Cone dryer

Abstract

The utility model relates to forestry equipment, specifically to devices for drying cones to extract seeds. The cone dryer comprises a thermally insulated chamber in the form of a cabinet with doors, a multi-tier rack with heat-exchange shelves for drying boxes, an electric water heater with automatic temperature control, a circulation pump, and an exhaust fan. Each drying box is equipped with a removable airtight lid, forming a closed cavity above the cone layer, and a window for extracting moist air from this cavity. Each chamber is equipped with individual fans for circulating the drying agent, a vertical air collector with flat nozzles interacting with the exhaust windows of each drying box. The suction pipes of the fans are connected via air ducts to the cavities of the collectors, and the discharge pipes are connected to the cavity of the thermally insulated chamber.The cone dryer increases the intensity and productivity of the drying process and reduces energy consumption. 3 ill.

Description

[0001] The utility model relates to forestry equipment, in particular to devices for drying cones of coniferous trees for the purpose of extracting seeds from them.

[0002] The cone dryer includes a heat-insulated chamber in the form of a cabinet with doors, a multi-tier rack with shelves for drying boxes, an electric water heater with automatic temperature control, a device for supplying a coolant to the drying zone, a coolant distributor and an exhaust fan, while the device for supplying a coolant to the drying zone is made in the form of a circulation pump, and the coolant distributor is made in the form of horizontal tubular heat exchangers, which are used as shelves for drying boxes, while all the shelves are connected in series with each other by a water heater and a circulation pump, forming a single closed circuit to ensure water circulation.

[0003] Moreover, the cone dryer is equipped with an additional water heater, made in the form of a hot water boiler that runs on solid fuel; empty cones freed from seeds are used as solid fuel, and antifreeze liquid is used as a liquid heat carrier.

[0004] The bud dryer uses air as the drying agent and water as the heat transfer medium, circulating in horizontal tubular heat exchangers used as the drying drawer shelves. This ensures uniform heat distribution throughout the drawers and even drying of the buds in all drawers. However, the presence of heat exchangers, their distribution system, and the overall maintenance system complicate the dryer's design. Furthermore, the dryer allows for significant heat loss, as they expel large volumes of warm, moist air from the chamber during the drying process.

[0005] The purpose of the utility model is to intensify the drying process of cones and reduce heat loss.

[0006] The technical result achieved is a reduction in drying time, heat loss and energy consumption.

[0007] The solution to the problem in a cone dryer, including a heat-insulated chamber in the form of a cabinet with doors, a multi-tier rack with shelves of heat exchangers for drying boxes, an electric water heater with automatic temperature control, a circulation pump and an exhaust fan, is achieved in that each drying box is equipped with a removable airtight cover, forming a closed cavity above the layer of cones, and a window for extracting moist air from this cavity, and each chamber is equipped with an individual fan for circulating the drying agent, a vertical air collector with flat nozzles interacting with the exhaust windows of each drying box, while by means of air ducts the suction pipes of the fans are connected to the cavities of the collectors, and the discharge pipes are connected to the cavity of the heat-insulated chamber.

[0008] The utility model is explained graphically, where:

[0009] Fig. 1 schematically shows the basic design of the pine cone dryer - front view from the door side;

[0010] in Fig. 2 - section A-A of Fig. 1;

[0011] in Fig. 3 - section B-B of Fig. 1.

[0012] The cone dryer includes a heat-insulated chamber 1 in the form of a cabinet with doors 2, a multi-tier rack with heat exchanger shelves 3 for drying boxes 4, an electric water heater 5 with automatic temperature control, a circulation pump 6 and an exhaust fan 7. Each drying box is equipped with a removable airtight cover 8, forming a closed cavity 9 above the layer of cones, and a window 10 for extracting moist air from this cavity, and each chamber is equipped with individual fans 11 for circulating the drying agent, a vertical air collector 12 with flat nozzles 13 interacting with the exhaust windows of each drying box, while with the help of air ducts 14, the suction pipes 15 of the fans are connected to the cavities of the collectors, and the discharge pipes 16 with the cavity a heat-insulated chamber, where a temperature and humidity sensor 17 is installed in the upper part. A control cabinet 18 is provided to control the drying process.

[0013] The proposed cone dryer works as follows.

[0014] With the lids 9 removed, the drying boxes are filled with wet buds to approximately half their capacity, as the buds' volume approximately doubles during drying. The lids 9 are closed and placed on a shelf of a multi-tiered rack, one above the other, so that the flat nozzles 14 interact with the windows 12 with a minimal gap to extract moist air above the bud layer. Next, the chamber doors are closed, the drying temperature (program) is set, and the exhaust fan and electric heater 16 are turned on. This creates a vacuum in the cavity 18 of the collector 13 and in the cavity 11 above the bud layer in the boxes, and intense movement of heated and dehumidified air begins through the perforated bottom of the drying box and the entire bud layer.

[0015] The cones in all drying chambers quickly heat up to the set optimal drying temperature and begin to release moisture. The heated air circulating in the closed circuit continuously removes the released moisture from the cones until maximum saturation is reached. After this, the exhaust fan periodically removes the moisture from the drying chambers, triggered by a humidity sensor signal, while simultaneously drawing in a new portion of air. Thus, the drying process continues until the cones' scales are fully open.

[0016] Drying time for the cones is significantly reduced by ensuring intensive movement of dehumidified air through the perforated bottom of the drying boxes and the entire cone layer, taking (for pine) no more than one day (24 hours). The dried cones are then transferred to a drum for seed extraction, and the drying cycle is repeated.

[0017] The utility model was implemented in the manufacture of a prototype design of a cone dryer, which passed pilot production tests, which confirmed the achievability of the expected technical results and is recommended for serial production.

[0018] The proposed cone dryer thus ensures an increase in intensity, productivity and a reduction in energy consumption of the drying process.

Claims

A cone dryer comprising a heat-insulated chamber in the form of a cabinet with doors, a multi-tier rack with heat-exchange shelves for drying boxes, an electric water heater with automatic temperature control, a circulation pump and an exhaust fan, characterized in that each drying box is provided with a removable airtight cover, forming a closed cavity above a layer of cones, and a window for extracting moist air from this cavity, and each chamber is provided with individual fans for circulating the drying agent, a vertical air collector with flat nozzles interacting with the exhaust windows of each drying box, while by means of air ducts the suction pipes of the fans are connected to the cavities of the collectors, and the discharge pipes - to the cavity of the heat-insulated chamber.

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