US1609888A - Apparatus for drying material - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 7 1926.

F. A. SECORD APPARATUS FOR DRYING MATERIAL Filed April Patented Dec. 7, 1926.

uNiTann STATES 1,609,88& l

PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERIQK A. SECORD, 0F PORTLAND, MAINE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO CHARLES HENRY PETERS AND ONE-THIRD TO ALEXANDER PIERCE PATERSON, BOTH OF ST.

JOHN, NEW BRUNSWICK.

APPARATUS FORDRYING MATERIAL.

`Application led April 8, 1922. Serial No. 550,644.

This invention relates to apparatus for drying materials.

An object of the invention is to provide au apparatus for economically and rapidly drying materials such, for example, as last blocks. The invention will best be understood by referring to the accompanying drawings which disclose, merely for illustrative purposes. one embodiment of-apparatus for carrying out the invention, wherein:

Fig. lv is a sectional plan view of the apparatus Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section thereof; and

Fig. 3 is a section taken longitudinally through the base of the apparatus substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. l,` v

'Ihe present invention contemplates the production of an apparatus for drying materials such for example as last blocks and clay products by the careful control of the temperature upon all sides of a mass of the material whereby one section of the mass may have a greater or less application of heated or cooled drying medium relatively to other sections to insure the uniform dryin ar of the entire mass and to prevent waste due to improper treatment of one section or another of the mass. To these ends t-he invention involves a casing 1 having an outer wall Q composed of any suitable material and an inner wall 3 extending entirely around the interior of 'said outer wall so as to form insulating compartments or chambers 4, 5, Q and 7 respectively constituting the four walls of the apparatus, said chambers being separated from each other by suitable partitions such as shown at 8. The

inner walls may likewise be formed of any suitable material but preferably they are composed of two layers of sheathing as indicated at'9 and 10 which are separated by a layer of some appropriate moisture-proc substance 11.

The inner walls 3 in the present example eatend only art` way up as shown at 1.2, although the invention is not limited to this arrangement the spaces between said lnner wall and the outer wall being also terminated and closed by horizontal partitions 13 extending entirely around the casing.

The dimensions of the casing 1 may obvlously be varied to accord with the particular purpose for which it is to be used or to accord with the capacity desired. ln the present example the casing is shown as of a size sufficient to enclose a small pile of lasts or other material such as are shown in dotted lines at 14. The top of the casing l is here- 1n shown as consi-sting ofa slanting roof 15 and arranged near the peak thereof in the front wall of the casing is a pivoted door 1G pivoted at its lower edge to be opened outwardly to permit the escape of the vapor rising from the material that is being dried within the casing.

By providing the double or chamberen side walls of the Acasing as hereinbefore described the material that is being dried will not,be exposed to uneven atmospheric conditions, in fact the spaces between the inner and outer walls will form insulating regions which prevent onev side or section of the material from drying more rapidly than another when the latter section of material faces a side of the casing against which a strong Wind may be blowing or which side may beccolder than another by reason of the fact that the sun is not shining thereon. Furthermore said double walls, by providing such insulating regions,'will elminate condensation forming upon said inner walls which, if permitted to take place, would result in lowering the temperature of the portions of the material that is being dried which are near to said walls while that portion Within the center of the pile would not 'be at all affected by such lowering of the surrounding temperature.

To still further insure the elimination of chilling effects upon the exterior of the casing acting through the side walls thereof means are provided for tempering the contents of the chambers 4, 5, 6 and 7 independently of each other to the end that the face f of the material within the casing which faces toward the side thereof against which a strong cold wind or a warm wind may be blowing or upon which the sun may be shining will not vary or be exposed to any different temperature than are any of the other faces of said pile of material. These tempering means consist of pipe lines 17, 18, 19 and 20 connected respectively with any suitable source of heat such as a steam pipe 21 and extending respectively into or through the chambers 4, 5, 6 and 7 valves 22 being arranged in said pipe lines respectively to open or close communication between said pipe lines and the supply pipe.

