Patent ID: 8117764

Claim:
A method of controlling the reduction in moisture of a particulate material within a dryer apparatus in operative communication with at least one heated waste stream, and a source of particulate material, the method comprising operating computing apparatus to automatically perform the steps of: (a) substantially continuously feeding particulate material into the dryer apparatus for moisture reduction; (b) regulating the flow of at least one heated waste stream into the dryer apparatus for fluidizing and reducing the moisture in the particulate material wherein regulating the flow of the at least one heated waste streams into the dryer apparatus includes the steps of: (i) determining an amount of energy available to evaporate moisture from the particulate material by receiving at least one signal from at least one of the group consisting essentially of a thermal sensor, a flow sensor, a pressure sensor, a level sensor, a switch sensor, a position sensor, and a valve sensor; (ii) establishing a target set point for a percent loss of weight from a particulate feed rate to determine the energy required for a desired water removal rate; and (iii) analyzing a ratio of energy available and energy needed and adjusting an inlet fluid temperature target set point of the fluid entering the dryer to achieve a desired water removal rate based on the analyzed ratio; and (c) substantially continuously feeding moisture-reduced particulate material out of the dryer apparatus.