ULTRASONIC DRYING SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20150233637A1
• Filed: 04/28/2015
• Published: 08/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Heat Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Heat Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Plavnik, Zinovy
• Granted Patent: US 10,006,704 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 23/0466 by using heated air
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 21/004 Nozzle assemblies; Air knives; Air distributors; Blow boxes F26B3/082, F26B13/104, F26B13/108, F26B21/006 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 3/283 in combination with convection
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 5/02 by using ultrasonic vibrations using sonic energy generated by pulse jet combustion F26B23/026
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 7/00 Drying solid materials or objects by processes using a combination of processes not covered by a single one of groups F26B3/00 and F26B5/00 F26B1/005, F26B5/04, F26B23/026 take precedence

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus for drying a material, the apparatus including: an air-delivery enclosure with an air inlet and an air outlet through which forced air is directed toward the material; and an ultrasonic transducer connected to the air outlet of the air-delivery enclosure, the ultrasonic transducer including: a first inner surface; a second inner surface, the second inner surface facing the first inner surface, the first inner surface and the second inner surface defining an airflow path through the ultrasonic transducer; a first groove defined in a first inner surface, the first groove including a first flat portion; and a second groove defined in a second inner surface, the second groove including a second flat portion.

Claims

1. An apparatus for drying a material, the apparatus comprising:

an air-delivery enclosure with an air inlet and an air outlet through which forced air is directed toward the material; and

an ultrasonic transducer connected to the air outlet of the air-delivery enclosure, the ultrasonic transducer including;

a first inner surface;

a second inner surface, the second inner surface facing the first inner surface, the first inner surface and the second inner surface defining an airflow path through the ultrasonic transducer;

a first groove defined in a first inner surface, the first groove including a first flat portion; and

a second groove defined in a second inner surface, the second groove including a second flat portion.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic transducer includes

a third groove defined in the first inner surface, the third groove including a third flat portion;

and

a fourth groove defined in the second inner surface, the fourth groove including a fourth flat portion.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first flat portion is orthogonal to the airflow path through the ultrasonic transducer.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second flat portion is parallel to the first flat portion.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second flat portion is coplanar with the first flat portion.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first flat portion and the second flat portion face in an opposite direction to the airflow path through the ultrasonic transducer.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first groove and the second groove each have a triangular cross-section.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first inner surface and the second inner surface define a transducer outlet from which acoustic oscillations are directed toward the material.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the transducer outlet is positioned a spaced distance from an interface surface of the material such that the amplitude of the acoustic oscillations at the interface surface of the material is in the range of about 120 dB to about 190 dB.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first groove includes an angled portion.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the angled portion intersects the first flat portion at an angle of less than ninety degrees.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the angled portion faces at least partially in the direction of the airflow path.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a register surface for supporting the material a spaced distance from the transducer outlet.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spaced distance is (λ

)(n/4), wherein “

λ

”

is a wavelength of the acoustic oscillations and “

n”

is in a range of plus or minus 0.5 of an odd integer so that the acoustic oscillations at the interface surface of the material are within a 90-degree range centered at about maximum amplitude.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a heater positioned within or operably connected to the air-delivery enclosure for heating the forced air.

16. A method of drying a material, the method comprising:

positioning an ultrasonic transducer a spaced distance from an interface surface of the material;

forcing air through the ultrasonic transducer, the ultrasonic transducer including a first inner surface defining a first groove, the first groove including a first flat portion; and

a second inner surface defining a second groove, the second groove including a second flat portion, the second inner surface facing the first inner surface, the first inner surface and the second inner surface defining an airflow path through the ultrasonic transducer;

inducing acoustic oscillations the ultrasonic transducer; and

directing the acoustic oscillations and air towards the material.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein inducing acoustic oscillations with the ultrasonic transducer includes inducting acoustic oscillations with the first groove and the second groove of the ultrasonic transducer.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the first groove includes an angled portion, the angled portion facing at least partially in the direction of the airflow path.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the ultrasonic transducer includes a first wall and a second wall, the first inner surface defined on a first wall and the second inner surface defined on a second wall.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the material and the ultrasonic transducer outlet are positioned relative to each other such that the spaced distance is (λ

)(n/4), wherein “

λ

”

is a wavelength of the acoustic oscillations and “

n”

is in a range of plus or minus 0.5 of an odd integer so that the acoustic oscillations at the interface surface of the material are within a 90-degree range centered at maximum amplitude, “

n”

being equal to an odd integer.