초록 ▼

A dehumidification dryer configured and operated so at to achieve higher drying temperatures than traditionally obtainable with dehumidification driers. The invention takes advantage of refrigerants not previously used in the field of dehumidification drying to achieve temperatures in the range of 2

A dehumidification dryer configured and operated so at to achieve higher drying temperatures than traditionally obtainable with dehumidification driers. The invention takes advantage of refrigerants not previously used in the field of dehumidification drying to achieve temperatures in the range of 240 degrees Fahrenheit-260 degrees Fahrenheit that previously were found only in open hot air kilns. In order to make optimum use of high temperature refrigerants, the invention uses variable control rates for drying the air that is used as the drying medium, and restructures the deployment of the components of the refrigeration circuit that participates in the heat and humidity exchange central to the operation of the drier.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A dehumidification dryer comprising a high-temperature enclosure;a dewatering enclosure that is separate from said high-temperature enclosure;an exit duct providing a means of egress for air from inside said high-temperature enclosure into said dewatering enclosure;a refrigeration circuit that op

1. A dehumidification dryer comprising a high-temperature enclosure;a dewatering enclosure that is separate from said high-temperature enclosure;an exit duct providing a means of egress for air from inside said high-temperature enclosure into said dewatering enclosure;a refrigeration circuit that operates with a high-temperature refrigerant having a saturation temperature of at least 280 degrees Fahrenheit and a saturation pressure not exceeding 400 p.s.i., said refrigeration circuit including an evaporator coil located within said dewatering enclosure,a compressor located outside said dewatering enclosure,a condenser located within said high-temperature enclosure,a first sub-cooler located within said dewatering enclosure,a second sub-cooler located outside said dewatering enclosure, andan expansion device located outside said dewatering enclosure; anda means for directing moist air to be dewatered from said high-temperature enclosure onto said evaporator coil, said means for establishing a flux of said moist air, and wherein said flux is thereby correlated with a refrigerant temperature at a selected point in said refrigeration circuit. 2. The dehumidification dryer as described in claim 1 wherein said means of directing moist air comprises configuring said exit duct to have an evaporator-coil end, wherein said evaporator-coil end of said exit duct is inside said dewatering enclosure and in close proximity to said evaporator coil, and wherein a variable-speed diversion blower is mounted within a return duct, said return duct providing a communication from said dewatering enclosure to said high-temperature enclosure, said diversion blower capable of drawing air from said high-temperature enclosure through said exit duct into said dewatering enclosure, past said evaporator coil, and back to said high-temperature enclosure through said return duct. 3. The dehumidification dryer as described in claim 1 wherein said means of directing moist air comprises a diversion damper and a bypass damper, wherein said diversion damper allows a first fraction of said air from said high-temperature enclosure to be directed onto said evaporator coil and wherein said bypass damper allows a second fraction of said air from said high-temperature enclosure to bypass said evaporator coil. 4. The dehumidification dryer as described in claim 1 also including a return duct for conveying dewatered air from said dewatering enclosure into said high-temperature enclosure, wherein said dewatered air includes substantially all of said moist air from said high-temperature enclosure after some or all of said moist air has passed over said evaporator coil. 5. The dehumidification dryer as described in claim 4 further including one or more drying-air circulation fans for circulating said dewatered air into and through said objects to be dried in said high-temperature enclosure. 6. The dehumidification dryer as described in claim 1 further comprising an evaporator-coil-to-compressor line, a compressor-to-condenser line, and a condenser-to-first-sub-cooler-to-second-sub-cooler-to-evaporator coil line, wherein said evaporator-coil-to-compressor line permits said refrigerant to flow from said evaporator coil to said compressor, wherein said compressor-to-condenser line permits said refrigerant to flow from said compressor to said condenser, and wherein said condenser-to-first-sub-cooler-to-second-sub-cooler-to-evaporator coil line permits said refrigerant to flow from said condenser to said evaporator coil. 7. The dehumidification dryer as described in claim 1 wherein said compressor is located outside of both said high-temperature enclosure and said dewatering enclosure. 8. The dehumidification dryer as described in claim 1 configured as a kiln for drying lumber in said high-temperature enclosure. 9. The dehumidification dryer as described in claim 8 configured to receive said lumber divided into longitudinal elements wherein said high-temperature enclosure includes a platform for supporting said longitudinal elements arrayed in a porous stack, such that dewatered air is circulatable through and around said longitudinal elements. 10. The dryer as described in claim 8 further including a supplemental heater to pre-heat said lumber before activating said dehumidification dryer. 11. The dryer as described in claim 1 further including a supplemental heater to pre-heat said moist air within said high-temperature enclosure. 