US1375431A - Evaporator - Google Patents

Description

J. T. WANN.

EVAPORATOR.

now FILED MAY Patented Apr. 19, 1921.

ATTOP/VL'Y JOHN T. \VANN, OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

ROBERT C. NEWELL AND VIM. C. MUBIDOCH, 31$, BOTH OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALI- FOBNIA.

Patented A r. re, rear.

Application filed May 4, 1920. Serial 110.378,?54.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN T. WANN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Berkeley, in the county of Alameda and i tate of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Evaporators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus for drying or evaporating fruits, vegetables and other products and especially to improvements in the structure shown in my former patent entitled Evaporator issued March 3, 191 i, No. 1,089,027.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a drier of large capacity especially adapted for handling fruits, vegetables and like food products, and particularly an evaporator adapted to receive the drying trays in stacked formation and so arranged that each will receive a desired volume of dry heated air.

Another object, which forms the special feature of the present invention, is the provision of a series of convex deflecting plates or shields which serve several functions first, a shield for protecting the lowermost trays against exposure to excessive heat; second, that of directing and deflecting the air toward the inlet ilues; third, that of admitting the required amount of heated air to the lower trays; and fourth, that of bypassing a certain amount of the heated air to the exit Flues, thereby maintaining the discharging moist air in motion or increasing the low or velocity to insure complete and rapid discharge of the same.

Further objects will hereinafter appear.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of the drier partially in section and partly broken away.

Fig. 2 is a plan section on line 2-2, Fig. 1.

eferring to the drawings in detail, A indicates a housing which in this instance is divided into a heating compartment, a drying compartment and an exit compartmerit, said compartments being respectively indicated at 2, 3 and at. The lower portion of the housing is in this instance constructed of concrete, while the upper portion is constructed of Wood or similar material.

The lower or heating compartment is provided with a suitable type of furnace 5, from which extend tortuous or zig zag heat fines or tubes 6. The function of the tubes is to heat an incoming volume of air admitted through inlet passages 7, formed adjacent the floor of the structure. Erected within the drying compartment is a series of vertical racks 8 forming substantially a kiln, the racks being adapted to receive and support in an inclined position a suitable number of drying trays provided for the reception of fruit, vegetables or other products.

The housing, referring to Fig. 2 is sufficiently wide to receive two or more trays on each rack, which may be inserted from either side through doors, such as indicated at 9. The tray receiving racks are arranged in pairs as shown in Fig. 1, and they are spaced apart to form a central discharge flue 10 which communicates with the upper exitchamber at, and to provide inlet fiues 11 on the exterior sideswhich communicate with the heating chamber 2.

There are five groups of tray supporting racks shown in the present instance, each having a central discharge passage 10 and each having inlet fines arranged on opposite sides as at 11.

In order to insure a proper flow or distribution of air through and between the trays so that all will be subjected to an even temperature, I provide a series of baffle plates 13. These are disposed in the inlet flues or passages and extend crosswise of the housing. The plates are of varying lengths as shown and deflect the upwardly rising currents of heated air inwardly between the trays. T 0 further insure proper distribution ofthe air a series of convex defleeting plates or shieldshave been provided. These plates are disposed below each group of tray supporting racks and serve several functions: first that of shielding the lowermost trays against exposure to excessive heat; secondly that of defiectingthe main. volume of heated air upwardly into the inlet flues; thirdly, that of admitting a cer tain volume of heated air to the exit lines; and fourthly that of admitting a small amount of heated air to the lowermost trays without passing through the inlet fines. This is accomplished in the following manner: The plates 1a are lined with a suitable heat insulating material, such as asbestos and the like, and this, together with the plates 14, is perforated as at 15 to permit a certain amount of heated air to pass directly through the plates in an upward direction through the lowermost trays, and also a-small' portion of air to pass upwardly through the exit flues. The perforations insure a sufficient flow of air through the shields to supply the lowermost trays, and also a sufficient flow of air through the exit lines to insure proper velocity and movement oi? discharging moist air and it at the same time serves as a shield which protects the lowermost tra s a ainst excessive heat 7 insures a better draft or circulation of air.

through the drier as a whole.

From the foregoing description it can be seen that an ideal arrangement has been provided :l'or deflecting and regulating the flow and distribution of the heated air and that this air after its work has been performed is immediately discharged through the exit tlues 10; the velocity ofdischarging air being maintained by admission of hot air as previously described. No tray is therefore exposed to moisture laden air as the air is not reused, due to the fact that itis permitted to escape immediately after its passage over the trays.

Again it will be seen that a substantial structure of large capacity has been pro vided and that the trays may be inserted from either side due to the doors provided. A large capacity is in this manner obtained which may. be readily handled due to the accessibility of the structure. Practically any type oi furnace may be employed as the products of combustion are discharged exterior of the drier through the tubes 6 and a staclr 6; Contamination or smoking of the "fruit or product handled is thus prevented and practically any material may in this manner he handled.

l /bile the tray receiving partitions or racks are here shownas stationary, and certain other features oi? the invention are more or less specifically illustrated, it is obvious that changes may be resorted to by those skillediin the art without departing from the spirit of my invention as indicated by the appended claims.

The air then passes through and be Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patcut is.

1. An evaporator comprising a housing, a heating, a drying and an exit chamber -formed therein, a plurality of pairs of interspaced tray receiving chambers formed in the drying chamber, inlet flues arranged on one side ofeach of said chambers and communicating with the heating chamber, an exit -flue on the opposite side communicat ing with the exit chamber, and a heat deflecting means positioned below each pair of tray receiving chambers.

2. An evaporator comprisinga housing, a heating, a drying and an exit chamber formed therein, a plurality of pairs of interspaced tray receiving chambers formed in the drying chamber, inlet flues arranged on one side of each of said chambers and cornmunicating with the heating chamber, an exit flue on the opposite side communicating with the exit chamber, and a convex deflecting plate positioned below each pair of tray receiving chambers adapted to direct the main volume of air upwardly into the inlet fines and a portion of the air upwardly between the lowermost trays.

3. In an evaporator of the character described, a drying chamber, a plurality of pairsof tray receiving chambers formed in the drying chamber, an exit flue centrally disposed between each pair of tray receiving chambers, inletqfiues arranged on the exterior sides of the tray receiving chambers, and a convex perforated plate disposed below each pair of tray receiving chambers adapted to direct a major volume of heated air upwardly into the inlet fines, and

1 smaller volume upwardly between the lowermost trays and also upwardly through the exit passages.

4. In an evaporator of the character described, a drying chamber, a plurality of pairs o'ttray receiving chambers formed in the drying chamber, an exit flue centrally disposed between each pair o1 tray receiving chambers, inlet fines arranged on the ex terior sides of the tray receiving chambers, and means positioned below each pair of tray receivingv chambers adapted to direct a major volume of heated air upwardly through the inlet lines and a comparatively smaller volume of heated air upwardly through'the lowermost trays, and also upwardly through the exit passages.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN T. WANN.

l/Vitnesses:

JOHN H. HERRING, W1 Heater.

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