Apparatus for upgrading coal and method of using same

An apparatus for upgrading coal comprising:

• (a) a baffle tower;
• (b) an inlet plenum;
• (c) an exhaust plenum;
• and
• (d) one or more conveyance devices;
• wherein the baffle tower comprises one or more side walls;
• wherein each side wall has an outer face;
• wherein a portion of the coal enters the baffle tower;
• wherein the baffle tower comprises a plurality of alternating rows of inverted v-shaped inlet baffles and inverted v-shaped outlet baffles;
• wherein all of the rows of inlet baffles are parallel to one another, and all of the rows of outlet baffles are parallel to one another;
• wherein the rows of inlet baffles are perpendicular to the rows of outlet baffles;
• wherein the inlet plenum is affixed to the outer face of one of the side walls of the baffle tower;
• wherein the exhaust plenum is affixed to the outer face of one of the side walls of the baffle tower;
• wherein process gas enters the baffle tower from the inlet plenum via baffle holes in one of the side walls of the baffle tower;
• wherein the process gas that enters the baffle tower from the inlet plenum dries the coal that enters the baffle tower and becomes process exhaust gas;
• wherein the process exhaust gas exits the baffle tower into the exhaust plenum via baffle holes in one of the other side walls of the baffle tower;
• and
• wherein the coal that enters the baffle tower descends by gravity downward through the baffle tower and enters a conveyance device.