NOVELTY - The oven (30) has an upper supply duct and a lower supply duct with nozzles located in a bottom side and a top side of upper and lower supply ducts, respectively. An endless conveyor belt carrying battery plates has a conveyance path located in the bottom side of the upper duct and the top side of the lower duct, such that the belt carries the plates on the path to flash dry the plates. A slide bed forms the bottom of the lower duct. The belt has a return path through the lower duct on the bed to remove dust and debris accumulated in the lower duct on the bottom of the lower duct.    USE - Flash dryer oven for flash drying battery plates that is utilized for lead-acid storage battery in an automobile.    ADVANTAGE - The self- cleaning function is provided to the oven by routing the conveyor belt through the lower supply duct on the return path to continuously clean the lead oxide dust and particles that are located within the lower supply duct, thus ensuring that the oven operates in a self-cleaning manner to continuously remove dust and debris from the oven without the need for operator intervention to initiate or facilitate the removal of lead oxide dust and particles, and hence preventing dust and debris from interfering with the hot air flow through the oven to prevent the buildup of lead oxide dust and particles in the lower supply duct. The oven has durable and long lasting construction, so that the oven requires little or no maintenance that is provided by the user throughout the operating lifetime of the oven in a cost effective manner, thus enhancing the market appeal of the oven, and hence affording the oven in the broadest possible market. The oven accomplishes the removal of the lead oxide dust and particles from the lower supply duct without needing to be turned off, thus precluding the necessity of taking the oven out of production, thus ensuring the removal of the lead oxide dust and particles from the lower supply duct in an effective manner without interfering with the supply of hot air through the lower supply duct to dry battery plates passing through the oven, and hence collecting the lead oxide dust and particles removed from the lower supply duct at a particular location in which the lead oxide dust and particles are periodically removed and disposed without stopping the operation of the oven.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is also included for a method for operating an oven for flash drying battery plates.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The drawing shows a perspective view of a flash dryer oven with a self-cleaning feature.    Flash dryer oven (30)    Heating apparatus (36)    Gas burner (38)    Fan drive mechanism (40)    Access doors (42-48)    Exhaust fan (50)    Control panel (52)