US1735397A - Drying process - Google Patents

Description

s. HILLER DRYING PROCESS Nov. 12, 1929.

Filed May 26, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 v I Nov. 12, 1929. s. HILLER DRYING PROCESS Filed May 26. 1925 4' Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 12, 1929. s. HILLER 4 1,735,397

DRYING PROCESS Filed May 26 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 S. HILLER DRYING PROCESS Nov. 12, 1929.

Filed May 26, 1925 {Sheets-Sheet 4 \N @N @N gwuentoz u g i g i a WN QN :i F. J G 6 G G G G M U riiril P z w I 1 .l G 6 A N QM 5 6 0 w til the desired degree of drying or dehydrat- BB of Fig. 1.

Patented Nov. 12, 1929 I A AUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SIAN'LEY KILLER, F OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA 'DRYING rnocnss Application filed May 26, 1925. Serial No. 32,951.

The present invention relates to drying without danger from spontaneous combusprocesses. tion, large volumes of heated air are pref- More particularly the invention relates to erably drawn through the apparatus. he processes for drying materials such as salt, eiiiciency of operation is materially aid (1 in sugar, gypsum, limestone, chemicals, coal, this manner. While the preferred disclosures 55 fish meal, sludge, tankage, milk, blood, tomato hereinafter set forth show means for circupulp, eggs, flours, grains, sand, sewage, garlating heated air through the material it will bage, slush and the like, by the application of he understood that this may be omitted in indirect heat or direct heat thereto. The intreating coal and like inflammable materials.

vention is generally applicable to the dehy- The objects of the invention are to provide dration or drying of any material which may improved economical and efiicient processes be subjected to a mechanical beating action for drying materials at relatively low temperduring the dryin operation. atures by the application of indirect heat The preferred Form of apparatus for carthereto; to provide processes for rapidly dryrying out my invention comprises a fixed ing materials at relatively low temperatures; heated cylinder in which heaters or hammers and such other objects as will appear more revolving at high speeds strike the material, fully hereinafter in the detailed description and throw it against the cylinder, spreading of a preferred embodiment of the invention it in thin layers around the interior, while and as defined in the appended claims.

a set of slow speed revolving scrapers,- Referring to the drawings:

- wipers or lifters immediately remove the ma- Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of a preferred terial from the heated surface, to be again embodiment of ap aratus. struckand'thrown against the cylinder by Fig. 2 is an end e evation of form shown in the heaters or hammers. The scraping, wip- Fig. 1.

ing, or lifting and throwing, and impacting Fig. 3 is a plan view of the form shown in 75 actions are repeated many times a minute, the Fig. 1. material being started at the feed end of the Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view taken along cylinder and progressively advanced toward line AA of Fig. 1. the discharge end as the drying proceeds, un- Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 80 ing has beenattained, when the material is Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the scraper discharged from the cylinder. A continusupporting spider. ally changing layer of material is maintained Fig. 7 is a fragmental view of the beater in contact with the heated surfaces for very or hammer supporting means.

short intervals only. High temperatures may Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 5 be applied tothe cylinder but the material, C0 of Fig. 7 'especially'when wet may remain at relative- Fig. 9, is a detail view showing the hammer 1y lower temperatures due to the rapid abor beater construction.

.sorption of heat by the materials. The re- The solids or materials to be treated are fed sult of this is an exceptionally high rate of through hopper 1 to a valve 2 which is ro- 90- evaporationand rapid drying at lower temtated continuously in any suitable manner to peratures than heretofore obtainable and deliver the materials at a predetermined and without burning or scorching the material; controlled rate through feed passage 3 and wet materials may be rapidly and conformed in feed end casting or head 4:. A cyltinuously reduced to a dry state. By provid-- .inder 5 is supported at one .end in and com- 5 ing suitable valves at the feed and discharge municates with head or housing 4, and at its ends, the operation may be carried out under other end is supported in and communicates a vacuum or pressure with a discharge end housing 6. At its cen- When treating materialswhich maybeconter, cylinder 5 is supported in and comtacted with air in pulverized heated form municates with a vapor outlet and 'support- 1 9 13 seated between heads of bolts 14 65"combustion-chamber ing housing 7, as will more fully hereinafter appear. J ournaled in the heads or housings 4 and 6 are,drive sleeves 8 which are secured to the lifter supporting spiders 9. Supported pivotally from and connecting the spiders 9 into a rigid cage or structure are scraper, wiper, or lifter supporting members 10 which extend through the cylinder 5. Spiders 11 may be provided to strengthen the lifter cage 10 or structure at suitably spaced points throughout the cylinder from the arms of which members 10 maybe pivotally supported. Supported on members 10 are scraping, wiping, or lifting bars, 12. Springs secured to spiders 9 and 1.1 are arranged to force the members 10 about their pivot points until the wipers or lifters 12 engage the interior surface of cylinder 5. Sets of bushings 14 29 are provided inside the sleeves 8, and'journaled for rotation in these bushings is a high speed heater or hammer shaft 15 extending through the cylinder 5. Supported within the cylinder 5 .on and secured to the shaft 15 by means of collars 16 and the diametrically spaced rods 17 are a series of adjacent pivoted hammers or heaters 18 arranged in spaced relation. The adjacent sections of pivoted hammers or heaters are arranged so that when shaft 15 is rotated the hammers will extend at right angles to each other. To effect the advance of the materials through the cylinder 5, the hammers or heaters are preferably given a slight angle or twist with relation to the axis of the cylinder so that as,

the material is struck it is thrown slightly forward. The feed may however be effected by inclining the cylinder, or giving the bars 12 a slight helical twist, or any combina- 49 tion of these expedients may be utilized.

