Infrared Dryer Module With Spatially Assigned Gas Streams
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional infrared (IR) dryer systems for drying substrates, such as printed materials, suffer from inefficiencies in moisture removal due to undefined and less reproducible drying air effectiveness, along with complex and energy-intensive heating processes.
Innovation Solution
The method involves guiding at least two process gas streams to an infrared emitter before they act on the substrate, with an exhaust air stream spatially assigned to each process gas stream. This setup heats the process gas by impinging it on the infrared emitter and gas-guiding elements, creating a directed and heated process gas stream that enhances drying efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional infrared dryer systems use undefined drying air streams, then the system structure is simple, but the drying effectiveness is inconsistent and moisture removal is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The process space is divided into multiple zones with separate process gas streams and exhaust air streams spatially assigned to each other. Each zone has defined inlet and outlet openings with gas-guiding elements, creating segmented control regions that ensure consistent drying effectiveness while maintaining manageable system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the process space are provided with locally optimized gas streams and exhaust air extraction. Each process gas stream is directed at specific substrate areas with controlled parameters, while exhaust air is extracted from corresponding regions, ensuring uniform drying quality across the entire substrate surface
2Temperature
If process gas is heated using a dedicated heating device, then the drying temperature can be controlled, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The infrared emitter serves multiple functions: it dries the substrate through infrared radiation and simultaneously heats the process gas streams that impinge upon it. This eliminates the need for separate heating devices, reducing energy consumption while maintaining controlled process gas temperature
Solution Approach 2:
The process gas streams are heated by the infrared emitter itself through direct impingement. The system uses its own radiation source to heat the cooling gas, creating a self-sufficient thermal management system that reduces external energy input while maintaining optimal drying temperatures
3Productivity
If multiple process gas streams are used with spatially assigned exhaust air streams, then moisture removal efficiency improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple process gas streams and exhaust air streams are merged in a coordinated manner within the process space. The exhaust air streams are spatially assigned to correspond with process gas streams, creating an integrated flow pattern that enhances moisture removal efficiency while using a manageable number of ducts and openings
Solution Approach 2:
The system organizes multiple gas streams in a structured spatial arrangement with defined three-dimensional flow paths. Process gas streams and exhaust air streams are positioned in complementary spatial relationships, allowing efficient moisture removal through coordinated multi-directional flow patterns without excessive structural complexity
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 approach results in rapid and effective drying of substrates with improved homogeneity and speed, while minimizing energy consumption. The controlled interaction between process gas and exhaust air streams generates gas turbulence, enhancing moisture removal and allowing for reproducible drying results.
Implementation Method 1
emitting infrared radiation towards a substrate that moves through a process space along a transport path
Implementation Method 2
heats the process gas by impinging it on the infrared emitter and gas-guiding elements
Implementation Method 3
creating a directed and heated process gas stream
Implementation Method 4
The controlled interaction between process gas and exhaust air streams generates gas turbulence, enhancing moisture removal
Data Source
AI summary
Methods for drying a substrate. The methods include the following steps: (a) emitting infrared radiation towards a substrate moving through a process space using an emitter unit comprising at least one infrared emitter, (b) generating at least two process gas streams of a process gas directed towards the substrate, (c) drying the substrate by the action of infrared radiation and process gas on the substrate, and (d) extracting moisture-laden process gas from the process space via an extraction duct, forming an exhaust air stream leading away from the substrate. To specify a drying method which is reproducible and effective and leads to an improved result, in particular in terms of homogeneity and speed of drying of the substrate, the at least two process gas streams are guided to the infrared emitter before they act on the substrate, and an exhaust air stream is spatially assigned to each process gas stream.