DEHYDRATING APPARATUS

Abstract: A dehydrating apparatus includes an engine room con­ nected to a collector room arranged to receive a volume of material having been dried. The engine room mounts a pulse jet engine having a dehydrating cone on its outfeed end. The cone is arranged to receive a wet material by injection through a nozzle in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direc­ tion of the movement of the high velocity gases of combus­ tion passing through the cone and exiting into the collection room. The wet product injection nozzle is arranged to engage the dehydration cone adjustably relative to a longitudinal axis of the cone for selecting the appropriate injection point for complete and instantaneous drying of various types and moisture content materials in the cone. The collector room includes a screw conveyor for moving dried product out of the room. The dehydrating apparatus also includes a cyclone separator for separating fine solids from the spent gases exit­ ing the collector room.

Description: DEHYDRATING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to dehydrating apparatus, and more particularly to such apparatus employing a pulse jet engine as a source of heat and high velocity gases. Pulse jet engines have been proposed heretofore for use in drying finely divided solids. Illustrative of such proposals is U.S, Patent No. 3,618,655 which discloses spray drying apparatus in which a paste or slurry of the material to be dried is introduced into the exhaust pipe of a pulse jet engine which functions to partially dry the material and dispenses it to a vertical drying chamber in which gas vortices produced by a plurality of pulse jet engines cause circulation of the material and consequent further drying. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In its basic concept, the apparatus of this invention utilizes a pulse jet engine in which the point of introduction of the material to be dried into the exhaust section of the engine is selected to achieve substantially complete and instantaneous dehydration of the material before it exits said exhaust section. It is by virtue of the foregoing basic concept that the principle objective of this invention is achieved; namely, to avoid the excessive production equipment, processing time and heat producing fuel, and the costs associated therewith, of prior pulse jet engine type drying apparatus. Another object of this invention is to provide apparatus of the class described in which the point of introduction of the material to be dried is adjustable to accommodate the treatment of a wide variety of materials of diverse moisture content Still another object of this invention is the provision of apparatus of the class described in which the pulse jet engine is configured in a plurality of replaceable sections for rapid substitution of parts with minimum production down-time. Another objective of this invention is to provide a pulse jet engine with an additional combustible fuel inlet between the combustion chamber and outlet to increase the outlet capacity and accommodate all types of combustible fuels without increasing engine size. A further object of this invention is the provision of apparatus of the class described which is of simplified construction for economical manufacture, maintenance and repair. The foregoing and other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of dehydrating apparatus:embodying the features of this invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the engine room of the apparatus showing structural details of the pulse jet engine. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 in Fig. 3. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring first to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the dehydrating apparatus illustrated includes an engine room 10 in which is contained the pulse jet engine to be described hereinafter. The engine room is supported in elevated position above a floor by means of a plurality of legs 12 (Fig. 2). An air inlet conduit 14 extends through the bottom wall of the engine room and is provided on its outer side with a peripheral flange 16 by which to mount an air inlet fan 18. The fan is arranged to inject atmospheric air into the engine room, whereby to supply oxygen for combustion in the pulse jet engine. A combustible fuel inlet 20 extends through the bottom wall of the engine room for supplying fuel to the pulse jet engine. A wet product inlet conduit 22 extends through the top wall of the engine room for delivering wet products to be dehydrated. Those skilled in the art of pulse jet engines recognize that they operate with considerable noise and vibration Accordingly, although not illustrated in the drawing, the engine room preferably is constructed of double walls with the space therebetween filled with sand or other sound deadening and vibration damping material. The front end of the engine room is joined to the rear end of a collector room 24 which also is supported above ground by means of legs 26. The collector room is preferably circular in cross section to facilitate the gravitation of the dried solid material to a central longitudinal opening which extends the full length of the collector room. This opening communicates with an elongated screw conveyor housing 28 containing an elongated conveyor screw 30. The rearward end of the screw is connected to a drive motor and gear reducer unit 32 for rotating the screw at a selected speed. The forward end of the screw conveyor housing communicates with a dried product outlet pipe 34. This pipe may communicate with bagging equipment by which the dried product is containerized. Alternatively, the