Drying Chamber Supports With Weight-Based Moisture Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drying devices for hygroscopic materials, such as wood, face inaccuracies in determining moisture levels, leading to potential drying defects and prolonged drying times, and require laborious sensor placement.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of bar-like support devices equipped with measuring means to determine the weight of the material, which are connected to a control apparatus to set the drying climate based on measured moisture, allowing for accurate and efficient moisture determination during the drying process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If sensors are placed within the drying chamber to measure moisture, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and installation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces bar-like support devices as intermediary elements that serve dual purposes: supporting the material to be dried and measuring its weight. These support devices act as mediators between the material and the measurement system, eliminating the need for direct sensor placement within the drying chamber. The weight measurement is then converted to moisture content through calculation, achieving accurate moisture determination without complex sensor installation.
2Measurement precision
If a large number of sensors are used to determine moisture with sufficient accuracy, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the measurement function from the traditional sensor-based approach and transfers it to the support devices. Instead of using multiple sensors within the drying chamber, the system uses weight measurement on support devices to indirectly determine moisture content. This extraction simplifies the measurement system by removing the need for complex sensor networks while maintaining measurement accuracy through the relationship between weight change and moisture content.
3Device complexity
If weight measurement is used to determine moisture, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring the weight of material on support devices throughout the drying process. The control unit receives weight measurement data, calculates moisture content based on weight changes, and uses this information to regulate the drying process. This feedback mechanism ensures that moisture determination remains accurate despite using indirect weight measurement, as the system can track moisture content changes over time and adjust drying conditions accordingly.
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 approach simplifies and enhances the accuracy of moisture determination, avoids damage from sensors, and optimizes drying time, while allowing for flexible and efficient use of support devices in various configurations.
Implementation Method 1
measuring means (12) for measuring the weight of the material (6) to be dried that is stored on the support device (8)
Data Source
AI summary
Drying device for drying hygroscopic material, for example wood, has a drying chamber for accommodating material to be dried, and air conditioning for setting a drying climate in drying chamber during drying process. Air conditioning sets drying climate, at least in part, as a function of moisture of material to be dried. There are bar-like support devices for storing material to be dried in drying chamber during drying process. At least one bar-like support device has scale for measuring weight of material to be dried that is stored on support device. Scale is in signal transmission connection with a control apparatus designed and programmed so that moisture of material to be dried is determined from weight measured by scale. Control apparatus is designed and programmed for controlling air conditioning so drying climate is set as a function of moisture of the respective material to be dried, as determined from the weight measured.