There may betimes, however, when the temperature is higher at one side of the casing than it should be and instead of increasing the temperature of the ot-her side to correspond with the high temperature it is preferable to reduce the excessive temperature so that it will more nearly conform with the lower temperature of the other side. To this end the pipe lines 17, 18, 19 and 20 are provided with connections to a brine supplying pipe 23, valves 24 being interposed between said pipe lines 'and said brine pipe 23 for opening or closing communication therebetween. 'lhe blocks of material to be dried are placed or supported upon a perforated floor 25 having perforations 26vplaced at suitable distances apart through which a drying medium may be supplied to the blocks piled thereabove.

Obviously the temperature of the 'drying medium will vary ,from hot to cold during the drying operation,-conseqnently means are provided to supply a lcold drying medium, a hot drying medium or a dryingsmedium varying in temperaturerfrom hot to cold. The hot drying medium is preferably applied through a series ot especially constructed steam supplying means which are arranged beneath the perforated door 25 within a chamber 27said means preterably consisting ot' two elongated square headers 28 and 29 arrangedy one above the other preferably one resting upon the other,

the lower one being 'supportedy along the bottom of the chamber 27. The headers 28 and 29 extend preferably transversely of the chamber 27 and at one end of. 'the casing, one ot these headers constituting the intake and the other the ldischarge 'for 'the heating coils. Communication is provided -between the headers 28 and 29 herein byA two substantially horizontal series of pipe 30 and 31 extending lengthwise of the chamber 27, the series 30 being connected with the header 28 while the Series 31 is oonnected with the .header 29. The pipes of the series 30 'are connected by means ,of elbows 32 with the pi es of the series 31.

The distance from t e center of the header' 28 to the center ,of the header 29 withv which centers the axes of the pipes of the series 30 and those of the series 31 respectively intersect is greater than the distance between the centers of the pipes of said series at the ends that are joined together by the' elbows 32. Consequently thetwo series of pipes will not be exacty parallel b ut instead the pipes of the series 30 will incline downwardly slightly from the`header 28 and a similar inclination will be given to the pipes of the series 31. Hence any water 'that may result from condensation of steam will have free passa e from the upper head- K er -to the lower hea er Nand not be trapped by said pipes. Supports 33 and 34 are provided atsuitable intervals alone' said pipes to maintain them at the desire angles.

As soon as the air orfdrying medium whatever its character is heated by the Steam within the pipes of the series 30 and 31 it will pass upwardly through the openings or perforations 36 into Contact with supply ot air at two separated points 40 and A 41 from a common blower 42. Each of the air ducts 35, 36, 37 and 38 is provided with a damper 43 whereby the supply of air to that duct may be cut oil irrespective of the others. The blower l2 may obviously receive its supply of air directly'rom the atmosphere but in view of the ,fact that it is often desirable to vary the degrees ot temperature ofthe drying :medium means are provided for' tempering the air before it reaches the blowerand as an example ot such means l have' shown two air ducts 44 and 45-Which uniteat 46 to connect 'with the blower 42'. 'l

Air to the duct fil-l is `provided through a chamber 47 preferably containing coils of steam pipe 48 in communication with'the main steam supply. pipe 2l, a valve 49 being provided to regulatefor entirely cut olf the supply of steam'to said chamber 47. The duct 45 receives its` supply of air throng!` a cas-ing 50 within'which are` coilsl connected with the main brine pipe 23, a valve 52 being arranged betweenl the lcoils 51 and Ithe air pipe 23 so as to regulate or entirely shut oli' communication A therebetween. Dampers 53 and 54 arev provided in the pipes44 and 45 respectively whereby hot -ing chamber but `naiauallyfwith these alone a much longer-time will be`required to dry the entire mass :for invariabl the lower portion of the mass will be.` dried first and some parts, owing to the difliculty in transmitting the heat toI all parts un1formly, will be injured during the drying operation so that considerable loss will result..

During the first stages of drying when the material contains considerable moisture the temperature of the coils within the compartment 27 must be considerably higher than that required for the material itself in order to produce the desired result but as the moisture of the blocks is removed the temperture ot' the material will gradually increase or more nearly approach the' temperature of the drying medium and the drier the material becomes the more nearly perfect the same becomes as a medium for transmitting the heat to the material thereabove.