outlet pipe may discharge the dried product onto a conveyor for transport to further processing equipment. The front wall of the collector room is provided with an opening adjacent the upper end thereof for communication through an exhaust gas outlet pipe 36 with the inlet of a cyclone or other form of separator 38. The separator functions by centrifugal or other action to separate the solid fines material from the gases, the fines material gravitating downward to the outlet 40 of the separator where they are collected. The gases are drawn from the upper end of the separator through a gas outlet pipe 42 which communicates with the inlet of a gas outlet fan 44. The clean gases thus are exhausted to the atmosphere at the outlet of the fan. Referring now primarily to Fig. 2 of the drawing, the engine room is shown to contain a pulse jet engine In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the engine is mounted on a platform 46 supported on a framework 48 which extends the length of the engine room a spaced distance above the bottom wall thereof. The rearward end of the platform terminates short of the rear wall of the engine room to provide an opening for the passage of air upwardly from the air inlet fan. Also as illustrated, the pulse jet engine is mounted resiliently above the support platform, to cushion the platform and engine room walls from vibrations incident to the operation of the engine The resilient mountings are shown to comprise a front coil spring 50 and a rear pair of coil springs 52 extending upward from the platform and mounting plates 54 at their upper ends. Bolts 56 secured removably to the plates serve to secure thereto brackets 58 which connect to front and rear portions of the pulse jet engine. The pulse jet engine includes a combustion chamber section 60 provided with a spark plug 62 or other ignition means for igniting combustible fuel. This section includes an air inlet end portion 64 which receives atmospheric air from the engine room, and a combustion gas outlet portion 66. The combustion gas outlet portion communicates through an arcuate coupling section 68 with a tailpipe section 70 which, in turn, communicates at its exhaust outlet end with a materials dehydration section 72. In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the combustion chamber section is provided at its exhaust gas outlet end with a perpherial flange 74 arranged for removable connection to a corresponding flange 76 at the adjacnet end of the arcuate coupling section 68, as by means of a plurality of bolts 78. The opposite end of the coupling section is fitted with an outer, forwardly projecting annular collar 80 dimensioned to freely receive therein the adjacent end of the tailpipe section 70. The opposite end of the tailpipe section is, in similar manner, freely received within an enlarged collar 82 secured to and extending rearwardly of the rearward end of the dehydration section 72. The collars are interconnected by a turnbuckle assembly which includes an elongated threaded rod 84 received at its opposite ends in threaded nuts 86. Each nut is secured to a pair of laterally spaced lugs 88 which receive between them an ear 90 extending upwardly from the associated collar. Registering openings in the lugs and ears receive a pivot pin 92 for joining them together. Thus, when it is desired to remove the tailpipe, as for replacement with another of equal or different length, the turnbuckle rod is rotated in the direction to move the collars apart sufficiently to release the tailpipe. The dehydration section 72 preferably is in the form of a truncated cone. It is supported in a saddle member 94 which is secured to and extends through a mounting plate 96. The mounting plate is secured removably to a forward transverse wall 10' of the engine room, as by bolts 98. Said wall also is provided with an opening for passage of the saddle member. As illustrated, the dehydration cone is mounted in the saddle by inserting it through the forward end of the saddle and coupling it to the tailpipe. The cone is supported in the saddle primarily at the forward end thereof, thereby allowing for movement of the pulse jet engine on its resilient mounting during operation. The wet product inlet conduit 22 is connected to the dehydration cone 72 for introduction of the wet product into the cone in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the high velocity gases of combustion passing through the tailpipe and exiting the forward end of the dehydration cone. It is an important feature of this invention that the point of introduction of the wet product into the dehydration section 72 be selected to maximize the dehydration process. This is accomplished empirically by moving the point of introduction along the length of the dehydration section, for each type and moisture content of material to be dried, until there is achieved substantially complete and instantaneous dehydration of the product before it exits the forward end of the dehydration section. Means preferably is provided to facilitate the adjustment of the position of the wet product inlet conduit 22 along the length of the dehydration section. In the embodiment illustrated, since the dehydration section is in the form of a truncated cone, the inner, unjection nozzle end of the wet product inlet conduit 22 is connected to an elongated nozzle plate 100 which overlies and covers a longitudinally elongated opening 102 in the dehydration cone. The plate is curved transversely to approximate the progressively changing diameter of the dehydration cone, to allow longitudinal adjustment of the position of the injection nozzle along the length of the elongated slot in