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 Rotary dryer comprises a dryer receptacle having an inner space for receiving herbaceous material, a driving device for rotating the dryer receptacle about a rotation axis of the dryer receptacle, and a channel-shaped collector being at least partially open in its upper portion provided in the inner space of the dryer receptacle for collecting dried herbaceous material.

The dryer comprises a dryer receptacle having an inner space for receiving herbaceous material, an access assembly providing access to the inner space of the dryer receptacle, and a heating system comprising at least one access heating element for actively heating the access assembly. The access assembly comprises at least one of an inlet conveyor for supplying herbaceous material into the inner space of the dryer receptacle and an outlet conveyor for removing herbaceous material from the inner space of the dryer receptacle. The at least one access heating element comprises a conveyor heating element incorporated into the conveyor.

The invention may utilize shaft horsepower for rotating cylinders to move a fluid in an axial direction within the cylinder. The cylinder may comprise a spiral blade on or in its inner surface with a pitch relative to a central axis of the cylinder. The blade's pitch may be variable or uniform with respect to the central axis. In some applications, plural blades may be positioned within the cylinder. The invention is particularly suitable for imparting kinetic energy sufficient to assist with the evacuation of condensate from a paper dryer cylinder with reduced or no blow through steam. The invention also has applications for spinner wheels.

Methods and devices for agitating material. In some embodiments, an agitator is positioned in a receptacle to agitate material therein. The agitator may include a shaft, an arm extending from the shaft, and at least one knife extending from the arm. In some embodiments, the agitator may further include one or more agitator elements operably connected to at least one knife.

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 invention may utilize shaft horsepower for rotating cylinders to move a fluid in an axial direction within the cylinder. The cylinder may comprise a spiral blade on or in its inner surface with a pitch relative to a central axis of the cylinder. The blade's pitch may be variable or uniform with respect to the central axis. In some applications, plural blades may be positioned within the cylinder. The invention is particularly suitable for imparting kinetic energy sufficient to assist with the evacuation of condensate from a paper dryer cylinder with reduced or no blow through steam. The invention also has applications for spinner wheels.

A drying device for a mixture of a liquid and one or more solids, having a receiving container for the mixture, a rotor that is situated with one section of its circumference in the receiving container, and a drive device for rotatively driving the rotor, the rotor having a plurality of flat entrainment elements, characterized in that the entrainment elements have a radial orientation with respect to a rotational axis of the rotor, wherein at least some of the entrainment elements have a configuration in which relatively narrow entrainment elements alternate with relatively wide entrainment elements in the circumferential direction of the rotor, and/or at least some of the entrainment elements are provided with a plurality of through openings.

The invention may utilize shaft horsepower for rotating cylinders to move a fluid in an axial direction within the cylinder. The cylinder may comprise a spiral blade on or in its inner surface with a pitch relative to a central axis of the cylinder. The blade's pitch may be variable or uniform with respect to the central axis. In some applications, plural blades may be positioned within the cylinder. The invention is particularly suitable for imparting kinetic energy sufficient to assist with the evacuation of condensate from a paper dryer cylinder with reduced or no blow through steam. The invention also has applications for spinner wheels.

The invention may utilize shaft horsepower for rotating cylinders to move a fluid in an axial direction within the cylinder. The cylinder may comprise a spiral blade on or in its inner surface with a pitch relative to a central axis of the cylinder. The blade's pitch may be variable or uniform with respect to the central axis. In some applications, plural blades may be positioned within the cylinder. The invention is particularly suitable for imparting kinetic energy sufficient to assist with the evacuation of condensate from a paper dryer cylinder with reduced or no blow through steam. The invention also has applications for spinner wheels.