It is desirable to surround or to subject the material that is to be dried to the action of a tempered fluid of relatively lower temperature than that of the fluid emanating from the chamber 27 and because this cooler fluid which will be referred to as the tempering fluid, has a tendency to settle, it is preferable to admit such at a. point or points near the top of the casing or near the top ot the pile of material thereinthus to insure a more through contact with'all of the material. The supplying rot' said' cooler fluid to the casing'may be eiected in 'gnumenous waysI for example in Fig. l aretshown partitions '53,and 54', arranged along opposite sidesof the casing at predetermined distances from the inner walls `3. At the bottom of the spaces formed between the partitions 53 and 54 and the adjacent; inner walls of the casing are placed ducts 55 and 56 respectively, each having perforations 57 distributed throughout the length to insure a uniform distribution of the `fluid into the passages formed by the partitions 53. and 54.

The ducts 55 and 56 extend through the wall of the casing and connect with the header 39' herenbefore referred to from which said ,ducts receive tempered air or other suitable fluid, the temperature whereof is varied to suit the particular purpose for which it is to be employed, by the operr ation of dampers 53 and 54 in the pipes 44 and 45. Dampers 58 and 59 are arranged near the outer end of the header 39 and may be operated to cut off the supply of tempered air orl fluid to one or the other or both of the ducts 55 and 56.

In drying green or wet material a vapor is often produced within thecasing which creates a heav blanket through which it is dilicult to orce the drying medium to carry the moisture from the casing. To prevent this blanket of moisture from retarding the drying operations, the artitions 53 and 54 are extended to di erent heights-for example the partition 53 extends only to about 1/3 the height of the portion of the casing containing the material to be dried and therefore, during the starting of the drying of green or wet material the hot drying material may be admitted through the chamber 27 and carried upward into the drying chamber to the level of the partition 53 and then withdrawn from said chamber through the duct 55 at the side of the blanket of moisture in the casing, thus avoiding the necessity of increasing the force of the fluid currents sufficient to destroy said blanket. The circulation created by the'arrangement of intake and discharge, as just discribed, effects the gradual drying ofthe pile of material within the casing.

During the operations just described the cooler medium which is supplied to the casing in contact with the' material to effect the drawing out of the moisture from the interior ofthe blocks to the exterior surfaces thereof may be supplied through the passageway formed by the partition 54 which is substantially higher than the partition 53 and hence will not interfere with the trans verse circulation 'of 'the drying medium through and out of the casing over the latter partition.

There are times, during the dryingigopera-` tions when one side of the materlal ,may dry faster than another-therefore by manipulating the dampers which control the supply ot drying fluid to the ducts 55 and 56 and to the header 39 the direction of the drying fluid may be varied or its direction changed from one side to another so as to effect the drying of all parts of the mass of material equally. For example a drying or tempering fluid may be supplied transversely of the casing either over the par? titions 53 or over 54 or over both,"or said fluid may be supplied through the chamber 27 to the casing and discharged therefrom through one or the other of the passages formed by the partit-ions 53 and 54. To accomplish these' results dampers 60 and 61. are provided respectively i-n the pipes 40 and 4l yand dampers 62 and 63 are also provided in the header 39 respectively at opposite sides of a discharge pipe 64, the

latter pipe being preferably at the center of the header 39 so that, when the damper 61 is opened and the damper 60 closed, the blower 42 will vforce the fluid into the casing through the duct 56 across and around the mass" of material to the duct 55 through which it will be discharged through the discharge pipe 64. it being assumed that the dampers 63, 43 are closed and the dampers 58 and 62 open although said dampers are not necessarily shown in these positions in the drawings.

Obviously the direction of flow of the fluids through the casing may be reversed by reversing the positions of said dempers in the fluid ducts.

There are occasions when it is desirable vsuddenly to increase or decrease the temperature-of the fluid that is being supplied to yone side `or the other of the casing through the ducts 55 and 56 just as the fluid is about to Contact with the material that is being'dried. To this end pipes 65 and 66 are arranged respectively adjacent the tops of the partitions 53and 54.