the cone, while providing an adequate seal between the plate and cone. The plate lOO, and hence the position of the injection nozzle end of conduit 22, is secured in any desired position of adjustment by means of a pair of outer clamp bands 104 and 106 which encircle the dehydration cone and are secured together releasably by bolts 108 extended through aligned openings in the side flanges 110 of the clamp plates. The upper clamp band 104 is provided with a longitudinally elongated opening 112 for the reception of the injection nozzle end of conduit 22. Accordingly, the injection nozzle may be adjusted along the length of the dehydration cone by loosening the clamp bolts sufficiently to relieve the clamping pressure of the upper clamp band on the injection nozzle plate 100 to allow the latter to be moved longitudinally along the cone. The desired position of adjustment of the nozzle then is secured by tightening the clamp bolts, as will be understood. Combustible fuel, such as oil, gas, etc. is delivered to the combustion chamber 60 by one or more infeed lines, such as the two lines 114 illustrated, connected to the fuel inlet conduit 20. An additional fuel inlet line 116 may be utilized to deliver combus tible fuel to the downstream end of the arcuate coupler 68, to supply additional heat to the inlet end of the tailpipe, to increase the capacity of the system and to accommodate all types of fuels. This feature offers the same advantages for other uses of all types of pulse jet engines. The plate 96 supporting the dehydration cone saddle 94 also supports an augmenter is positioned in axial alignment with the air inlet portion 64 of the combustion chamber and extends through the forward engine room wall 101. It functions to communicate the high velocity combustion gases emitted as back pressure from the combustion chamber, into the collector room 24. These gases assist in the creation of gas flow in the downstream direction through the collector room and separator 38 to the gas outlet fan. It is to be noted from Fig. 1 that operation of the air inlet fan 16 and the gas outlet fan 44 functions to create a pressure drop across the forward wall 102 of the engine room, enhancing the performance of the pulse jet engine. In: the operation of the dehydrating apparatus described hereinbefore, the pulse jet engine is activated by delivery of combustible fuel to the combustion chamber where it is ignited by spark from the plug 62. A slurry, paste or particulate form of wet product is fed, generally under pressure, through the inlet conduit 22 from whence it enters the dehydration cone 72 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of flow of high velocity combustion gases through the cone. By adjusting the position of the injection nozzle along the length of the opening 102 in the dehydration cone, and analyzing the product emerging from the cone for moisture content, the position of the injection nozzle is established at which the material emerging from the dehydration cone is substantially completely dried. Considering the short distance from the injection nozzle to the outfeed end of the dehydration cone as being no more than about 30 to 45 centimeters, it is apparent that dehydration of the wet product occurs substantially instantaneously as it enters the cone from the injection nozzle. Although the reason for this substantially instantaneous and complete dehydration is not fully understood, the fact of its occurrence eliminates the requirement of additional heat and high velocity gas movement within the collector room, as required in prior dehydration apparatus of this type. It also reduces to a minimum the physical size and space requirement for the apparatus, as well as the amount of combustion fuel required for its performance. This correspondingly minimizes production time and cost. The dried product ejected from the forward end of the dehydration cone is carried by the high velocity gases of combustion into the collector room. The larger particles gravitate downward into the elongated housing 28 containing the conveyor screw 30 which, upon rotation, moves the collected particles to the dried product outlet 34 where they are collected or transported to other processing stations. The fine particles carried with the high velocity combustion gases are drawn into the separator 38 which, by virtue of its characteristic operation, functions to separate the fine solids from the gas. The gas outlet.fan 44 expels the clean gases of combustion into the atmosphere, or delivers them to other apparatus for further processing or use. The apparatus described hereinbefore may be utilized to effect the dehydration of a wide variety of types of materials. For example, it may be used to dehydrate chicken, rabbit, goat and other animal manures for packaging and sale as dried products. It may be used to remove contaminants from industrial sludges, such as detergent from wash waters before discharging the water to a river. It may also be utilized to recover valuable materials, such as gold or other metals otherwise lost in the course of industrial processing. If desired, an inlet 120 may be provided at any desired location downstream from the combustion chamber 60 for the introduction of previously dried particulate material which is desired to be calcined, or roasted to burn off undesirable components. The location of the inlet 120 will be governed by the degree of resistance of the material to calcining. For example, an easily calcined material may be introduced at the location of inlet 22, whereas a highly resistant material may require introduction at the location of inlet 120 in order to have longer residence time in the hot gases of combustion of the engine. