Product overblow management assembly

Abstract

An assembly for managing product overblow in a gas treatment system may include a first deflector assembly configured to substantially prevent product from leaving a product treatment zone of a product carrying unit of the gas treatment system. The assembly may further include a second deflector assembly configured to substantially direct overblown product that has left the product treatment zone into an overblow landing area separate from a heat exchanger assembly of the gas treatment system.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . A product overblow management assembly for a gas treatment system configured to treat a product by circulating treatment gas from a heat exchanger assembly through a product carrying unit, the product overblow management assembly comprising:
 a first deflector assembly configured to substantially prevent product from leaving a product treatment zone of the product carrying unit; and   a second deflector assembly configured to substantially direct overblown product that has left the product treatment zone into an overblow landing area separate from the heat exchanger assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The product overblow management assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first deflector assembly includes a first tray side extending upwardly from a first side of the product carrying unit, a second tray side extending upwardly from a second side of the product carrying unit, and a tray side extender extending upwardly from the second tray side towards a longitudinal center axis of the product carrying unit. 
     
     
         3 . The product overblow management assembly of  claim 2 , wherein a distal end of the tray side extender is located above the heat exchanger assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The product overblow management assembly of  claim 2 , wherein tray side extender is offset from vertical at an angle between about ten to twenty degrees (10-20°). 
     
     
         5 . The product overblow management assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the second deflector assembly comprises a resistance guide assembly defined at a distal end of the tray side extender configured to reduce air resistance as air flows up and over the distal end of the tray side extender. 
     
     
         6 . The product overblow management assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the second deflector assembly comprises a redirection plate extending substantially vertically downwardly from an interior upper surface of the gas treatment system that is configured to substantially redirect air and overblown product flowing over the tray side extender downwardly toward the overblow landing area. 
     
     
         7 . The product overblow management assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the redirection plate is located generally about half-way between a horizontal location of the product carrying unit and a horizontal location of the heat exchanger assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The product overblow management assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the redirection plate extends downwardly from the interior upper surface of the gas treatment system such that a vertical location of a distal tip of the redirection plate is located below an upper end of the first deflector assembly and above a top surface of the heat exchanger assembly. 
     
     
         9 . The product overblow management assembly of  claim 6 , wherein a velocity of air flowing close to the redirection plate increases as it passes over a distal tip of the redirection plate to help separate product overblow from an air stream and direct the product overblow toward the overblow landing area. 
     
     
         10 . The product overblow management assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the overblow landing area is defined between the product carrying unit and the heat exchanger assembly. 
     
     
         11 . The product overblow management assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a bypass assembly configured to be selectively opened to adjust treatment gas velocity through the product carrying unit. 
     
     
         12 . The product overblow management assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the product treatment zone includes an area in which a product bed forms and an area extending upwardly from the product bed. 
     
     
         13 . A gas treatment system, comprising:
 a housing;   a heat exchanger assembly;   a gas circulation assembly for circulating treatment gas within the housing;   a product carrying unit configured to support product to be treated with treatment gas circulated within the housing and upwardly through the product carrying unit; and   a product overblow management assembly comprising:
 a first deflector assembly configured to substantially prevent product from leaving a product treatment zone of the product carrying unit; and 
 a second deflector assembly configured to substantially direct overblown product that has left the product treatment zone into an overblow landing area separate from the heat exchanger assembly. 
   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the first deflector assembly includes a first tray side extending upwardly from a first side of the product carrying unit, a second tray side extending upwardly from a second side of the product carrying unit, and a tray side extender extending upwardly from the second tray side towards a longitudinal center axis of the product carrying unit. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the second deflector assembly comprises a redirection plate extending substantially vertically downwardly from an interior upper surface of the housing that is configured to substantially redirect air and overblown product flowing over the tray side extender downwardly toward the overblow landing area. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the redirection plate is located generally about half-way between a horizontal location of the product carrying unit and a horizontal location of the heat exchanger assembly. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the redirection plate extends downwardly from the interior upper surface of the housing such that a vertical location of a distal tip of the redirection plate is located below an upper end of the first deflector assembly and above a top surface of the heat exchanger assembly. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein a velocity of air flowing close to the redirection plate increases as it passes over a distal tip of the redirection plate to help separate product overblow from an air stream and direct the product overblow toward the overblow landing area. 
     
     
         19 . The system of any of  claim 13 , wherein the gas circulation assembly is located generally below the product carrying unit and between the heat exchanger assembly and the product carrying unit. 
     
     
         20 . A method of managing product overblow for a gas treatment system configured to treat a product by circulating treatment gas from a heat exchanger assembly through a product carrying unit, the method comprising:
 circulating treatment gas from a heat exchanger toward the product carrying unit;   substantially prevent product from leaving a product treatment zone of the product carrying unit; and   substantially directing overblown product that has left the product treatment zone into an overblow landing area separate from the heat exchanger assembly.