A method of monitoring and controlling a freeze drying process in a freeze drying apparatus having walls, shelves and a number of vials or trays positioned on different areas of the shelves and containing product to be freeze dried. One or more vials or trays are selected that are representative of the positions of all of the vials or trays in different areas of the shelves. One or more heat flux sensors are positioned between the selected vials or trays and adjacent portions of the walls and/or shelves. The heat transfer between the selected vials or trays and the adjacent wall or shelf portions is measured during the freezing and drying stages of the freeze drying process.

An apparatus for controlling the temperature of workpieces, in particular of vehicle bodies, has a temperature-control tunnel, a traction chamber and an intermediate floor which is arranged between the temperature-control tunnel and the traction chamber and which has a connection passage. The apparatus includes a conveying device for conveying the workpieces in the temperature-control tunnel, wherein the conveying device has at least one conveying carriage with a running gear and has a workpiece carrier for holding the workpieces of which the temperature is to be controlled. The running gear is arranged in the traction chamber and is connected by a connecting device, which projects through the connection passage of the intermediate floor, to the workpiece carrier arranged in the temperature-control tunnel. To control the temperature of the traction chamber and thus adequately protect the running gear against heat or cold, the intermediate floor is equipped at least in regions with an active cooling and/or heating means.

An apparatus for controlling the temperature of workpieces, in particular of vehicle bodies, has a temperature-control tunnel, a traction chamber and an intermediate floor which is arranged between the temperature-control tunnel and the traction chamber and which has a connection passage. The apparatus includes a conveying device for conveying the workpieces in the temperature-control tunnel, wherein the conveying device has at least one conveying carriage with a running gear and has a workpiece carrier for holding the workpieces of which the temperature is to be controlled. The running gear is arranged in the traction chamber and is connected by a connecting device, which projects through the connection passage of the intermediate floor, to the workpiece carrier arranged in the temperature-control tunnel. To control the temperature of the traction chamber and thus adequately protect the running gear against heat or cold, the intermediate floor is equipped at least in regions with an active cooling and/or heating means.

A method for drying materials is disclosed. The method comprises introducing a material into a dryer chamber, creating steam from vaporizing moisture in the material by maintaining the chamber at a temperature, conditioning the material using the steam created from vaporing moisture in the material by conveying the material along a length of the chamber from an inlet end to an outlet end, exhausting steam near the inlet end of the chamber, exhausting steam near a dry-end exit end of the chamber, controlling a migration of moisture between the inlet and outlet ends by adjusting an exhaust flow rate near the inlet end of the chamber and/or an exhaust flow rate near the dry-end exit end of the chamber, and withdrawing the material from the chamber.

A method for drying materials is disclosed. The method comprises introducing a material into a dryer chamber, creating steam from vaporizing moisture in the material by maintaining the chamber at a temperature, conditioning the material using the steam created from vaporing moisture in the material by conveying the material along a length of the chamber from an inlet end to an outlet end, exhausting steam near the inlet end of the chamber, exhausting steam near a dry-end exit end of the chamber, controlling a migration of moisture between the inlet and outlet ends by adjusting an exhaust flow rate near the inlet end of the chamber and/or an exhaust flow rate near the dry-end exit end of the chamber, and withdrawing the material from the chamber.

Disclosed are methods for critical point drying a composite material. After exposing the composite material to a supercritical fluid, the composite material dries as the supercritical fluid evaporates with reduced pressure. The composite materials are useful as chromatographic separation media.

Disclosed are methods for critical point drying a composite material. After exposing the composite material to a supercritical fluid, the composite material dries as the supercritical fluid evaporates with reduced pressure. The composite materials are useful as chromatographic separation media.

An apparatus for heating three-dimensional printing filaments comprising a heating chamber including an insulation lining and spool holders mounted at a base of the heating chamber, a heater fan assembly mounted above the heating chamber, wherein the heater fan assembly comprises a powered fan and heater configured to heat air and circulate the heated air to the heating chamber, and a diverter situated between the heater fan assembly and the heating chamber, wherein the diverter splits and directs the heated air to the heating chamber through a pair of channels. The apparatus further comprising a plurality of exhaust ports at top sidewall portions and bottom sidewall portions of the heating chamber, wherein the plurality of exhaust ports allowing the heated air to escape from the heating chamber, and fitting adapters comprising apertures that allow filament material to be dispensed from the heating chamber.

An apparatus for heating three-dimensional printing filaments comprising a heating chamber including an insulation lining and spool holders mounted at a base of the heating chamber, a heater fan assembly mounted above the heating chamber, wherein the heater fan assembly comprises a powered fan and heater configured to heat air and circulate the heated air to the heating chamber, and a diverter situated between the heater fan assembly and the heating chamber, wherein the diverter splits and directs the heated air to the heating chamber through a pair of channels. The apparatus further comprising a plurality of exhaust ports at top sidewall portions and bottom sidewall portions of the heating chamber, wherein the plurality of exhaust ports allowing the heated air to escape from the heating chamber, and fitting adapters comprising apertures that allow filament material to be dispensed from the heating chamber.

A drying device according to an embodiment dries a surface of an article by blowing hot air, and includes a drying chamber including a hot air supply port that blows the hot air, an infrared camera acquiring temperature distribution information that is information related to a temperature distribution inside the drying chamber, and a controller controlling a drying condition inside the drying chamber. The controller acquires corrected temperature distribution information by performing lock-in analysis of the temperature distribution information to remove noise from the temperature distribution information, and controls the drying condition based on the corrected temperature distribution information and based on a temperature distribution model that is a model related to the temperature distribution inside the drying chamber and is pre-generated using machine learning.