Horizontal Spiral Airflow Dryer for Granule Crushing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drying technologies, such as continuous fluidized-bed drying devices, are inefficient and costly, while spray dryers are unsuitable for drying solid or semi-solid substances with low water content, and loop-type airflow dryers often crush granulated substances due to high air volume requirements.
Innovation Solution
An airflow drying device with a horizontally arranged, spirally formed processing pipe that uses hot air to dry wet granulated substances, incorporating a dispersion mechanism to efficiently distribute substances and minimize crushing, allowing for high-speed and high-quality granule production without turning substances into powder.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If loop-type airflow dryers use a vertical loop pipe to circulate granulated substances, then drying capability is maintained, but substances are deposited at the bottom and require larger air volume or increased wind pressure which turns granules into powder
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional vertical loop pipe configuration by arranging the processing pipe horizontally. This inversion prevents granulated substances from depositing at the bottom due to gravity, eliminating the need for high air volume or wind pressure that would crush the granules. The horizontal arrangement allows substances to flow smoothly through the pipe without accumulation points.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the spatial dimension of the processing pipe from vertical to horizontal orientation. This dimensional change fundamentally alters the flow dynamics, preventing gravitational deposition at the bottom of a vertical pipe and eliminating the harmful effect of requiring high air pressure that would crush the granulated substances.
2Productivity
If continuous fluidized-bed drying devices are used to perform continuous process, then productivity is improved, but drying time is long and equipment size is large requiring enormous costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses pneumatic transport by introducing hot air into the processing pipe to carry granulated substances through the drying chamber. This pneumatic system enables continuous processing without the long drying times and large equipment sizes associated with fluidized-bed dryers, while maintaining high productivity through continuous operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters by using horizontal pipe arrangement with controlled hot air flow, which reduces the drying time compared to conventional continuous fluidized-bed dryers. The parameter change in pipe orientation and airflow control allows for faster drying while maintaining continuous production capability.
3Productivity
If spray dryers are used to dry substances, then liquid substances are efficiently dried, but solid or semi-solid substances with small water content cannot be dried effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal drying system using a processing pipe that can handle both liquid and solid/semi-solid substances with varying water content. The horizontal pipe configuration with hot air flow adapts to different substance types, providing multi-functionality that spray dryers lack for solid or semi-solid materials with low water content.
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 device achieves a high-speed, efficient drying process with excellent particle size distribution and yield, reducing crushing and equipment size while maintaining effective drying performance.
Implementation Method 1
dries wet granulated substances with hot air
Implementation Method 2
flow together with the hot air
Data Source
AI summary
An airflow drying device includes a granulated substance introduction portion, a dry process portion, and a product ejection portion. The granulated substance introduction portion includes a granulated substance inlet into which granulated substances are to be put, and a hot air inlet into which hot air is to be supplied. The dry process portion includes a loop pipe. The loop pipe is positioned laterally in a horizontal direction, and is able to dry granulated substances. The product ejection portion includes a cyclone collector where the granulated substances are collected after being dried through the loop pipe.