A dryer adapted for use in an asphalt plant. The dryer includes a drum having an inner wall and a flight having a proximal end connecting the flight to the inner wall of the drum and a distal end that is spaced apart from the proximal end. A first profile extends from the proximal end to the distal end of the flight and defines a flight shape. A notch is formed in the distal end of the flight, which notch includes a notch shape that is defined by a second profile. The second profile has a length L, a center point, and a portion that substantially approximates a conic section.

A single pass, multiple stage, rotary drum heat exchange dryer (22) is provided for drying products such as distillers grains and includes a tubular shell (64) with a moist product inlet (66), an opposed dried product outlet (70), and an internal drying chamber (78). The chamber (78) includes a convection drying first stage (80), and conductive drying final curing stage (82) an intermediate stage (84); the intermediate stage (84) is subdivided into a plurality of contiguous drying zones (86-92). The zones (86-92) include individual flighting assemblies (164) which are of substantially the same density and heat transfer ratios.

A rotary drum dryer includes a shell, an apertured rotary drum disposed within the shell and positioned to define a plenum between an interior surface of the shell and an exterior surface of the rotary drum, the plenum being divided into a plurality of zones by at least one separator plate disposed in the shell, and a plurality of drying air inlet nozzles disposed along the shell, each of the plurality of drying air inlet nozzles being positioned to direct drying air into a corresponding one of the plurality of zones.

The continuous process of the present invention is intended to obtain dry biomass from two treatment steps by drying organic waste. The waste previously sieved and crushed waste are dumped into a first dryer, inside of which temperatures are between 280? C. and 300? C. at the inlet thereof and between 90? C. and 100? C. at the outlet, then passing to a conveyor belt where at room temperature a partial cool-down occurs and the waste is dumped into a second dryer inside of which the temperatures are between 180? C. and 200? C. at the inlet and between 75? C. and 85? C. at the exit, completing the process, during which the interior of the dryers is maintained in negative pressure through exhaust flow and the oxygen content is kept between 5 and 7%.

A single pass, multiple stage, rotary drum heat exchange dryer (22) is provided for drying products such as distillers grains and includes a tubular shell (64) with a moist product inlet (66), an opposed dried product outlet (70), and an internal drying chamber (78). The chamber (78) includes a convection drying first stage (80), and conductive drying final curing stage (82) an intermediate stage (84); the intermediate stage (84) is subdivided into a plurality of contiguous drying zones (86-92). The zones (86-92) include individual flighting assemblies (164) which are of substantially the same density and heat transfer ratios.

A process for separating solvent from spent oil sand solids involves drying the solids using superheated steam, and thereby producing a vapor comprising the vaporized solvent and vaporized water. The vapor is conveyed through a hot side of a first heat exchanger to produce a cooled stream comprising condensed solvent and condensed water, while a water stream is conveyed under vacuum through a cold side of the first heat exchanger to produce steam. A vacuum blower that applies the vacuum may also compress the steam to adiabatically heat the steam, before the steam is further heated by a steam superheater. The condensed water is separated from the cooled stream, and used in producing the water stream that is conveyed through the cold side of the heat exchanger, as the process continues. The steam is used in producing the superheated steam for drying the solids, as the process continues.

A process for separating solvent from spent oil sand solids involves drying the solids using superheated steam, and thereby producing a vapor comprising the vaporized solvent and vaporized water. The vapor is conveyed through a hot side of a first heat exchanger to produce a cooled stream comprising condensed solvent and condensed water, while a water stream is conveyed under vacuum through a cold side of the first heat exchanger to produce steam. A vacuum blower that applies the vacuum may also compress the steam to adiabatically heat the steam, before the steam is further heated by a steam superheater. The condensed water is separated from the cooled stream, and used in producing the water stream that is conveyed through the cold side of the heat exchanger, as the process continues. The steam is used in producing the superheated steam for drying the solids, as the process continues.

A rotary drum dryer includes a shell, an apertured rotary drum disposed within the shell and positioned to define a plenum between an interior surface of the shell and an exterior surface of the rotary drum, the plenum being divided into a plurality of zones by at least one separator plate disposed in the shell, and a plurality of drying air inlet nozzles disposed along the shell, each of the plurality of drying air inlet nozzles being positioned to direct drying air into a corresponding one of the plurality of zones.

A horizontal rotating drum for mixing and drying treated seed with multiple functional zones separated by one or more dams that are attached to and rotate with the drum. The dam regulates the flow of seed through the drum's functional zones. The dam has one or more cleanout passages and an overflow passage centrally disposed within the dam to selectively regulate seed flow.

An improved geometry for flights used in rotary drums of aggregate dryers in the manufacture of asphalt causes the aggregate to shower in an even veil across the full width of the drum under all loading conditions. An opening in the flight having a narrow bottom and wider top allows more aggregate to shower early, especially when flights are lightly loaded, on the uplift side of the drum to complete the aggregate veil and prevent hot gases from bypassing. The opening is oriented with its narrow bottom nearest the inner surface of the drum and its wider top farthest therefrom. The opening does not extend through the full height of the flight, which would form an undesired gap allowing an excessive volume of aggregate to flood out of fully loaded flights on the uplift side of rotation. Such flooding discharge causes a similar imbalance of drying to that caused by too little discharge from light loaded flights. The size and shape of the opening can be varied to adjust the amount of aggregate discharged from each flight to form the veil and to adjust the shape of the veil.