Continuous flow fluid bed dryer

摘要

A continuous flow fluid bed dryer has a dryer housing having a drying chamber and a plenum chamber located beneath the drying chamber. Moist product to be dried is introduced to the drying chamber at a product inlet and proceeds through the drying chamber to a discharge housing. A porous screen partially separates the drying chamber and the plenum chamber. Heated air is introduced into the plenum chamber which then passes through the screen to the drying chamber to dry product in the drying chamber. A shaft extends centrally through the drying chamber and is mounted for slow rotation therein. A plurality of paddles are connected to the shaft. The paddles move about a path of rotation whereby paddle ends sequentially sweep over the surface of the screen. In doing so, the paddles momentarily move product away from the screen permitting a rush of heated into the drying chamber locally fluidizing the bed and further drying the product. The product is treated very gently in the process so as to suffer minimal degradation if any.