These pipes may be connected with any' appropriate hot or cold source of supply such as the brine pipe 23 or the steam supply pipe 2l.

It is of common knowledge that the dry- -ing medium or -iuid will always follow the lines of least resistance and, owing to this tendency, it i's difficult to dry all parts of a pile or mass of material uniformly but, by providing. means to direct currents of the drying tir-tempering fluid along redetermined paths within the casing, a uid.

of a predetermined or desired temperature may be directed agalnst one sectlon or another of the pile and, 1n fact, against an particular portion of the pile so as to a Ll i) rance or retard the drying of that particular portion.

To this end the chamber 27 below the partition or floor 25 has 'been divided into a plurality of compartments herein four 67 68, 69 and 70 by partitions 71, 71 arranged vertically between the walls including the pipes 30 and 31 and each of these compartments will have independent communication with the header 39 by means of the air ducts 35, 36,37 and 38 respectively controlled by the dampers 43. A

'T0 cooperate with the compartments 67, 68, 69 and 70 in producing currents of fluid through the drying chamber in any desired direction or angle I preferably provide at or near the top 'of the casing a series of compartments or ducts, herein four in number 72, 73, 74 and 75 which extend longitudinally of the dryinr chamber and have perforations 7 6 preferably in the lower walls thereof.

Communication is provided between said upper series of ducts and an appropriate fluidsupply or discharging means in numerous ways but herein I have shown communication .between said ducts and the blower 42, the duets l7 2 and 73 belng connected through branch pi es 77 and 78 and a common supply pipe 79 with the conductor 41', appropriate dampers being provided in said pipes so that the supply of air to and from one or both of the ducts 72 and 7 3 may ed. The ducts 74 and 75 are similarly connected through pipes 80 and 8l which unite in a pipe 82 communicating with the conductor 40, appropriate dampers being arranged in these pipes whereby communicabe regulatdrying chamber at substantially any angle v to any one or all of the ducts 72, 73, 74 and 75 and likewise fluid may be admitted through lany of the latter ducts and carried downwardly and discharged through any one of the compartments 67, 68, 69 and 70 or currents of the fluid may be discharged from any one of the aforesaid ducts or compartments into the casing and be delivered or discharged from the casing through the ducts 55 and 56 or vice versa.

At times in the operation of the drying apparatus when the drying medium is heavily laden with moisture there is a tendency for it to deposit or' release, lby condensation, somev of its load upon the walls of the'drying chamber. An increase in the temperature of said drying medium lwill often prevent this condensation and assist the moisture laden medium to pass off from the casing and to this end, means' have been provided for tempering said drying medium or forincreasing the temperature tliereof as the case may be which means preferably consists of a `coil ofy pipe 85 arranged near the roof orat-l'eastinthe upper` part of the apparatus, and these pipes may receive-their supply of fluid from any desired source such, for example. as the steam supply pipe 2l or, if `desired,vsaid pipevS maybe used to vfor naturally during the drying operations where hot air is used it collects at the top of the chamberand is much hotter at that point than at the lower part 'but by supplying the cool air at the top the temperature throughout the casingmay be kept nearer uniform.

Access to the interior of the casing may be through doors of any appropriate size or shape placed at convenient locations but herein I have shown openings for this purpose in the front wall'of the casing at 86 and 87.

From the foregoing description it will be obvious that a uniform temperature may,

by reason of the double walls, of the casing, y

rials that are being 4dried or from the other sources provided, or from the fluid that is being admitted at the sides of the mass of material and that substantially any combination of air currents or fluid currents may be effected within the casing to edect the drying of selected sections of the mass so that by a careful manipulation of the various instrumentalities the drying of the entireI mass may be brought to completion at the same or substantially the same time without loss of material or unnecessary waste of time.

1. In a drying apparatus a'casing having double spaced walls forming fluid containing chambers and means located within said chambers to temper fluid in said chambers. l

2. In a drying apparatus, a casing, a series of fluid containin compartments formed within the walls o said casing and means located within said compartments independently to temper fluid in the several compartments.

