The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 02, 2002
Filed:
May. 20, 1998
David Anthony Pearce, Cornwall, GB;
ECC International Limited, Reading, GB;
Abstract
An apparatus and a process for drying a suspension of a finely divided particulate solid material to produce the solid material in a substantially dry and unagglomerated form. The apparatus consists of a grinding chamber containing a particulate grinding medium such as silica having a diameter of 1-5 mm, a conduit for introducing the suspension into the grinding chamber and an impeller which rotates in the grinding chamber. The grinding chamber has a perforated base through which a heated gas is introduced to provide an upward flow of gas through the grinding chamber and through the grinding medium. As the particulate material is dried, fine particles of the dried material are carried upwards in the upflow of gas through the grinding chamber. A filter such as one or more cyclones and/or a bag filter assembly is located downstream of the grinding chamber in order to separate the particles of dried material from the gas.