A fluid product dryer and related methods. Implementations of a method for drying particles may include: introducing particles through an inlet into a first fluid bed section; migrating the particles onto a bed deck; injecting a gas towards the particles through openings in the bed deck; migrating some of the particles through a variable-sized gate opening between the bed deck and a riser; migrating a portion of the particles into the riser; propelling the portion of the particles in the riser upwards by an injection of a gas into the riser; directing a first fraction of the portion of the particles out of the first fluid bed section and into a second fluid bed section through an outlet using a deflector feature; and directing a second fraction of the portion of the particles onto a bed deck of the second fluid bed section by interaction with an impingement feature.

The present invention relates to a method of processing plant material to provide products such as food products, dietary supplements, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and fertilizers. In particular, the invention relates to the processing of fruit and vegetable material to provide a product that can be used as a food source, dietary supplement or a pharmaceutical. Even more particularly, the invention relates to a method of drying fruit and vegetable material to provide a dried product that can be used as a food source, dietary supplement or a pharmaceutical.

The present invention relates to a method of processing plant material to provide products such as food products, dietary supplements, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and fertilizers. In particular, the invention relates to the processing of fruit and vegetable material to provide a product that can be used as a food source, dietary supplement or a pharmaceutical. Even more particularly, the invention relates to a method of drying fruit and vegetable material to provide a dried product that can be used as a food source, dietary supplement or a pharmaceutical.

An apparatus for drying granular resin material in a hopper including a first sub-system, including a membrane and a heater receiving drying gas from the membrane to be heated, the first sub-system supplying dried heated gas to a first portion of the hopper; and a second sub-system, including a mixing device and a heater for receiving drying gas from the mixing device to be heated, the mixing device inducing withdrawal of gas from the hopper and mixing the withdrawn gas with gas supplied from the first subsystem, the mixed gases being heated and supplied to a second portion of the hopper, the improvement comprising a gas separation membrane for separating inert gases from air supplied to the apparatus and providing the separated inert gas in the first subsystem; a heater for heating air supplied to the apparatus; and a thermostat for controlling the heater and thereby maintaining the supplied air at a selected temperature.

An apparatus for drying granular resin material in a hopper including a first sub-system, including a membrane and a heater receiving drying gas from the membrane to be heated, the first sub-system supplying dried heated gas to a first portion of the hopper; and a second sub-system, including a mixing device and a heater for receiving drying gas from the mixing device to be heated, the mixing device inducing withdrawal of gas from the hopper and mixing the withdrawn gas with gas supplied from the first subsystem, the mixed gases being heated and supplied to a second portion of the hopper, the improvement comprising a gas separation membrane for separating inert gases from air supplied to the apparatus and providing the separated inert gas in the first subsystem; a heater for heating air supplied to the apparatus; and a thermostat for controlling the heater and thereby maintaining the supplied air at a selected temperature.

A system and method for staged drying of temperature sensitive materials, the method comprising the following steps. Heated air is blown into a duct and solids are introduced into the duct at an elevated position along a vertical portion of the duct. The heated air and solids mixture is then transported along the duct for a desired retention time with adequate initial flash heating of the solids and then a gradual cool down of the solids. The solids are at an elevated temperature beyond the ambient dewpoint with evaporative cooling taking place. The solids and air mixture is then transported in the duct to a cyclone, where the solids are removed from the air. The air is exhausted out of the cyclone by an exhaust duct, and the solids are collected from the cyclone in a container.

A device for drying sewage sludge having a modular design composed of standard containers, the standard containers being disposed behind and optionally on top of one another. Slabs including heating lines are introduced on top of one another, in multiple levels, into the standard containers, serving as drying surfaces. Linear conveyors including deflections in a first and a last container distribute the sewage sludge across a width of the drying surfaces, turn and loosen the sewage sludge, and move this successively back and forth over the drying surfaces disposed on top of one another.

A method and a fluidization apparatus unit for treating a large number of batches of a material having a moisture content and having a material temperature. The fluidization apparatus unit includes a fluidization apparatus. The fluidization apparatus has a fluidization chamber which has a material inlet and a material outlet, and also includes a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet for a drying gas which fluidizes the material in the fluidization chamber and which has a drying gas moisture content.

An electrostatic spray dryer for drying liquid into powder including an elongated cylindrical drying chamber having an electrostatic spray nozzle at an upper end and a powder collection vessel at a lower end. The powder collection vessel includes a removable and replaceable filter collections sock made of filter material for receiving and collecting dried powder from the drying chamber. For cleaning residual powder from an inside wall of the drying chamber, a scraper member is provided that is coupled by magnetic attraction to a manually removable driver on the external surface of the wall.

An electrostatic spray dryer for drying liquid into powder including an elongated cylindrical drying chamber having an electrostatic spray nozzle at an upper end and a powder collection vessel at a lower end. The powder collection vessel includes a removable and replaceable filter collections sock made of filter material for receiving and collecting dried powder from the drying chamber. For cleaning residual powder from an inside wall of the drying chamber, a scraper member is provided that is coupled by magnetic attraction to a manually removable driver on the external surface of the wall.