Patent ID: 7987613

Claim:
A system for controlling the operation of a low-temperature, open-air process for reducing moisture contained within particulate material, wherein such process incorporates a source of wet particulate material, a dryer apparatus, a first heat exchanger operatively connected to the dryer apparatus, and a first waste heat source provided to the first heat exchanger for delivering heat content contained within the first waste heat source to the dryer apparatus, a second heat exchanger operatively connected to the dryer apparatus, a second waste heat source different in type from the first waste heat source provided to the second heat exchanger for delivering heat content contained within the second waste heat source to the dryer apparatus, such controller system comprising: (a) means for regulating delivery of the wet particulate material to the dryer apparatus; (b) means for regulating the delivery of the first waste heat source to the first heat exchanger; (c) means for regulating the delivery of the second waste heat source different in type from the first waste heat source to the second heat exchanger; (d) means for actively combining predetermined amounts of heat content contained within the first waste heat source and second waste heat source to deliver an aggregate heat content to or within the dryer apparatus; (e) means for maintaining the particulate material within the dryer apparatus exposed to the aggregate heat content for a sufficient temperature and time duration to achieve the desired degree of moisture reduction to produce dried particulate material; and (f) means for regulating delivery of the dried particulate material discharged from the dryer apparatus to a dried particulate material discharge destination; (g) wherein “waste heat source” means a gaseous or liquid stream having an elevated heat content resulting from operation of a process or piece of equipment used within an industrial plant operation different from the dryer apparatus, such gaseous or liquid stream being used for the secondary purpose of providing heat content to the particulate material moisture reduction process.