Ventilating system for dryers

Claim 2

A ventilating system for controlling the wet bulb-dry bulb conditions of drying chambers having defining side, end, top and bottom walls, and arranged to receive a load through which air is to be circulated, said system comprising, first and second elongated conduits arranged for communicating with a drying chamber and having ports establishing communication between said conduits and the drying chamber, said first and second conduits being arranged for location in the drying chamber so as to be located longitudinally on opposite sides of a load in the drying chamber; a flow control housing having first and second compartments communicating respectively with said first and second conduits, opening means in each of said first and second compartments communicating with atmosphere; controllable fan means operable to draw exhaust air from the drying chamber through one of said first and second compartments and its associated conduit and force makeup air through the other of said first and second compartments and its associated conduit into the drying chamber; heat exchange means in said flow control housing extracting heat from exhaust air being discharged in one of said compartments and transferring said heat to the other compartment for preheating makeup air being admitted; and controllable damper means in said flow control housing between said heat exchange means and said opening means controlling the flow of exhaust and makeup air through said compartments.

Claim 3

The ventilating system of claim 1 wherein said flow control housing is arranged for mounting at the top and exteriorly of a drying chamber, and means adjacent one side of said flow control housing arranged to provide communication between said compartments and their respective ducts or conduits.

Claim 4

The ventilating system of claim 1 wherein said flow control housing is arranged for mounting at the top and exteriorly of a drying chamber, means adjacent one side of said flow control housing arranged to provide communication between said compartments and their respective ducts, said opening means being disposed at the other side of said flow control housing relation to sid one side, said fan means being supported in said flow control housing adjacent said other side thereof and adjacent said opening means.

Claim 5

The ventilating system of claim 1 wherein said heat exchange means includes a vacuum sealed pipe and a capillary wick and working fluid which in operation causes evaporation of said working fluid when heated at one end which in turn generates vapor at a pressure causing it to travel to the other end where it is condensed and the latent heat of vaporization transferred.

Claim 6

A dryer for controlling the wet bulb-dry bulb conditions of its interior comprising defining side, end, top and bottom walls forming a dryer chamber arranged to receive a load through which air is to be circulated; reversible circulating fans in said drying chamber; drive means for said circulating fans; first and second duct means mounted in said drying chamber and having ports establishing communication between said ducts and said drying chamber, said first and second duct means being arranged for location in said drying chamber so as to be located on opposite sides of a load in said drying chamber; a flow control housing having first and second compartments communicating respectively with said first and second duct means; opening means in each of said first and second compartments communicating with atmosphere; controllable fan means operable to draw exhaust air from the drying chamber through one of said first and second compartments and its associated duct means and force makeup air through the other of said first and second compartments and its associated duct means into said drying chamber; drive means operably connected to said fan means for driving said fan means and providing flow of exhaust and makeup air through said compartments and duct means; heat exchange means in said flow control housing extracting heat from exhaust air being discharged in one of said compartments and transferring said heat to the other compartment for preheating makeup air being admitted; and controllable damper means in said flow control housing between said heat exchange means and said opening means controlling the flow of exhaust and makeup air through said compartments, said drive means for said fan means being reversible for reversing the flow of exhaust and makeup air through said first and second compartments and said first and second duct means, said drive means for said circulating fans being reversible and being synchronized with the drive means for said fan means for simultaneously reversing said fan means and said circulating fans.

Claim 7

A dryer for controlling the wet bulb-dry bulb conditions of its interior comprising defining side, end, top and bottom walls forming a dryer chamber arranged to receive a load through which air is to be circulated; reversible circulating fans in said drying chamber; drive means for said circulating fans; first and second duct means mounted in said drying chamber and having ports establishing communication between said ducts and said drying chamber, said first and second duct means being arranged for location in said drying chamber so as to be located on opposite sides of a load in said drying chamber; a flow control housing having first and second compartments communicating respectively with said first and second duct means; opening means in each of said first and second compartments communicating with atmosphere; controllable fan means operable to draw exhaust air from the drying chamber through one of said first and second compartments and its associated duct means and force makeup air through the other of said first and second compartments and its associated duct means into said drying chamber; drive means operably connected to said fan means for driving said fan means and providing flow of exhaust and makeup air through said compartments and duct means; heat exchange means in said flow control housing extracting heat from exhaust air being discharged in one of said compartments and transferring said heat to the other compartment for preheating makeup air being admitted; and controllable damper means in said flow control housing between said heat exchange means and said opening means controlling the flow of exhaust and makeup air through said compartments, said drive means for said fan means being reversible for reversing the flow of exhaust and makeup air through said first and second compartments and said first and second duct means, said drive means for said circulating fans being reversible and being synchronized with the drive means for said fan means for simultaneously reversing said fan means and said circulating fans.

Claim 8

The dryer of claim 5 wherein said flow control housing is mounted on the top exterior of said drying chamber and includes conduit means establishing communication between said ducts and their respective compartments.

