METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MOISTURE DETERMINATION AND CONTROL

• US 20140345153A1
• Filed: 12/19/2012
• Published: 11/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bry-Air (Asia) Pvt. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Bry-Air (Asia) Pvt. Ltd.
• Inventors: Pahwa, Deepak, Griffiths, William Charles, Sachdev, Rajan, Sammartini, Marco, Malik, Kuldeep Singh
• Granted Patent: US 9,534,840 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 34/330
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 17/006 the movement being imparted by oscillation or vibration
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 17/007 having a sieve, e.g. classifying arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 21/083 by using sorbent or hygroscopic materials, e.g. chemical substances, molecular sieves
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 25/003 for articles
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 25/22 Controlling the drying process in dependence on liquid content of solid materials or objects
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 5/16 by contact with sorbent bodies, e.g. absorbent mould; by admixture with sorbent materials
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/34 Paper
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/36 Textiles
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/442 Resins, plastics

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for moisture determination and control using real time measurement of the moisture content of the material being processed. The present invention also provides a device that is used for moisture determination and control based on real time measurement of moisture content of a material being processed. The present invention is particularly suitable for controlling the moisture content of a material in a drying process, such as in a drying hopper, where the material moisture content is measured at an inlet and an outlet of the drying process. The drying process is further controlled by anticipating the drying load by measuring the moisture content of the incoming material to be dried.

Claims

1. A method for on-line moisture determination and control in an industrial process, said method comprising:

(a) sensing moisture levels at one or more locations through dedicated sensing means;

(b) transmitting the sensed information to a control means that is connected at one end to a moisture control mechanism;

(c) processing the sensed information in said control means to enable real time regulation of moisture content in the industrial process.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, for direct control of a drying process based on real-time measurement of moisture content of material being dried through one or more sensors provided at pre-determined locations in the drying process, collecting and collating the information obtained in real time and in dynamic mode, and transmitting said information to a control means, processing said information in real time, regulating moisture content in said drying process based on input from said control means.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the moisture content of the material leaving the drying process is monitored and the operating parameters of the dehumidifier are controlled to maintain the desired moisture content.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the controlled parameters are selected from the group consisting of dehumidified air volume, temperature and humidity supply to the hopper, the volume and temperature of heated air supplied for reactivation of the desiccant, and the frequency of reactivation of the desiccant material.

5. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the operating parameters of the dehumidifier are adjusted based on the real-time measurement of the flow rate of material entering and/or leaving the drying process.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the operation of the dehumidifier is adjusted in anticipation of a change in drying load due to the change in low rate of the product material.

7. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the operating parameters of the dehumidifier are adjusted based on the real-time measurement of the moisture content of the material entering the drying process, thereby enabling adjustment of dehumidifier operation in anticipation of a change in drying load due to the change in moisture content of the entering material.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the moisture content of the material is measured at one or more intermediate points during the drying process to adjust the drying parameters for optimum performance.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein real-time input data acquired in all the embodiments listed above are used in a comprehensive control algorithm for the dehumidifier and process air system.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the input data and control algorithms is used to control a dehumidifier providing drying capacity to two or more parallel drying processes.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the control comprises overall adjustment of the operation of the dehumidifier and process air system and individual adjustment of the drying force supplied to each drying process.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said adjustment is selected from one or more of volume, power level and temperature of drying force provided.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the values generated by the two sensors are utilised by the control means to minimise the power requirements of the process, using integral calculation of multiple parameters.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the control process comprises control of one or more of temperature set point, drying time, dew point adjustment, air flow speed, rotor speed, nitrogen set point, nitrogen filtering station, desiccants tower switch, desiccant regeneration, microwave power generators, filters replacement time, methane gas regulation, steam generator control.

15. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the process is used in for bulk good drying, organic food industry, dyestuff industry, pharmaceutical manufacturing process, load control, hopper operation, and the like.

16. A method for moisture measurement and control in a hopper operation wherein a load material is analysed to determine the moisture content using one or more moisture sensors, the load material then fed to one or more machinery interfaces, the data collected mapped using one or more neurofuzzy controls following which drying parameters are set with a control meant, followed by starting a drying cycle, discharging the product to the process, and dependant on data relating to moisture carrying out further drying or ending the drying process.

17. A device for in-line real time moisture determination and control in an industrial process, the device comprising at least one sensing means provided at at least one predetermined location in the industrial process, said sensing means being capable of determining moisture level in the industrial process at such location, said sensing means being operatively connected to a control means, said control means being provided with pre-determined optimal moisture level information, and capable of correlating moisture level inputs from said at least one sensing means, the control means being connected to a moisture control means and guiding said moisture control means to either input additional moisture to ensure greater drying dependant on the moisture level information received from the at least one sensing means.

18. A device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the device is applied to a drying system in a hopper, and comprising two sensors, the first sensor being provided at an inlet position of the dryer to provide information in respect of the average moisture content measured during loading of the material into the dryer, the second sensor being provided at an outlet position on the dryer to supply information on the moisture content after the drying process, a two-way valve being provided to allow the return of non-conforming material back to the dryer for a further period of drying if the measured value does not conform to the desired product.

19. A device as claimed in claim 17, for use in bulk good drying, organic food industry, dyestuff industry, pharmaceutical manufacturing process, load control, hopper operation, and the like.