US 12,134,746 B2
Modular vertical seed conditioner heating section
Jesse Lynn Devine, Garretson, SD (US); Corey Alan Paulson, New Brighton, MN (US); and Benjamin Wayne Floan, Andover, MN (US)
Assigned to CROWN IRON WORKS COMPANY, Blaine, MN (US)
Appl. No. 16/480,609
Filed by Crown Iron Works Company, Blaine, MN (US)
PCT Filed Jan. 24, 2017, PCT No. PCT/US2017/014721
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 24, 2019,
PCT Pub. No. WO2018/139987, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 2, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2019/0382683 A1, Dec. 19, 2019
Int. Cl. F26B 17/12 (2006.01); C11B 1/04 (2006.01); F26B 23/10 (2006.01); F28D 1/053 (2006.01); F28D 7/16 (2006.01); F28D 15/02 (2006.01); F28D 15/06 (2006.01); F28D 21/00 (2006.01); F28F 1/02 (2006.01)
CPC C11B 1/04 (2013.01) [F26B 17/12 (2013.01); F26B 23/10 (2013.01); F28D 1/05383 (2013.01); F28D 7/1615 (2013.01); F28D 15/0275 (2013.01); F28D 15/06 (2013.01); F28D 2015/0216 (2013.01); F28D 2021/0042 (2013.01); F28F 1/02 (2013.01); F28F 2210/10 (2013.01); F28F 2280/00 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A seed conditioner comprising:
an inlet opening at a top of the seed conditioner configured to receive a solid feed material for conditioning;
a discharge opening at a bottom of the seed conditioner configured to discharge the solid feed material after having undergoing conditioning; and
a plurality of frames stacked vertically with respect to each other between the inlet opening and the discharge opening, each frame having an upper support member, a lower support member, and lateral support members connecting the upper support member to the lower support member, each frame defining an opening between the upper support member, the lower support member, and the lateral support members;
each of the plurality of frames joining together a plurality of heat transfer sections positioned in the opening, the plurality of heat transfer sections being stacked vertically with respect to each other, each of the plurality of heat transfer sections being configured to be horizontally removed from a respective one of plurality of frames joining each of the plurality of heat transfer sections,
wherein each of the plurality of heat transfer sections comprises an inlet manifold configured to receive a thermal transfer fluid, an outlet manifold configured to discharge the thermal transfer fluid, and multiple heat transfer tubes extending from the inlet manifold to the outlet manifold and providing fluid communication therebetween, the multiple heat transfer tubes of a respective one of the plurality of heat transfer sections being arranged in a single row and being spaced from each other to provide a gap between adjacent tubes through which the granular solid travels, as the granular solid moves from the inlet opening to the outlet opening,
and the plurality of heat transfer sections being stacked in a respective one of the plurality of frames with the inlet manifold and the outlet manifold of adjacent heat transfer sections being in contact with each other.