Drying Zone Heat Recovery Column for Building Board Energy Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drying processes for building boards, particularly gypsum-based and cementitious boards, consume high amounts of energy, and there is a need for improved energy efficiency and reduced CO2 footprint in the production process.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of a heat recovery column with non-co-current flow and structured packings to recover latent heat from the exhaust vapour mixture, combined with heat pumps and additional heat exchangers to optimize heat transfer and reuse energy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If conventional drying processes are used for building boards, then the drying function is achieved, but energy consumption is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recovers thermal energy from exhaust vapour mixtures that would otherwise be discarded. Heat exchangers capture both sensible heat and latent heat from the exhaust gases, transferring this energy to preheat incoming air and heat process water, thereby recovering energy that would otherwise be lost
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temperature parameter of the exhaust vapour mixture by cooling it through heat exchange processes. By reducing the temperature of the exhaust gases through heat recovery, the system maximizes energy extraction while managing thermal loads in the drying process
2Loss of energy
If heat recovery measures are implemented, then energy efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a multi-functional heat recovery system where exhaust vapour mixtures serve multiple purposes: heating incoming air for the drying process and heating process water. This universal approach maximizes energy recovery while using a single integrated system rather than multiple separate devices
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces heat exchangers as intermediary devices that facilitate energy transfer between the exhaust vapour mixture and the incoming air/water streams. These intermediaries enable efficient heat recovery without direct contact between the exhaust gases and the process fluids
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
Significantly reduces energy consumption and enhances energy recovery by capturing both sensible and latent heat, thereby improving the energy efficiency of the drying process.
Implementation Method 1
passing water and the exhaust vapour mixture through internals of the heat recovery column in a non-co-current flow, wherein the internals are defined in terms of two or more theoretical stages
Implementation Method 2
Transferring the exhaust vapour mixture with a temperature of 50° C. to 200° C. to a heat recovery column
Implementation Method 3
Water is usually evaporated by convective heating, where hot air passes along the surface of the board and removes the water vapor
Implementation Method 4
Water is usually evaporated by convective heating, where hot air passes along the surface of the board
Implementation Method 5
The pre-drying unit (i.e. the first drying zone or the first drying zones) is configured to moderately increase the temperature of the board to initiate evaporation of water from the board
Data Source
AI summary
Method to recover heat from a drying device for building boards, wherein the drying device includes a plurality of drying zones. The method including:removing an exhaust vapour mixture from at least one of the drying zones,transferring the exhaust vapour mixture with a temperature of 50° C. to 200° C. to a heat recovery column,passing water and the exhaust vapour mixture through internals of the heat recovery column in a non-co-current flow, wherein the internals are defined in terms of two or more theoretical stages.