Agitated bed cooling, drying, or heating apparatus

An agitated bed apparatus for particulate material and comprising:

• an elongated housing presenting a particulate material inlet, a particulate material outlet spaced from said inlet, and structure for exit of moisture from the housing;
• an elongated flexible bed located within said housing and extending between said inlet and said outlet, said bed presenting an upper particulate material supporting surface, an opposed lower surface, and a pair of side margins, there being an upstanding skirt member adjacent each of said side margins, said bed and skirt members cooperatively retaining said particulate material during heating and drying thereof,
• a series of agitators located below and spaced along the length of said bed and oriented for repeatedly impacting said bed lower surface in order to generate an undulating bed movement serving to elevate and tumble said particulate material on said bed and to move the material along the length of the bed from said inlet toward said outlet;
• and
• a material conditioning unit disposed above said bed within said housing.