Grain Drying Tower with Sinuous Flow and Radial Air
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing grain drying technologies face inefficiencies, including high energy consumption, uneven heat distribution, and the need for pre-cleaning, which can result in heterogeneous drying and increased operational costs.
Innovation Solution
A grain drying tower utilizing a combination of parallel and sinuous grain flows with reverse crossed air flows and radial air flows in a 'Z' oblique form, allowing for efficient heat exchange and humidity reduction across all grain layers, enabling the drying of grains and seeds with high impurity content without pre-cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If parallel grain flow is used in drying towers, then the structure is simple and easy to operate, but temperature gradients are generated causing heterogeneous drying
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from traditional parallel grain flow to a three-dimensional sinuous flow pattern combined with radial air flow in 'Z' oblique form. This dimensional change allows air to penetrate grain layers from multiple directions (radial + oblique angles), eliminating temperature gradients and achieving uniform drying throughout the grain mass without compromising operational simplicity
2Productivity
If pre-cleaning is performed before drying, then drying efficiency is improved, but processing time and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cleaning function with the drying process by incorporating a cleaning system integrated into the drying tower structure. Grains are cleaned and dried simultaneously in the same equipment through the sinuous flow and radial air pattern, eliminating the need for separate pre-cleaning operations and reducing total processing time while maintaining high drying efficiency
3Quantity of substance
If high humidity grains are dried, then more water is removed, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the flow parameters and air distribution pattern to optimize energy efficiency. The sinuous grain flow combined with radial air flow in 'Z' oblique form creates more efficient heat and mass transfer, allowing high humidity grains to be dried with reduced energy consumption by maximizing the utilization of drying air throughout the grain mass
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 solution achieves high efficiency in grain drying with reduced energy consumption, eliminating temperature gradients and ensuring uniform drying, while allowing for the processing of grains with high humidity and impurities, resulting in a high-quality product with reduced breakage and processing costs.
Implementation Method 1
supplying a hot air and grain flow
Implementation Method 2
process of humidity removal
Implementation Method 3
eliminating temperature gradients
Implementation Method 4
balance between the internal humidity of the grain and the environmental humidity
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention proposes a drying tower with grain flow in parallel and sinuous in combination with reverse and radial crossed air flows in form of “Z” oblique for the implementation in the drying of grains, seeds, fodder, and fruit. Therefore, the grains are firstly submitted to a first stage of parallel grains flow and reverse crossed air flow in order to standardize the different degrees of humidity of the grains and of their impurities. In a second moment, these grains are submitted to a sinuous grains flow and radial air flow in the form of oblique “Z”. Such implementation in drying processes of grains upgrades substantially the drying time and the energy spent for such process, generating in this way profit for the food industries.