Apparatus for coating liquids onto core pieces

An apparatus for batch coating liquids onto core pieces of particulate product, said apparatus having a processing mode and a discharge mode, said apparatus comprising:

• a rotatable drum having a substantially cylindrical shape, and further having a horizontally disposed longitudinal axis, an interior surface, an exterior surface, a loading end and a discharge end, a loading opening at said loading end, and a discharge opening at said discharge end;
• a first flat end plate defining said loading end of said drum;
• a second flat end plate defining said discharge end of said drum;
• a frame for supporting said drum;
• drive means for rotating said drum about its longitudinal axis in a processing direction and oppositely in a discharge direction;
• a cryogenic spray nozzle for introducing a cryogenic gas or liquid into said drum during processing;
• a coating material nozzle for introducing liquid coating material into said drum during processing;
• and
• a vane system affixed to the interior surface of said drum, said vane system comprising:
• a plurality of variable-pitch segmented vanes substantially evenly spaced apart and spanning the entire length of said drum from said loading end to said discharge end;
• and
• a plurality of spreader vanes;
• characterized in that said vane system moves the core pieces of particulate product toward the loading end of said drum during processing and produces a continuous cascade of core pieces over said vanes and into the spray pattern of cryogenic material introduced by said at least one cryogenic nozzle, and wherein the particulate matter in bulk is urged to flow toward the discharge end when said apparatus is operated in the discharge mode.