An infrared heating system is disclosed that includes an enclosed tube extending from a first open end to a second open end, the enclosed tube having a sidewall opening in a sidewall of the tube at a location between the first and second open ends; an infrared heater mounted to the exterior of the enclosed tube such that heating elements of the infrared heater are exposed to the tube sidewall opening; and an auger disposed within the enclosed tube, the auger being driven by a drive system such that material fed into the enclosed tube at the first open end is transported to the second open end of the tube and is exposed to the heating elements of the infrared heater as the material is transported between the first and second open ends.

The dryer comprises a dryer receptacle having an inner space for receiving herbaceous material and a driving device for rotating the dryer receptacle about a rotation axis of the dryer receptacle. Vanes for engaging herbaceous material received in the inner space of the dryer receptacle extend from an inner surface of the dryer receptacle into the inner space of the dryer receptacle. In a cross-section with a sectional plane perpendicular to the rotation axis, the vanes are inclined with respect to the radial direction. Vane heating elements are incorporated into the vanes.

A multitubular rotary heat exchanger has a stationary shielding unit. The shielding unit is positioned in close proximity to a tube plate outside a heating or cooling region. A stationary surface of the shielding unit is positioned in opposition to and in close proximity to an end opening of a heat transfer tube moving in an upper zone of the heating or cooling region, thereby transiently reducing or restricting the flow rate of the thermal medium fluid flowing through the heat transfer tube moving in the upper zone.

A multitubular rotary heat exchanger has a stationary shielding unit. The shielding unit is positioned in close proximity to a tube plate outside a heating or cooling region. A stationary surface of the shielding unit is positioned in opposition to and in close proximity to an end opening of a heat transfer tube moving in an upper zone of the heating or cooling region, thereby transiently reducing or restricting the flow rate of the thermal medium fluid flowing through the heat transfer tube moving in the upper zone.

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 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 rotatable drum for an infrared drying system includes a body having a first end defining an entry opening, an opposite second end, and a plurality of planar sides extending therebetween. At least one of the planar sides defines an exit opening adjacent to the first end. An interior cavity is defined by the first and second ends and the planar sides, and the interior cavity is configured to receive solids at the entry opening and discharge solids at the exit opening. The body also includes at least one flight extending from an interior surface of the body into the interior cavity. The at least one flight is configured to channel solids from the entry opening to the back end when the drum is rotating clockwise and to channel solids from the second end to the exit opening when the drum is rotating counter-clockwise.

An infrared heating system is disclosed that includes an enclosed tube extending from a first open end to a second open end, the enclosed tube having a sidewall opening in a sidewall of the tube at a location between the first and second open ends; an infrared heater mounted to the exterior of the enclosed tube such that heating elements of the infrared heater are exposed to the tube sidewall opening; and an auger disposed within the enclosed tube, the auger being driven by a drive system such that material fed into the enclosed tube at the first open end is transported to the second open end of the tube and is exposed to the heating elements of the infrared heater as the material is transported between the first and second open ends.

Provided is an indirectly heating rotary dryer which has achieved enhanced energy-saving performance by reducing heating tubes non-contacting with material to be dried and reducing power required for rotation even when a hold up ratio is increased. Specifically provided is an indirectly heating rotary dryer having four partition walls 16 extended respectively along an shaft center C in an inner space of a rotating shell 10 at angle intervals of 90 degrees in the vertical and horizontal directions. The four partition walls 16 partition the inner space of the rotating shell 10 at a lateral section of the rotating shell 10 into four approximately-sector-shaped small spaces K respectively extended along the shaft center C. Heating tubes 11 are aligned in the rotating shell 10 in three lines extended respectively in parallel to the shaft center C of the rotating shell 10. The heat tubes 11 heat and dry the material H to be dried by supplying heated steam to the heating tubes 11 and performing heat exchange with the material H to be dried in the rotating shell 10.

Provided is an indirectly heating rotary dryer which has achieved enhanced energy-saving performance by reducing heating tubes non-contacting with material to be dried and reducing power required for rotation even when a hold up ratio is increased.

Specifically provided is an indirectly heating rotary dryer having four partition walls 16 extended respectively along an shaft center C in an inner space of a rotating shell 10 at angle intervals of 90 degrees in the vertical and horizontal directions. The four partition walls 16 partition the inner space of the rotating shell 10 at a lateral section of the rotating shell 10 into four approximately-sector-shaped small spaces K respectively extended along the shaft center C. Heating tubes 11 are aligned in the rotating shell 10 in three lines extended respectively in parallel to the shaft center C of the rotating shell 10. The heat tubes 11 heat and dry the material H to be dried by supplying heated steam to the heating tubes 11 and performing heat exchange with the material H to be dried in the rotating shell 10.

Provided is an indirectly heated rotary dryer which has achieved enhanced energy-saving performance by reducing heating tubes non-contacting with material to be dried and reducing power required for rotation even when a hold up ratio is increased. Specifically provided is an indirectly heated rotary dryer having four partition walls extended respectively along a shaft center in an inner space of a rotating shell at angle intervals of 90 degrees in the vertical and horizontal directions. The four partition walls partition the inner space of the rotating shell at a lateral section of the rotating shell into four approximately-sector-shaped small spaces respectively extended along the shaft center. Heating tubes are aligned in the rotating shell in three lines extended respectively in parallel to the shaft center of the rotating shell. The heat tubes heat and dry the material to be dried by supplying heated steam to the heating tubes and performing heat exchange with the material to be dried in the rotating shell.