About Total Drying
Industrial drying technology is an area which demands an innovative approach to produce solutions which satisfy customers demands.
The problems will not be solved by anything less than a dynamic partnership betweenscientists, technologists and manufacturers.
How can low energy methods be incorporated into the drying process?
How can low noise techniques be applied to high speed flow impact?
How can total moisture removal be achieved on fast moving containers?
How can condensation on cold surfaces be stopped?
How can bacteria spread by air-born moisture droplets be removed?
The project that is currently in place as a Knowledge Transfer Partnership between Secomak Ltd and the University of Hertfordshire addresses these problems.
If you would like to be involved in any aspect of this work or would like to contribute your views on drying processes and problems please contact us via this blog.
This Partnership received financial support from the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships programme (KTP). KTP aims to help businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge, technology and skills that reside within the UK Knowledge Base. KTP is funded by the Technology Strategy Board along with the other government funding organisations.
An output of the Secomak/UH KTP
The Drying Centre is located in the ‘Energy Centre’ at the University of Hertfordshire. It was established in the early stages of the KTP and has been fully operational for approximately 12 months.
High speed conveyor operation up to 1200 containers per minute is available with wetting and drying stations. The area is currently in use by BSc, BEng, MSc and PhD students for the completion of projects in conjunction with Secomak. These include low energy techniques in drying, anti-condensation trials, and high speed photography for flow visualization and noise reduction.
Secomak equipment trials also take place in this area. The facility is fully equipped to University safety standards. It is envisaged that this area will continue to develop after the current KTP end date of July 2010. Secomak capital equipment resides in the area with ongoing costs covered by the KTP.
Three MSc students from the Czech Republic are working at the University of Hertfordshire Drying Centre on Total Drying projects.
They are Hana Gusnarova, Pavlina Svecova and David Krpalek who are all funded by the Erasmus student exchange scheme operating from Brno College of Technology.
They arrived at Hatfield on 1st February 2009 and will be working on their MSc projects until 1st June 2009.
Hana, Pavlina and David have helped with the establishment of the Drying Centre which forms part of the Sustainable Energy facility on the Hatfield Campus. The project has provided them with an opportunity to learn practical engineering skills as well as a theoretical application of their background studies in Mechanical Engineering and Air Conditioning.
Secomak equipment forms the basis of all their testing and the work is focussed on the part played by conditioned air in the drying process. This work is supervised by David Dell. David Palmer, KTP Associate, is working closely with the trio with knowledge transfer being the key aim of the exchange visit.
