Abstract A furnace for providing dehydrating gases has its flue connected in series with a multiple-pass dehydrating drum compartment by longitudinal radial partitions to promote efficient intimate exposure of material to dehydrated gas by subdividing both the gas and the material into narrow streams while still providing the tumbling which results from drum rotation. The light output of the drum is delivered through a settling chamber into a cyclone separator which has its gas discharge port connected to a blower that subjects the chamber and drum and furnace to vacuum. The light solids are then recombined with heavy solids before discharge. Discharge of solids without access of air is controlled by a rotary valve which has generally radial vanes protected from breakage by provision of angularly yieldable end portions.
A dehydrator comprising a rotatable drum having an inlet at one end and an outlet at the other, a suction fan for effecting flow of dehydrating gases and material through the drum, a cyclone separator connected in series between the drum and the fan for segregating dehydrated material from the gases which have acted thereon, said separator including a tapered separating chamber And a discharge port for solids opening from the smaller end thereof, a normally closed rotary discharge valve controlling flow through said discharge port, said valve comprising a rotatably mounted shaft and outwardly projecting vanes mounted thereon, each such vane having a vane extension in hinged connection therewith, means for biasing said extension to project outwardly from the vane to which it is hinged, and a valve chamber substantially closed by the several extensions when they are in the normal position to which they are biased, each such extension being yieldable upon its hinged connection to pass objects foreign to the material being dehydrated.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
166 words
A dehydrator comprising a rotatable drum having an inlet at one end and an outlet at the other, a suction fan for effecting flow of dehydrating gases and material through the drum, a cyclone separator connected in series between the drum and the fan for segregating dehydrated material from the gases which have acted thereon, said separator including a tapered separating chamber And a discharge port for solids opening from the smaller end thereof, a normally closed rotary discharge valve controlling flow through said discharge port, said valve comprising a rotatably mounted shaft and outwardly projecting vanes mounted thereon, each such vane having a vane extension in hinged connection therewith, means for biasing said extension to project outwardly from the vane to which it is hinged, and a valve chamber substantially closed by the several extensions when they are in the normal position to which they are biased, each such extension being yieldable upon its hinged connection to pass objects foreign to the material being dehydrated.