The invention relates to the field of processing materials, and more particularly to a method for processing heat-sensitive materials in a vortex chamber, and can be used for drying, comminuting, heat treating and simultaneously separating into fractions such heat-sensitive materials as grass, straw, herbal raw material, vegetables and other materials, or mixtures of different plant materials, as well as for processing agricultural waste, in particular poultry droppings and horse or cow manure, into safe organic materials such as, for example, fertilizers. A vortex chamber contains a rotor for comminuting material and is designed to be volume-adjustable, wherein the lateral wall is configured in the shape of a right circular cylinder and the outer surface of the lateral wall and/or the lower wall of the vortex chamber are provided with additional openings for the removal of processed material. The invention is intended for obtaining several end products with different consumer properties (fineness, wetness, density, etc.) from a material, wherein said products can be obtained simultaneously.

A fluidized bed system is a single unitary modular system that packages a circulation fan, a fluidized bed, and a dust collection system within a same structure. The structure is formed to include internal ducts to provide fluid communication between the circulation fan, the fluidized bed, and the dust collection system. The fan provides a flow of air via a pressure duct to the fluidized bed. Particulate is separated from particles included on the fluidized bed by the flow of air being uniformly distributed to the fluidized bed. Particulate separated in a disengagement area and suspended in the flow of air is conducted through a particulate clearance space surrounding the dust collection system. The particulate is captured by the dust collection system and conveyed to a location external to the system.

A device for drying grain includes a housing having an inlet port and an outlet port, a first passageway, a second passageway, a grain flow housing, a filter across the grain flow housing, a recovery column, an air supply, a recycle column, a filter cleaner in the recovery column, and a conveyor for moving the filter cleaner along the filter. The air supply pulls an air flow into the housing through the inlet port as a grain flow pours through the grain flow housing. The air flow passes through the grain flow in a first pass air flow from the passageways to dry the grain. The first pass air flow passes through the filter to remove particles, and a portion of that filtered first pass air flow is recycled back with the filter cleaner to dislodge particles clogging the filter. The other portion is vented through the outlet port.

The system for drying lignite according to the present disclosure includes a mill configured to crush the lignite; a dryer configured to receive crushed lignite from the mill, to dry the lignite by heat-exchange with steam and to discharge dried lignite; a condensing-precipitating evaporator in fluid communication with the dryer so as to receive vapor which is evaporated when the lignite is dried, and which is discharged from the dryer. The evaporator is configured to condense the vapor discharged from the dryer by heat-exchange with water. The coal dust contained in the vapor is precipitated into a condensed aqueous solution when the vapor is being condensed, and the condensed aqueous solution is discharged. The system includes a Mechanical Vapor Re-Compression (MVR) configured to receive steam generated from the condensing-precipitating evaporator, to compress the steam into superheated steam, and to supply the compressed superheated steam to the dryer.

Methods, apparatuses, and systems for a closed loop product drying process are disclosed. Heated dry air enters a drying chamber, extracts moisture from a product to be dried, and exits the drying chamber, cooler and wetter. A heat pump air handler dries and warms the air from the drying chamber exhaust, and returns it to the drying chamber, in a closed air loop. The heat pump air handler includes a dehumidifier means in the closed air loop flow path. The dehumidifier means removes entrained moisture from wet air exiting the drying chamber, reheats the air, and returns it to the drying chamber.

A system and method for extracting waste heat from the exhaust (20) of a biomass dryer (14), such as in a grain alcohol plant (10). A boiler circuit (74) provides steam at a high pressure to a balance of the plant (64). A recovered energy circuit (76) extracts heat from the exhaust and provides steam (60) at an intermediate pressure, thereby eliminating the need for a pressure reducing valve in order to satisfy an intermediate pressure steam demand in the plant. Working fluids in the boiler and recovered energy circuits are intermixed in a boiler feed vessel (72).

A condenser assembly comprises: a main cabinet; one or more filters mounted to a filter frame that is moveable between a first (operating) position within the main cabinet and a second (maintenance) position substantially outside of the main cabinet; and a condenser box that is moveable between a first (operating) position within the main cabinet and a second (maintenance) position substantially outside of the main cabinet. In some applications, the condenser assembly is part of an apparatus for removing liquid from a suspension.

Waste heat is extracted from the exhaust (20) of a biomass dryer (14) in a grain alcohol plant (10). A boiler circuit (74) provides high pressure steam to a balance of the plant (64). A recovered energy circuit (76) extracts heat from the exhaust via a dryer exhaust condensing economizer (24) and provides a steam mixture (60) to satisfy an intermediate pressure steam demand of the balance of the plant, thereby bypassing a portion of the boiler circuit. Working fluids in the boiler and recovered energy circuits are intermixed in a boiler feed vessel (72). Dryer exhaust condensate (30) may be used in an exhaust gas scrubber (22) upstream of the dryer exhaust condensing economizer to remove pollutants and to saturate (26) the exhaust gas for improved heat transfer. Heat transfer may be further improved by operating the dryer exhaust condensing economizer at an elevated pressure.

An assembly is described, including a filter disposed downstream from a freeze dryer chamber, a first valve and a second valve disposed downstream from the filter, and a gauge disposed downstream from the first valve. A method is described, including maintaining a first valve of a circuit in a closed position during a steam sterilization cycle, maintaining the second valve in an open position during the steam sterilization cycle, receiving, from the gauge, a plurality of pressure measurements, and determining, by a processing device, an endpoint of a primary drying stage. The circuit includes the filter, the first valve, the second valve, and the gauge. A freeze-drying system is described, including a freeze dryer chamber including one or more orifices in fluid communication with the freeze dryer chamber and a circuit coupled to the freeze dryer chamber via a first orifice.

A multi-functional slurry processing system (VARCOR) and associated methods is disclosed. The present examples provide a multi-functional slurry processing system incorporating systems and methods for separating liquid and solid components in slurries. In particular the systems and methods described herein produce clean water, dried solids, and potential concentration of desirable constituents with a boiling point lower than water. At least one example of the multi-functional slurry processing system provides a self-contained processing facility configured to efficiently convert high water-content slurries into its constituent solid and liquid fractions and subsequently generating and collecting clean water and concentrating desirable constituents with a boiling point lower than water. The multi-functional slurry processing system advantageously applies thermodynamic principles in a system which may include various combinations of a preheater, a degassing unit, a dryer, a steam filter, a compressor, a concentrating tower, and a condensation unit.