Apparatus and methods for drying material

摘要

Exemplary embodiments or implementations are disclosed of systems for drying materials and control apparatus and methods relating to material drying systems. In an exemplary embodiment, a control apparatus for a material drying system is configured to select one or more heat sources from a plurality of heterogeneous heat sources for drying the material. The selecting is performed based on one or more sensor inputs. The control apparatus controls the selected heat source(s) to provide heat to dry the material. In some configurations, a material drying system operates as a typical heat pump only when more cost-effective auxiliary heat cannot be provided to maintain a drying temperature.

主权项

1. A control apparatus for a material drying system, the control apparatus configured to select one or more heat sources from a plurality of heterogeneous heat sources for drying the material based on one or more sensor inputs, the heterogeneous heat sources including a heat storage reservoir and a heat pump system, where heat is selectively transferrable between the heat storage reservoir and the heat pump system via a fluid of the heat storage reservoir and a refrigerant of the heat pump system;
the control apparatus further configured to control the one or more selected heat sources to provide heat to dry the material.