US 12,253,307 B2
Dehumidification method and apparatus
Enrico Bellio, Ponzano Veneto (IT)
Assigned to PIOVAN S.P.A., Santa Maria di Sala (IT)
Appl. No. 17/054,998
Filed by PIOVAN S.P.A., Santa Maria di Sala (IT)
PCT Filed May 9, 2019, PCT No. PCT/IB2019/053821
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 12, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/220280, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 21, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 102018000005337 (IT), filed on May 14, 2018; application No. 102018000005339 (IT), filed on May 14, 2018; application No. 102018000005341 (IT), filed on May 14, 2018; and application No. 102018000005342 (IT), filed on May 14, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0215423 A1, Jul. 15, 2021
Int. Cl. F26B 21/04 (2006.01); B01D 53/26 (2006.01); B29B 9/16 (2006.01); F26B 21/02 (2006.01); F26B 21/08 (2006.01)
CPC F26B 21/04 (2013.01) [B01D 53/261 (2013.01); B29B 9/16 (2013.01); F26B 21/028 (2013.01); F26B 21/083 (2013.01); B01D 2259/402 (2013.01); B29B 2009/168 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A dehumidification apparatus comprising:
at least one container for dehumidifying incoherent plastic material, said at least one container comprising at least one inlet and at least one outlet for process fluid;
at least one first dehumidifier and at least one second dehumidifier arranged in parallel to dehumidify the process fluid;
a circuit that circulates the process fluid in said at least one first and second dehumidifiers and a regenerating fluid for regenerating said at least one first and second dehumidifiers;
at least one first distributor arranged in said circuit and controlled so as to assume at least the following configurations:
a first configuration in which the process fluid can pass through said at least one first dehumidifier and not through said at least one second dehumidifier and the regenerating fluid can pass through said at least one second dehumidifier and not through said at least one first dehumidifier;
a second configuration in which the process fluid can pass through said at least one second dehumidifier and not through said at least one first dehumidifier and the regenerating fluid can pass through said at least one first dehumidifier and not through said at least one second dehumidifier; and
a third configuration in which the regenerating fluid cannot pass neither through said at least one first dehumidifier, nor through said at least one second dehumidifier and the process fluid can pass both through said at least one first dehumidifier and through said at least one second dehumidifier;
a sensor that detects at least one chemical-physical parameter of the process fluid which enters said container;
a controller configured to control said at least one first distributor based on the at least one chemical-physical parameter detected by said sensor so as to vary the ratio of a first flow of process fluid passing through said at least one first dehumidifier and a second flow of process fluid passing through said at least one second dehumidifier; said controller being configured to perform the following steps:
a first regenerating step of the at least one first dehumidifier in which the regenerating fluid passes through the at least one first dehumidifier and the process fluid passes through the at least one second dehumidifier;
a second regenerating step of the at least one first dehumidifier in which a part of the process fluid passes through the at least one second dehumidifier while another part of the process fluid passes through the at least one first dehumidifier in order to cool the at least one first dehumidifier, said at least one first distributor being controlled based on the at least one chemical-physical parameter detected by said sensor during said second regenerating step of the at least one first dehumidifier.