System and method for drying sludge

A method of drying material, comprising:

• conveying the material;
• and
• while conveying the material,
• flowing hot fluid isolated from, and adjacent to, the material sequentially from a first side of the material to a second side opposed to the first side to transfer heat from the hot fluid to the material.

An apparatus for drying particulate moisture-bearing material, comprising:

• a material inlet configured to receive a continuous stream of the material for drying;
• a material outlet for discharging the material after drying;
• a plurality of belt conveyers being vertically stacked and partially horizontally staggered to sequentially convey the material vertically and horizontally in a zigzag material path from the material inlet to the material outlet, including
• an inlet belt conveyer for receiving the continuous stream of the material, the material being deposited substantially evenly along a width of the inlet belt conveyer;
• a fluid inlet for receiving fluid from a hot fluid source;
• a fluid outlet for discharging the fluid and fluidly connected to the fluid inlet;
• and
• a duct for conveying fluid from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet, the duct extending underneath the plurality of belt conveyers defining the zigzag material path to form a zigzag flow path to transfer heat to the material from above and below.

A dryer for drying material, comprising:

• a conveyer for conveying the material between an inlet and an outlet of the dryer, the conveyer configured to convey the material in a longitudinal direction when receiving the material via the inlet of the dryer;
• a conduit configured to receive the material from the inlet of the dryer to supply the material to the conveyer via an outlet of the conduit, the conduit extending over a conveying surface of the conveyer between a pivot and the outlet of the conduit, the pivot and the outlet of the conduit being separated in the longitudinal direction;
• and
• a driver coupled to the conduit to rotate the conduit about the pivot to move the outlet of the conduit at least partially laterally over the conveying surface to spread the material on the conveying surface.