Drying apparatus and methods

摘要

Apparatus and method for drying a product comprising placing the product on a first side of a support surface, and directing dry radiant heat toward the second side of the surface to heat the product. A sensor can be included to measure at least one characteristic of the product, such as the temperature or moisture content thereof. The temperature of the heat source can be regulated as a function of the measured characteristic. The support surface can also be made so as to be movable relative to the heat source. In an alternative embodiment, a plurality of control zones are defined and through which the product is successively passed. Each of the control zones has at least one associated heat source and an associated sensor so as to regulate the temperature of the heat sources associated with each control zone independently of those associated with another zone.

主权项

1. A method of drying liquid products, comprising:
applying a layer of liquid product onto the product support side of a support surface with a product support side and an opposite side; directing radiant heat at the opposite side of the support surface from one or more dry radiant heat sources located below the support surface, wherein the radiant heat is directed across a gap between the support surface and the one or more dry radiant heat sources; moving the support surface relative to the one or more dry radiant heat sources to convey the liquid product past the one or more dry radiant heat sources such that the liquid product is substantially heated only by the dry radiant heat sources located below the support surface to a temperature sufficient to cause moisture to be removed from the liquid product; and flowing conditioned air over the liquid product supported on the support surface to promote drying of the product, wherein the conditioned air flows over the liquid product at a location where the liquid product is first heated by the dry radiant heat sources after being applied to the support surface; wherein the conditioned air flows over the liquid product and upwardly through an outlet of a hood positioned over the support surface; wherein the conditioned air is conditioned and supplied to the hood from an HVAC unit.