%, allowing oil droplets to penetrate and resulting in GMP non-compliance. After long-term experiments, a flow channel size of 60mm resulted in the lowest energy consumption, the best airflow uniformity, the best balance between unblocking and blockage, and an oil droplet barrier effect of 99.7%. Maintenance tools can also be accessed. Specific test results are shown in Table 1. Table 1. Comparison of Experimental Data on Flow Channel Width:

[0024] Multiple rotating cages 2 are arranged adjacently in both the upper and lower layers. The front end of each rotating cage 2 is fixed by a manual pin. After disassembly, it can be rolled out directly. Each rotating cage 2 is equipped with an independent air inlet pipe 52 and an air outlet pipe. The air outlet pipe has a removable stainless steel filter screen to prevent the backflow of particulate matter. The rotating cage 2 located in the upper layer is connected to the upper motor 8 through the upper drive motor. The rotating cage 2 located in the lower layer is connected to the lower motor 9 through the lower drive motor.

[0025] Each rotating drum 2 is equipped with an independent air inlet and air outlet. The air inlet is equipped with an air inlet pipe 52, and the air outlet is equipped with an air outlet pipe. Both the air inlet pipe 52 and the air outlet pipe are connected to the de-fan. This improves the airflow distribution effect of each rotating drum 2, that is, improves the air volume balance of each rotating drum 2, avoids insufficient air volume of the edge rotating drum 2 and overload of the central rotating drum 2, thereby further improving the temperature control of each rotating drum 2, achieving the effect of reducing capsule adhesion rate. Compared with the combined air duct, it avoids the cross-contamination of material dust, which would cause the contamination of one rotating drum 2 to spread to the whole. The disassembly, cleaning and fault repair of the rotating drum 2 are also more convenient.

[0026] Each rotating drum 2 is connected to a refrigeration unit. Each rotating drum 2 is equipped with a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and a pressure sensor. The refrigeration unit controls all surface coolers 6 in conjunction with the sensor data to stabilize the temperature of the rotating drum 2.

[0027] The rear zone 4 is the dehumidification zone, with a dehumidifier 5 installed at its center. The dehumidifier 5 is interconnected with each rotating drum 2, and a surface cooler 6 for fine-tuning the dry air temperature and an airflow regulating valve 7 for improving the service life of the dehumidifier 5 are installed between the dehumidifier 5 and each rotating drum 2. The airflow regulating valve 7 is equipped with a ceramic sealing valve seat to improve the valve's service life. The fan included in the dehumidifier 5 is connected to the surface cooler 6. The fan's airflow must be greater than the dehumidification drum's processing capacity, with the difference being supplemented by the airflow regulating valve 7 from the rotating drum 2 zone. If the airflow regulating valve 7 is installed in the rotating drum 2 zone, oil mist may clog the valve, or the valve body may deform due to the high internal temperature in other zones. If the airflow regulating valve 7 is not installed, continuous fan surge may cause the main shaft to break, and uneven bladder drying may result in differences in bladder moisture content. A PLC controller is also installed in the dehumidification zone.

[0028] Working principle: The dehumidifier 5 generates dry air, which is delivered to each rotating drum 2 through air ducts. The dry air comes into full contact with the material inside the rotating drum 2, absorbs the moisture from the material, and is then discharged from the air outlet duct. During this process, the surface cooler 6 regulates the temperature of the air entering the rotating drum 2, the airflow regulating valve 7 controls the amount of air entering each rotating drum 2, and the temperature and humidity sensors monitor the environmental parameters inside the rotating drum 2 in real time and feed them back to the control system, forming a closed-loop control system to ensure precise control and uniformity of the drying process.

[0029] This double-layer dehumidifying rotary drum has a compact structure and high space utilization, enabling it to process more materials within the same floor space. Furthermore, its layered design and independent control system allow it to handle different types of materials simultaneously, improving equipment flexibility and production efficiency. In addition, the modular design and convenient maintenance methods significantly reduce operating and maintenance costs.

[0030] In this embodiment, the present invention also provides a system for simulating and controlling the double-layer dehumidifying drum 2. This system combines the hardware structure and control system of the equipment to simulate and control the airflow state inside the double-layer dehumidifying drum 2, and operates as follows: 1. System Initialization First, turn on the power. Verify the width of the flow channel using a laser rangefinder, zero the airflow regulating valve 7, and calibrate all sensors. If all parameters are within acceptable limits, activate the dehumidifier 5 for pre-cooling, start the fan at low speed with an airflow of 30%, and pre-set the surface cooler 6 to a -5°C buffer temperature. If any of the following parameters fails to meet the standards: flow channel width, sensor calibration, or airflow regulating valve 7, lock the system and issue an alarm.

