Method and apparatus for bloating granular material

An apparatus for continuous bloating of a granular material comprising, a substantially vertical furnace for the granular material, said furnace having a housing and a chamber;

• a source of raw granular material connected with a lower portion of said chamber;
• said chamber being disposed inside of said housing substantially coaxially with a vertical axis of said furnace, said chamber having wall portions defining an inside zone thereof, said walls in an upper portion of the chamber defining inclined planes an inclination angle of which is in excess of a natural angle of repose of the granular material;
• reflector means having a dihedron configuration being positioned above said inclined planes of the walls so that an outlet for bloated material is defined between said reflector means and said inclined planes of the walls;
• means for feeding of a raw granular material in a direction substantially parallel to the vertical axis of the furnace positioned at a lower portion of said chamber;
• means for producing a flow of hot gases in a direction substantially parallel to the vertical axis of the furnace, being located at a lower portion of said chamber;
• at least one pocket means for collecting the bloated granular material having an inlet and outlet, said inlet of said pocket means being connected with said outlet of said chamber of the furnace, said outlet of said pocket means positioned at a lower portion thereof being connected with an inlet of a settling chamber;
• and
• said settling chamber being adapted to settle the bloated material thereinside, said settling chamber having a discharge means for discharging of the bloated granular material from the apparatus.