3. In a drying apparatus, a casing having double spaced walls, the space between said walls being partitioned to form independent compartments, and means located within said compartments, for heating each of said compartments. v

4. A. drying apparatus comprising, in combination, a casing, al support for the material to be dried, means to supply a drying medium of redetermined temperature from beneath sa1d material and means to supply counter fluid currents of predeterminded'temperature to said material.

5. A dryingl apparatus comprising, in combination, a caslng, a support for the material to be dried, means to supply a drying medium of predetermined temperature against the material and means to direct tempered currents of fluid transversely of I said casing.

6. A drying apparatus comprising, in combination, a casing, a support for the material to be dried, means to supply a drying medium of,l predetermined temperature against the material and means to direct tempered currents of fluid in either direction across said casing.

7. A drying apparatus comprising, in

combination, a casing having a drying chamber, means to maintain a uniform temperature upon all sides of said drying chamber, means to supply drying fluid to said casing, and means to su ply additional temperature to said drying uidafter the same has become laden with moisture, to assist in discharging it from said casing.

8. A drying apparatus comprising, in combination, a casin having a drying chamber, means to maintain a uniform temprature upon all sides of said drying chamr, regardless of prevailing atmospheric conditions outside of said casing, means to 9. A drying apparatus comprisin in combination, a casing having a drying c amber, means to suppl a tempered drying fluid to said drying c amber, means to prevent the condensation of moisture upon the 'walls 4of said drying chamber, and means to increase the temperature of the moistureladen d ing fluid to effect its discharge from sai casing. I

10. In a drying apparatus, a casing, a perforated support for the material to be dried, and means to supply heated drying.r fluid to said casingthrough said perforated support including two headers arranged beneath said support, one upon the other, and pipes extending laterally from each of said headers, the outer ends of the pipes from one of said headers being coupled with the other ends of the pipes from the other header.

1.1. In a drying apparatus, a casing and means to supply and direct counter currents of tempered fluid to predetermined parts of said casing.

12. In a drying apparatus, a casin and means to direct inde endent currents o drying fluid to selecte arts of the mass of material larranged witlliin said casing to be dried.

13. In a drying apparatus, a casing, means to directcounter currents of drying fluid upward through any selected parts of said casing, and means to supply and direct tempering fluid downward throughany selected v parts of said casing.

' 14. In a drying apparatus, a casing and means simultaneously to supply independent currents of drying and tempering fluid tol different parts of said casing.

l15. In a drying apparatus, a casing and mea-ns simultaneously to supply independent currents of drying and tem ering fluids to predetermined arts of sai casing.

16. In a drying apparatus, a casing and means simultaneously to supply inde endent currents of drying and tempering uids to ldifferent predetermined parts of said casing.

17. In a drying apparatus, a casing, means to supply .drying uid through the br-ttom of sa1d casing and means to supply tempered fluid from selected points at the top and A sides of said casing.

18. In a drying apparatus, a casing provided with a series of fluid ducts at the bottom thereof, a second series of fluid ducts at the top of said casing, means to supply tempered fluid to each of said fluid ducts independently of the other, and means to eflll) lai

feet the passage of said Huid from any one of the lower series to any one of the upper series of ducts.

19. In a drying apparatus, a casing rovided with. a series of Huid ducts at the ttom thereof, a second series of fluid ducts at thetop of said casing, means to supply tempered Huid to each. of said iuid ducts independently of the other and means to effeet the passage of uid from the ducts of one of said series to those of the other of said series.

20. In a drying apparatus, a easing provided with a series of independent fluid ducts at the bottom thereof, a second series of independent iuidl ductsat the top of said casing, means to supply tempered Huid to each of said Huid ducts, and means to effect the passage of fluid from the ducts of one of said series to those of the other of said seIrl'ies. d

21. a ryin a aratus, a casin rovided with a segriespof independentg uid ducts. at the bottom thereof, a second series of independent iiuid ducts at the top of said casing, means `to supply tempered iiuid to each of said Huid ducts, and means to effect. the passage of Huid from selected ducts of one of said series to selected ducts of the other series.

` In testimony whereof, I have signed my name tovthis specification.

FREDERICK A. SECORD.

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