12. The dehumidification dryer as described in claim 1 wherein said refrigerant is 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane (R245fa). 13. The dehumidification dryer as described in claim 1 wherein said refrigerant is (Z)-1,1,1,4,4,4-hexaflouro-2-butene (R1336mzzZ). 14. The dehumidification dryer as described in claim 1 wherein said refrigerant is R1336mzz-E ((E)-1,1,1,4,4,4-hexaflouro-2-butene). 15. The dehumidification dryer as described in claim 1 wherein said dewatering enclosure is located outside of said high-temperature enclosure. 16. The dehumidification dryer as described in claim 1 wherein said dewatering enclosure is located within said high-temperature enclosure, said dewatering enclosure being thermally isolated from said high-temperature enclosure by the use of insulation. 17. A dehumidification dryer comprising a high-temperature enclosure;a dewatering enclosure that is separate from said high-temperature enclosure;an exit duct providing a means of egress for air from inside said high-temperature enclosure into said dewatering enclosure;a return duct for conveying dewatered air from said dewatering enclosure into said high-temperature enclosure;one or more drying-air circulation fans for circulating said dewatered air into and through objects to be dried in said high-temperature enclosure;a refrigeration circuit that operates with a high-temperature refrigerant having a saturation temperature of at least 280 degrees Fahrenheit and a saturation pressure not exceeding 400 p.s.i., said refrigeration circuit including an evaporator coil located within said dewatering enclosure,a compressor located outside said high-temperature enclosure and outside said dewatering enclosure,a condenser located within said high-temperature enclosure,a first sub-cooler located within said dewatering enclosure,a second sub-cooler located outside said high-temperature enclosure and outside said dewatering enclosure,an expansion device located outside said dewatering enclosurean evaporator-coil-to-compressor line, wherein said evaporator-coil-to-compressor line permits said refrigerant to flow from said evaporator coil to said compressor,a compressor-to-condenser line, wherein said compressor-to-condenser line permits said refrigerant to flow from said compressor to said condenser, anda condenser-to-evaporator coil line, wherein said condenser-to-evaporator coil line permits said refrigerant to flow from said condenser to said evaporator coil; anda means for directing moist air to be dewatered from said high-temperature enclosure onto said evaporator coil, said means for establishing a flux of said moist air, wherein said flux is thereby correlated with a refrigerant temperature at a selected point in said refrigeration circuit, said means comprising configuring said exit duct to have an evaporator-coil end, wherein said evaporator-coil end of said exit duct is inside said dewatering enclosure and in close proximity to said evaporator coil, and wherein a variable-speed diversion blower is mounted within said return duct, said return duct providing a communication from said dewatering enclosure to said high-temperature enclosure, said diversion blower capable of drawing air from said high-temperature enclosure through said exit duct into said dewatering enclosure, past said evaporator coil, and back to said high-temperature enclosure through said return duct. 18. A dehumidification dryer comprising a high-temperature enclosure;a dewatering enclosure that is separate from said high-temperature enclosure;an exit duct providing a means of egress for air from inside said high-temperature enclosure into said dewatering enclosure;a return duct for conveying dewatered air from said dewatering enclosure into said high-temperature enclosure;one or more drying-air circulation fans for circulating said dewatered air into and through objects to be dried in said high-temperature enclosure;a refrigeration circuit that operates with a high-temperature refrigerant having a saturation temperature of at least 280 degrees Fahrenheit and a saturation pressure not exceeding 400 p.s.i., said refrigeration circuit including an evaporator coil located within said dewatering enclosure,a compressor located outside said high-temperature enclosure and outside said dewatering enclosure,a condenser located within said high-temperature enclosure,a first sub-cooler located within said dewatering enclosure,a second sub-cooler located outside said high-temperature enclosure and outside said dewatering enclosure,an expansion device located outside said dewatering enclosurean evaporator-coil-to-compressor line, wherein said evaporator-coil-to-compressor line permits said refrigerant to flow from said evaporator coil to said compressor,a compressor-to-condenser line, wherein said compressor-to-condenser line permits said refrigerant to flow from said compressor to said condenser, anda condenser-to-evaporator coil line, wherein said condenser-to-evaporator coil line permits said refrigerant to flow from said condenser to said evaporator coil; anda means for directing moist air to be dewatered from said high-temperature enclosure onto said evaporator coil, said means for establishing a flux of said moist air, wherein said flux is thereby correlated with a refrigerant temperature at a selected point in said refrigeration circuit, said means comprising a diversion blower mounted within the return duct, a diversion damper, and a bypass damper, said diversion blower capable of drawing air from said high-temperature enclosure into said dewatering enclosure, wherein said diversion damper allows a first fraction of said air from said high-temperature enclosure to be directed onto said evaporator coil and wherein said bypass damper allows a second fraction of said air from said high-temperature enclosure to bypass said evaporator coil.