Abstract: A hopper dryer for drying pelletized or granular resin material comprising a heat source at its center and double concentric cylinders which comprises an inner and an outer cylinder with many apertures to permit passing of heated gas respectively so as to form a doughnut-like material storing space therebetween. The gas is fed into the heat source to be heated, then passes through the apertures of the inner cylinder and discharged through the apertures of the outer cylinder so that the pelletized or granular resin material stored in the doughnut-like space formed between the inner and outer cylinder are preheated and dried.

Abstract: An apparatus for the conditioning of bulk material, in particular vegetable material such a wood chips, for the production of fibers or pulp is provided, comprising a silo, a plurality of steam nozzles distributed substantially uniformly over said silo and shielded against clogging with said bulk material, and a plurality of fittings disposed within said silo for relieving said bulk material. The apparatus provides substantially uniform conditioning of the bulk material.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for effecting treatment needed to regenerate spent hydrocarbon conversion catalyst. The invention may be termed a variable gas flow catalyst bed. Catalyst particles in a vertically-elongated movable bed are contacted with a hot oxygen-containing gas stream in order to remove, by means of combustion, coke which accumulated on the catalyst particles while they were used in a hydrocarbon conversion zone. The catalyst particles are confined in the bed by means of catalyst retention screens. The catalyst retention screens are configured such that gas flow through the bed varies from a maximum at the top of the bed to a minimum at the bottom of the bed. The variation in gas flow is accomplished by varying the size of gas flow apertures in the retention screens from a maximum at the top of the bed to a minimum at the bottom of the bed.

Abstract: A counterflow cooler for ventilation and cooling of hot, pelletized product is provided which includes a shiftable floor located beneath a negatively ventilated housing. The cooler is provided with a series of openings in the floor which both admit air into the housing and, during shifting of the floor, discharge a quantity of cooled pellets during each operating cycle. Deflectors located over the openings prevent unrestricted discharge of pellets through the openings. The counterflow cooler is designed to selectively discharge pellets through the floor of the cooler after the pellets have been ventilated and cooled so that the pellets are subjected to minimal thermal stress.

Abstract: A thermal dryer for drying granular resin immediately prior to its introduction into a molding machine or other resin processing apparatus comprises a vertically oriented cylindrical drying chamber with means to introduce granular resin at its top, the resin flowing down through the chamber and out into the processing apparatus; a rectangular tubular member defines an air passage around the drying chamber, with communication from the top of the drying chamber to the air passage. An enclosed electrical heater and a blower are mounted in a housing encompassing the tubular member and the drying chamber; the blower pulls air through an inlet port into the housing to pass over the blower and its motor, into the heater enclosure and out through an air discharge tube into the bottom part of the drying chamber, out the top of the drying chamber into the air passage, and then through the blower to an outlet port.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for effecting prestreaming and deaeration of wood chips, or like comminuted cellulosic fibrous material. Presteaming takes place in a vertical presteaming vessel, utilizing a plurality of uniformly radially spaced nozzles adjacent the bottom of the vessel, a plurality of generally uniformly radially spaced steam introduction pipes in a central portion of the vessel, and a pair of synchronized rotating valves for feeding steam to the introduction nozzles and pipes in a coordinated manner. After presteaming, the chips pass through a chips meter to a vertical chute in which they are entrained in liquid, and then pass to a horizontal deaerating vessel. In the deaerating vessel, deaerated liquid is passed in a path generally perpendicular to the path of the material flowing through the deaeration vessel.

Abstract: An apparatus for drying grain in a storage bin includes an elevated floor structure horizontally disposed across a storage bin. The floor includes a plurality of parallel ridges and valleys and is perforated to allow the passage of hot drying air upwardly through the floor and into any grain which is retained above the perforated floor. Each valley in the floor has holes therethrough for the passage of grain, and a plurality of cup-like grain containers are slidably positioned immediately below the valleys and are moveable horizontally from positions in communication with the valleys for receivcing grain therein to positions closed with respect to the elevated floor, but open with respect to a dry grain storage area below the elevated floor. Drive machinery is capable of continuously moving the grain containers over a range of speeds.

