CA2312511A1 - Process and apparatus for drying granulates - Google Patents

Process and apparatus for drying granulates Download PDF

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Publication number
CA2312511A1
CA2312511A1 CA002312511A CA2312511A CA2312511A1 CA 2312511 A1 CA2312511 A1 CA 2312511A1 CA 002312511 A CA002312511 A CA 002312511A CA 2312511 A CA2312511 A CA 2312511A CA 2312511 A1 CA2312511 A1 CA 2312511A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
drying
bins
individual
drying air
heaters
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA002312511A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Andreas Vierling
Gerd Adolf Richter
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Colortronic GmbH
Original Assignee
Colortronic GmbH
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Colortronic GmbH filed Critical Colortronic GmbH
Publication of CA2312511A1 publication Critical patent/CA2312511A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F26DRYING
    • F26BDRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM
    • F26B21/00Arrangements or duct systems, e.g. in combination with pallet boxes, for supplying and controlling air or gases for drying solid materials or objects
    • F26B21/06Controlling, e.g. regulating, parameters of gas supply
    • F26B21/08Humidity
    • F26B21/083Humidity by using sorbent or hygroscopic materials, e.g. chemical substances, molecular sieves
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F26DRYING
    • F26BDRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM
    • F26B21/00Arrangements or duct systems, e.g. in combination with pallet boxes, for supplying and controlling air or gases for drying solid materials or objects
    • F26B21/06Controlling, e.g. regulating, parameters of gas supply
    • F26B21/12Velocity of flow; Quantity of flow, e.g. by varying fan speed, by modifying cross flow area

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Drying Of Solid Materials (AREA)
  • Processing And Handling Of Plastics And Other Materials For Molding In General (AREA)

Abstract

Granulates are dried in two or more drying bins (20, 30) integrated in parallel into a drying circuit (9) where individual heaters (23a, 33a) and throttle valves (22a, 32a) controlling the drying air streams are installed for each drying bin (20, 30). The setting of the throttle valves (22a, 32a) is determined by control units (22c, 32c) based on signals from temperature probes (22e, 32e) installed in the relevant drying bins (20, 30). To ensure that the desired temperature of the drying air is maintained, even when very large quantities of air are distributed to drying bins (20, 30), without inordinately powerful individual heaters (23a, 33a), signals are sent to control units (22c, 32c) when the upper capacity limit of the individual heaters (23a, 33a) is reached, thus triggering a further throttling of the relevant drying air branch stream.