Sleeves 8 have secured thereto and are driven by sprockets 19 at each end of the unit, andsprockets 19 are driven by chains 20 and sprockets 21 which in turn are driven from a shaft 22. Shaft 22 is supported from a suit able frame work by means of journals 23. Beater or hammer shaft 15 is driven by means of a pulley 24 secured thereto, a belt 25 and a pulley 26.

The cylinder 5 is heated by means of a jacket preferably formed by enclosing it in concentric cylinders 27 which aresup ported at their ends from suitable shoulders iormed in housings 4, 6, and 7.

The cylinders'5 and-27 and the housings 4, 6, and 7 are joined togetherin a rigid. ..-unitary structure which is supported on a structural steel framework 28. The framework 28 has the sides thereof divided by upright T iron sections 29 which form guides for the building up of tile side walls. The sidewalls are built up from sections of tile 30 which are seated between the Tirons 29,

and built within the sidewalls is a furnace or suitably lined with opposite side ofhousings 4, 6

The fuel supply is completely consumed in i the combustion chamber 31, and the heated gases of combustion ure 1 and rise upward through the passage 34 into the heating jacket formed by cylinders 5 pass to the right in Figand 27. In the heating jacket, the

heated products of combustion pass to the left 7 and circulate around the cylinder 5 and are maintained in a state of agitation by the cicular baffle plates 35 secured to the inner surface of the jacket cylinder 27. At the center housing 7 the heated products of combustion are deflected downward and pass through openings in the lower section of the housing 7, and then continue to the left past the circular baflle plates 35 and finally pass out through the stack connection 36, discharge into the exhaust or blower fan 37 and are forced into the stack 38 by the action of the fan. The fan 37 creates a suction' which draws gases and vapors evolved in the cylinder 5 upward through the opening 39 in tire" housing 7 and into the duct or pipe 40. In duct 40 the vapors and gases are drawn downward into the settling chamber or cyclone 41 where any suspended particles of material are. deposited. the vapors and gases then pass through duct 2 into a heating channel 43 (Ff 2) orpassage formed by a sheet 44 which is secured at one side to the housings 4;, 6, and

7, and a central sh et 45 extending between V the center of the top of the combustion chambeer and the lower partof cylinder 27 as shown in Fig. 2. Channel 43 extends along the lower left quarter section of the cylinder 27, and the left hal of the top of the combustion chamher. In channel 43 the vapors are heated in contact with cylinder 27 and pass to the left in Fig. 1 over the top of the combustion chamher and are finally drawn downward through passage 46 (Fig. f) and pass through openin gs a? into the combustion chamber 31 where they are mingled with the heated products of combustion and completely oxidized. Air and vapors are also withdrawn from cylinder 5 and pass int the channel 43 through the opening 17' (Fig. l) and the annular passage 48 and the opening 49 formed in the feed end housing 4, and pass to theleft in Fig. 1 with the vaporsand gases from opening 39 in the housing An air beating channel or space 50 (Fig. 2) is formed parallel with channel 43 by the sheet 45 and a sheet 51 secured to the and 7. Chan nel 50 is open to and air is drawn between -the lower right quarter section of cylinder 27 and the right top half (Fi 2) of the combustion chamber to the le t in Figure 1, and is preheated by contact with the cylinder 27 and then passes through opening 52 (Fig. 1) annular passage 53 and opening 54 of discharge housing 6 into the cylinder 5. In cylinder 5 the heated air is contacted with the materials and aids in the drying thereof, and finally passes with the vapors through openings 39 and 47 to the combustion chamber.

Supported from the top of the housings is'a drive supporting frame work 55 upon which the journals 23 supporting shaft 22 are mounted. The shaft 22 is driven by a sprocket 56 which in turn is driven by chain 57 and sprocket 58 from a shaft 59. Shaft 59 is supported from frame 55 by journals 60 and drives pulley 26. The fan 37 is driven by a pulley 61 which in turn is driven from shaft 59 by a belt 62 and a pulley 63. A

5 main drive pulley 64 is mounted on shaft 5 charge head 6 into a continuously rotating 59 and. is driven from any suitable prime mover. The entire drive mechanism is in this manner supported in a unitary self contained structure and all of the parts are driven in definitely fixed and predetermined relation to each other. The materials are passed through the cylinder 5 continuously as the treatment thereof proceeds and are discharged through the outlet 65 in the disdischarge valve 65. The valve 66 is provided with pockets and maintains a mechanical seal against the admission of cold air, as the material is discharged. Valve 66 is driven by any suitable means to operate at its proper relative speed in discharging the materials from the dryer.

