A plant curing and drying hanger apparatus for use with harvested plant material which includes a primary frame, a plant support bar and one or more separators arranged to space from one another plant sections positioned on the support bar. The plant support bar is hingedly coupled to the primary frame. A latch releasably joins the plant support bar to one end of the primary frame so that an end of the plant support bar can be dropped away from the primary frame to enable the insertion and removal of plant sections into the spaces between adjacent separators to allow for effective plant drying and efficient loading and unloading of plant material without damaging the product.

In one embodiment, a drying rack system includes a frame including horizontal members and vertical members, an array of brackets supported by the frame, and a plurality of clamping hangers supported by the brackets. A first clamping hanger of the plurality of clamping hangers may include a pair of opposing clamping jaws configured to compress against each other, and a hinge securing the clamping jaws together proximal one end of the first clamping jaw.

A system and method for curing or drying tobacco leaves are described herein. The method includes flowing a first combustion gas generated by a first heat source through a first flue pipe provided inside a first barn to heat air inside the first barn to cure a first batch of tobacco leaves disposed inside the first barn; transferring at least a portion of the first combustion gas generated by the first heat source to a second flue pipe provided inside a second barn adjacent the first barn to heat the second barn and start curing a second batch of tobacco leaves disposed inside the second barn; and flowing second combustion gas generated by a second heat source through the second flue pipe to continue curing the second batch of tobacco leaves after the second barn is heated.

The present disclosure provides a method and apparatus for use in a flue-cured barn. The apparatus comprises a combustion chamber for burning fuel; an exhaust pipe for allowing combustion gases to leave the combustion chamber; and a fan for drawing the combustion gases along the exhaust pipe away from the combustion chamber and for generating a negative pressure within the combustion chamber and exhaust pipe compared with the pressure outside the apparatus.

A heater (160) is provided for use in curing tobacco or other similar processes. The heater comprises: a furnace (211) having a chamber in which to burn fuel to generate heat; and a heat exchanger (230) for transferring heat from the heater to an airflow for use in curing the tobacco or other similar process. The airflow passes outside the heater. The heat exchanger has one or more pipes (220B-2,220A-2) that connect into the chamber of the furnace and is integrated into the furnace. For example, the heat exchanger may have a plurality of pipes (220B-2,220A-2) that connect into the chamber of the furnace, wherein the plurality of pipes (220B-2,220A-2) comprises two rows of pipes, one on each side of the furnace. The heat exchanger may further include a plenum (231B, 231A), wherein each of the pipes (220B-2,220A-2) leads upwards from the furnace chamber (211) to the plenum (231B, 231A). The heat exchanger may be integrated into the furnace by the use of one or more welded junctions.

This device is used for the drying of vegetative matter for human ingestion. This device is designed to create a closed environment in which the user can fine tune the operation depending on what is being dried, and also provide the ability to manage any odors generated by the process. The user harvests the herbs in question and hangs them inside the drying chamber. The device is called a Passive Ventilation Psychrometer because it contains no air moving mechanism. The user has to install and establish an exhaust system for evacuating the air within the device. The user is also responsible for setting up the intake air, which gives said user some control over the temperature and humidity of the incoming air. The user also sets up the hydration chamber to control humidity up or down, depending on ambient conditions.

A system and method for curing or drying tobacco leaves are described herein. The method includes flowing a first combustion gas generated by a first heat source through a first flue pipe provided inside a first barn to heat air inside the first barn to cure a first batch of tobacco leaves disposed inside the first barn; transferring at least a portion of the first combustion gas generated by the first heat source to a second flue pipe provided inside a second barn adjacent the first barn to heat the second barn and start curing a second batch of tobacco leaves disposed inside the second barn; and flowing second combustion gas generated by a second heat source through the second flue pipe to continue curing the second batch of tobacco leaves after the second barn is heated.

The Rotary dryer comprises a dryer receptacle having an inner space for receiving herbaceous material, a driving device for rotating the dryer receptacle about a rotation axis of the dryer receptacle, and a channel-shaped collector being at least partially open in its upper portion provided in the inner space of the dryer receptacle for collecting dried herbaceous material.

A system for monitoring environmental conditions of a tobacco curing site within which tobacco is cured is provided. A power supply of the system may include a supercapacitor configured to provide power, and a photovoltaic cell connected to and from which the supercapacitor may be chargeable. A temperature and humidity sensor may be positioned proximate the tobacco curing site and configured to measure a temperature or humidity within the tobacco curing site, and generate a signal corresponding to the temperature or humidity so measured. A local control unit may have a distal position relative the tobacco and be configured to receive the signal, and generate corresponding measurement data, and wirelessly transmit the corresponding measurement data to a remote control unit configured for display or analysis.

Exemplary embodiments or implementations are disclosed of systems for providing heat for use inside a structure and control apparatus and methods relating to material drying systems. In an exemplary embodiment, a control apparatus for controlling heat and/or humidity inside a structure selects one or more heat sources from a plurality of heterogeneous heat sources. The heat sources include a heat storage reservoir and a heat pump system between which heat is selectively transferrable via a fluid of the heat storage reservoir and a refrigerant of the heat pump system. The selecting is performed based on sensor input(s). The control apparatus controls the selected heat source(s) to provide heat inside the structure.