Transfer systems for receiving and conveying material such as earthen slurries discharged from vacuum excavators are disclosed. The transfer system may include a holding tank and a conveyor such as a drag-slat conveyor that extends into the tank to remove and convey material from the tank. The transfer system includes a hatch. The hatch is moveable from a closed position in which vehicles travel over the hatch to an open position in which the holding tank is open to receive material from the vacuum excavator.

The invention relates generally to a process for the preparation of water-absorbent polymer particles, comprising the process steps including of drying the polymer gel particles wherein in process step (viii) the gel particles obtained in process step (vii) are charged onto the surface of the belt material of a belt dryer at a position L.sub.0 and are subsequently dried on their way through the belt dryer and wherein the belt material has been cooled before coming into contact with the gel particles. The invention also relates to water-absorbent polymer particles obtainable by such a process.

Apparatus and method for drying a product comprising placing the product on a first side of a support surface, and directing dry radiant heat toward the second side of the surface to heat the product. A sensor can be included to measure at least one characteristic of the product, such as the temperature or moisture content thereof. The temperature of the heat source can be regulated as a function of the measured characteristic. The support surface can also be made so as to be movable relative to the heat source. In an alternative embodiment, a plurality of control zones are defined and through which the product is successively passed. Each of the control zones has at least one associated heat source and an associated sensor so as to regulate the temperature of the heat sources associated with each control zone independently of those associated with another zone.

A system and method for printing and drying flavors and fragrances is provided. The system and method include a source of flavor or fragrance, a print assembly adapted to print the flavor or fragrance, a movable product conveyor that directly receives the printed flavor or fragrance and a drying component. As the movable product conveyor passes through or adjacent to the drying component, the printed flavor or fragrance is dried thereby providing a free-flowing flavor or fragrance product.

The invention relates to a method and a device for obtaining dewatered biomass from algae and/or microorganisms. The concentrated biomass available as a result of the harvesting process is spread over an endless conveyor belt (1) and exposed to heated air on the conveyor belt (1). The air is heated by the sun and/or an air heater (5) in a closed system, the conveyor belt (1) being enclosed by a light-permeable casing (2). The drying process is carried out until a residual moisture is achieved, the dewatered biomass adhering to the conveyor belt (1) at the end of the drying process. Said biomass is separated from the conveyor belt (1) by means of a doctor- or scraper edge (9) and is gathered in a collection container (8).

A process for producing superabsorbent particles by polymerizing a monomer solution or suspension, comprising drying of the resultant aqueous polymer gel in an air circulation belt drier, grinding, classifying, and optionally thermal surface postcrosslinking, wherein the aqueous polymer gel is introduced into the air circulation belt drier by means of an oscillating conveyor belt, the underside of the revolving conveyor belt is freed of adhering polymer gel by means of at least one stripper device, and the underside of the revolving conveyor belt is sprayed with water.

The present invention relates to a dryer and a controlling method thereof, and according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a dryer comprising a belt conveyor for conveying a first material to be dried, a heating device for generating a high temperature gas to dry the first material, a first supply part provided to supply the high temperature gas heated in the heating device toward the belt of the belt conveyor and a second supply part provided to supply the high temperature gas heated in the heating device to the ceiling side of the space in which the belt conveyor is located.

The present disclosure concerns a drying or heating apparatus that is capable of independently controlling the temperature of the product being heated (e.g., to achieve a desired temperature profile) and the wavelength of the radiation (e.g., to maximize the heat transfer rate). To such ends, a drying apparatus can be provided with one or more heat sources that are movable relative to the product being heated in order to increase or decrease the gap or spacing between the heat source and the product. By adjusting the gap between the product and the heat source, it is possible to control the source temperature in such a manner that produces the desired product temperature and wavelength of radiation.

The present invention provides an apparatus 100 for drying a substance 190, the apparatus 100 comprising at least one roller 121 rotatable about a central axis; a first belt 112 having a first side 112 and a second side 112, the first side 112 of the first belt 112 adapted to receive the substance 190; and a plurality of heat induction elements 123 arranged to induce heat in the first belt 112 to heat the substance 190, where in operation, the first belt 112 urges via its first side 112, the substance 190 towards a portion of an exterior circumferential surface of the roller 121, and the substance 190 is heated to remove fluids from the substance 190.

Systems and methods for processing earthen slurries such as slurries of earth cuttings and, in particular, systems and methods that involve two separation units for dewatering the slurry or that involve additive mixing units are disclosed. The systems and methods may include a conveyor such as a drag-slat conveyor that removes slurry from a holding tank at which the material is dumped and toward the separation units to allow the material to be continuously processed and dumped into the holding tank.