Method and apparatus for controlling the amount of moisture removed from material

Claim 2

In apparatus for drying material such as sheet paper including a drying area having drying means for drying the material as it is conveyed through the drying area in close proximity to the drying means, having an inlet area through which the material initially passes and an outlet area from which the material emerges from the drying means, said drying means including a plurality of drums spaced throughout the drying area between the inlet and outlet areas, a number of exhaust ducts located adjacent to but spaced from the drying means to convey the moisture removed from the material away from the drying area, one of said ducts being located at the outlet area, containing means to draw air into duct, and having an inlet spanning a distance extending transversely over a plurality of drums, said one duct having a throat area of reduced size in comparison to said inlet area thereof through which the exhaust air passes after leaving said inlet area of said duct, means for controlling the temperature of the drying means for controlling the amount of moisture removed from the material comprising in combination, heating means for heating said drying means, a first control means for controlling the amount of heat imparted to said drying means by said heating means, and moisture sensing means located in said throat area of said one duct at the outlet area and connected to said first control means for sensing the moisture removed from the material as it passes through the outlet area and through said one duct for regulating said first control means to increase the amount of heat imparted to said drying means when the sensed moisture is above a predetermined range and to decrease the amount of heat imparted to said drying means when the sensed moisture is below a predetermined range.

Claim 3

The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said drying means includes a plurality of drums arranged in series in the drying area, said heating means including a source of steam, and supply conduit interconnecting the source of steam and said drums, and wherein said first control means includes a control valve means in said supply conduit operable in response to said sensing means to open or close said conduit depending on the moisture sensed in said one duct.

Claim 4

The combination defined in claim 1 further including a computer relay connected to said sensing device to receive signals therefrom in accordance with the moisture sensed, a humidity controller connected to said computer relay to receive signals therefrom in accordance with the moisture sensed, and a control valve means operable in response to signals from the humidity controller.

Claim 5

In the art of drying moist sheet material by passing it through a heated area having an inlet and an outlet to remove moisture from the sheet material, and sensing the amount of moisture removed from the material to control the temperature of the heated area and consequently the amount of moisture removed from the sheet material; and method comprising the steps of; sensing the moisture content in the air at the outlet of the heated area to determine the moisture condition of the material as it passes through the outlet, controlling the temperature of the heated area in accordance with the sensed moisture condition to consequently control the amount of moisture removed from the sheet material during the heating operation, sensing the temperature of the air at said outlet independently of said moisture sensing step and controlling the temperature of the heated area in accordance with the sensed temperature and independently of the sensed moisture condition for regulating the temperature of said drying means upon initial start up or heating of the drying means or upon breakage of the sheet material during a drying operation.

Claim 6

In the art of drying moist sheet material by passing it through a heated area having an inlet and an outlet to remove moisture from the sheet material, and sensing the amount of moisture removed from the material to control the temperature of the heated area and consequently the amount of moisture removed from the sheet material; and method comprising the steps of; sensing the moisture content in the air at the outlet of the heated area to determine the moisture condition of the material as it passes through the outlet, controlling the temperature of the heated area in accordance with the sensed moisture condition to consequently control the amount of moisture removed from the sheet material during the heating operation, sensing the temperature of the air at said outlet independently of said moisture sensing step and controlling the temperature of the heated area in accordance with the sensed temperature and independently of the sensed moisture condition for regulating the temperature of said drying means upon initial start up or heating of the drying means or upon breakage of the sheet material during a drying operation.

Claim 7

The method defined in claim 4 wherein an exhaust duct is placed at the outlet of the heated area and the air including the moisture removed from the sheet material at the outlet area is caused to pass through said duct and wherein the moisture of the air passing through the duct is sensed in said duct and further wherein the temperature of the air passing through said duct is sensed in said duct.

Claim 8

In apparatus for drying material such as sheet paper including a drying area having drying means for drying the material as it is conveyed through the drying area in close proximity to the drying means, the drying means having an inlet area through which the material initially passes and an outlet area from which the material emerges from the drying means, a number of exhaust ducts located adjacent the drying means to convey the moisture removed from the material away from the drying area, one of said ducts being located at the outlet area, means for controlling the temperature of the drying means for controlling the amount of moisture removed from the material comprising in combination; heating means for heating said drying means, a first control means for controlling the amount of heat imparted to said drying means by said heating means, and moisture sensing means located in said one duct at the outlet area and connected to said first control means for sensing the moisture removed from the material as it passes through the outlet area for regulating said first control means to increase the amount of heat imparted to said drying means when the sensed moisture is above a predetermined range and to decrease the amount of heat imparted to said drying means when the sensed moisture is below a predetermined range, and wherein there is further included, temperature sensing means independent of said moisture sensing means and being located in said one duct for sensing the temperature of the air passing through said duct and consequently the temperature of said drying means, and a second control means independent of said first control means and connected to said temperature sensing means for controlling the amount of heat imparted to said drying means by said heating means in accordance with the sensed temperature for regulating the temperature of said drying means in a predetermined range independently of said moisture sensing means upon initial start up or heating of said drying means or upon breakage of the sheet of paper during a drying operation.

