Abstract: A drying plant for brown coals of high water content comprises, as seen in flow direction of the coal and one behind the other, a conveyor means (2) equipped with a means (3) for spraying hot waste water onto the coal, a wet sieve (4) equipped with a means (5) for supplying residual steam, a conveyor means (6) for conveying the sieved material to a pressure lock (7), a preheating means (8) equipped with a pressure lock (7) at the charging location and with connections for steam conduits (11), a further pressure lock (13) for discharging the coal from the preheating means (8) and for charging the coal into an autoclave (14) being adapted for being supplied with steam, preferably saturated steam, and having connected thereto waste water conduits (12), a sieve drum (15) arranged within the autoclave (14) and being equipped with a variable rotational drive means (16) and with conveyor elements, in particular screw conveyor elements, a further pressure lock (19) for discharging the steamed material into a subseque