US 12,145,293 B2
Methods and apparatus for microwave drying of green ceramic honeycomb bodies using adjustable air flow
Colby William Audinwood, Big Flats, NY (US); and Brett Alan Terwilliger, Corning, NY (US)
Assigned to Corning Incorporated, Corning, NY (US)
Appl. No. 17/606,936
Filed by CORNING INCORPORATED, Corning, NY (US)
PCT Filed Apr. 23, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/029438
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 27, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/223091, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 5, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/840,873, filed on Apr. 30, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0203575 A1, Jun. 30, 2022
Int. Cl. B28B 11/24 (2006.01); F26B 3/34 (2006.01); F26B 3/347 (2006.01); F26B 15/14 (2006.01); F26B 21/02 (2006.01); H05B 6/78 (2006.01)
CPC B28B 11/241 (2013.01) [B28B 11/243 (2013.01); F26B 3/343 (2013.01); F26B 3/347 (2013.01); F26B 15/14 (2013.01); F26B 21/022 (2013.01); H05B 6/78 (2013.01); F26B 2210/02 (2013.01); H05B 2206/046 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of drying a green ceramic honeycomb body comprising a matrix of walls extending parallel to a longitudinal axis and defining a plurality of longitudinal channels, the matrix being surrounded by an outer peripheral wall, the method comprising:
moving the honeycomb body through a drying system comprising a plurality of interconnected microwave devices in a travel path such that the longitudinal axis of the body is non-parallel to the travel path inside the microwave devices, wherein each microwave device comprises an entrance located at an upstream end of the device and an exit located at a downstream end of the microwave device, the upstream and downstream ends of the devices defining a downstream direction and an upstream direction in each of the devices and the system;
removing moisture from the honeycomb body by irradiating the honeycomb body with microwave radiation within each of the microwave devices; and
flowing air against the outer peripheral wall of the honeycomb body while the honeycomb body is located in each of the microwave devices,
wherein the flowing is conducted such that one or more of a supply flow and an exhaust flow of air is adjusted in at least one of the microwave devices such that the air flow in the system is at a predetermined magnitude substantially in the upstream direction or the downstream direction.