Kiln Drying Tray with Top-Down Airflow for Uniform Cereal Dehydration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for kiln drying, such as those using air streams or sun kilns, often result in uneven drying, are inefficient, and lack control over the drying process, making them unsuitable for large-scale industrial use and economically unviable.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that utilize a gas flow, preferably an air flow, generated from one side of a tray to the other through the kiln material, allowing water to be removed along the direction of gravity, ensuring uniform and gentle drying, with a removal device that progressively removes the top layer of dried material to maintain efficient airflow and reduce energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If air stream is used for drying goods from bottom to top, then drying can be achieved, but uniform drying is difficult and local overheating occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional drying approach by directing the gas stream from top to bottom through the drying layer, opposite to the traditional bottom-to-top flow. This inversion allows gravity to assist the gas flow, creating more uniform drying conditions and preventing local overheating that occurs with upward flow against gravity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates equipotential conditions by aligning the gas flow direction with gravity, allowing the drying process to proceed without fighting gravitational forces. This results in more uniform energy distribution throughout the drying layer and eliminates the harmful temperature gradients caused by upward flow.
2Use of energy by moving object
If natural ventilation solar kiln is used, then energy consumption is reduced, but drying is dependent on weather and difficult to control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a fan to generate the gas stream, eliminating dependence on natural ventilation and weather conditions. The system becomes self-sufficient, providing reliable and controllable drying performance while maintaining reasonable energy efficiency through the assisted gravity flow mechanism.
3Productivity
If gas flow moves water against gravity from bottom to top, then drying can occur, but water removal is less efficient and process is slower
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the flow direction to match gravity, allowing water to be removed more efficiently as the gas stream flows downward with gravitational assistance. This increases drying speed without requiring excessive energy input, as the system works with rather than against gravity.
4Manufacturing precision
If thin layers are used for uniform drying, then drying uniformity is improved, but productivity decreases and process becomes uneconomical
Solution Approach 1:
By inverting the flow direction to top-to-bottom and utilizing gravity-assisted flow, the patent achieves uniform drying across thicker layers that would be impossible with conventional upward flow. This allows significantly increased processing capacity while maintaining drying uniformity, making the process economically viable for industrial applications.
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 ensures quick and uniform drying, reduces energy consumption, and allows for easy removal and conveyance of dry material, resulting in more efficient and homogeneous drying processes.
Implementation Method 1
a gas stream, in particular an air stream, is generated, wherein the gas stream is generated from a space of the tray facing the drying layer to a space of the tray facing away from the drying layer, through the drying layer and the tray
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3a
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for kiln drying of material for kiln drying, especially cereal, pseudocereal, oilseeds or pulses, and to an apparatus especially for conduction of the method, wherein the method includes, as process steps, provision of material for kiln drying to be treated on a tray (20) having at least one orifice (21) for formation of a layer of material for kiln drying (D) and the production of a gas flow, especially of an air flow (L), and wherein the gas flow, especially the air flow (L), through the layer of material for kiln drying (D) is generated from a space (X) facing the layer of material for kiln drying (D) in the tray (20) having at least one orifice (21) to a space (Y) facing away from the layer of material for kiln drying (D) in the tray (20).