Non-thermal drying systems with vacuum throttle flash generators and processing vessels

摘要

A system is disclosed for drying a material to liberate a substance such as a liquid having a vapor pressure from solids and/or dissolved substances in the material. The system includes a plenum chamber and a blower providing a stream of air to the plenum chamber. An outlet communicates with the plenum chamber and a velocity accelerator is disposed downstream of the outlet. The velocity accelerator is arranged to receive air from the outlet of the plenum chamber into a progressively narrowing interior passageway terminating at a downstream choke point orifice. The choke point orifice discharges into a larger diameter discharge region. A throttle body is disposed in the discharge region and is selectively movable toward and away from the choke point orifice to decrease or increase the volume of the discharge region. A passageway is formed through the throttle body for receiving flashed material from the discharge region and conveying the material in a downstream direction. Also disclosed is a system for drying materials contained within a processing vessel wherein flash generators with vacuum throttles are used to maintain drying conditions within the vessel and to remove liberated substance from the processing vessel.

主权项

1. A system for drying a material by liberating a substance having a vapor pressure from solids in the material, the system comprising a flash generator that includes:
a plenum chamber; a blower providing a stream of air to the plenum chamber; an outlet communicating with the plenum chamber; a velocity accelerator disposed downstream of the outlet and arranged to receive air from the outlet of the plenum chamber, the velocity accelerator defining a progressively narrowing interior passageway terminating at a downstream choke point orifice; the choke point orifice discharging into a discharge region having a volume larger than the volume of the choke point orifice; an adjustable throttle body disposed in the discharge region and being selectively movable toward and away from the choke point orifice to decrease or increase the volume of the discharge region and thereby vary a pressure within the discharge region during operation of the system as needed for drying a material; a passageway formed through the throttle body for receiving material from the discharge region and conveying the material in a downstream direction and; one or more actuators coupled to the throttle body and configured to move the throttle body toward and/or away from the choke point in response to adjustment signals to adjust the volume of the discharge region.