Air Energy Heat Pump - Technological Revolution in the Drying Field

Drying is a common process in most industrial production and agricultural by-product processing processes, and it is also a common requirement in daily life. Drying is another high energy consuming process. Data shows that most developed countries consume 7% -15% of the total energy consumption for drying, while their thermal efficiency is generally below 50%.

The choice of heat source during the drying process greatly affects the production cost. The energy structure of our country determines that this industry has long relied on coal as the main heat source. But due to the increasing emphasis on environmental protection by the country, new drying heat sources are gradually becoming mainstream, which is the air source heat pump.

The reason why air source heat pumps can become a "miracle" in the field of drying is naturally inseparable from their unique skills. Due to the fact that air source heat pumps rely on "handling" the heat in the air for output, one degree of electricity can carry the equivalent of four degrees of electricity, with a heating efficiency equivalent to four times that of direct heating equipment, and even no less than that of coal-fired power.

During the operation of the air source heat pump dryer equipment, the heat pump evaporator absorbs the heat from the external air and works through the compressor to transport (transfer) the energy to the drying room. The hot air in the drying room is repeatedly circulated and heated to absorb the moisture in the material, and through the process of hot air dehumidification or condensation drainage, the moisture in the material is discharged, ultimately achieving continuous drying of the material.

Of course, in terms of energy conservation and emission reduction, air source heat pumps also outperform many other areas. Here, let's briefly compare the characteristics of traditional drying technology and air source heat pump drying technology.

The characteristics of traditional drying technology.

1. The drying temperature is difficult to control, resulting in uneven drying quality.

2. Drying time is too long. Traditional drying techniques take a long time to process 1 ton of vegetables, and sometimes rework is required due to poor drying results, resulting in longer processing times.

3. High energy consumption. Traditional drying techniques have low thermal efficiency, ranging from about 30% to 60%. Among them, the commonly used drying method in agricultural product drying is the heating and drying of the drying room with a return fire path, with a thermal efficiency of about 40%.

4. It requires dedicated personnel to take care of it, and there are risks such as flammability and explosion.

Characteristics of Air Energy Heat Pump Dryer Technology

1. The drying temperature can be adjusted according to the material to meet various drying needs.

2. Short drying time. The air energy heat pump drying dehydration material production process requires half the time compared to traditional drying.

3. Good drying quality. The air energy heat pump drying technology is a mild and nearly natural drying method, which produces products with good color and stable internal quality, especially suitable for drying most heat sensitive materials such as agricultural products and medicinal herbs.

4. Higher safety factor. The entire system operates without the potential hazards of flammability, explosion, poisoning, short circuit, etc. that may exist in traditional dryers (such as fuel, gas, or electric heating), making it an absolutely safe and reliable semi enclosed drying system.

5. No need for dedicated personnel to monitor, achieving intelligent control.

6. Lower energy consumption.

As an energy-saving and environmentally friendly product, the air source heat pump drying technology has also received strong support from national policies.

On the one hand, in the field of industrial and agricultural production, air source heat pump drying equipment can enjoy the benefits of the "coal to electricity" policy. So much so that various regions have promoted the "coal to air source heat pump drying" policy.

On the other hand, in the agricultural field, the state has included heat pump dryers into the category of agricultural machinery subsidies, such as grain dryers, fruit and vegetable dryers, rapeseed dryers, and three items commonly used in greenhouse equipment, namely, hot air stoves, heating systems, and heating stoves, can enjoy relevant subsidies, providing an opportunity for the application of air source heat pumps in the agricultural drying field.