Improved desolventizer toaster with vapor recycle

Apparatus for processing spent material having solids, residual moisture, and solvent therein resulting from a solvent extraction process, said apparatus comprising a housing having a plurality of spaced apart trays therein serially disposed in said housing and arranged along an upstream to downstream direction, means for conveying said spent material from tray to tray in said apparatus from an upstream entry to a downstream exit, means for directly contacting said spent material with heated water vapor as said spent material is conveyed through at least a portion of said housing, means for contacting said spent material with volatile solvent evaporating from said spent material, heating means cooperating with some of said plurality of trays for indirectly heating said spent material by contact of said spent material with heated surfaces of some of said plurality of trays, and a water vapor recycling system including water vapor recycle conduit means for providing removal of said water vapor from said housing at a water vapor exit and returning water vapor to said housing at a water vapor recycle entry.

Method for processing spent material having solids, residual moisture, and solvent therein resulting from a precursor solvent extraction process, said method comprising conveying said spent material through a housing from an upstream entry to downstream exit, contacting said spent material with heated water vapor in said housing and volatile solvent formed in said housing, said method further comprising recycling some of said volatile solvent, said volatile recycling comprising providing a vapor solvent recycle exit in said housing, and transporting recycled solvent vapor from said vapor solvent recycle exit to a vapor solvent entry in said housing.

Method for processing spent material having solids, residual moisture, and solvent therein resulting from a precursor solvent extraction process, said method comprising conveying said spent material through a housing from an upstream entry to downstream exit, contacting said spent material with heated water vapor in said housing and volatile solvent formed in said housing, said method further comprising recycling some of said heated water vapor, said recycling of said water vapor comprising providing a heated water vapor recycle exit in said housing and passing recycled heated water vapor from said heated water vapor recycle exit to a heated water vapor entry in said housing.