Apparatus for a fluidized ion exchange bed system

An apparatus for a fluidized ion exchange bed system comprising:

• a first column for housing a first fluidized bed, said first column comprising a first particle-feeding inlet to feed ion exchange or adsorbent particles into an upper region of said first column and a first fluid-feeding inlet to feed a first ion-containing fluid into a lower region of said first column to form a fluidized bed in the first column, said first column further comprising a first fluid outlet in the upper region at a height above the first particle-feeding means, said lower region being remote from said upper region such that said particles and said fluid flow counter-currently in the first fluidized bed, wherein the upper region comprises a first end of the first column and the lower region comprises a second end of the first column;
• a second column for housing a second fluidized bed, said second column comprising a second particle-feeding inlet to feed particles into an upper end of said second column and a second fluid-feeding inlet to feed a second ion-eluting fluid into a lower end of said second column to form a second fluidized bed in the second column, said second column further comprising a second fluid outlet at the upper end of the second column at a height above the second particle-feeding means, said upper and lower ends being remote such that said particles and said fluid flow counter-currently through said second column;
• a first conduit which connects the first and second fluidized beds such that the second end of said first column is connected to the upper end of said second column, said first connecting conduit being adapted to permit passage of particles and prevent passage of said first ion-containing fluid into said second column;
• a second conduit which connects the lower end of said second column to a transport section, said second connecting conduit being adapted to permit passage of particles and prevent passage of said second ion-eluting fluid, wherein said transport section connects to the upper region of the first column via a liquid-solids separator and permits hydraulic transport of said particles upwardly into the liquid-solids separator to separate the particles from fluid prior to entry into the first column via the first particle-feeding inlet.