Apparatus for the drying of moist particulate material in superheated steam

An apparatus for drying particulate material in superheated steam comprising:

• a closed container having a lower cylindrical part connected to a conical transition piece, the conical transition piece connected to an upper cylindrical part having a greater diameter than the lower cylindrical part;
• a heat exchanger located in a central part of the container;
• a steam transport element for receiving superheated steam from the heat exchanger, located in the lower cylindrical part and for transporting the superheated steam into the container through a steam permeable bottom;
• a series of upwardly open, elongated and substantially vertical processing cells disposed around the central part with the heat exchanger, a first group of the processing cells being open at a top thereof opposite a common transfer zone and being open at a lower end thereof adjacent the steam permeable bottom, a second group of processing cells being open at a top thereof opposite the common transfer zone and being closed at a lower end thereof to form a discharge cell;
• a dust separation cyclone located in the upper cylindrical part for receiving steam and dust and for separating the dust from the steam, the dust separating cyclone having openings at an upper part thereof for receiving at least part of the steam and dust therefrom.