Description

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR DRYING GRANULATES
The invention consists of a process for drying granulates in at least two drying bins by means of hot drying air, which is circulated through parallel drying bins and through drying air dryers and is heated by passing through heaters, where the input stream of drying air to each of the individual drying bins is more or less throttled depending on the current temperature in the relevant drying bins.
Such a process is known from DE 3131471 C2. There, three parallel drying bins are provided where a throttle valve is installed in the branch inlet pipe before each drying bin, with a servomotor being activated by a signal from a temperature probe installed in the branch inlet pipe after the drying bin.
The drying air dryer has adsorption cells through which circulated drying air and a regeneration agent (hot air) are alternately fed. At the outlet from the drying air dryer, the drying air is directed through a single heater before it enters the feed pipe to the drying bins.
This known apparatus, though generally operating satisfactorily, has the disadvantage that all of the drying bins must be supplied with drying air at the same temperature. This is unsuitable when different materials are to be dried in the individual drying bins that, because of the differing temperature sensitivities, should be dried at different temperatures.
Moreover, with the known apparatus, the relatively long pipes between the heater and the drying bins must be insulated in order to avoid excessive heat loss.
If, in order to overcome the abovementioned disadvantages, individual heaters are installed for each drying bin rather than a common heater, then care must be taken that the quantity of air distributed to the individual drying bins is determined by the amount of throttling of the stream of drying air carned to them. In some cases, this can lead to excessive demand being put on one heater because of a high drying air flow rate, so that the planned drying air heating temperature might not be reached there. To maintain the desired temperature under all operating conditions, two or more inordinately powerful heaters must be used, with the disadvantages that implies.
Accordingly, the goal of this invention is to improve the known process so that varying higher temperature drying air can be made available to the individual drying bins and the desired temperatures of the various drying air streams can be attained under all operating conditions without it being necessary to use inordinately powerful heaters.
This goal is achieved by means of a process similar to the abovementioned type by which each drying air stream fed into the drying bins is heated by individual heaters and the drying air streams depend, not only on the temperature, but also on the heating level of the pertinent individual heaters so that when a predetermine heating level of the individual heaters is reached, the appropriate drying air stream is further throttled so that it is heated to a previously determined desired temperature independently from the quantity of drying air distributed to the individual drying air streams.
The provision of individual heaters makes it possible to heat the drying air streams fed into the various drying bins to different temperatures depending on requirements. If the capacity of an individual heater is exceeded because the relevam drying air stream increases greatly after other drying streams are heavily throttled and/or a relatively high desired temperature is set for the relevant drying air stream, then the relevant drying air stream flow is throttled until the relationship between the drying air stream and the available heat is again sufficient to achieve the desired temperature. Thus, inordinately powerful heaters can be avoided without running the risk of the drying air fed to any of the drying bins failing to reach the desired temperature under extreme operating conditions.
The process in this invention is carried out in such a way, using demand-dependent, automatic individual heaters that can be switched on and off, that the heat level-dependent further throttling of a drying air stream is triggered if the relevant individual heater is not switched off within a predetermined time period. The continuous operation of the individual heaters detected during the predetermined time period is interpreted as meaning that the heat level is not su~cient to achieve the desired temperature at the current flow rate.
The invention also consists of an apparatus for carrying out the invention process with at least two drying bins, one drying air dryer and one heater in which a drying circuit with a fan is installed, which has a feed pipe, a return pipe and a branch pipe linking these for the parallel arrangement of the drying bins, where a throttle valve is installed in each branch input pipe and each drying bin is equipped with a temperature probe connected to the throttle valve adjuster by means of a signal wire.
Such a device is also known from DE 31 31 471 C2. It suffers the same disadvantages described above.
To counter these disadvantages, the known device is improved upon with this invention in that an individual heater is installed in each branch input pipe to the drying bins and each individual heater is connected with the throttle valve control unit installed for the same drying bin by means of a heat level signal wire.
With the apparatus built in this way, it is possible to carry out the invention process described above and thus to achieve the corresponding advantages.
In a useful arrangement of the apparatus, the individual heaters are installed after the throttle valve in each freed branch pipe. Thus, the individual heaters are located close to the appropriate drying bins, decreasing heat loss and reducing insulation costs. In addition, the throttle valves are subject to less heat load.
In another appropriate arrangement, the temperature probes are installal in each relevant drying bin.
In this way, dependable temperature measurements for controlling the apparatus are achieved.
,An implementation example ofthe invention apparatus is illustrated more clearly below in a schematic drawing. The single figure shows essentially a top view of an apparatus with two drying bins shown in side view and with a drying air dryer.
In the drawing, a regeneration circuit (8) and a drying circuit (9) are shown, which are brought together inside a drying air dryer ( 10).
In the regeneration circuit (8), a suction filter ( 1 }, a regenerating fan (2), a regenerating heater (3) and two reverse valves (4a, 4b) are installed in sequence in the direction of the flow, between which two adsorption cells (Sa, Sb) are installed.
The two reverse valves (4a, 4b) and the two adsorption cells (Sa, Sb) are likewise installed in drying circuit (9) so that by switching the reverse valves (4a, 4b), the two adsorption cells (Sa, Sb) are alternately connected to regeneration circuit (8) and the drying circuit (9).
Drying circuit (9) is fitted with a fan (6) for the drying air and with a filter (7) for the returning air.
The drying circuit (9) has a feed pipe ( 11 ) and a return pipe ( 12) for the circulated drying air, as well as a first branch pipe with a branch inlet pipe (21) and a branch outlet pipe (28) and a second branch pipe with a branch inlet pipe (31) and a branch outlet pipe (38) which are each connected to a feed pipe ( 11 ) and a return pipe ( 12) and connected to each other through a first drying bin (20) and a second drying bin (30). Both drying bins {20 and 30) are used to dry granulates, which are brought in and removed in the usual way, so that no further explanation is required.
The two drying bins (20, 30) are, as the drawing makes clear, of similar construction as are the apparatus parts. Thus, each branch inlet pipe (21, 31 ) has a throttle valve (22a, 32a) and an individual heater (23a, 33a). The heat level is regulated in such a way that drying air introduced into drying bins (20, 30) has a desired temperature corresponding to the granulates to be dried as applicable. In addition, temperature probes (23e, 33e) are installed in the branch inlet pipes (21, 31) between the individual heaters (23a, 33a) and drying bins (20, 30), which are connected to control units (23c, 33c) by signal wires (23d, 33d), which controls the heat intake through heat pipes (23b, 33b) to the individual heaters (23a, 33a).

