Shrinkage measurement in real time supports ChoriTherm drying

››1 Measuring case with evaluation laptop

››2 Evaluation circuit of electric conductivity
R_X – electric resistance of ceramic
R_V – series resistance
R_M – measuring resistance
R_L – ballast resistance (input resistance of PLC)
U_B – total voltage

››3 Measurement data: shrinkage and electric conductivity
Electric conductivity [mV]
Drying duration [h]

››4 “Youth Research” project group, attendant teacher Wolfgang Hofstetter, Markus Schmid, Christian Wagner (from l. to r.)

In Zi Brick and Tile Industry International 1-2/2008 Novokeram’s new “ChoriTherm” drying process is described, which was presented for the first time at the Würzburg Brick and Tile Training Course in 2007. Now, around one year later, the experience gained in practical trials was presented at the 2008 course. According to this, approx. 60% of all brick and roofing tile formats can be dried in 48 hours to a residual moisture level of 5%, without consuming thermal energy from fossil fuels.

1 Introduction

Since a ChoriTherm dryer needs no thermal energy, the waste heat from the tunnel kiln must be regarded as discard, which makes the manufacture of ceramic products more expensive. At the Würzburg Brick and Tile Training Course in 2008 Novokeram presented alternative utilization possibilities for the waste heat from the tunnel kiln, for after all not every brickmaker can invest in a new kiln.

The ChoriTherm drying process is characterized by the fact that during the shrinkage of the green products in the dryer an exact regulation of moisture is carried out – regardless of the...

Christian Wagner, Dipl.-Ing. Markus Schmid

Issue 03/2013

Germany‘s ambient-air drying potential

1 Introduction For several years now, a proposal to revive ambient-air drying has been making the rounds. While finished drying is achievable in Central Europe, it is also very uneconomical....

1 Introduction Up to the mid 1950s bricks in Germany were dried in open air dryers under ambient air conditions (1). The transition from open air drying to artificial drying with hot air was...

Issue 3/2019 Stefan Falkner, Karl Ponweiser