Abstract: Fluidized bed apparatus includes a body having located therein a distributor provided with discharge ports connected to classifiers. Plates are located over the ports and air lances are disposed intermediate the plates and the ports. The plates serve to protect inbed tubing from erosion by entrained particles and the lances control the flow of material into the classifiers.

Abstract: A shaft cooler for dry quenching of coke includes an inner masonry ring that is an independent structure suspended on the top edge of the outer masonry of the shaft cooler. The weight of the inner masonry ring is carried by stays which bear on the top edge of the outer masonry. The tubular stays are disposed in one embodiment inside the masonry ring and in another embodiment outside the masonry ring. The tubular stays are connected to ring mains for conducting a coolant medium. When the tubular stays are disposed outside the masonry ring, parallel tubes are interconnected along their entire length by webs to form a closed steel ring. Ring tubes are welded to the top and bottom ends to serve as a heat exchanger and are connected to the evaporator section of a waste-heat boiler of the shaft cooler. Flue-gas passages are formed at the bottom edge of the masonry ring by radially, spaced-apart webs.

Abstract: An apparatus for cooling high-temperature particles in which various factors which adversely disturb the stability of the moving layer of high-temperature particles can be substantially eliminated and large-sized and medium-sized lumps contained in the high-temperature particles are forcibly broken into smaller particles for prevention of shutdown of a clinker burning process or the like.

Abstract: A conditioning system for particulate matter comprising a vertical conditioning vessel adapted for the counter-current flow of particulate matter and treatment fluid therethrough. The particulate matter such as grain, is fed into an upper region of the vertical vessel while treatment fluid such as steam and non-condensible gases is fed into a lower region of the vessel. A plurality of paddles adapted for rotation through the counter-current flow of particulate matter and treatment fluid are provided among a plurality of stators. The rotation of the paddles about the stators creates a plurality of notional mixture planes facilitating homogenous interaction between the treatment fluid and the particulate matter thereby providing control of temperature and/or moisture levels therein. In this manner, heat may be added to particulate matter such as grain to alter the molecular structure thereof and/or increase lubricity for subsequent operations such as pelletizing.

Abstract: Device for cooling a granular product provided with a bunker with an intake for the material to be cooled at the top side of said bunker and a grate construction located near the bottom side of said bunker, with a fixed grate and a movable grate, movable to and fro in action, whereby the movable grate has been arranged under the fixed grate, while under the movable grate a third grate has been provided, which during operation is displaceable and adjustable in several positions.

Abstract: Apparatus for uniformly distributing a fluid such as a vapor or gas upwardly through a cylindrical bed of a particulate contact material such as a catalyst, without interfering with the catalyst flow, includes an annular chamber which is closed at its top and which surrounds the cylindrical bed. The annular chamber receives fluid near its top and distributes it evenly at its bottom where it passes the fluid downwardly into a region which contains catalyst particles which have descended from the cylindrical bed, said region being defined at its top by the catalyst at the bottom of the aforesaid cylindrical bed and the open bottom end of the annular chamber, at its bottom by the bottom of a vessel containing the apparatus, and at its sides by the sides of the vessel. The distance between the bottom of the cylindrical bed and the bottom of the vessel is preferably at least equal to the radius of the cylindrical bed.

