An apparatus is used for cleaning and drying applicator tools, such as brushes, cosmetic applicators, or cosmetic tools. The apparatus according to various embodiments includes an applicator tool holder configured to hold multiple applicators of various sizes with the applicator heads facing down. The applicator tool cleaning apparatus has a cleaning chamber that can dispense liquid to saturate the applicator heads and contact the applicator heads with a textured surface to dislodge collected materials on the applicator heads and a drying chamber where drying mechanisms blow air or dissipate heat at the applicator heads until dried. The applicator tool holder may be moved vertically between the cleaning chamber and the drying chamber via a motor and drive mechanism. Alternatively, the applicator tool holder may be flipped such that the applicator heads are facing upwards and aligned with the drying mechanisms.

A system to monitor and control a lyophilization process using a wireless network is disclosed which includes one or more wireless pressure and gas temperature sensors adapted to provide pressure and gas temperature measurements of the ambient environment, a lyophilization chamber, wherein the one or more wireless pressure sensors are distributed in one or more lyophilization vial trays, a vacuum pump, adapted to change the pressure with the lyophilization chamber, a heat exchanger adapted to modify temperature within the lyophilization chamber, and a controller adapted to collect pressure and gas temperature data from the one or more wireless pressure and gas temperature sensors, calculate sublimation rate of a product to be lyophilized using the collected pressure and gas temperature data, and adjust one or both of pressure and temperature within the lyophilization chamber such that the calculated sublimation rate stays within a predetermined envelope.

A biosolids treatment system that treats human biosolids to produce thermal energy for self-consumption for the production of beneficial use products including low carbon ash, high carbon activated biochar, and Class A biosolids. The system includes a variable feed conveyor that conveys a biosolid feed into a dryer; a dryer that dries the biosolid feed to a predetermined moisture content to create one of a beneficial use products, where the predetermined moisture content is controlled by varying the speed of variable feed conveyors and a variable feed mixer; and a gasifier that converts the biosolid feed into two of the beneficial use products.

An assembly for saturating or aerating a medium with fluid. At least one hollow cylinder having gates and vents embedded within a grain mass. A target section of grain mass is identified and the gates and vents activated to provide influent flow to the target section in both vertical and horizontal directions.

A material drying system, method, and control system therefor that provides for consistent and efficient drying of various materials is disclosed. In certain embodiments, a vacuum kiln can use various temperature measurements to reduce the chance of overheating the materials. In certain embodiments, a vacuum kiln (or a control system therefore) can use sensed information, such as the temperature differential across a platen assembly or the duty cycle of a vacuum pump, to determine when a large group of material has reached a substantially uniform dryness level. In certain embodiments, a vacuum kiln as disclosed herein can reduce checking, splitting, over-drying, and under-drying of material without requiring parameters from a user.

A material drying system, method, and control system therefor that provides for consistent and efficient drying of various materials is disclosed. In certain embodiments, a vacuum kiln can use various temperature measurements to reduce the chance of overheating the materials. In certain embodiments, a vacuum kiln (or a control system therefore) can use sensed information, such as the temperature differential across a platen assembly or the duty cycle of a vacuum pump, to determine when a large group of material has reached a substantially uniform dryness level. In certain embodiments, a vacuum kiln as disclosed herein can reduce checking, splitting, over-drying, and under-drying of material without requiring parameters from a user.

Methods and systems for correction of water content measurements include determining an apparent water content measurement of a sample material while the sample material is dried in ambient vapor pressure conditions, determining a correction value that represents a relationship between the apparent water content and the vapor pressure, and correcting the apparent water content measurement based on the correction value. These methods and systems can reduce cost, measurement time, and error in water content measurement for products that lose water over time, such as while being dried or cured.

Systems and processes for curing a wet coating of a coated substrate are disclosed. The system includes a ventilation system and a curing room configured to receive the coated substrate being displaced along a displacement axis and includes at least an upstream curing section and a downstream curing section. The upstream curing section includes an upstream catalytic infrared heating system for producing an upstream infrared radiation at an upstream radiation intensity to heat and partially cure the wet coating while the coated substrate is being displaced through the upstream curing section. On the other hand, the downstream curing section includes a downstream catalytic infrared heating system for producing a downstream infrared radiation at a downstream radiation intensity, being lower than the upstream radiation intensity, to further cure the wet coating while the coated substrate is being displaced through the downstream curing section for producing a cured coating.

A system for drying an electrode includes: an oven which applies hot air and radiant heat to an electrode sheet; and a controller which receives information on drying standby time, and controls an amount of heat supplied into the oven. Herein, the controller controls to supply a reduced amount of heat to the oven during an initial drying time right after the supply of the electrode sheet after the drying standby time.

The present invention provides improved apparatus and methods for the monitoring and control of apparatus designed to remove moisture from an initially wet product, such as a continuous dryer (14). The net rate of water removal from the wet product (16) is determined during drying thereof, preferably on a real-time basis. A control assembly (20) is operatively coupled with the dryer (14) and includes sensors (24, 26, 28, 34), which are operatively coupled with a digital controller (38). The controller (38) has a PID controller operable to continuously determine the average net rate of water removal from the product (16).