Horizontal Airflow Drying Chamber With Return Air Recirculation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drying towers for elongate food products, such as sausages, are inefficient in energy use and difficult to integrate into conventional manufacturing areas due to their vertical design and large footprint, limiting their logistical simplicity and energy efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A device with horizontally arranged feed and discharge openings, a compact design facilitated by a return air channel, and a horizontally directed airflow, along with a modular construction and zigzagging transport path, allows for efficient conditioning and reduced material usage while minimizing heat exchange with the environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If vertically disposed drying towers are used, then drying capacity on limited floor area is improved, but device complexity and difficulty of installation in conventional manufacturing areas increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from a vertical drying tower configuration to a horizontal drying chamber configuration. The feed opening and discharge opening are arranged on opposite horizontal sides of the housing, allowing the device to be integrated into conventional manufacturing areas with normal ceiling heights (4-6 metres) while maintaining effective drying capacity through horizontal airflow and product transport paths.
2Productivity
If vertically disposed drying towers are used, then drying capacity on limited floor area is improved, but energy efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention implements a return air channel that captures air discharged from the drying process and recirculates it back to the heating means. This recovery system prevents energy waste by reusing the thermal energy in the discharged air, significantly improving energy efficiency while maintaining the drying capacity required for industrial production.
3Ease of operation
If horizontally arranged feed and discharge openings are used, then ease of operation and installation is improved, but device volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the return air channel with the housing structure, using part of the housing wall to form the return channel. This integration reduces the overall device volume by eliminating separate structural components while maintaining the horizontal configuration that provides ease of operation and installation in conventional manufacturing areas.
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 solution enhances energy efficiency, simplifies installation, and reduces material usage while maintaining effective product treatment, allowing for flexible capacity adjustments and improved product protection from environmental influences.
Implementation Method 1
blowing means for generating an airflow in the process space
Implementation Method 2
the conditioning means comprise at least one heating element through which the airflow is carried
Implementation Method 3
A return channel for air separated from the process space is preferably assembled with, or even partially bounded by, a wall of the housing. The energy efficiency of the device increased by such a measure. Undesired heat exchange of the device with the environment is after all limited in this way
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a device for treating elongate food products in a process space using a conditioned airflow, comprising: a housing bounding the process space, with a feed opening arranged in the housing and a discharge opening arranged in the housing for respectively carrying elongate food products into the process space and discharging thereof from the process space, transport means for displacing the elongate food products through the process space, blowing means for generating an airflow in the process space, and conditioning means for conditioning the airflow.