Abstract: Process for uniformly distributing a fluid such as a gas upwardly through a cylindrical bed of a particulate contact material, preferably a downwardly moving catalyst, without interfering with the downward flow of the material. The contact material of the cylindrical bed is confined within the outer wall of the open bottomed cylindrical chamber while additional contact material is confined under and radially outwardly of the cylindrical chamber. The fluid is introduced into an annular chamber surrounding the outer wall of the cylindrical chamber and caused to flow uniformly around its bottom end downwardly into the additional contact material and then upwardly and uniformly into the cylindrical bed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for roasting small quantities of coffee, in which the unroasted coffee is fed into a roaster and supplied with hot air via a controlled burner until roasting is completed; after roasting is shut off, the roasted coffee is pre-cooled with water and then removed to a cooling screen and cooled with air. The invention is characterized in that the coffee is fed into the roasting chamber (12) of the roaster, at a readiness temperature (t.sub.B) that is kept constant or regulated, after a feed device (80, 81) for the unroasted coffee has been unblocked for further filling, after the removal of the previous batch of roasted and cooled coffee.

Abstract: A continuous process for heat treating flowable materials having liquids thereon and apparatus wherein a first portion of adhering liquid is vaporized in a pre-desolventizer (PDS) consisting of at least one horizontal steam jacketed conveyor tube (60-63), the vaporized vapors of the liquid being directly discharged into a desolventizer (DS) consisting of a vertical chamber being divided into a certain number of compartments (70-73), live steam is introduced into the lowermost compartment (73) to vaporize the remaining portion of liquid adhering on the material and the combined vapors of liquid collected in the upper section of the desolventizer (DS) are discharged into a condenser (91) where a dust-free liquid is recovered. The desolventizer (DS) may also be used as a combined desolventizer-toaster-dryer.

Abstract: A gas-solids heat/exchanger apparatus particularly designed for cooling the particulate material such as calcined limestone or cement clinker, but may also be used as a dryer and/or material heater. The apparatus includes a casing having an upper particulate material inlet and a lower particulate material outlet. Upper and lower grates extend on an angle or a slant from the inlet to the outlet for holding a bed of material. Gas is supplied to an inlet plenum chamber on one side of the lower grate for passage through the grates and the bed of material to an outlet plenum chamber. The lower grate is perforated to permit gas to pass therethrough while supporting the bed of material. The upper grate includes a plurality of spaced apart, vertically oriented, perforated slats. Various parameters or gas flow rates, pressure drops and positioning of the upper grate slats are disclosed.

Abstract: Glowing coke descending through a cooling duct in a coking plant is quenched by two gas flows respectively traversing an upper compartment and a lower compartment of the duct, the two compartments meeting at a restricted gate for the passage of the coke. At least the lower gas flow, passing in countercurrent to the descending coke charge, is also circulated through a drying and preheating oven for coal to be fed to a coke-oven battery of the plant, thus containing some water vapor. When the upper flow is also constituted by coal-drying gas, it is passed downward through the upper compartment in order to reduce the height of a high-temperature zone in which combustion and thus loss of coke could occur. The coke gate is formed by a funnel-shaped upper partition and an upwardly pointing conical lower partition between which a scavenger gas passes in cross-flow.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and means for cooling lump material in which the material in a vertical, gas-tight cooler (1) is subjected in a furst step to a transverse cooling flow (at 9) and in a second step to counter-flow cooling (at 20). Optimal cooling effect is obtained by a distribution of the cooling gas between transverse and counter-flow cooling in such a way that maximum temperature is obtained in the cooling gas leaving through the outlet (13).

Abstract: A two stage material cooling apparatus for cooling hot particulate material such as cement clinker discharged from a furnace such as the rotary kiln. The first stage includes a direct heat exchanger such as a reciprocating grate type heat exchanger or an attached tube cooler and serves primarily as a heat recuperator. This cooler acts on the principle of direct heat exchange between cooling gas and the hot material whereby the material is cooled and the gas is heated and returned to the kiln as preheated secondary air for combustion. The second stage cooler is a shaft type cooler with gas permeable sides so that cooling gas passes through the material generally perpendicular to the flow of material. The gas which is supplied to the second cooler can come from recirculated cooling gas or from ambient. The gas discharged from the second cooler can be supplied directly to the gas inlet of the first cooler recirculated to its inlet after passing through an air to air heat exchanger.