Claim 9

In apparatus for drying material such as sheet paper including a drying area having drying means for drying the material as it is conveyed through the drying area in close proximity to the drying means, the drying means having an inlet area through which the material initially passes and an outlet area from which the material emerges from the drying means, a number of exhaust ducts located adjacent the drying means to convey the moisture removed from the material away from the drying area, one of said ducts being located at the outlet area, means for controlling the temperature of the drying means for controlling the amount of moisture removed from the material comprising in combination; heating means for heating said drying means, a first control means for controlling the amount of heat imparted to said drying means by said heating means, and moisture sensing means located in said one duct at the outlet area and connected to said first control means for sensing the moisture removed from the material as it passes through the outlet area for regulating said first control means to increase the amount of heat imparted to said drying means when the sensed moisture is above a predetermined range and to decrease the amount of heat imparted to said drying means when the sensed moisture is below a predetermined range, and wherein there is further included, temperature sensing means independent of said moisture sensing means and being located in said one duct for sensing the temperature of the air passing through said duct and consequently the temperature of said drying means, and a second control means independent of said first control means and connected to said temperature sensing means for controlling the amount of heat imparted to said drying means by said heating means in accordance with the sensed temperature for regulating the temperature of said drying means in a predetermined range independently of said moisture sensing means upon initial start up or heating of said drying means or upon breakage of the sheet of paper during a drying operation.

Claim 10

In apparatus for drying material such as sheet paper including a drying area having drying means for drying the material as it is conveyed through the drying area in close proximity to the drying means, the drying means having an inlet area through which the material intially passes and an outlet area from which the material emerges from the drying means, a number of exhaust ducts located adjacent the drying means to convey the moisture removed from the material away from the drying area, one of said ducts being located at the outlet area, means for controlling the temperature of the drying means for controlling the amount of moisture removed from the material comprising in combination, heating means for heating said drying means, a first control means for controlling the amount of heat imparted to said drying means by said heating means, and moisture sensing means located in said one duct at the outlet area and connected to said first control means for sensing the moisture removed from the material as it passes through the outlet area for regulating said first control means to increase the amount of heat imparted to said drying means when the sensed moisture is above a predetermined range and to decrease the amount of heat imparted to said drying means when the sensed moisture is below a predetermined range, and wherein said drying means includes a plurality of drums arranged in series in the drying area, said heating means including a source of steam and a supply conduit interconnecting the source of steam and said drums, and wherein said first control means includes a control valve means in said supply conduit operable in response to said sensing means to open or close said conduit depending on the moisture sensed in said one duct, and wherein there is further included temperature sensing means independent of said moisture sensing means and being located in said one duct for sensing the temperature of the air passing through said one duct and consequently the temperature of said drying means, said heating means including a second steam conduit interconnecting the source of steam and said drums, a second control means independent of said first control means and being connected to said temperature sensing means for controlling the amount of heat imparted to said drums by said heating means in accordance with the sensed temperature for regulating the temperature of said drying means in a predetermined range upon initial start up or heating of the drying means or upon breakage of the sheet of paper during a drying operation, said second control means including a second control valve means located in said second conduit and being operable in response to said temperature sensing means to open or close said second conduit depending on the temperature sensed in said one duct.

Claim 11

In apparatus for drying material such as sheet paper including a drying area having drying means for drying the material as it is conveyed through the drying area in close proximity to the drying means, the drying means having an inlet area through which the material intially passes and an outlet area from which the material emerges from the drying means, a number of exhaust ducts located adjacent the drying means to convey the moisture removed from the material away from the drying area, one of said ducts being located at the outlet area, means for controlling the temperature of the drying means for controlling the amount of moisture removed from the material comprising in combination, heating means for heating said drying means, a first control means for controlling the amount of heat imparted to said drying means by said heating means, and moisture sensing means located in said one duct at the outlet area and connected to said first control means for sensing the moisture removed from the material as it passes through the outlet area for regulating said first control means to increase the amount of heat imparted to said drying means when the sensed moisture is above a predetermined range and to decrease the amount of heat imparted to said drying means when the sensed moisture is below a predetermined range, and wherein said drying means includes a plurality of drums arranged in series in the drying area, said heating means including a source of steam and a supply conduit interconnecting the source of steam and said drums, and wherein said first control means includes a control valve means in said supply conduit operable in response to said sensing means to open or close said conduit depending on the moisture sensed in said one duct, and wherein there is further included temperature sensing means independent of said moisture sensing means and being located in said one duct for sensing the temperature of the air passing through said one duct and consequently the temperature of said drying means, said heating means including a second steam conduit interconnecting the source of steam and said drums, a second control means independent of said first control means and being connected to said temperature sensing means for controlling the amount of heat imparted to said drums by said heating means in accordance with the sensed temperature for regulating the temperature of said drying means in a predetermined range upon initial start up or heating of the drying means or upon breakage of the sheet of paper during a drying operation, said second control means including a second control valve means located in said second conduit and being operable in response to said temperature sensing means to open or close said second conduit depending on the temperature sensed in said one duct.

Claim 12

The combination defined in claim 7 further including a computer relay connected to said moisture sensing device to receive signals therefrom in accordance with the moisture sensed, a humidity controller connected to said computer relay to receive signals therefrom in accordance with the moisture sensed, and pressure control means connected and operable in response to said humidity controller and being connected to said first control valve means to control the same.