[0031] 2. Simulation of normal operating conditions The data fed back from the field sensors is transmitted to the PLC controller. The PLC controller processes the data and then transmits it to the surface cooler 6 for temperature and airflow adjustment. After adjusting to the operating parameter baseline, the airflow is transmitted to the rotating drum 2 to dehydrate the soft capsules inside. For example, if the temperature of the rotating drum 2 is >23℃, the cooling capacity of the corresponding surface cooler 6 is increased; if the humidity of the lower layer is >15%RH, the opening of the air valve on that layer is increased by 10%. The specific parameter baselines are shown in Table 2.

[0032] 3. Triggering abnormal states The abnormal state triggering of the rotating drum 2 requires the temperature to exceed the standard and be greater than 25°C for 5 minutes. The abnormal state triggering of the oil droplet blocking rate requires the rate to be less than 99% and the blocking rate needs to be cross-verified by dual sensors. The abnormal state triggering of the fan surge requires the pressure fluctuation to be greater than 20%.

[0033] 4. Operation under abnormal conditions If the rotating drum 2 triggers an abnormal state, the faulty rotating drum 2 air valve and alarm need to be closed. If the oil droplet rejection rate triggers an abnormal state, the flow channel of that layer needs to be locked and the standby dehumidifier needs to be started. If the fan surge triggers an abnormal state, the fan power supply needs to be cut off.

[0034] 5. Emergency Trigger Mechanism Emergency triggering mechanisms include manual power cut-off and PLC-based valve shut-off at each level.

[0035] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of the invention should be included within the scope of protection of the invention.

Claims

1. A double-layer dehumidifying rotary drum for uniform drying, characterized in that, Includes a chassis (1), the interior of which is divided into a front area (3) and a rear area (4) by vertical partitions (12); The front area (3) is provided with a horizontal partition (11) to divide it into an upper and lower layer that are not connected to each other. The side of the horizontal partition (11) and the door of the chassis (1) form a flow channel with a width of 50-80mm. Both the upper and lower layers are equipped with at least two rotating cages (2), each rotating cage (2) is independently equipped with an air inlet (52), an air outlet and a removable filter screen; The rear area (4) is equipped with a dehumidifier (5), which is connected to each rotating drum (2) through a duct, and the duct is equipped with an air volume regulating valve (7) with a ceramic sealing valve seat and a surface cooler (6).

2. The double-layer dehumidifying rotary drum for uniform drying according to claim 1, characterized in that, The width of the flow channel is 60mm.

3. The double-layer dehumidifying rotary drum for uniform drying according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper rotating cage (2) is connected to the upper motor and the upper motor (8); The lower rotating cage (2) is connected to the lower transmission machine and the lower motor (9).

4. The double-layer dehumidifying rotary drum for uniform drying according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each rotating cage (2) is equipped with a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor; The surface cooler (6) is linked with the sensor data to control the temperature of the rotating drum (2) within the set threshold.

5. The double-layer dehumidifying rotary drum for uniform drying according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air volume regulating valve (7) is installed on the air duct of the rear area (4), and its fan air volume is greater than the dehumidification wheel processing capacity. The difference is made up by the air volume regulating valve (7).

6. The double-layer dehumidifying rotary drum for uniform drying according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotating cage (2) is fixed to the chassis (1) by a manual pin, and can be rolled out along the guide rail after disassembly.

7. A double-layer dehumidifying rotary drum for uniform drying according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, It also includes a control system for airflow conditions, which includes system initialization, normal operation simulation, abnormal state triggering, abnormal state operation, and emergency triggering mechanism. System initialization includes powering on, verifying the width of the flow channel using a laser rangefinder, zeroing the airflow regulating valve (7), and calibrating all sensors. If all parameters are met, the dehumidifier (5) is activated for pre-cooling, the fan starts at low speed with an airflow of 30%, and the surface cooler (6) is pre-set to a temperature setting of -5°C buffer. If any of the following parameters are not met: the width of the flow channel, sensor calibration, or the airflow regulating valve (7), the system is locked and an alarm is triggered. The normal operation simulation includes transmitting the feedback data from the field sensors to the PLC controller. The data processed by the PLC controller is then transmitted to the surface cooler (6) for temperature and airflow adjustment. After adjusting to the operating parameter benchmark, the airflow is transmitted to the rotating drum (2) to dehydrate the soft capsules inside the rotating drum (2). Abnormal state triggering includes rotating drum (2) abnormal state triggering requires temperature exceeding the standard and lasting for 5 minutes above 25℃, oil droplet rejection rate abnormal state triggering requires less than 99%, and the rejection rate needs to be cross-verified using dual sensors, fan surge abnormal state triggering requires pressure fluctuation greater than 20%, Abnormal operation includes: if the rotating drum (2) triggers an abnormal state, the faulty rotating drum (2) air valve needs to be closed and the alarm activated; if the oil droplet rejection rate triggers an abnormal state, the flow channel of that layer needs to be locked and the standby dehumidifier needs to be activated; if the fan surge triggers an abnormal state, the fan power supply needs to be cut off. The emergency triggering mechanism includes manual power cut-off and PLC shutdown layer by layer.

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