Gravity flow processor for particulate materials

A method of processing particulate material composed of powder particles, the method comprising:

• providing a purge vessel apparatus adapted to process particulate material, the purge vessel apparatus including:
• a housing having first and second opposite ends and an inner surface defining a material path from the first end to the second end,
• a gas exposure mechanism that is adapted to expose particulate material on the material path to a processing gas, and
• an agitating mechanism adapted to disrupt and/or inhibit formation of gas channels and/or to disrupt and/or inhibit formation of material flow channels by agitating particulate material on the material path, thereby exposing a predetermined or desired amount of the powder particles to the processing gas, while substantially maintaining mass flow;
• and
• delivering particulate material to the purge vessel apparatus.

A purge vessel apparatus for processing particulate material composed of powder particles, the apparatus comprising:

• a generally cylindrical housing having first and second opposite ends and an inner surface defining a material path from the first end to the second end;
• gas exposure means for exposing particulate material on the material path to a processing gas;
• and
• agitation means for disrupting and/or inhibiting formation of gas channels and/or for disrupting and/or inhibiting formation of material flow channels by agitating particulate material on the material path, thereby exposing a predetermined or desired amount of the powder particles to the processing gas, while substantially maintaining mass flow.