A grain storage bin includes a cylindrical wall formed by a plurality of panels arranged in rows with a bottom edge of a first row bolted to a top edge of a second lower row. At each joint the bottom edge of the first upper row is overlapped with and outside of the outer surface of top edge of the second lower row and the bottom edge is fastened to the top edge by bolts carrying spacers as to define a first channel along the joint for passage of air. A central air injection duct is formed of a series of generally frustoconical duct pieces arranged in a row suspended on a cable from the roof with a tube portion into which the air is injected fixed on legs at a hopper bottom standing upwardly therefrom. The cable is connected by a spring at the bottom to maintain tension.

An improved grain dryer is presented having a mixed-flow heating section having a plurality of inlet ducts connected to the plenum that facilitate air flow into the grain column from the heated and pressurized heat plenum, and a plurality of exhaust ducts connected to openings in the exterior wall that facilitate air flow out of the grain column. Outer most ducts of the inlet and exhaust ducts, which are positioned closest to end walls of the grain column, are configured to reduce bridging or grain between the outer most ducts and the end walls of the grain column.

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gas from the mixing device to be heated, the mixing device inducing withdrawal of gas from the hopper and mixing the withdrawn gas with gas supplied from the first subsystem, the mixed gases being heated and supplied to a second portion of the hopper, the improvement comprising a gas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 process for drying polymeric granular material (2) comprises the steps of: introducing into said drying hopper (10) a process gas having a predefined flow rate so as to heat and dry the polymeric granular material, discharging a portion of the heated polymeric granular material into a transformation unit (100) for the polymeric material; loading an amount of fresh polymeric granular material (2a) into the drying hopper. The process gas flow rate is regulated by measuring the inlet temperature of the fresh polymeric granular material (2a) and comparing it with a predefined inlet temperature of the fresh polymeric granular material, on the basis of which the predefined process gas flow rate has been calculated. If the measured inlet temperature is different from the predefined inlet temperature, the flow rate of the process gas is regulated on the basis of the measured inlet temperature.

An improved grain dryer is presented having a mixed-flow heating section having a plurality of inlet ducts connected to the plenum that facilitate air flow into the grain column from the heated and pressurized heat plenum, and a plurality of exhaust ducts connected to openings in the exterior wall that facilitate air flow out of the grain column. Outer most ducts of the inlet and exhaust ducts, which are positioned closest to end walls of the grain column, are configured to reduce bridging or grain between the outer most ducts and the end walls of the grain column.

An assembly for saturating or aerating a medium with fluid. At least one hollow cylinder having gates and vents embedded within a grain mass. A target section of grain mass is identified and the gates and vents activated to provide influent flow to the target section in both vertical and horizontal directions.

An assembly for saturating or aerating a medium with fluid. At least one hollow cylinder having gates and vents embedded within a grain mass. A target section of grain mass is identified and the gates and vents activated to provide influent flow to the target section in both vertical and horizontal directions.

A drying plant (1) for granular polymer material based on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) comprises a hopper (2), which the granular polymer material is dried and a supply and recirculation circuit (10) for a process gas which is provided to dry the granular polymer material and comprising a catalysing group (25) which is configured to promote a decomposition reaction of contaminating substances which are present in the process gas and which are released from the granular polymer material in the hopper.

A method of injection molding plastic material in granular form includes providing an injection molding press; a dehumidification system including a hopper for containing the granular material; and a dry air generator connected to the hopper. The type of plastic material and mass of plastic material processed by the press are set in an electronic control unit, which regulates the dry airflow rate. The plastic material is injection molded and dry airflow is generated through the hopper. The dry air flow rate is regulated in proportion to the flow rate of plastic material processed by the press. The duration of the molding cycle in progress is detected and the flow rate of plastic material processed is calculated using: duration of the molding cycle in progress, mass of plastic material processed by the press in a molding cycle(s). Injection molding and dehumidification systems process plastic material.

A grain storage bin includes a cylindrical wall formed by a plurality of panels arranged in rows with a bottom edge of a first row bolted to a top edge of a second lower row. At each joint the bottom edge of the first upper row is overlapped with and outside of the outer surface of top edge of the second lower row and the bottom edge is fastened to the top edge by bolts carrying spacers as to define a first channel along the joint for passage of air. A central air injection duct is formed of a series of generally frustoconical duct pieces arranged in a row suspended on a cable from the roof with a tube portion into which the air is injected fixed on legs at a hopper bottom standing upwardly therefrom. The cable is connected by a spring at the bottom to maintain tension