A method of drying sticks, a related apparatus, resultant product and its uses where the method involves presenting a plurality of sticks in parallel as a single layer, pressing each stick with a bank of pressing members on and/or into at least one face of the sticks, each with plurality of protuberances, thereby to constrain the sticks against crook, and drying the sticks when so constrained. Preferably each bank of pressing members is an underside of a frame or lattice of a stack of such frames or lattices able to receive such a single layer of sticks between adjacent overlying/underlying frames or lattices, the protuberances preferably being only downwardly directed.

A method of drying sticks, a related apparatus, resultant product and its uses where the method involves presenting a plurality of sticks in parallel as a single layer, pressing each stick with a bank of pressing members on and/or into at least one face of the sticks, each with plurality of protuberances, thereby to constrain the sticks against crook, and drying the sticks when so constrained. Preferably each bank of pressing members is an underside of a frame or lattice of a stack of such frames or lattices able to receive such a single layer of sticks between adjacent overlying/underlying frames or lattices, the protuberances preferably being only downwardly directed.

A multi-pass drying process for a wet substance is disclosed. Said multi-pass drying process comprises the steps of passing the wet substance through at least two different drying stages to produce a semi-dried product between the drying stages, with stirring and ventilating the semi-dried product between each drying stage, wherein the wet substance or the semi-dried product is subjected to compression while being heated in at least one of the drying stages. The multi-pass process ensures a high degree of control over the final dried product and allows certain flexibility to ensure higher throughput. Such a multi-pass drying process is suitable when seeking to obtain food products such as dried food premix or food ingredients, where the final dried product needs to be of high dryness to attain longer shelf life, high nutritional content, strong aroma and to be superior in other organoleptic properties.

Disclosed is a piston press of the type used in the field of the dehydration of products to be dehydrated such as sludge from a purification plant. More particularly, it relates to a piston press including a pressing chamber supplied with sludge and able to manage air streams that it generates, and to a method for using such a press. In a preferred mode of embodiment, the piston press includes a pipeline having a water removal branch and arranged so as to remove water extracted during a sludge-pressing operation, and an air circulation branch that can channel the volumes of air circulating in the press during the operation thereof, so as to direct the vitiated air, i.e. air that has been brought into contact with the sludge during the implementation of the press, towards a deodorization system.

Disclosed is a piston press of the type used in the field of the dehydration of products to be dehydrated such as sludge from a purification plant. More particularly, it relates to a piston press including a pressing chamber supplied with sludge and able to manage air streams that it generates, and to a method for using such a press. In a preferred mode of embodiment, the piston press includes a pipeline having a water removal branch and arranged so as to remove water extracted during a sludge-pressing operation, and an air circulation branch that can channel the volumes of air circulating in the press during the operation thereof, so as to direct the vitiated air, i.e. air that has been brought into contact with the sludge during the implementation of the press, towards a deodorization system.

The disclosure provides a method of forming an acoustical panel base mat, including providing a green board including an alkyl ether sulfate surfactant, wherein the green board includes from about 10 to about 40 wt. % solids, and dewatering the green board slurry to form a dewatered green board, wherein the dewatering comprises supplying hot air and applying a vacuum to the green board.

The disclosure provides a method of forming an acoustical panel base mat, including providing a green board including an alkyl ether sulfate surfactant, wherein the green board includes from about 10 to about 40 wt. % solids, and dewatering the green board slurry to form a dewatered green board, wherein the dewatering comprises supplying hot air and applying a vacuum to the green board.

A bin and method of use for containment and delivery of particulate materials has: a) a housing; b) a particulate materials support plate within the housing, the support plate having a porous structure allowing air flow therethrough; c) the support plate having a central area elevated away from the bottom of the housing and surrounding sides; d) an air flow area between the bottom of the housing and the support plate; e) a particle drop region surrounding the sides of the support plate; and f) a sealing and opening component within the particle drop region that seals and opens a particle drop path between the support plate and the side walls of the housing. The sealing and opening component has an expanded position when sealing the particle drop region and is in a retracted position when opening the particle drop region to particulate material passage.

A device for biomass beneficiation, in particular for the mechanical drying of plant biomass. The device has a press chamber, which can be supplied with biomass via a feed chute and can be emptied via a feedstock outlet. A pressure plate, which for compacting the biomass can be moved by a feed unit against the front wall of the press chamber, the wall lying opposite to the pressure plate, is disposed in the press chamber. In addition, the device has conveys away the liquid phase coming out of the biomass during the compaction. A first pivot bearing, relative to the direction of biomass movement, is provided on which the pressure plate is mounted with its first edge, and a second pivot bearing, on which the pressure plate is mounted with its second edge opposite the first edge, whereby at least the first pivot bearing is movable transverse to the plane of the pressure plate.

A device for biomass beneficiation, in particular for the mechanical drying of plant biomass. The device has a press chamber, which can be supplied with biomass via a feed chute and can be emptied via a feedstock outlet. A pressure plate, which for compacting the biomass can be moved by a feed unit against the front wall of the press chamber, the wall lying opposite to the pressure plate, is disposed in the press chamber. In addition, the device has conveys away the liquid phase coming out of the biomass during the compaction. A first pivot bearing, relative to the direction of biomass movement, is provided on which the pressure plate is mounted with its first edge, and a second pivot bearing, on which the pressure plate is mounted with its second edge opposite the first edge, whereby at least the first pivot bearing is movable transverse to the plane of the pressure plate.