Abstract: A vertical maltdrying kiln is described whereby several flow zones for the drying air are provided within a vertical malt compartment. At least in the uppermost flow zone at least one airduct with perforated sidewalls is provided, which extends in the transverse direction through the malt compartment. In the uppermost flow zone, the drying air enters through this airduct and optionally through perforated sidewalls in the transverse direction, while it escapes in the upward direction. Preferrably, a lower malt discharge lock is perforated, so that drying air may enter into the lowermost flow zone. This drying air may escape through perforated sidewalls or through airducts with perforated sidewalls. Preferrably, the entire drying air of all flow zones may escape in the upward direction through the upper open end of the malt compartment.

Abstract: An elongated slot dryer is disclosed for drying wet solid particulate material. The slot dryer is constructed in the form of a trench with at least one aperture outlet at the bottom of the trench formed by two non-connecting walls. The wet particulate material (coal) enters through the top and exits through the bottom aperture while countercurrently contacting a drying fluid emitted through perforations situated in a drying fluid access means or conduit located substantially throughout the entire length of the slot dryer. The perforations in the fluid access means or conduit are limited to the bottom one half of the fluid access means relative to the aperture outlet to ensure that drying fluid is passed at first in a downward direction and then gently turns upward to countercurrent contact with the wet descending particles. An underlying conveyor will act to continuously remove the relatively dried particulate material passing through the aperture outlet.

Abstract: An apparatus for drying and powdering liquid radioactive wastes produced in radioactive material treating plants such as nuclear power stations comprising a vessel having liquid material inlet and outlet ports for liquid wastes, a support plate arranged in the vessel, a great number of spherical bodies piled in layers on the support plate, stirring means having stirring blades for rolling the spherical bodies, and heating means for heating the spherical bodies. An induction heating coil may be used as the heating means, when the spherical bodies are conductive. If electric resistance heating means is used, the spherical bodies are non-conductive. Hot air can be used for heating the spherical bodies. The electric resistance heating means consists of a plurality of resistance heaters one above the other around the vessel. The support plate is formed with slits concentric to each other and the stirring means is provided with pins rotating therewith and extending into the slits.

Abstract: An apparatus for preheating granular ore includes a shaft defined by vertical walls, an inlet chute disposed above the shaft for introducing the ore thereinto by gravity, an ore discharge collector situated underneath the shaft for receiving preheated ore therefrom, and an arrangement for passing heating gases upwardly in the shaft. The discharge collector has vertical side walls and further, there is provided an insert situated in the discharge collector and extending generally horizontally thereacross. The insert has a downwardly widening configuration. A discharge device is disposed at a lower end of the discharge collector.

Abstract: A heating and drying apparatus for powdery or granular materials, including a hollow column consisting of an upper disaggregation heat-exchange chamber having a plurality of baffle plates disposed therein arrayed in multiple stages with gap spaced retained between the adjacent baffle plates in the vertical and horizontal directions and a lower fluidized state heat-exchange chamber connected in series wth the upper chamber, a feeder of a material to be treated and an exhaust gas outlet port, both provided at the top portion of the upper chamber, and a heating gas inlet port and a treated material discharge device, both provided at the bottom portion of the lower chamber.

Abstract: Packing for a column for treating solid particles by direct contact between an ascending gas current and solid particles flowing countercurrent by gravity within the packing. The packing has an ordered structure, consisting of superposition of at least two stacking elements (1,12), each comprising shaped elements (2, 9) arranged parallel between themselves and with regular spacing, said spacing providing a passage opening between two neighboring shapes between 3 and 20 times, preferably 7 and 15 times, the average granulometry of said particles, and the vertical projection of the shaped elements completely covering a horizontal section of the column. This packing is very specially recommended in the presence of particles with a granulometry greater than 2 mm or having mediocre flow characteristics.