The throttle valves (22a, 32a) make it possible to adjust the air flow to the ganulate flow through drying bins (20, 30) so as to optimize drying conditions (drying temperature).
In addition, temperature probes (22e, 32e) are installed in drying bins (20, 30) which report bin temperatures to control units (22c, 32c) through signal wires (22d, 32d). This produces setting signals for the throttle valves (22a, 32a) which are sem through the control wires (22b, 32b).
Heat level control units (23c, 33c) are connected to the control units (22c, 32c) for the throttle valves (22a, 32a) by signal wires (24, 34) and deliver the relevant heat level data to them.
The illustrated and described apparatus works as follows:
The ganulates placed in drying bins (20, 30), which might be different materials with different characteristics, are dried using the drying air which is circulated through the drying circuit (9) by the fan (6) which, for example, is continuously dehumidified by the adsorption cell (Sb). During this operational phase, the adsorption cell (Sa) is connected in the regeneration circuit (8) and is appropriately regenerated. After a predetermined operational period and ideally just before the adsorption cell (Sb) is completely exhausted, the reverse valves (4a, 4b) are switched over so that now the freshly regenerated adsorption cell (Sa) is in the drying circuit (9) and the more or less exhausted adsorption cell (Sb) is in the regeneration circuit (8) and is regenerated.
This switching between adsorption cells Sa and Sb contilrues as appropriate.
During the drying operation, the drying air fed into the drying bins (20, 30) is heated separately in the individual heaters (23b, 33b) to the predetermined desired temperature.
Depending on the temperature value determined by the temperature probes (22e, 32e), the throttle valves (22a, 32a) are adjusted by the control units (22c, 32c) to an optimal drying air flow rate in the appropriate drying bins (20, 30).
Since, however, closing the throttle valve (22a or 32a) not only decreases the drying air flow through the connected drying bin (20 or 30) but also produces an increase in the drying air flow through the other branch pipes with throttle valves (32a and 22a) and through the relevant drying bins (30, 20), there might be an excessive drying sir flow so that the connected individual heaters (33a and 23a), because of the limited heating capacity, are no longer capable of bringing the heating level to the desired temperature. Such a situation, which is characterized by continuous operation (full load) of the individual heaters 23a, 33a, is signalled to the control units (22c, 32c) by the heat level signal wires (24, 34). This causes an extra throttling of the drying air in the overloaded branch pipe, so that the temperature of the drying air again rises to the desired temperature.
It was stated above that air is circulated through the drying circuit (9).
This is not to be understood as being restrictive, since other gases, such as nitrogen, may be used instead of air in the drying circuit (9) and circulated through the drying bins.

Claims (4)

