US2477044A - Apparatus for dehydrating materials - Google Patents

Description

July 26, 1949. J. H. CARMEAN APPARATUS FOR DEHYDRATING MATERIALS Filed April 22, 1946 A hfh ia INVEN TOR damefi Car/774m Patented July 26, 1949 UN TED STATES ATENT OFFICE arranarus FOR DEHYDBATING MATERIALS James H. Carmean, Kansas City, Mo.

Application April 22, 1946, Serial No. 663,858

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to the art of dehydrating materials and has for its primary aim to provide apparatus and a process for removing moisture from substances without the application of heat other than that developed during the vaporization of fluid from a receptacle wherein the material being treated is disposed and from which air and vapors are removed by a suitable means capable of directing the said fluid into heat exchanging relation with the materials and where condensation may occur.

Other aims of this invention include the provision of a dehydrator capable of removing moisture from substances with a minimum amount of effort and apparatus and of employing the latent heat of vaporization to raise the temperature for the purpose of evaporation.

Further aims of the invention will appear during the course of the following specification referring to the accompanying drawing, wherein the figure diagrammatically illustrates apparatus for dehydrating materials and that is capable of permitting the performance of the steps in the process.

Heretofore dehydration of garden products for example or other materials that are to be treated by having the moisture content thereof lowered to a point where storage is possible has been expensive and inconvenient, due to the customary step of applying heat or products of combustion in equipment that is expensive and bulky.

The dehydration of home-stored materials such as garden products without the application of heat from burning fuel is a desirable step forward, particularly where the equipment may be successfully operated by the housewife.

In the form of the invention chosen for illustration, a receptacle I in the nature of a small screw top jar is adequate to contain the material being treated, but not here shown, and this receptacle is disposed within a tank l2 of greater dimensions than receptacle ill for the purpose of presenting a condenser chamber I4. Frame work generally designated by the numeral l6 and including clamping members l8 serves to hold a cover 20 in tight engagement with tank 12. A gasket 22 seals this tank against the accidental escape of air to insure that relief valve 24 and pipe 26 is the only medium of escape for fluid within chamber [4 during the operation of the equipment.

A conduit 28 having a pump 30 interposed therein, interconnects receptacle [0 and condenser chamber l4. A suitable gauge 32 will indicate to the operator the amount of vacuum which pump Si is creating within receptacle l0.

With the apparatus just described, the process is easily carried out and the steps Of said process comprise the evacuation of receptacle In to establish a partial vacuum therein and the introduction of air and vapors withdrawn from receptacle it into condenser chamber 14 against the outside of receptacle Ill where condensation occurs, and latent heat of vaporization is transferred directly to the material within receptacle l9. As air and vapor are pumped from the receptacle it, the temperature of the material therein progressively decreases and it is the contact of vapor upon the cold outer face of receptacle ii] that causes condensation thereof. Upon the release of heat due to condensation within condenser chamber M, the temperature of the material being handled is raised and evaporation of moisture will occur. As pump 36 is operated the pressure within chamber I4 will rise momentarily but relief valve 24 will automatically release the pressure and prevent the atmosphere surrounding the apparatus from flowing back into chamber it. The pressure within receptacle II! will be lowered, whereupon the material in the receptacle will deliver off some vapors, the amount whereof is gradually increased as the latent heat thereof is transferred to the walls of receptacle it for application to the contained materials. As the apparatus continues to operate, all air pressure in chamber M will be evacuated leaving only vapor pressure which is considerably lower than atmospheric pressure.

It will be observed that no heat source is needed in this process and it has been found in practice that dehydration to a point where the materials may be successfully stored may be accomplished without danger of destroying the food value of the dehydrated substance and without possibility of charring or burning as is often the case Where unskilled operators make effort to dehydrate foodstuils by the application of heat derived from burnin fuels.

Alterations and changes in the apparatus above described and illustrated herewith may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

A dehydrating apparatus of the character described comprising a double walled tank forming an inner receptacle for hydrous material to be treated and a condenser chamber partially surrounding the receptacle; a conduit interconnectin said chamber drops below'atmospheric press sure through the process of condensation in the V chamber, said relief valve sealing said chamber and said receptacle against back-flow of atmos pheric pressure.

JAMES emmer-1. .7

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Brakely Apr. 14, 1868- Sieb'el j r Apr. 9, 1907 SchjeIderup Sept. 20, I921 Gensecke Aug. 8, 1922 Bataille Apr. 1,-1924 Boberg July 15, 1924 Testrup et a1 Mar. 17, 1925 Proudfoot Apr. 27, 1948

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