Claim 9

A ventilating system for controlling the wet bulb-dry bulb conditions of drying chambers having defin ing side, end, top and bottom walls, and arranged to receive a load through which air is to be circulated, said system comprising, first and second elongated conduits arranged for communicating with a drying chamber and having ports establishing communication between said conduits and the drying chamber, said first and second conduits being arranged for location in the drying chamber so as to be located on opposite sides of a load in the drying chamber; a flow control housing defined by side, end, top and bottom walls and including a transverse partition forming first and second parallel and independent compartments communicating respectively with said first and second conduits; opening means in the end walls of each of said first and second compartments communicating with atmosphere; controllable fan means operable to draw exhaust air from the drying chamber through one of said first and second compartments and its associated conduit and force makeup air through the other of said first and second compartments and its associated conduit into the drying chamber; said fan means comprising a fan associated with each of said compartments, said fans being mounted on a common shaft passing through said partition wall in said housing and producing substantially equal flow of exhaust and mekeup air; drive means operably connected to said shaft for driving said shaft and providing flow of exhaust and makeup air through said compartments and conduits at said equal rate; heat exchange means in said flow control housing extending through said partition between said first and second compartments, said heat exchange means extracting heat from exhaust air being discharged in one of said compartments and transferring said heat to the other compartment for preheating makeup air being admitted; and controllable damper means in said flow control housing between said heat exchange means and said opening means controlling the flow of exhaust and makeup air through said compartments.

Claim 10

A ventilating system for controlling the wet bulb-dry bulb conditions of drying chambers having defin ing side, end, top and bottom walls, and arranged to receive a load through which air is to be circulated, said system comprising, first and second elongated conduits arranged for communicating with a drying chamber and having ports establishing communication between said conduits and the drying chamber, said first and second conduits being arranged for location in the drying chamber so as to be located on opposite sides of a load in the drying chamber; a flow control housing defined by side, end, top and bottom walls and including a transverse partition forming first and second parallel and independent compartments communicating respectively with said first and second conduits; opening means in the end walls of each of said first and second compartments communicating with atmosphere; controllable fan means operable to draw exhaust air from the drying chamber through one of said first and second compartments and its associated conduit and force makeup air through the other of said first and second compartments and its associated conduit into the drying chamber; said fan means comprising a fan associated with each of said compartments, said fans being mounted on a common shaft passing through said partition wall in said housing and producing substantially equal flow of exhaust and mekeup air; drive means operably connected to said shaft for driving said shaft and providing flow of exhaust and makeup air through said compartments and conduits at said equal rate; heat exchange means in said flow control housing extending through said partition between said first and second compartments, said heat exchange means extracting heat from exhaust air being discharged in one of said compartments and transferring said heat to the other compartment for preheating makeup air being admitted; and controllable damper means in said flow control housing between said heat exchange means and said opening means controlling the flow of exhaust and makeup air through said compartments.

Claim 11

A dryer for controlling the wet bulb-dry bulb conditions of its interior comprising, defining side, end, top and bottom walls forming a dryer chamber arranged to receive a load through which air is to be circulated; reversible circulating fans in said drying chamber; drive means for said circulating fans; first and second duct means mounted in said drying chamber and having ports establishing communication between said ducts and said drying chamber, said first and second duct means being arranged for location in said drying chamber so as to be located on opposite sides of a load in said drying chamber; a flow control housing having first and second compartments communicating respectively with said first and second duct means; opening means in each of said first and second compartments communicating with atmosphere; controllable fan means operable to draw exhaust air from the drying chamber through one of said first and second compartments and its associated duct means and force makeup air through the other of said first and second compartments and its associated duct means into said drying chamber; drive means operably connected to said fan means for driving said fan means and providing flow of exhaust and makeup air through said compartments and duct means; heat exchange means in said flow control housing extracting heat from exhaust air being discharged in one of said compartments and transferring said heat to the other compartment for preheating makeup air being admitted; and controllable damper means in said flow control housing between said heat exchange means and said opening means controlling the flow of exhaust and makeup air through said compartments, reversing means for reversing the flow of exhaust and makeup air through said first and second duct means, said drive means for said circulating fans being reversible and being synchronized with said reversing means for simultaneously reversing said flow of exhaust and makeup air and the air from said circulating fans.

Claim 12

A dryer for controlling the wet bulb-dry bulb conditions of its interior comprising, defining side, end, top and bottom walls forming a dryer chamber arranged to receive a load through which air is to be circulated; reversible circulating fans in said drying chamber; drive means for said circulating fans; first and second duct means mounted in said drying chamber and having ports establishing communication between said ducts and said drying chamber, said first and second duct means being arranged for location in said drying chamber so as to be located on opposite sides of a load in said drying chamber; a flow control housing having first and second compartments communicating respectively with said first and second duct means; opening means in each of said first and second compartments communicating with atmosphere; controllable fan means operable to draw exhaust air from the drying chamber through one of said first and second compartments and its associated duct means and force makeup air through the other of said first and second compartments and its associated duct means into said drying chamber; drive means operably connected to said fan means for driving said fan means and providing flow of exhaust and makeup air through said compartments and duct means; heat exchange means in said flow control housing extracting heat from exhaust air being discharged in one of said compartments and transferring said heat to the other compartment for preheating makeup air being admitted; and controllable damper means in said flow control housing between said heat exchange means and said opening means controlling the flow of exhaust and makeup air through said compartments, reversing means for reversing the flow of exhaust and makeup air through said first and second duct means, said drive means for said circulating fans being reversible and being synchronized with said reversing means for simultaneously reversing said flow of exhaust and makeup air and the air from said circulating fans.