Drying Device with Segmented Heaters and Infrared Irradiation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional drying devices for continuous sheets in printing apparatuses face challenges in efficiently drying liquids, particularly due to cockling and reduced productivity, as they struggle to maintain consistent contact and heat distribution, leading to inefficiencies in solvent evaporation and conveyance speed.
Innovation Solution
The proposed drying device employs a combination of first and second heaters with varying contact distances and diameters, along with infrared heaters positioned downstream to irradiate specific wavelength infrared rays, optimizing heat transfer and evaporation efficiency by increasing contact distances and using tailored infrared wavelengths to match solvent absorption bands.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single heater contacts the medium, then the structure is simple, but the drying efficiency is insufficient and cockling occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system is segmented into multiple heaters (first heater, second heater, infrared heater) positioned at different locations and contact distances. Each heater segment performs a specific heating function, collectively achieving uniform and efficient drying without cockling while maintaining manageable system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
Different heaters provide different heating characteristics at different locations: the first heater provides initial contact heating, the second heater provides extended contact heating at a longer distance, and the infrared heater provides non-contact radiant heating. This local differentiation of heating quality achieves uniform drying across the medium surface
2Temperature
If the heater contacts the medium at a short distance, then the heat transfer is efficient, but the medium cannot be conveyed smoothly causing cockling
Solution Approach 1:
The heating process is segmented into multiple stages with different contact distances. The first heater contacts at a shorter distance for efficient heat transfer, while the second heater contacts at a longer distance for smoother conveyance. This segmentation allows each heater to operate in its optimal contact distance range
Solution Approach 2:
The contact distance parameter is changed between different heaters. The first heater uses a shorter contact distance for high heat transfer efficiency, while the second heater uses a longer contact distance for smoother medium conveyance. This parameter variation resolves the contradiction between heat transfer efficiency and conveyance smoothness
3Productivity
If conventional heaters are used, then the equipment is simple, but the solvent evaporation is incomplete especially for high boiling point solvents
Solution Approach 1:
The conventional contact heating system is supplemented with an infrared heater that uses radiant energy (electromagnetic radiation) instead of mechanical contact for heating. This substitution enables effective evaporation of high boiling point solvents through direct infrared radiation absorption, enhancing evaporation efficiency without significantly increasing system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The heating mechanism parameter is changed from purely contact-based thermal conduction to include radiant heating. The infrared heater emits infrared radiation at specific wavelengths that are absorbed by the solvent, providing the energy needed for evaporation of high boiling point solvents that cannot be effectively evaporated by conventional contact heaters alone
Data Source
AI summary
A drying device includes a first heater, a second heater, a conveyance path, and an infrared heater. The first heater contacts and heats a medium on which liquid is applied. The second heater contacts and heats the medium. The second heater contacts the medium at a distance longer than a distance at which the first heater contacts the medium. The conveyance path of the medium includes a first conveyance-path portion and a second conveyance-path portion. The medium is conveyed while contacting the first heater in the first conveyance-path portion. The first conveyance-path portion is disposed upstream from the second heater in a direction of conveyance of the medium. The second conveyance-path portion is disposed downstream from the second heater in the direction of conveyance of the medium. The infrared heater is disposed in the second conveyance-path portion, to irradiate an infrared ray to the medium.