Patent ID: 9616632
Date: 2017-04-11
CPC Classifications: A23K,B29B,B29C,B30B

Claim:
1. A system comprising: a hopper configured to receive a raw material having a first moisture content and an initial temperature; a multiple stage drying unit connected to the hopper for receiving the raw material from the hopper and configured to remove moisture from at least a portion of the raw material in sequential stages to produce a substantially dry final product having a second moisture content lower than the first moisture content, wherein at least some stages of the sequential stages are configured to remove the moisture from the portion of the raw material; the multiple stage drying unit includes a plurality of extruders connected in multiple stages, wherein one of the extruders is operated at each of the sequential stages; each extruder includes an elongated housing having an inlet end for receiving the raw material to be treated, an outlet end for discharging the raw material, and a screw assembly provided within the housing and extending between the inlet end and the discharge end, the screw assembly having a plurality of screws wherein each screw assembly includes: a venting mechanism for transferring the vaporized moisture outside at least one of the plurality of extruders; a chute interdisposed between the outlet end of a preceding extruder and the inlet end of a next extruder and providing fluid communication between the preceding extruder and the next to discharge the raw material from the outlet of the preceding extruder to the next extruder; a processor connected to the multiple stage drying unit and configured to control the multiple stage drying unit to remove the moisture from the at least portion of the raw material; at least one moisture content sensor connected to the processor and positioned proximate a portion of the chute between the outlet of the preceding extruder and the next extruder, the at least one moisture content sensor being configured to detect the moisture content data corresponding to the moisture content of the portion of raw material moving through the chute between the outlet of the preceding extruder and the next extruder; and a diverter positioned within the chute and connected to the processor for selectively redirecting, based on the detected moisture content data in comparison to a predetermined moisture content data for a respective stage, a specific quantity of the at least a portion of the raw material from a flow path of the at least one chute to the next extruder; wherein the processor controls the sequential stage moisture removal from the raw material by the multiple stage drying unit based on the moisture content data.