Abstract: Dehydration tower (22) for previous agitated organic material carried by a heated air stream, the tower containing a selectively rotatable series of baffles (42, 43, 44, 45) for varying the path length of the material, and thus the residence time, in the tower, as the material passes up the tower on one side of the vertical series of baffles (49) and then down the other side of the series.

Abstract: Apparatus for conditioning granules of plastic resin comprises a barrel having a hopper feed at its upper portion and a resin discharge at its lower portion to provide for gravitational flow of the granular resin through the barrel. The barrel periphery is perforated to permit passage of heated gases into the barrel and over the granular resin. A channel is defined centrally of the barrel and extends therealong to collect gases flowing over the resins and discharge such gases externally of the barrel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for drying and/or pre-heating in particular scrap metal with the aid of waste gases deriving from an electric arc furnace. The waste-gases are passed from the electric arc furnace through a line (1,2,3) which is arranged between an external, outwardly insulated container (6) and an inner container (4) for accommodating the scrap metal, with a gap (7,8) located between the waste-gas line and the containers. Air is drawn in through the gap (7,8) and absorbs heat from the wall (3) of the waste-gas line, whereafter the heated air is caused to pass through the scrap (5) in the inner container (4) and to deliver heat to the scrap.

Abstract: The grain dryer of the present invention includes a housing having two spaced apart vertical partitions therein which divide the housing into a central compartment, a front compartment and a rear compartment. Air intake openings are provided in the two vertical partitions so as to provide communication from the central compartment to the two front and rear compartments through the two partitions. The front and rear walls of the housing are also provided with exhaust openings which permit air to exit from the front and rear compartments outwardly through the front and rear walls respectively. A first group of ventilator members are located within the front and rear compartments and are connected to the inlet openings within the partitions for guiding air into the front and rear compartments from the central compartments.

Abstract: A combination surge and drying apparatus is described which includes first and second bins, a jacket surrounding the first bin for passage of a hot fluid therethrough, and air coils positioned within the jacket to be heated by the hot fluid. Air within the coils is directed into and through a hollow, apertured auger positioned to discharge material from the first bin to the second bin. An overflow port is included for returning excess material from the discharge auger back to the first bin to handle surges in demand for the material and also to facilitate drying.

Abstract: The stack cooler comprises a substantially vertical circular chamber with walls from refractory blocks or bricks. The chamber comprises an upper prechamber and disposed below it the quenching chamber proper, where the prechamber is provided with an upper conical section with a central charging opening. Gas exhaust discharge openings are provided in the transition region between prechamber and quenching chamber over the complete circumference at a distance from each other, which are joining to an annular collection channel running in the masonry. The masonry comprises an outer layer and an inner layer separate from the outer layer over the conical section and also over the cylindrical section disposed below the conical section. The inner layer adjoins at its lower end the masonry work of the wall in the area of the quenching chamber via support walls running between the gas exhaust discharge openings.

Abstract: A shaft furnace for heat treatment of finely dispersed material has a casing of rectangular cross section with a hopper built into a cover thereof. The top of the casing accommodates pipes for drawing off resultant gases. The casing also houses two groups of plates equidistant from the vertical axis of the casing and having different lengths increasing in the direction from the vertical axis toward a narrow wall of the casing so as to form therebetween and the narrow wall of the casing passages for the flow of gases toward the pipes for exhausting resultant gases.

Abstract: In order to preserve the quality of treated coking coal, the drying and preheating operation is performed in consecutive stages. For this purpose, a set of superimposed containers is provided with vertically oriented pipes for a heating medium, the pipes in each container having separate inlets and outlets. The bottom region of each container is further provided with horizontally directed pipes having separate inlet and outlet for receiving a pressure medium which is discharged into the bottom region of each container to produce a whirling bed of the coal. In this manner, the coal is preliminarily dried in the uppermost container, then additionally dried and preheated in the intermediate container, and heated to the desired final temperature in the lowermost container.

