초록 ▼

An energy efficient dryer for solid foods with moist interiors uses both thermal convective and microwave drying processes. The dryer will run on a fuel such as natural gas alone, and requires no input of electricity because it utilizes a single prime mover to produce both thermal energy and electri

An energy efficient dryer for solid foods with moist interiors uses both thermal convective and microwave drying processes. The dryer will run on a fuel such as natural gas alone, and requires no input of electricity because it utilizes a single prime mover to produce both thermal energy and electrical energy, such as an internal combustion engine, which both provides heat for convective drying, and drives a generator which produces electricity for conversion to microwave power. Moist food is fed by an air pervious belt or other means through a first zone in which it is dried by thermal convection, and then through a second zone in which it is dried by microwave radiation.

대표청구항 ▼

A method for efficient removal of moisture from a moist interior solid product with controlled physical change comprising the steps of: convection heating said solid product with a heated air stream to remove internal moisture to achieve a maximum moisture removal rate while maintaining said product

A method for efficient removal of moisture from a moist interior solid product with controlled physical change comprising the steps of: convection heating said solid product with a heated air stream to remove internal moisture to achieve a maximum moisture removal rate while maintaining said product below a predetermined maximum temperature thereby controlling additional physical change to the product, maintaining said convection heating until a predetermined critical moisture content of the product is achieved beyond which critical moisture content the drying rate decreases and the temperature of the product increases above said predetermined determined maximum with continued convection heating due to decreased evaporation and decreased surface migration of moisture, and then exposing said product to microwave radiation to increase moisture migration toward the product surface for removal and evaporation cooling to maintain said product below said maximum temperature until the desired moisture removal is completed, whereby the desired moisture will be efficiently removed from said product while controlling internal and surface physical change to the product.