Dryer Conveyor Speed Control Apparatus and Method

1 . A conveyor speed control system for a dryer comprising:

a dryer having a housing with an entrance and an exit;

a conveyor within the housing, the conveyor capable of moving at a desired speed;

a sensor for sensing the temperature of the interior of the dryer housing; and

a controller, the controller receiving a signal from the temperature sensor, the controller also controlling the speed of the conveyor, the controller further limiting the speed of the conveyor to a desired speed until a desired dryer housing temperature is attained.

2 . The system of claim 1 wherein the first conveyor speed is approximately three feet per minute.

3 . The system of claim 1 wherein the second conveyor speed is approximately twenty feet per minute.

4 . A process for drying comprising the steps of:

warming up a dryer at a first conveyor speed until a desired dryer temperature is attained; and

operating the dryer at a second conveyor speed faster than the first conveyor speed.

5 . The process of claim 4 wherein the first conveyor speed is approximately three feet per minute.

6 . The process of claim 4 wherein the second conveyor speed is approximately twenty feet per minute.

7 . A process for operating a dryer, the dryer having a housing and a conveyor capable of moving at a desired speed within the housing, the process comprising the steps of:

warming up the dryer housing until a desired temperature is attained;

controlling the conveyor speed at a first conveyor speed before the desired temperature is attained; and

controlling the conveyor speed at a second conveyor speed faster than the first conveyor speed after the desired temperature is attained.

8 . The process of claim 7 wherein the first conveyor speed is approximately three feet per minute.

9 . The process of claim 7 wherein the second conveyor speed is approximately twenty feet per minute.