Operation.

In operation the materials to be treated are fed continuously and at a predetermined and measured rate into the cylinder 5 by means of the valve 2. The beaters or hammers 18 are of suitable size and weight for the particular material being handled and are preferably provided with a slightly inclined striking face to feed the materials forward as the hammers are rotated. The hammers or beaters are rotated at speeds-of from severalhundred revolutions a minute and upward in accordance with the particular material being treated and the hamco the cylinder it out radially about their in- As the material drops into is dashed by the hammers heated walls of the cylinder 5.

mers will fly dividual pivots.

against the W'iping or lifting members 12 are rotated, usually range at relatively low speeds which i from 10 to 20 or more revolutions a minute.

" 'G'5"'The"relative speeds of the wipers or lifters the walls of the cylinder,

must be such that the material is lifted and the path of the beaters or hammers to be struck, dashed, and spread against the heated cylinder 5 in a thin rapidly changing layer with the material being advanced continuously through the cylinder from the feed to the discharge end. The rate of feeding material through the valves 2 and66 is timed so that the proper amount of material is in the cylinder 5 to maintain theproper continuous operation of the unit. The heating action of the cylinder dries off the moisture, and the striking and beating thoroughly mixes divides it, preventing the formation of balls or lumps and as it advances through the cylinder it becomes progressively drier. The material is dashed from the beaters against wiped or scraped from the cylinder walls, lifted through the cylinder and dropped back to the hammers, and mixed in rapid succession, and the repeated heating, beating, impacting and "mixing actions continue as the material advances through the cylinder, until it is discharged from the valve 66 dried to the desired degree. As the materials pass through the unit, the moisture is freed, therefrom and vaporized by the action of heat. The evolved vapors are continuously withdrawn by the action of the blower exhaust fan 37 from opening 39, through channel 43 in the path indicated by the broken arrow line marked vapor, and are burned in the combustion chamber. The gases from the combustion chamber pass through the heating jacket and finally pass out of the stack. dry air from channel 50 are driven through openings 54 and pass through the material in the path indicated by the arrow line marked preheated air and the material is intimately contacted with air currents as it falls through thecylinder. This heated air acts as a vehicle for the rapid and effective removal of the moisture and volatile constituents of the material being treated and pass out of opening 39 with the vapors, and a very rapid drying action is attained. When treating materials such as coal or inflammable matter subject to spontaneous combustion the air circulation may be cut off by closing off the communication of channel 50. The drying "and pulve'rizing may be carried out at relatively low temperatures due to the efficient vaporin'g action without danger from explosion.

Having described a preferred embodiment of my invention, what isdesired to be secured by Letters Patent and claimed as new is:

1. A continuous process f dehydrating liquids which comprises continuously feeding the liquids to be treated into an enclosed the material and \mechanically Large volumes of heated from said cylindrical space,

walls into said space; repeating the'impacting and removing steps in rapid succession; advancing the liquids continuously through said space in a manner to maintain a relatively thin, rapidly changing layer of liquid on said wall; and continuously discharging the dehydrated liquid from said space.

2. The process as set forth in claim 1 to gether with the step of passing currents of gases throughsaid space tobe mixed and contacted with the liquid under treatment. 1

3. A continuous process of treating fluid substances which comprises continuously feeding the substance to be treated into an enclosed space with heated walls; impacting and throwing the substance against saidwalls; quickly removing the substance from said walls into said space; repeating the immoving the same from. the

- through walls; splashing the blood against the walls of said enclosed space; quickly removing the pacting and removing steps in rapid succession;v advancing the substance continuously through said space in a manner to maintain a relatively thin, rapidly changing layer of the substance on said walls; and continuously discharging the treated substance from said space. p

4. A continuous process of dehydrating substances which comprises the steps of continuously feeding the substances to be treated into an enclosed space having heated walls;

advancing the substances through said space while impacting the same against, and rewalls of said space; continuously repeating the advancing, impacting, and removing steps in rapid succession; and continuously discharging the substances from said space; said feeding, advancing and discharging steps being carried forward in definitely timed relation and in a manner to maintain a comparatively thin I layer of rapidly changing, continuously adjvancing substances in contact with said walls of said space; g

5. A process of drying blood which comprises continuously advancing the blood an enclosed space with heated blood from said walls into said enclosed space; and repeating the smashing and removing steps in rapid succession as the blood advances through said enclosed space.

6. A process of drying blood which comprises the steps of feeding the same into the path of high speed heaters, splashing the sameagainst the interior surface of a heated 7 cylinder; removing the same from said surface at relatively lower speed the removed blood back into the path of the beaters to be mixed and againsplashed back against the heated surface;

and dropping impacting and throwing splashing, the substance against the interior wall of succession said space, quickly removingthe substance blood alon repeating the Y n testimony whereof, I afiix m STANLEY mixing and removing steps in rapid and continuously advancing the g through said cylinder as the beating, mixing and removi proceeds.

signature.

ILIJER.

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