Dryer With Partitioned Heaters For Uniform Sheet Drying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dryers for printing applications face inefficiencies in drying continuous sheets due to uneven heating and humidity issues, leading to suboptimal drying results and potential dew formation, which can affect image quality.
Innovation Solution
The dryer incorporates a heater in the conveyance area with a heated portion outside, partitioned by a wall, an air supply unit within the conveyance area, and a duct in the outer area to distribute warm air efficiently, preventing humidity from entering the outer area and ensuring consistent drying.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a heater is placed only in the conveyance area, then the structure is simple, but drying uniformity is poor and dew formation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The heater is divided into two separate heating regions: a first heating region within the conveyance area and a second heating region in the outer area. This segmentation allows independent temperature control in different zones, improving drying uniformity while managing structural complexity through functional division.
Solution Approach 2:
A partition wall with a through-hole is introduced as an intermediary structure to separate the conveyance area from the outer area while allowing thermal interaction. The through-hole enables warm air generation in the outer area to be directed to the conveyance area, achieving uniform drying without direct heater placement in both regions.
2Productivity
If warm air is supplied directly to the conveyance area, then drying speed increases, but humidity distribution becomes uneven causing dew formation
Solution Approach 1:
Warm air is generated in advance in the outer area before being supplied to the conveyance area. This preliminary heating of air in a separate zone allows controlled temperature and humidity preparation, enabling fast drying while maintaining uniform humidity distribution and preventing dew formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The partition wall with a through-hole serves as a mediator that controls the flow of warm air from the outer area to the conveyance area. This intermediary structure enables regulated air supply that maintains both high drying speed and uniform humidity distribution.
3Manufacturing precision
If the conveyance area and outer area are not partitioned, then the structure is simple, but temperature control precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The drying chamber is segmented into a conveyance area and an outer area using a partition wall. This spatial segmentation enables independent temperature control in each zone, with the first heater controlling the conveyance area and the second heater controlling the outer area, thereby achieving precise temperature control.
Solution Approach 2:
Different thermal conditions are created in different spatial zones: the conveyance area receives controlled heating from the first heater for precise temperature control, while the outer area generates warm air through the second heater. The partition wall ensures each zone maintains its specific thermal quality.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enhances drying efficiency by maintaining warm air temperature and humidity levels, preventing dew formation, and ensuring uniform drying across the continuous sheet, thereby improving print quality.
Implementation Method 1
a heater in a conveyance area in which an object is conveyed, the heater configured to heat the object on which a liquid is applied
Implementation Method 2
an air supply unit in the conveyance area, the air supply unit configured to feed air to the object conveyed in the conveyance area
Implementation Method 3
a duct in the outer area, the duct connected to the air supply unit and configured to take in air around the heated portion
Data Source
AI summary
A dryer includes a heater in a conveyance area in which an object is conveyed, the heater configured to heat the object on which a liquid is applied, a heated portion in an outer area outside the conveyance area, the heated portion connected to the heater, a partition wall partitioning the conveyance area and the outer area, an air supply unit in the conveyance area, the air supply unit configured to feed air to the object conveyed in the conveyance area, and a duct in the outer area, the duct connected to the air supply unit and configured to take in air around the heated portion.