PATTERSON ConaformŽ Vacuum Dryers can be built in sizes from 1 cubic foot (0.03 cu. m) to 371 cubic feet (10.51 cu. m) capacity with body diameters from 1' 6" (.46 m) to 10' 6" (3.2 m).

PATTERSON ConaformŽ Dryers are completely jacketed and designed for circulating hot water, oil, steam or vapors through the jacket. As the ConaformŽ Unit rotates, the rapid and continuous inter-mixing of the batch brings every particle in contact with the heated surface. The combination of blending and interfolding helps achieve uniform temperature throughout the batch, prevents re-condensation since there are no cold spots, and contributes to rapid drying speed and the elimination of caking. Maintaining a high vacuum while the material is in motion permits the drawing off of moisture under ideal conditions.

The PATTERSON ConaformŽ Vacuum Dryer is designed for fast, efficient drying of a wide variety of chemicals, pharmaceuticals and food products. Its unique double cone rotating shape assures direct contact between the material and the heated surfaces. This results in efficient and uniform heat transfer and permits high speed drying without raising the drying temperature to the danger point of the material being processed.

The PATTERSON ConaformŽ is exceptionally gentle in action. The absence of moving parts assures against disintegration of crystals or abrasion of sharp edges or corners. Since the dryer is hermetically sealed, operations are dust -free. This means no material loss and no contamination of the atmosphere.

The PATTERSON ConaformŽ is designed for use in the drying of many materials without condensers or other auxiliary equipment. One ConaformŽ will usually replace an entire series of tray ovens. Where condensers, decanters, etc., are required, they can be properly sized for every ConaformŽ Dryer.

The PATTERSON ConaformŽ is available with a special dispersing mechanism known as the Conagrator, for materials that tend to form lumps in the drying process. The use of a Conagrator helps achieve high drying rates even when handling crystalline material.

The PATTERSON ConaformŽ Vacuum Dryer in addition to the drying feature can also be used for such functions as blending, heating, cooling and for liquid or gaseous additives. They are used for drying a wide range of food substances, pharmaceuticals and chemicals.

The PATTERSON ConaformŽ Vacuum Dryer has uses in processes requiring pre-blending, addition of liquid additives, heating the contents to bring out a reaction, removal of excess moisture and finally cooling of the batch of product.

A CLEAN INTERIOR - EASY TO KEEP CLEAN
The interior of the ConaformŽ Dryer consists only of the smooth sidewalls, through which the heat is transferred to the product. The unique double-cone shape of the drying compartment achieves the mixing and blending action. Intersections of cylinder and truncated cones are obtuse angles, so no material is trapped. There are no internal scrapers, plows, scoops or vanes to trap and hold material or prevent uniform drying.

The ConaformŽ can be easily cleaned for quick change of products or colors, with minimum process hold-up. This feature enables one Dryer to be used for many different reagent-grade chemicals of highest purity without cross contamination of products.

TIGHT VACUUM SEAL
The ConaformŽ has one stuffing box-at the entrance of the vapor pipe. A highly efficient vacuum is easily maintained, as excess vacuum capacity is not required to provide for leakage. Other dryers of the stationary cylinder type with horizontal shaft agitator require two stuffing boxes, or a bearing inside of the batch.

BEARINGS OUT OF THE BATCH
All bearings of the ConaformŽ are installed outside of the drying compartment. There is no possibility of product contamination from lubricants.

VACUUM-TIGHT DUSTLESS DISCHARGE VALVE
To maintain highest product purity and dust-free operation, the ConaformŽ Dryer is fitted with a specially designed vacuum-tight discharge valve. The valve is a smooth plate seated with a worm drive. There is little effort required to firmly seat the valve. It opens fully, for unobstructed flow, similar to a gate valve, but has no grooves or channels to trap material. The rim around the valve provides a seat for attaching a sleeve, so there is no loss of product and no contamination during discharge.

NO BREAKAGE OR ABRASION OF CRYSTALS
The ConaformŽ Dryer is gentle in action. The entire absence of moving parts within the ConaformŽ ensures against disintegration of crystals or abrasion of sharp edges or corners. This is of special advantage where a dust-free final product is desired.

NO CAKING - NO CONTAMINATION
As the ConaformŽ rotates, and the vacuum draws off moisture, the particles constantly change their position. There is no caking, or contamination in the ConaformŽ, as in dryers of other types. Crystals of plate or elongated shape do not pack but take random orientation, leaving open space for vapor to escape.

FOR SOLVENT RECOVERY
The PATTERSON ConaformŽ Dryer is particularly useful for drying materials of high value. Solvents or liquids extracted from the materials being dried may be recovered by the use of condensers. Auxiliary equipment, such as condensers, decanters, etc., can be supplied with any size ConaformŽ Dryer.

MAY BE USED WITHOUT CONDENSER
The ConaformŽ can be used for drying many materials without condensers or other equipment.

SUPERIOR TO TRAY DRYING
ConaformŽ vacuum drying is superior in many ways to tray drying. In tray drying, the circulating air warms the material and removes moisture from the surface layer only. All vapors do not rise to the surface but move to the place of lowest vapor pressure - often the center of the batch, because of poor heat penetration. Here it is condensed or is reabsorbed to cause caking. Heat conduction through a porous bed of material is always slow, and transfer by radiation is notoriously inefficient at the low temperature associated with vacuum drying. The ConaformŽ principle of simultaneous drying under a vacuum eliminates these deficiencies and delivers a consistent product everytime.

Units can be individually designed to customer's material specifications and process parameters. Complete the ConaformŽ Specification Sheet and submit by e-mail or fax to PATTERSON for quotation.