Patent ID: 8037620

Claim:
A pulse combustion dryer apparatus, comprising: an air inlet passage; a pulse combustor, in fluid communication with the air inlet passage to receive airflow through the air inlet passage; and, a fluid diode positioned in the air inlet passage, the diode including an outer body defining an outer body wall, an inner body, the inner body defining a first inner body wall and a second inner body wall, the inner body is disposed with respect to the outer body such that the first inner body wall and the outer body wall define an outer passage, the fluid diode includes one or more vanes secured to the first inner body wall and extended toward the outer body wall, the second inner body wall defines, an inner passage, one or more inlet ports are disposed about the inner body generally proximate a diode first end to admit airflow into the inner passage and one or more outlet ports are disposed about the inner body to distribute airflow from the inner passage into the outer passage to create turbulence, including eddies and cross-flow; wherein the one or more vanes of the fluid diode generally prevents backflow of heated combustion products through the air inlet passage from the pulse combustor.