Abstract: A method of processing a fluid and/or a particulate material, the method comprising the steps of: (a) introducing the particulate material into a chamber; (b) providing a flow of fluid into said chamber for entraining the particulate material; and (c) removing processed fluid and/or particulate material from the chamber; wherein the chamber comprises a processing zone having a substantially circular transverse cross-section, the fluid flow being introduced into the processing zone at an angle of between 10° and 75° with respect to a tangent of the substantially circular transverse cross-section of the processing zone to establish a fluid flow following a substantially helical path in the processing chamber.

Abstract: A method of processing a fluid and/or a particulate material, the method comprising the steps of: (a) introducing the particulate material into a chamber; (b) providing a flow of fluid into said chamber for entraining the particulate material; and (c) removing processed fluid and/or particulate material from the chamber; wherein the chamber comprises a processing zone having a substantially circular transverse cross-section, the fluid flow being introduced into the processing zone at an angle of between 10° and 75° with respect to a tangent of the substantially circular transverse cross-section of the processing zone to establish a fluid flow following a substantially helical path in the processing chamber.

Abstract: A process for the production of a gaseous fuel from a waste material and/or a premium fuel, which process comprises: i) providing a processing chamber having therein a plurality of outwardly radiating inclined vanes at a base thereof, an inlet and an outlet; ii) introducing a waste material and/or a premium fuel into the chamber through the inlet; iii) generating an upward flow of a heating fluid through the vanes at the base of the chamber, whereby the waste material and/or the premium fuel circulate about an axis of the chamber in a compact turbulent band and is gasified and/or pyrolysed to produce a gaseous fuel stream, which gaseous fuel stream exits the chamber through the outlet; and iv) feeding at least a portion of the gaseous fuel stream back into the chamber through an entry point adjacent the vanes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for treating a particulate material, in which particles of the material to be treated interact with non-static particles of a second material, the process comprising the steps of: (i) providing a processing chamber (1) having an inlet (7) and an outlet (10) spaced downstream therefrom, the base (15) of said chamber comprising a plurality of outwardly radiating inclined vanes (20, 25), (ii) providing a host bed of particles (30) which include inert particles, alumina, limestone and activated carbon in the chamber (1) and generating a flow of fluid through the vanes (20, 25) at the base (15) of the processing chamber such that the bed of host particles (30) circulates about an axis of the chamber in a compact band, (iii) injecting particles of the material to be treated including sulphide ore, kaolin, gypsum and talc through an inlet (5) of the chamber (1) to contact with the circulating bed of the host particles (30), wherein the relative terminal velocity of the partic

Abstract: There is described a furnace of the kind in which a toroidal fluid flow heating zone may be established. The furnace includes a chamber (7a) in which there is provided an inner block and a ring of angled blades (21) between the inner block and an inner wall of the chamber (7a). Means (4a) is provided for delivering fluid into the chamber in such a way that the fluid passes through gaps between the blades and establishes a toroidal fluid flow heating zone in the chamber above the ring of angled blades. Means (23) is also provided for injecting feed particulate material into the chamber in a region where the toroidal fluid flow heating zone is to be established. In one arrangement, means (49) is additionally provided for injecting fuel into the chamber in a region above the ring of angled blades so that the region in the chamber at which the heating zone is established is elevated above the ring of angled blades. In another arrangement, means (33) is provided for cooling the inner block.