Method and apparatus for the spray drying of heat sensitive liquiform materials

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF SUPPLYING, FOR AT LEAST ONE DIURNAL PERIOD, A CONTINUOUS SUPPLY OF AIR INTO A DRYING TOWER HAVING A JACKET FORMED BY AN INNER AND AN OUTER TOWER WALL DEFINING A SPACE THEREBETWEEN, SAID SPACE BEING DIVIDED INT A FIRST AND A SECOND REGION BY AN INTERMEDIATE WALL AND THE WALLS OF THE FIRST REGION BEING PRECONDITIONED BY HEAT-EXCHANGE WITH ATMOSPHERIC AIR AT ONE TEMPERATURE WHICH COMPRISES (A) DURING THE DAY COOLING ATMOSPHERIC AIR HAVING A HIGHER TEMPERATURE IN THE FIRST REGION BY RELEASING ITS HEAT TO THE WALLS OF THE FIRST REGION; THEN DEHUMIDIFYING THE AIR BY FEEDING IT THROUGH A DEHUMIDIFYING ZONE; THEN PASSING THE DEHUMIDIFIED AIR THROUGH THE SECOND REGION TO EXCHANGE HEAT WITH THE WALLS THEREOF, AND THEN FEEDING THE DEHUMIDIFIED AIR HAVING A TEMPERATURE NOT EXCEEDING ABOUT 60* C. INTO THE DRYING TOWER CONTINUOUSLY, AND (B) DURING THE NIGHT HEATING ATMOSPHERIC AIR HAVING A LOWER TEMPERATURE IN THE FIRST REGION BY ABSORBING HEAT FROM THE WALLS OF THE FIRST REGION; THEN DEHUMIDIFING THE AIR BY FEEDING IT THROUGH A DEHUMIDIFYING ZONE; THEN PASSING THE DEHUMIDIFIED AIR THROUGH THE SECOND REGION TO EXCHANGE HEAT WITH THE WALLS THEREOF; AND FEEDING THE DEHUMIDIFIED AIR HAVING A TEMPERATURE NOT EXCEEDING ABOUT 60* C. INTO THE DRYING TOWER CONTINUOUSLY.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF SUPPLYING, FOR AT LEAST ONE DIURNAL PERIOD, A CONTINUOUS SUPPLY OF AIR INTO A DRYING TOWER HAVING A JACKET FORMED BY AN INNER AND AN OUTER TOWER WALL DEFINING A SPACE THEREBETWEEN, SAID SPACE BEING DIVIDED INT A FIRST AND A SECOND REGION BY AN INTERMEDIATE WALL AND THE WALLS OF THE FIRST REGION BEING PRECONDITIONED BY HEAT-EXCHANGE WITH ATMOSPHERIC AIR AT ONE TEMPERATURE WHICH COMPRISES (A) DURING THE DAY COOLING ATMOSPHERIC AIR HAVING A HIGHER TEMPERATURE IN THE FIRST REGION BY RELEASING ITS HEAT TO THE WALLS OF THE FIRST REGION; THEN DEHUMIDIFYING THE AIR BY FEEDING IT THROUGH A DEHUMIDIFYING ZONE; THEN PASSING THE DEHUMIDIFIED AIR THROUGH THE SECOND REGION TO EXCHANGE HEAT WITH THE WALLS THEREOF, AND THEN FEEDING THE DEHUMIDIFIED AIR HAVING A TEMPERATURE NOT EXCEEDING ABOUT 60* C. INTO THE DRYING TOWER CONTINUOUSLY, AND (B) DURING THE NIGHT HEATING ATMOSPHERIC AIR HAVING A LOWER TEMPERATURE IN THE FIRST REGION BY ABSORBING HEAT FROM THE WALLS OF THE FIRST REGION; THEN DEHUMIDIFING THE AIR BY FEEDING IT THROUGH A DEHUMIDIFYING ZONE; THEN PASSING THE DEHUMIDIFIED AIR THROUGH THE SECOND REGION TO EXCHANGE HEAT WITH THE WALLS THEREOF; AND FEEDING THE DEHUMIDIFIED AIR HAVING A TEMPERATURE NOT EXCEEDING ABOUT 60* C. INTO THE DRYING TOWER CONTINUOUSLY.