Abstract: Bulk rice or other cereal grain is rapidly and economically dried with reduced or negligible breakage of individual kernels by alternately subjecting the grain to primary drying airflows during drying periods and less desiccating drying airflows during tempering periods. The airflows during the tempering period are sufficient to prevent the accumulation of free moisture at the set point or hardened starch of the kernels, which moisture accumulation has been found to be a cause of fissuring, while allowing reduction of the moisture gradients built up within the kernels by the preceding drying period. In one form of the invention, the grain is continuously traveled downward within a drying tower in which relatively fast and/or hot primary drying airflows are directed into the grain at vertically spaced apart drying regions and in which relatively slow and/or cooler drying airflows are directed into the grain at tempering locations situated between the primary drying regions.

Abstract: A process for producing a granular detergent composition containing a surface active agent, a zeolite, an alkali metal silicate, and other detergent builder is described. This granular detergent composition is produced by either (1)(a) preparing an aqueous slurry containing, as a dispersing medium, the surface active agent;(b) bubbling a gas into the aqueous slurry to form a slurry containing bubbles having an average bubble diameter of 40 through 100 microns and having a specific gravity of 0.7 through 0.

Abstract: The present invention relates to separation and finds application in the removal of liquid from particulate material having associated liquid.The invention provides a process and apparatus for the removal of liquid from a particulate material having associated liquid.In accordance with the invention gas is passed through a bed of particulate material having associated liquid, gas which has thereby taken up liquid is removed from the bed and the particulate material is then removed from the bed via an outlet while resistance to gas flow through the outlet is provided to encourage gas to pass through the bed rather than through the outlet.

Abstract: A gas to solid contacting apparatus comprising a chamber, at least one solid inlet conduit opening into the chamber, at least one gas inlet conduit opening into the chamber, the gas inlet and outlet comprising superimposed conduits.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the discharge of particulate solids through a discharge opening from a zone containing an expanded bed of particulate solids, the apparatus comprising a plurality of vertical doors positioned to open and close the discharge opening with the doors being adapted to open and close by rotation about a vertical axis; a mounting means to support the doors in position; and a controller adapted to control the opening and closing of the doors.

Abstract: Process and device for convectively drying grannular bulk material in a silo. A hot gas jet is vertically blown upward through a jet nozzle of jet aperture (orifice), a tube having a wall closed over is entire length is inserted into the bulk material coaxially with the axis of the vertical gas jet, the tube being lowered up to a particular distance above the bottom of the silo, in such a way that continuously an amount of the descending bulk material is entrained by the recycling gas jet and is blown into the vertically introduced upwardly directed jet of hot drying gas and the tube is of such a length that it projects with its top above the bulk material.

Abstract: In a rotary apparatus and a process for the production of layered glass batch pellets there is provided a drying process and a dryer for final drying of the pellets prior to their being fed to a melting furnace.

Abstract: Tornado flow separator for the thermal treatment of fine-grain or granular material with at least one gaseous medium, including a cylindrical reaction chamber having a surface, two ends and at least first, second and third treatment zones of substantially equal length through which the material passes after given dwelling time, tangential feeding means for the gaseous media being disposed in the surface of the reaction chamber in the treatment zones for setting the dwelling time of the material in the third treatment zone to be at least twice as long as the dwelling time in each of the first and second treatment zones, at least one inclined tangential material feed disposed in vicinity of one of the ends of the reaction chamber, at least one outlet for treatment material disposed in vicinity of the others of the ends of the reaction chamber, and an exhaust pipe for at least one of excess and spent gaseous media being axially extended into the reaction chamber from along side the material outlet and having a f

