Patent ID: 6273106
Filing Date: 2001-08-14
Classification: B01D,B01J,B03B

Abstract:
A particulate matter washing apparatus comprising:a cleaning tank for storing particulate matter and cleaning water;a screw conveyor with a cylindrical wall surrounding the conveyor, said screw conveyor being adapted for rotation around a substantially vertical axis in the cleaning tank;a rotation mechanism for rotating the screw conveyor at a speed so that the particulate matter and the water are raised, in the lower part of the screw conveyor under the surface of the water, by means of the rotation of the screw conveyor, whereby at least a part of contamination substances on the particulate matter are removed by the contact between the grains of the particulate matter with the cleaning water being interposed therebetween, and so that the particulate matter is fluidized on the surface of the screw conveyor in the upper part of the screw conveyor above the surface of the water to remove at least a part of the remaining contamination substances from the particulate matter by means of the contact between the grains of the particulate matter; anda particulate matter circulating mechanism extending upward substantially at least to the height of the top of the screw conveyor, and through which the particulate matter that has been raised by the screw conveyor is allowed to fall down to the lower part of the screw conveyor of the same apparatus, to be raised again by the screw conveyor.