Hemp Biomass Drying Assembly with Rotatable Tines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for drying hemp biomass are labor-intensive, inefficient, and prone to mold growth due to reduced airflow, and existing stirring devices lack adaptability and traction, especially considering hemp's sticky and abrasive nature and high moisture content.
Innovation Solution
A hemp biomass drying assembly with a lift assembly, rotatable tine assembly, and auger assembly that provide multiple modes of operation, including spreading, leveling, stirring, and unloading, along with a controlled drying system using fans and heaters, and a tractor drive assembly for efficient air flow and temperature control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hemp plants are hung upside down on wires in a drying space, then the plants can dry, but the branches droop resulting in reduced air flow to the center of the hemp plants causing mold and mildew growth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a mechanical agitation system with rotating arms and tines that dynamically move through the hanging hemp plants during the drying process. This dynamic mechanism prevents branches from drooping and maintains proper airflow channels, eliminating the static limitation of traditional hanging methods and preventing mold growth in the plant centers.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables the hemp plants to dry themselves effectively by providing continuous mechanical agitation that maintains optimal airflow conditions without requiring manual intervention. The automated rotation and agitation mechanisms allow the drying process to proceed uniformly throughout the plant mass, with the system serving its own drying needs.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If branches are broken off and hung individually to reduce mold, then mold growth is reduced, but the process becomes labor intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical agitation system automatically performs the function of breaking and repositioning branches that would otherwise require manual labor. The rotating arms with tines naturally separate and redistribute the plant material during operation, eliminating the need for workers to manually break and rehang individual branches while achieving the same mold prevention effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical action of workers breaking and repositioning branches with an automated mechanical system. The motor-driven rotating arms and tines perform the branch separation and redistribution function that previously required human labor, substituting a controlled mechanical system for manual operations.
3Area of stationary object
If hemp is spread across the floor for drying, then drying space is utilized, but individuals step on the plant packing it together requiring repeated turning which is time and labor intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses dynamic mechanical agitation with rotating arms and tines that continuously move through the hemp material, automatically fluffing and redistributing it throughout the drying space. This eliminates the need for manual turning operations while maintaining proper air circulation, simultaneously utilizing the available floor space effectively and reducing drying time through continuous motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical agitation system operates continuously during the drying process, constantly fluffing and redistributing the hemp material to maintain optimal airflow conditions. This continuous action replaces the intermittent manual turning operations, ensuring that the useful action of preventing compaction and maintaining airflow occurs without interruption throughout the entire drying period.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If a stirring device with a peripheral drive wheel is used, then air flow is improved, but the device lacks traction because hemp is slippery and has a single mode of operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a multi-functional agitation system where the rotating arms can perform multiple operations: spreading hemp during loading, fluffing during drying, and redistributing throughout the process. The system adapts its function based on the operational stage, providing versatility that goes beyond the single-mode peripheral drive wheel while maintaining effective airflow throughout the drying process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic rotating arms with adjustable tines that can penetrate and agitate the hemp material effectively. Unlike the static peripheral drive wheel, these arms can be positioned and oriented to provide optimal traction and agitation at different stages of the drying process, adapting to the changing characteristics of the material as it dries.
5Quantity of substance
If conventional augers are used to move hemp biomass, then material transport is achieved, but they are ineffective because hemp is sticky, abrasive, and fibrous
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs specific tine designs with particular geometries and spacing optimized for handling hemp's sticky and fibrous characteristics. The tines are configured with local properties (shape, spacing, material) that prevent clogging and maintain effective engagement with the material, addressing the specific challenges of hemp transport rather than using a generic auger design.
Solution Approach 2:
The agitation and transport components are constructed from composite or specially selected materials that resist the abrasive and sticky effects of hemp. The system uses material combinations that provide both the necessary mechanical strength and the surface properties to prevent material adhesion, overcoming the limitations of conventional auger materials when handling hemp biomass.
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
The assembly significantly reduces drying time, is less labor-intensive, and is more economical, ensuring uniform drying and adaptability to different geographic conditions by effectively managing airflow and moisture levels.
Implementation Method 1
Connected to the structure and in fluid communication with the drying air plenum is a drying system. The drying system includes at least one fan... that are connected to a control system that activates and controls the air flow
Implementation Method 2
The drying system includes at least one fan and at least one heater/burner that are connected to a control system that activates and controls the air flow and temperature of the drying system
Implementation Method 3
Connected to the lift assembly is a rotatable tine assembly and an auger assembly that extend radially from the center of the structure. The rotatable tine assembly and the auger assembly have multiple modes of operation that include a spreading mode, a leveling mode, a stirring mode, and an unloading mode
Data Source
AI summary
A hemp biomass drying assembly that is disposed within a structure and having a central lift assembly, a rotatable tine assembly, an auger assembly, and a track drive assembly that are all connected to a control system to activate and operate all assemblies. The drying assembly has multiple modes of operation that include a spreading mode, a leveling mode, and stirring mode, and an unloading mode.