US4561192A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Spray drying apparatus and method
Assignee: Dairymans Cooperative Creamery Assoc
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Filing: 1984-09-27
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Granted: 1985-12-31
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Expires: 2004-09-27
Abstract
Abstract Multi-stage spray drying method to produce spray dried products efficiently in the form of porous clusters of dense individual spheroidal particles bonded together, said clusters or fragments thereof exhibiting rapid wetting and solubility characteristics for reconstituting with water. When fragmented by milling, the product retains free flowing properties and packs in containers requiring less volume for a given shipping weight.
Inventors
- 👤 Reginald E. Meade
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 23:39
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D1/00; B01D1/16; B01D1/18; A; A23; A23C; A23C1/00; A23C1/04; A23C1/05; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S159/00; Y10S159/03
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
234 words
Spray drying apparatus comprising a horizontally extended structure having a main drying chamber, atomizer means for introducing a fluid feed material in the form of atomized particles into the upper portion of the chamber adjacent one end of the same, means for introducing drying gas into said end portion of the chamber and in a general horizontal direction, whereby the atomized particles are dispersed in the drying gas to effect drying of the particles, a secondary drying unit of the fluidized bed type enclosing and extending below the lower end of the chamber and having its upper side open thereto for substantially the horizontal length of the chamber, whereby particulate material progressing downwardly through the main drying chamber is received in a fluidized bed of such material in the secondary drying unit, the secondary drying unit having a generally horizontal screen upon which particulate material is deposited and the fluidized bed maintained, one end portion of the unit having means for discharging the particulate material, the unit having means for vibrating the screen to cause the fluidized bed of material thereon to progress toward the discharge end, duct means for discharging gas from the upper portion of the main chamber, and means for supplying drying gas to the secondary drying unit whereby such gas flows upwardly through the screen and fluidized bed of material thereon and from thence upwardly through the main drying chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
234 words
Spray drying apparatus comprising a horizontally extended structure having a main drying chamber, atomizer means for introducing a fluid feed material in the form of atomized particles into the upper portion of the chamber adjacent one end of the same, means for introducing drying gas into said end portion of the chamber and in a general horizontal direction, whereby the atomized particles are dispersed in the drying gas to effect drying of the particles, a secondary drying unit of the fluidized bed type enclosing and extending below the lower end of the chamber and having its upper side open thereto for substantially the horizontal length of the chamber, whereby particulate material progressing downwardly through the main drying chamber is received in a fluidized bed of such material in the secondary drying unit, the secondary drying unit having a generally horizontal screen upon which particulate material is deposited and the fluidized bed maintained, one end portion of the unit having means for discharging the particulate material, the unit having means for vibrating the screen to cause the fluidized bed of material thereon to progress toward the discharge end, duct means for discharging gas from the upper portion of the main chamber, and means for supplying drying gas to the secondary drying unit whereby such gas flows upwardly through the screen and fluidized bed of material thereon and from thence upwardly through the main drying chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus as in claim 1 together with a second fluidized bed dryer unit, the second unit having one end thereof disposed to receive material from the first mentioned secondary drying unit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus as in claim 2 in which said second fluidized bed dryer unit is disposed directly below the first unit.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus as in claim 1 in which lower side wall portions of the structure are convergent to form a trough extending horizontally from one end of the structure to the other end, the trough overlying the secondary drying unit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus as in claim 2 or 4 in which drying gas is supplied to the second drying unit and duct means conducts gas carrying fine material discharging from the second unit and introduces the same into the main chamber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus as in claim 1 in which said duct means for discharging gas from the main chamber is located at the end of the chamber that is horizontally remote from the said one end portion of the chamber.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
263 words
A method of drying a fluid feed material making use of spray drying apparatus having a structure forming a horizontally extended main drying chamber with means for introducing drying gas and for introducing atomized particles of the feed material and for dispersing the particles in the gas, and means for discharging gas from the main drying chamber, the apparatus also including a unit of the fluidized bed type having a generally horizontal screen that is vibrated, the method comprising causing the atomized particles of the fluid bed to be introduced into one end portion of the main drying chamber and to be dispersed in the drying gas to partially dry the atomized particles, the drying gas being directed horizontally into the upper portion of the main drying chamber, causing the partially dried particles to progress downwardly without obstruction to form a fluidized bed extending over the screen of said fluidized bed unit, supplying drying gas to said unit below the screen thereof whereby such gas progresses upwardly through the screen and the partially dried particles forming the fluidized bed of material thereon and from thence upwardly into the main chamber, continuously causing the finer powder particles of the fluidized bed to be separated from the fluidized bed by the drying gas progressing upwardly through the fluidized bed, co-mingling in the main drying chamber such finer particles with the atomized and partially dried material whereby such finer particles are caused to adhere to partially dried dispersed particles and returned to the fluidized bed, and continually discharging material from one end of the fluidized bed.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
263 words
A method of drying a fluid feed material making use of spray drying apparatus having a structure forming a horizontally extended main drying chamber with means for introducing drying gas and for introducing atomized particles of the feed material and for dispersing the particles in the gas, and means for discharging gas from the main drying chamber, the apparatus also including a unit of the fluidized bed type having a generally horizontal screen that is vibrated, the method comprising causing the atomized particles of the fluid bed to be introduced into one end portion of the main drying chamber and to be dispersed in the drying gas to partially dry the atomized particles, the drying gas being directed horizontally into the upper portion of the main drying chamber, causing the partially dried particles to progress downwardly without obstruction to form a fluidized bed extending over the screen of said fluidized bed unit, supplying drying gas to said unit below the screen thereof whereby such gas progresses upwardly through the screen and the partially dried particles forming the fluidized bed of material thereon and from thence upwardly into the main chamber, continuously causing the finer powder particles of the fluidized bed to be separated from the fluidized bed by the drying gas progressing upwardly through the fluidized bed, co-mingling in the main drying chamber such finer particles with the atomized and partially dried material whereby such finer particles are caused to adhere to partially dried dispersed particles and returned to the fluidized bed, and continually discharging material from one end of the fluidized bed.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as in claim 7 in which the material discharged from the fluidized bed is subjected to further treatment in contact with a drying gas.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as in claim 8 in which the further treatment is carried out by contacting the particles with a drying gas in a second unit of the fluidized bed type.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as in claim 9 in which gas discharging from the second unit together with fines is introduced into the main chamber whereby such fines are recycled.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as in claim 7 in which the feed material contains crystallizable components.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
101 words
A method as in claim 7 in which the feed material contains components tending to impart stickiness to the partially dried atomized particles whereby random contacts between such sticky particles form aggregates, the material deposited in the fluidized bed of said unit being such aggregates together with some fine powder material, the fine powder material being removed from the fluidized bed by drying gas progressing upwardly through the same and co-mingled with the material in the main chamber to cause the same to adhere to partially dried and sticky particulates therein, thereby forming aggregates that are deposited in the fluidized bed.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as in claim 12 in which the feed material is dairy cheese whey.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method as in claim 7 in which the dispersed particulate material in the main drying chamber is continuously deposited over substantially the entire area of the fluidized bed, and in which the fluidized bed of material is progressed toward that portion of the chamber underlying said one end portion, where it is discharged from the unit.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method as in claim 14 in which the fluidized bed is extended horizontally and the screen is vibrated to cause material to progress toward and to be discharged continuously from said one end of the bed.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-12-30 | 1989-07-01 | 1989-12-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-12-30 | 1993-07-01 | 1993-12-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-12-30 | 1997-07-01 | 1997-12-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |