Dual-zone dehydration tunnel
US7018201B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 23, 2005 |
| Grant date | Mar 28, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 23, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF26B23/02
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A dehydration tunnel for fruits, vegetables, and other products reduces the vulnerability of the products to damage from carmelization and case hardening by dividing a row of product vessels into two segments, passing heated air simultaneously over both segments but in opposite directions, and advancing the row of vessels unidirectionally through the tunnel. Each vessel is thus exposed to a stream of heated air traversing the vessel in one direction, followed by a separate stream of heated air traversing the vessel in the opposite direction. This allows the tunnel to be operated at moderate temperatures and reduces the harmful temperature cycling of each vessel that is typical of tunnel dryers of the prior art.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.