Apparatus and method for continuous high temperature gas treatment of particulate matter

An apparatus for continuous high temperature gas treatment of particulate matter, the apparatus comprising:

• a starting material supply port through which starting particulate matter is supplied from an upper part of the apparatus;
• a product discharge port through which a product after treatment is discharged from a lower part of the apparatus;
• a treatment chamber in which the particulate matter is treated at a high temperature in an atmosphere of a treatment gas, the treatment chamber comprising (a) a three-dimensional structure including at least one conical structure and/or (b) a plurality of three-dimensional structures provided in a staggered manner on a wall surface and in a central portion of the treatment chamber in an upper part of the treatment chamber;
• at least one external heater provided in the upper part of the treatment chamber,
• a cooling chamber in fluid communication with the treatment chamber at a lower part of the treatment chamber, the cooling chamber having an external cooler or a heat exchanger;
• and
• a treatment gas supply port through which the treatment gas is supplied, the treatment gas supply port being provided in a lower part of the external heater and above the external cooler,
• wherein during operation of the apparatus, in the lower part of the treatment chamber, the particulate matter is cooled by the external cooler or the heat exchanger and the treatment gas flow is adjusted to maintain an upward flow rate of the treatment gas at a level less than a minimum fluidization rate, whereby a moving bed is formed, whereas in the upper part of the treatment chamber, the particulate matter is heated by heat from the external heater and the treatment gas flow is adjusted to maintain the upward flow rate of the treatment gas at a level higher than the minimum fluidization rate, whereby a fluidized bed is formed and maintained, and the fluidized bed is formed to be continuous with an upper part of the moving bed.