ACOUSTIC-ASSISTED HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER DEVICE

• US 20160025411A1
• Filed: 07/24/2015
• Published: 01/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Heat Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Heat Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Plavnik, Zinovy Zalman, Lye, Jason
• Granted Patent: US 9,671,166 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: D06B 13/00 Treatment of textile materials with liquids, gases or vapours with aid of vibration
• CPC Class Codes: D06B 19/007 by application of electric energy
• CPC Class Codes: D06B 3/045 in a tube or a groove
• CPC Class Codes: D06B 3/206 the textile material
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 17/06 by forced circulation
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/30 Quick freezing
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 25/04 by conveyors in general B65G
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 13/001 Drying and oxidising yarns, ribbons or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 13/002 Drying coated, e.g. enamelled, varnished, wires
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 3/36 by using mechanical effects, e.g. by friction by using ultrasonic vibrations F26B5/02
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 15/04 Sound-producing devices G10K15/02 takes precedence

Abstract

An acoustic energy-transfer apparatus including: an acoustic chest, the acoustic chest defining an inner chamber sized to receive a material to be processed; and an acoustic device positioned within the acoustic chest and oriented to direct acoustic energy towards the material to be processed. A method for drying a material, the method including: positioning a material in an acoustic chest including an acoustic device; and directing acoustically energized air from the acoustic device at the material within the acoustic chest.

Claims

1. An acoustic energy-transfer apparatus comprising:

an acoustic chest, the acoustic chest defining an inner chamber sized to receive a material to be processed; and

an acoustic device positioned within the acoustic chest and oriented to direct acoustic energy towards the material to be processed.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the acoustic chest defines a cylindrical cross-section.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the acoustic device faces radially inward.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the acoustic device is an ultrasonic transducer, the ultrasonic transducer defining an acoustic slot.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of ultrasonic transducers within the acoustic chest, each ultrasonic transducer defining an acoustic slot.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers are positioned to encircle the material to be processed.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an acoustic head, the acoustic device assembled to the acoustic head, the acoustic head sized to receive the material to be processed.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the acoustic head is rotatable about the material to be processed.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a rotating mechanism, the rotating mechanism coupled to the acoustic device to rotate the acoustic device about a central axis of the acoustic head including the acoustic device.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the acoustic chest defines a material inlet and a material outlet, a material path extending from the material inlet to the material outlet.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the acoustic device is rotatable around the material path.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein at least one of the material inlet and the material outlet define an air outlet.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a material support for enclosing and supporting the material to be processed.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the material support is perforated.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a material support, wherein the material to be processed is receivable within the material support.

16. A method for processing a material, the method comprising:

positioning a material in an acoustic chest including an acoustic device; and

directing acoustically energized air from the acoustic device at the material within the acoustic chest.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising rotating the acoustic device about the material.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the acoustic device is an ultrasonic transducer, the method further comprising directing air through the ultrasonic transducer.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising causing the material to move in an axial direction relative to an axial position of an inner chamber of the acoustic chest.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising supporting the material with a material support, the material enclosed within the material support.