1. A process for drying granulates in at least two drying bins (20, 30) by means of heated drying air which is circulated through parallel connected drying bins (20, 30) and through a drying air dryer (10) and is heated by flowing through heaters (23a, 33a), where the drying air streams fed into the individual drying bins (20, 30) is more or less throttled depending on the current relationship between the temperatures in the relevant drying bins (20, 30), characterized in that, each of the drying air streams introduced into the drying bins (20, 30) is heated with individual heaters (23a, 33a) and the drying air stream is not only temperature-dependent but is also controlled, depending on the heat level of each of the relevant individual heaters (23a, 33a), in such a way that when a predetermined heat level is reached in the individual heaters (23a, 33a), the relevant drying air stream is further throttled so that its heat level is maintained at a predetermined desired temperature, independent of the drying air distribution quantities to the individual drying air streams.
2. A process according to claim 1 with demand-dependent automatic on and off-switchable individual heaters (23a, 33a), characterized in that, the heat level-dependent supplementary throttling of the drying air streams is triggered when the relevant individual heater (23a, 33a) is not switched off within a predetermined time.
3. An apparatus for carrying out the process in accordance with claim 1 or 2 with at least two drying bins (20, 30), a drying air dryer (10) and heaters (23a, 33a) which are installed in a drying circuit (9) with a fan (6) installed which has a feed pipe (11) and a return pipe (12) with connecting pipes (21, 28; 31, 38) between these for the parallel arrangement of the drying bins (20, 30), so that in each branch inlet (21, 31) to the drying bins (20, 30), a throttle valve (22a, 32a) is installed and each drying bin (20, 30) has a temperature probe (22e, 32e) which is connected by a signal wire (22d, 32d) to a throttle valve control unit (22c, 32c), characterized in that, in each inlet branch pipe (21, 31) to a drying bin (20, 30) an individual heater (23a, 33a) is installed and that each individual heater (23a, 33a) is connected by a heat level signal wire (24, 34) with the control unit (22c, 32c) for the same drying bin (20, 30) throttle valve (22a, 32a) installed.
4. An apparatus in accordance with claim 3, characterized in that, in each inlet branch pipe (21, 31), the individual heater (23a, 33a) is located after the throttle valve (22a, 32a).
CA002312511A 1999-07-07 2000-06-27 Process and apparatus for drying granulates Abandoned CA2312511A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE19931357.1-43 1999-07-07
DE19931357A DE19931357C1 (en) 1999-07-07 1999-07-07 Method and device for drying granules

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2312511A1 true CA2312511A1 (en) 2001-01-07

Family

ID=7913946

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA002312511A Abandoned CA2312511A1 (en) 1999-07-07 2000-06-27 Process and apparatus for drying granulates

Country Status (7)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1067348B1 (en)
AT (1) ATE247812T1 (en)
BR (1) BR0002304A (en)
CA (1) CA2312511A1 (en)
DE (2) DE19931357C1 (en)
ES (1) ES2204403T3 (en)
MX (1) MXPA00006721A (en)

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102006049437B3 (en) * 2006-10-16 2008-03-27 Lanco Gmbh Hot air drying equipment for bulk materials, especially plastic granules, includes valves controlling air flow recirculated between drying chamber and drying agent chamber
EP2020581A1 (en) * 2007-08-03 2009-02-04 Moretto S.P.A. Plant and process for the controlled dehumidification of granular material
DE102015005822A1 (en) * 2015-05-05 2016-11-10 Zbk Zentrum Für Baukeramik Gmbh Plant and process for drying ceramic raw materials or blanks
DE102015116876A1 (en) * 2015-10-05 2017-04-06 Zbk Zentrum Für Baukeramik Gmbh Plant and method for drying ceramic raw materials and blanks
CN106903987A (en) * 2017-03-13 2017-06-30 广州黑马科技有限公司 Intaglio press air circulation system

Family Cites Families (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3131471A1 (en) * 1981-03-20 1982-09-30 Roderich Wilhelm Dr.-Ing. 6100 Darmstadt Gräff DEVICE FOR DRYING HUMIDIFIER EXHAUST FROM ONE OR SEVERAL DUMP DRYING CONTAINERS
GB2122384A (en) * 1982-06-14 1984-01-11 Conair Plastics material drying cycle
DE4037443A1 (en) * 1990-11-24 1992-05-27 Mann & Hummel Filter DEVICE FOR DRYING SCHUETTGUT
DE4234696C2 (en) * 1991-10-14 1994-06-09 Werner Koch Device for drying plastic bulk goods
DE4321863C2 (en) * 1993-07-01 2000-01-05 Behr Gmbh & Co Method and device for desorbing a moisture adsorbing material
DE4321895A1 (en) * 1993-07-01 1995-01-12 Holger Achelpohl Process and apparatus for drying bulk material, preferably plastics granules (pellets)
DE29621313U1 (en) * 1996-12-07 1997-01-30 digicolor GmbH, 33609 Bielefeld Device for drying granules

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
BR0002304A (en) 2001-03-13
EP1067348B1 (en) 2003-08-20
EP1067348A1 (en) 2001-01-10
MXPA00006721A (en) 2005-04-01
ES2204403T3 (en) 2004-05-01
ATE247812T1 (en) 2003-09-15
DE50003340D1 (en) 2003-09-25
DE19931357C1 (en) 2001-04-05

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
EEER Examination request
FZDE Discontinued