Method of drying moist organic material

Abstract

A method for drying a moist organic material which is continuously supplied in a stream includes passing hot air through the moist organic material in a part of the stream to absorb an amount of moisture, whereby the moist organic material cools the hot air into warm air. The warm air is reheated after it exits the moist organic material to form reheated air with increased capability of absorbing moisture, and the reheated air is passed through the moist organic material further upstream, which has a greater moisture content. The drying can preferably be performed in five minutes or less. A method for drying moist organic material using hot air includes providing the moist organic material in a continuous material stream, and providing the hot air in a continuous air stream. The air stream flows in a direction generally opposite to that of the material stream. The air stream is passed perpendicularly through the material stream at a plurality of zones, whereby the hot air absorbs an amount of moisture from the moist organic material in each zone. The air stream is reheated after it exits the material stream at one zone and before it enters the material stream at another zone further upstream.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.