There is provided an apparatus for use in drying a sample of geological material having a substantial moisture content. In one aspect, the apparatus comprises a means for providing a flow of heated fluid, and a means for managing the thermal state of the flow of heated fluid. The means for managing the thermal state of the flow of heated fluid is arranged operable with the means for providing a flow of heated fluid so that exposure of the sample to the flow of heated fluid facilitates a reduction of the moisture content of a portion of the sample while substantially preserving one or more chemical and/or physical properties of the portion.

An apparatus for drying bulk particulate material, and having an inlet chamber for receiving a moist bulk particulate material and an outlet chamber for ejecting a dry bulk particulate material. The inlet chamber comprises a steam permeable bottom being divided into a number of subsections including a first subsection and a second subsection. Each subsection defines a first and a second radial centreline. The first subsection and the second subsection each having at least one louvered plate section comprising a plurality of louvers arranged in a first and a second specific direction, respectively, for directing superheated steam in a first and second blowing direction, towards said lower cylindrical inner wall. The specific direction of the louvers of the first subsection defines a first angle in relation to the first radial centre-line, and specific direction of said louvers of said second subsection defines a second angle in relation to said second radial centreline, and said first angle and/or said second angle, being different from 0 degrees.

The present invention relates to a system for one pot solids recovery from solutions, slurries, emulsions, dispersions, gels, semisolids, and their like. Further the system can be used for controlled concentration of solutions, slurries, emulsions, dispersions, gels, semisolids, and their like to enable easy to operate cost effective energy efficient processes. The system is so constructed to enhance the contact between the liquid medium and the gaseous medium used in the process for effective heat transfer. The system can be used for controlled concentration and/or recovery of substantially dry solids in applications related to foods, nutraceuticals, natural products, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, etc.

Moisture is removed from particulate material using an apparatus comprising a dryer having a drying chamber for directing a flow of gas-entrained particulate material between first and second ends of the drying chamber. The dryer is configured for directing gas under pressure into the drying chamber, for interacting with a flow of gas-entrained particulate material within the drying chamber. The dryer comprises a body of modular construction, which defines a plurality of guide passages arranged for fluid communication between the drying chamber and a source of gas under pressure. The body of modular construction comprises a plurality of discrete annular elements, arranged in series, one adjacent another, each having a body defining a central aperture, and wherein the annular elements are arranged together with the central apertures aligned.

The present invention relates to a system for one pot solids recovery from solutions, slurries, emulsions, dispersions, gels, semisolids, and their like. Further the system can be used for controlled concentration of solutions, slurries, emulsions, dispersions, gels, semisolids, and their like to enable easy to operate cost effective energy efficient processes. The system is so constructed to enhance the contact between the liquid medium and the gaseous medium used in the process for effective heat transfer. The system can be used for controlled concentration and/or recovery of substantially dry solids in applications related to foods, nutraceuticals, natural products, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, etc.

A process for separating solvent from spent oil sand solids involves drying the solids using superheated steam, and thereby producing a vapor comprising the vaporized solvent and vaporized water. The vapor is conveyed through a hot side of a first heat exchanger to produce a cooled stream comprising condensed solvent and condensed water, while a water stream is conveyed under vacuum through a cold side of the first heat exchanger to produce steam. A vacuum blower that applies the vacuum may also compress the steam to adiabatically heat the steam, before the steam is further heated by a steam superheater. The condensed water is separated from the cooled stream, and used in producing the water stream that is conveyed through the cold side of the heat exchanger, as the process continues. The steam is used in producing the superheated steam for drying the solids, as the process continues.

There is provided an apparatus for use in drying a sample of geological material having a substantial moisture content. In one aspect, the apparatus comprises a means for providing a flow of heated fluid, and a means for managing the thermal state of the flow of heated fluid. The means for managing the thermal state of the flow of heated fluid is arranged operable with the means for providing a flow of heated fluid so that exposure of the sample to the flow of heated fluid facilitates a reduction of the moisture content of a portion of the sample while substantially preserving one or more chemical and/or physical properties of the portion.

The present invention relates to a device for removing fluids and/or solid substances from a mixture of particle-shaped materials with a container which forms a ring-shaped process chamber with a plurality of cells separated from each other by walls, comprising an inlet cell, intermediate cells and an outlet cell, a feeding installation for conveying the mixture to be treated into the inlet cell of the process chamber, a discharge installation for discharging the mixture treated from the outlet cell of the process chamber, a ventilation installation for feeding in a first fluidisation agent, in particular in the form of overheated vapour, from below into the process chamber through an inflow floor for generating a fluidised bed in the process chamber, a heating installation for preparing the first fluidisation agent in the flow direction before the ventilation installation, swirl impellers for conditioning the flow in the container from the process chamber to the heating installation and which in part also leads to a vapour outlet, and a dust removal installation in the flow path between the process chamber and the heating installation, wherein dust can be guided to the outlet cell via the dust removal installation, wherein in order to support a transportation of the mixture from the inlet cell to the outlet cell and/or a turbulence of the mixture in the process chamber, the inflow floor comprises first unevenness and/or at least at times a second fluidisation agent, in particular in the form of overheated vapour, can be fed at least into the inlet cell essentially parallel to the inflow floor by means of first nozzles, and/or first flow guidance members are provided above the inflow floor and/or second flow guidance members are provided below the inflow floor.

Moisture is removed from particulate material using an apparatus comprising a dryer having a drying chamber for directing a flow of gas-entrained particulate material between first and second ends of the drying chamber. The dryer is configured for directing gas under pressure into the drying chamber, for interacting with a flow of gas-entrained particulate material within the drying chamber. The dryer comprises a body of modular construction, which defines a plurality of guide passages arranged for fluid communication between the drying chamber and a source of gas under pressure. The body of modular construction comprises a plurality of discrete annular elements arranged in series, one adjacent another, each having a body defining a central aperture, and wherein the annular elements are arranged together with the central apertures aligned.

A process for separating solvent from spent oil sand solids involves drying the solids using superheated steam, and thereby producing a vapor comprising the vaporized solvent and vaporized water. The vapor is conveyed through a hot side of a first heat exchanger to produce a cooled stream comprising condensed solvent and condensed water, while a water stream is conveyed under vacuum through a cold side of the first heat exchanger to produce steam. A vacuum blower that applies the vacuum may also compress the steam to adiabatically heat the steam, before the steam is further heated by a steam superheater. The condensed water is separated from the cooled stream, and used in producing the water stream that is conveyed through the cold side of the heat exchanger, as the process continues. The steam is used in producing the superheated steam for drying the solids, as the process continues.