Abstract: Lead battery components such as metallic grids and paste are fed into a tumbling drum which has inlet and outlet ends and an intermediate region in which there are screens for the fine particles of paste to discharge to the exterior of the drum. Water is sprayed onto the plates in the drum. A shroud or housing surrounds the region of the drum containing the screens. Means are provided to create subatmospheric air pressure in the shroud and, consequently, in the drum. The slurry of paste particles is collected in a tank which is integral with the bottom of the shroud. The slurry is passed through a cyclone separator and the water extracted by the separator is recirculated through the lines which supply the spray nozzles. All openings in the drum are subjected to subatmospheric pressure.

Abstract: A rotary drum pelletizer has multiple internal cone frustum baffles. The cone frustum baffles are interconnected serially to constitute a removable liner replaceably received within the drum and interchangeable with one or another of a series of such liners, each having different cone frustum baffle configurations. Means are provided to releasably fasten said liners to said drum. By interchanging one liner for another, the pelletizer drum can be adapted to process particulate material of widely varying characteristics to achieve desired pellet sizes, shapes and consistency.