ENGINE-POWERED HIGH TEMPERATURE HEAR PUMP GRAIN DRYER.

A DIRECT ENGINE-DRIVEN HEAT PUMP DRYER IS BEING DEVELOPED THAT WOULD ELIMINATE MASSIVE ELECTRICAL POWER DEMAND, INCREASE DRYING CAPACITIES AND FULLY UTILIZE ALL OF THE FUEL CONSUMED BY THE ENGINE. THE TWO-THIRDS OF THE FUEL NORMALLY LOST AS HEAT BY AN ENGINE WOULD BE CAPTURED AND USED DIRECTLY FOR DRYING. THE REMAINING THIRD OF THE FUEL WHICH IS CONVERTED INTO SHAFT WORK WOULD OPERATE THE HEAT PUMP COMPRESSOR TO RECOVER THE LATENT HEAT OF VAPORIZA- TION FROM THE DRYER EXHAUST AIRSTREAM, USING THE HEAT PUMP'S INHERENT COEFFICIENT OF PERFORMANCE AS AN EFFEC- TIVE ENERGY LEVER.