Apparatus for cooling pellets

An apparatus for cooling hot pellets with water, which comprises the combination of

• a. a furnace for producing the hot pellets and having a discharge opening for the hot pellets,
• b. a discharge chute for the hot pellets, one end of the chute being coupled to the discharge opening and the discharge chute being shielded from the air so as to maintain a non-oxidizing atmosphere in the chute,
• c. a cooling bath containing cooling water, the other end of the discharge chute being in communication with the cooling bath whereby the hot pellets are received in the cooling bath from the discharge opening of the furnace through the shielded chute, cooling of the hot pellets in the cooling bath generating vapor,
• d. a hood mounted over and covering the cooling bath for gathering the vapor,
• e. a gate means at the other end of the discharge chute and arranged to prevent substantial entry of vapor and air from the hood into the chute,
• f. an exhaust duct connected to the hood for discharging the vapor therefrom,
• g. a regulating damper coupled with the exhaust duct for regulating the amount of vapor and air to be exhausted from the hood through the duct,
• h. a means for detecting pressure difference between the chute and the hood, and
• i. a means for actuating the damper so as to maintain the pressure in the hood lower than that in the chute in response to the pressure difference detecting means.