A rotating magnet heater for metal products, such as aluminum strip, can include permanent magnet rotors arranged above and below a moving metal strip to induce moving or time varying magnetic fields through the metal strip. The changing magnetic fields can create currents (e.g., eddy currents) within the metal strip, thus heating the metal strip. A magnetic rotor set can include a pair of matched magnetic rotors on opposite sides of a metal strip that rotate at the same speed. Each magnetic rotor of a set can be positioned equidistance from the metal strip to avoid pulling the metal strip away from the passline. A downstream magnetic rotor set can be used in close proximity to an upstream magnetic rotor set to offset tension induced by the upstream magnetic rotor set.

Methods and apparatuses for reducing the bioburden of cannabis using low-pressure radiant energy processing. The present invention achieves sufficient microbial killing and/or adequate drying without impacting product quality (terpene loss, smell, color, texture, etc.) by appropriate determination and application of pressure(s) and radiant energy (e.g., microwave intensity).

A microwave vacuum dryer includes a loading chamber and a first vacuum pump in communication with the loading chamber, a first door separating the loading chamber from an external environment, a drying chamber adjacent the loading chamber, a second vacuum pump in communication with the drying chamber, and a condenser in communication with the drying chamber, a second door separating the loading chamber and the drying chamber, an unloading chamber adjacent the drying chamber and a third vacuum pump in communication with the unloading chamber, a third door separating the drying chamber from the unloading chamber, a fourth door separating the unloading chamber from the external environment, and a microwave chamber having a plurality of magnetrons, the microwave chamber positioned on a different plane from the loading and unloading chambers and adjacent the drying chamber.

A microwave vacuum dryer includes a loading chamber and a first vacuum pump in communication with the loading chamber, a first door separating the loading chamber from an external environment, a drying chamber adjacent the loading chamber, a second vacuum pump in communication with the drying chamber, and a condenser in communication with the drying chamber, a second door separating the loading chamber and the drying chamber, an unloading chamber adjacent the drying chamber and a third vacuum pump in communication with the unloading chamber, a third door separating the drying chamber from the unloading chamber, a fourth door separating the unloading chamber from the external environment, and a microwave chamber having a plurality of magnetrons, the microwave chamber positioned on a different plane from the loading and unloading chambers and adjacent the drying chamber.

The disclosure provides an example food dehydrator apparatus for treating food waste and methods for use thereof. The apparatus includes: (a) a receptacle having a bottom support, a top support, and a cylindrical sidewall extending therebetween, where the receptacle has an interior cavity, where the top support has a first opening configured to receive the food waste, and where the bottom support has a first opening to release dehydrated food waste, (b) a load door, (c) a shaft rotatably arranged within the receptacle, (d) a gear motor coupled to the shaft, (e) a first plurality of paddles, (f) a second plurality of paddles, where the first and second plurality of paddles are static, (g) a third plurality of paddles, (h) a fourth plurality of paddles, (i) at least one heat source, and (j) a gate coupled to the bottom support of the receptacle.

The disclosure provides an example food dehydrator apparatus for treating food waste and methods for use thereof. The apparatus includes: (a) a receptacle having a bottom support, a top support, and a cylindrical sidewall extending therebetween, where the receptacle has an interior cavity, where the top support has a first opening configured to receive the food waste, and where the bottom support has a first opening to release dehydrated food waste, (b) a load door, (c) a shaft rotatably arranged within the receptacle, (d) a gear motor coupled to the shaft, (e) a first plurality of paddles, (f) a second plurality of paddles, where the first and second plurality of paddles are static, (g) a third plurality of paddles, (h) a fourth plurality of paddles, (i) at least one heat source, and (j) a gate coupled to the bottom support of the receptacle.

A microwave drying device has a processing box. Two mounting openings are formed on an external mounting wall of the processing box. Two suction partitions are mounted in the processing box and divide an inner space of the processing box into a microwave drying space and two suction spaces. The microwave drying space is located between and connects to the two suction spaces. Multiple channel partitions are mounted in the microwave drying space to form a meandering wave travelling channel. Two opposite ends of the wave travelling channel connect to the two mounting openings respectively. Two microwave emitting modules are mounted on the external mounting wall and emit microwaves toward the two mounting openings respectively. Multiple openings are formed in the processing box such that a film can travel through the processing box. Therefore, drying speed is greatly increased, and the drying device is more compact.

A microwave drying device has a processing box. Two mounting openings are formed on an external mounting wall of the processing box. Two suction partitions are mounted in the processing box and divide an inner space of the processing box into a microwave drying space and two suction spaces. The microwave drying space is located between and connects to the two suction spaces. Multiple channel partitions are mounted in the microwave drying space to form a meandering wave travelling channel. Two opposite ends of the wave travelling channel connect to the two mounting openings respectively. Two microwave emitting modules are mounted on the external mounting wall and emit microwaves toward the two mounting openings respectively. Multiple openings are formed in the processing box such that a film can travel through the processing box. Therefore, drying speed is greatly increased, and the drying device is more compact.

A drying method includes an initial decompressing and temperature-lowering step of decompressing the chamber and lowering an air temperature inside the chamber by operating a decompression pump; and a drying cycle step that is repeatedly performed a plurality of times to dry an object to be dried after performing the initial decompressing and temperature-lowering step. The drying cycle step includes a microwave heating step of heating the object in the chamber by microwave irradiation in the chamber and a decompressing and temperature-lowering step of decompressing the chamber and lowering the air temperature inside the chamber again after performing the microwave heating step by operating the decompression pump with the microwave irradiation being stopped.

A drying method includes an initial decompressing and temperature-lowering step of decompressing the chamber and lowering an air temperature inside the chamber by operating a decompression pump; and a drying cycle step that is repeatedly performed a plurality of times to dry an object to be dried after performing the initial decompressing and temperature-lowering step. The drying cycle step includes a microwave heating step of heating the object in the chamber by microwave irradiation in the chamber and a decompressing and temperature-lowering step of decompressing the chamber and lowering the air temperature inside the chamber again after performing the microwave heating step by operating the decompression pump with the microwave irradiation being stopped.