Abstract: Method and apparatus for the slow cooling of grain in which warm grain is introduced into the upper end of a silo and cooling air is introduced at the lower end and is evacuated at an intermediate point between the upper and lower ends of the silo. The warm grain descends through the silo in a non-ventilated space above the intermediate point where the internal moisture is removed, then into a ventilated space where it is cooled by the cooling air and finally to the lower end of the silo from which the cooled grain is extracted.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cooler for granular products, essentially consisting of a cooling reservoir, a product inlet at the top, and two grids for the discharge of granules, which grids are movable relatively to each other. In the cooling reservoir a current of air is generated by means of a blower, the cooling air being drawn in through the granule discharge grid and being passed through the cooling reservoir countercurrently relatively to the product to be cooled. The air inlet for the blower is disposed in the top part of the cooling reservoir adjacent to the granule inlet lock. Any fines present in the granular product are exhaused direct by the blower. For this purpose a controllable opening is provided in the suction tube of the blower for drawing in secondary air. The product discharge grid is of such construction that in the closed condition it is permeable to air without permitting the product to be cooled to flow out of the cooling reservoir.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for cooling hot bulk material, such as red-hot coke, sinter, or clinker, and, in particular, for relieving a gas stream flowing through the hot bulk material to cool the same includes continuously charging hot bulk material into a cooler housing and onto the free surface of spread bulk material already contained within the cooler housing and cooling the hot bulk material by absorbing and removing the intensive heat radiation radiated from the surface of the hot bulk material in a radiation cooling surface extending over in facing relationship to the free surface of hot bulk material.

Abstract: A vertical cylinder for drying and heating granules which includes an inlet at the top of the cylinder, a conically tapered outlet at the bottom of the cylinder, a rotatable screening ring beneath the inlet, a chute beneath the screening ring and a scraper above the ring inlets for gases in the downward extending section of the cylinder, a shell and tube heat exchanger located coaxially in the bottom quarter of the cylinder, a horizontally movable grid as flow control device below the heat exchange and a discharge zone below the grid.

Abstract: An arrangement for dry cooling of coke has a prechamber for a coke to be cooled with a prechamber wall, a cooler with a cooler wall, a plurality of connecting members connecting these walls with each other, so that a cooling gaseous medium can pass between the connecting members, and a plurality of throttling elements arranged between the connecting members and actuated from outside of the walls.

Abstract: A modular column dryer for particulate material including a housing with a removable module supported in the housing. The removable module includes at least one support member and a first pair of generally vertical side panels having perforations therein. The side panels are fixed to the support member to form at least a part of a first column for receiving particulate material and directing the material through the housing. Means is provided for introducing moist particulate material into a top portion of the column. Drying air is passed through the column for drying particulate material therein. A discharge mechanism is provided to remove the dried particulate material from a bottom portion of the column.

Abstract: Apparatus for predrying and preheating pellets involving an oscillating grate extending angularly downward across the predrying section and discharging into a preheating section. The grate is substantially equal in width to the width of the predrying section so that the gas flow area through the predrying section is substantially less than the gas flow area through the preheating section. Further, the grate includes a plurality of spaced members positioned to form a gas flow velocity therethrough greater than the gas flow velocity through the preheating section.

Abstract: A heat exchanger for heat exchange between downwardly flowing solid particulate material and a gas comprises a substantially conical casing having arranged at the bottom thereof a tubular outlet for material having undergone heat exchange. A tube extends downwardly into the casing substantially symmetrically about the vertical axis thereof and forms an outer defining wall of an annular inlet through which material to be treated is charged to the interior of the casing. Extending through the tube co-axially therewith is a gas inlet having a gas inlet pipe which extends down into the casing and which forms an inner defining wall of the annular material inlet. The gas inlet pipe has a discharge orifice located at a given distance beneath the discharge orifice of the material inlet, and a collecting chamber for gas having undergone heat exchange and arranged at the top of the casing is laterally defined by the wall of the tube and the wall of the casing, and is provided with a gas outlet.