Drying method and apparatus

• US 3,324,567 A
• Filed: 07/19/1965
• Issued: 06/13/1967
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1965
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: George Franck
• Original Assignee: George Franck
• Inventors: Franck, George
• Application Number:
  US04/473,072
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• US Class Current: 34/443
• CPC Class Codes: A23C 1/05 combined with agglomeration granulation or coating
• CPC Class Codes: A23C 9/16 Agglomerating or granulating milk powder; Making instant milk powder; Products obtained thereby A23C9/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/24 with the materials in spray form
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/46 Spray-drying
• CPC Class Codes: A23P 10/22 Agglomeration or granulation with pulverisation of solid particles, e.g. in a free-falling curtain
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 1/18 to obtain dry solids B01D1/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 3/12 in the form of a spray , i.e. sprayed or dispersed emulsions or suspensions spray drying of solutions B01D1/18

Claims

1. A METHOD FOR REMOVING LIQUID FROM A LIQUID DISPERSION AND CONCURRENTLY FORMING DRIED AGGLOMERATES, SAID METHOD INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING STEPS:

PROVIDING A DRYING CHAMBER, INTRODUCING AIR TO THE CHAMBER AT PREDETERMINED SPEED, TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY, AND CIRCULATING SUCH AIR IN THE CHAMBER, PARTIALLY REMOVING LIQUID FROM THE LIQUID DISPERSION BY SPRAYING THE LIQUID DISPERSION INTO THE CHAMBER FROM THE CENTER THEREOF IN A PATTERN HAVING THE GENERAL SHAPE OF A HOLLOW CONE, PROVIDING A SOURCE, EXTERIORLY OF THE CHAMBER, OF NON-COHESIVE PARTICLES OF A SUBSTANCE COMPATIBLE WITH THE DRIED AGGLOMERATES, AND CAUSING THE NON-COHESIVE PARTICLES TO COLLIDE WITH AND ADHERE TO PARTIALLY DRIED PARTICLES OF THE SPRAYED LIQUID DISPERSION TO FORM AGGLOMERATES BY EJECTING A STREAM OF GAS HAVING SUCH NON-COHESIVE PARTICLES ENTRAINED THEREIN INTO THE CHAMBER FROM A POSITION SUBSTANTIALLY ALIGNED WITH THE AXIS OF THE HOLLOW CONE PATTERN OF THE SPRAYED LIQUID DISPERSION, SAID PATH OF ENTRAINED NON-COHESIVE PARTICLES BEING IN A DIRECTION TO INTERSECT THE PATH OF THE SPRAYED LIQUID DISPERSION SUCH THAT THE SPRAYED LIQUID DISPERSION AND THE DRIED PARTICLES HAVE SUBSTANTIAL OPPOSITELY DIRECTED COMPONENTS OF VELOCITY.