Surround Hot-Air Drying Frame With Gentle Particle Turning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Pet food particles break during the stirring process due to friction and impact, leading to reduced yield and production quality.

Innovation Solution

A surround hot air slow drying device with a material turning mechanism using an isosceles triangle material turning plate and a direction adjustment plate to spread food particles in an S-shape, combined with a circulating conveying unit and hot air drying unit to minimize damage and enhance drying efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If hollow plates are used to stir pet food raw materials, then the raw materials can be turned and dehydrated, but the raw materials at the corners are prone to fragmentation due to friction and extrusion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrying efficiencyVSAvoidparticle integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The stirring action is segmented into multiple stages: initial tumbling stirring, then switching to pushing and spreading actions. The drying frame is divided into multiple sections with different functions (tumbling zone, pushing zone, spreading zone) to handle different stages of material processing separately, reducing damage while maintaining drying efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The hollow plates are designed with adjustable angles and positions that can be dynamically adjusted during operation. The plates transition from vertical stirring positions to horizontal pushing positions, creating dynamic movement patterns that reduce corner fragmentation while maintaining effective stirring and drying

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If material turning mechanism is used to turn food granules, then dehydration is achieved, but the impact during falling causes raw materials to break and generate debris

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrying effectVSAvoidmaterial yield

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The drying frame is designed with cushioning structures including soft padding materials and shock-absorbing mechanisms at critical locations. The hollow plates are positioned to prevent high-impact falls, and the frame structure includes buffer zones that absorb impact energy before it reaches the food granules, preventing breakage and debris generation while maintaining drying effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Temperature

If hot air is directly discharged into raw materials, then heat is released from inside, but the raw materials are damaged due to high temperature and direct impact

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat releaseVSAvoidmaterial damage

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Hot air is introduced through intermediary structures including perforated plates and distributed nozzles that spread the air flow evenly throughout the material bed. The hollow plates serve as intermediaries to distribute hot air indirectly, preventing direct high-temperature contact with food granules while still achieving effective heat transfer and drying

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The temperature and flow rate parameters of hot air are dynamically adjusted during the drying process. The system transitions from high-temperature direct heating to lower-temperature indirect heating, and the air flow rate is modulated to match the drying requirements at different stages, preventing material damage while maintaining drying efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 prevents particle breakage and improves drying efficiency by ensuring even contact with hot air, increasing yield and enhancing the drying effect.

Implementation Method 1

a hot air drying unit at a bottom... the hot air drying unit generates hot air... removes moisture from the product particles

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Implementation Method 2

a circulating conveying unit... drives each drying frame to move circularly... the flowing hot air contacts the food particles

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentUS12480710B1Surround hot air slow drying device for pet food processing and three-stage baking method

Publication Date: 2025.11.25 SHANDONG HAICHUANG IND & TRADE CO LTD

AI summary

A surround hot air slow drying device and a three-stage baking method for pet food processing are provided. The surround hot air slow drying device for pet food processing includes a drying box. A hot air drying unit is provided at an inner bottom of the drying box, a circulating conveying unit is provided inside the drying box, a plurality of drying frames are evenly distributed on the circulating conveying unit, a material turning mechanism is provided inside the drying frames, and a positioning component is provided inside the drying box. The material turning mechanism cooperates with the positioning component to turn the raw materials in the drying frames.