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the size, shape, type, number and arrangement of parts described hereinbefore. For example, although the engine room is disclosed in the illustrated emobdiment as containing a single pulse jet engine, it will be understood that a plurality of such engines may be utilized when the size of installation dictates. Although the inlet conduit 22 is illustrated as being connected to the dehydration cone for longitudinal adjustment relative thereto, it will be understood that for installations intended for the processing of a single material of relatively constant moisture content, the injection nozzle may be secured in permanent position at a point predetermined to achieve substantially instantaneous and complete dehydration of the product before it exits the dehydration cone. The foregoing and other changes may be made, as desired, without departing from the spirit of this invention and the scope of the appended claims. Having now described our invention and the manner in which it may be used, we claim:

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Dehydrating apparatus, comprising: a) a pulse jet engine having a combustion chamber se.ion at one end and a dehydration section at the opposite end terminating in a discharge opening, b) a wet product delivery passageway having a discharge end communicating with the dehydration section for delivering to said section wet product to be dehy drated, c) the point of communication of the discharge end of the delivery passageway with the dehydration section, relative to the length of the latter, being selected to achieve substantially complete dehydration of the wet product, within the dehydration section, and d) means communicating with the discharge opening of the dehydration section for collecting the dehydrated product. 2. The dehydrating apparatus of claim 1 including coupling means interengaging the dehydration section and the wet product delivery passageway for moving the discharge end of said delivery passageway along the length of the dehydration section, whereby to adjust the point of communication of said discharge end relative to the length of the dehydration section. 3. The dehydrating apparatus of claim L wherein the delivery passageway is arranged to inject wet product into the dehydration section in a direction substantially normal to the flow of combustion gases through said dehydration section. 4. The dehydrating apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pulse jet engine includes a coupling section connected detachably at one end to the combustion chamber section, and a taiL- pipe section connected detachably at one end to the end of the coupling section opposite the combustion chamber and at the opposite end detachably to the end of the dehydration section opposite the discharge opening. The dehydrating apparatus of claim 1 including: a) an engine room for the pulse jet engine, b) air delivery means communicating with the engine room for delivering air under pressure thereto c) a collector room communicating with the discharge opening of the dehydration section for collecting dehydrated product, and d) a gas outlet fan communicating with the collector room for exhausting combustion gases from the Latter, e) the air delivery means and the gas outlet fan being operative to produce a pressure drop between the engine room and collector room. 6. The dehydrating apparatus of claim 5 alluding separator means communicating with the collector room for separating finely dehydrated products from the combustion gases, the gas outlet fan communicating with the separator means for exhausting combustion gases from the latter. 7. The dehydrating apparatus of claim 5 including dehydrated product conveyor means in the bottom of the collector room for removing the collected product therefrom. 8. The dehydrating apparatus of claim 1 including means for supplying additional combustible fuel to the engine intermediate the combustion chamber section and dehydration section. 9. The dehydrating apparatus of claim 8 wherein the engine has a tailpipe section at the inlet end of the dehydration section and the means for supplying addi tional combustible fuel is connected to the inlet end of the tailpipe section. 10. In a pulse jet engine having a combustion chamber section at one end and an exhaust outlet at the opposite end, the combination therewith of means for supplying additional combustible fuel to the engine intermediate the combustion chamber section and the exhaust outlet. 11. In a pulse jet engine having a combustion chamber section at one end and an exhaust outlet at the opposite end, the combination therewith of a tailpipe section terminating at said exhaust outlet, and a coupler section detachably interconnecting the combustion chamber and the inlet end of said tailpipe section. 12. The combination of claim 11 wherein said exhaust outlet is a section separate from the tailpipe section, and the tailpipe section detachably interconnects the coupler section and exhaust outlet section. 13. In a pulse jet engine having a combustion chamber section at one end and an exhaust outlet at the opposite end, a dry materials inlet downstream from the combustion chamber for introducing dry material to be calcined. 14. The method of calcining dry material, comprising introducing the material in particulate form in a pulse jet engine downstream from the combustion chamber thereof.

Inventors: BRIGHT, PAUL TIMOTHY, GRAY, ROBERT ROE, LINDAHL, THOMAS GEORGE, MARGULIS, VALERY
Applicants: SONODYNE INDUSTRIES, INC.
Application year: 1984
Main classification: F26B17
IPC codes: B01D1, F26B23, F26B17