Granulating process

In a granulating process which comprises feeding priming granules of a particulate material to a spouted bed granulation zone and spraying an adherent and solidifiable liquid, together with a gas stream, into said spouted bed granulation zone to form a spouted bed of said priming granules where said priming granules are enlarged by depositing said adherent and solidifiable liquid on the surfaces thereof, the improvement comprising the steps of providing a plurality of spouted bed granulation zones arranged in series and one or more fluidizing and cooling zones for cooling and drying purposes each disposed between two adjacent ones of said spouted bed granulation zones;

• introducing said priming granules into the spouted bed granulation zone located at the first stage;
• passing said priming granules through said spouted bed granulation zones and said fluidizing and cooling zones successively, whereby said adherent and solidifiable liquid sprayed into each of said spouted bed granulation zones becomes attached to said priming granules and said priming granules having said adherent and solidifiable liquid attached thereto are fluidized with a gas stream in the succeeding fluidizing and cooling zone and thereby cooled and/or dried;
• and withdrawing the enlarged granules from the spouted bed granulation zone located at the last stage.