Improvements in or relating to the Drying, Heating, Cooling, or Im- pregnating of Granular and other Material and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 5th June, 1899-Accepted, 12th Aug., 1899
Improvements in or relating to the Drying, Heating, Cooling, or Im-
pregnating of Granular and other Material and Apparatus therefor.
A communication from FRIEDRICH CORRELL, of Neustadt on the Haardt, in
the Empire of Germany, Civil Engineer.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111, Hatton Garden, in the County of London,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The present invention relates to the drying, cooling, heating or impregnating
of granular and other material either in a granular, powdery, semi-fluid or
fluid condition and to apparatus therefor.
The invention consists in a preferred form in a preferably vertical shaft or
compartment provided with a series of oppositely arranged inclined plates or
surfaces, the material treated falling down from one to the other in say a
zig-zag course, a relatively large space being provided behind the several points
at which the material treated falls from one incline to another, at which points
the passage for the material is very small and restricted. Air forced or drawn
through the shaft tends to carry with it the material to be treated, the more
so since the air strikes the material with the greatest velocity in the narrowest
places of transit; because the velocity of the air within the shafts is compara-
tively small when compared with the velocity with which the air travels in the
passages between the inclines, thereby causing the material to be thrown or
projected over the floor of the compartments. These floors are, and this is
an important characteristic of the present invention, inclined towards the points
where the material falls from one incline on to the next, in such a manner
that it has to travel in the opposite direction to the next outlet. In contra-
distinction with devices of a similar nature the material does not pass from
one incline to the next directly, but only after having been obliged to pass
through one or more whirling movements in the large space adjacent to the
inclines. This whirling movement is of great importance, for, in the first
place, a very strong current of air can be used, and thereby a great increase
of the yield of such an apparatus is obtained by this arrangement of a large
space between each pair of inclines, and, further, the time required for the
substance to pass through the whole apparatus is also decreased, which circum-
stance represents another increase of the yielding power of the apparatus.
The principle upon which the present invention is based will be explained
with reference to the schematic views shown in Figures 1 and 1º.
As regards Fig. 1 the inclines as arranged within the shaft are represented
by A and A. The material introduced at the top will therefore tend to fall
in a direction as indicated by the arrow y, through the whole length of the
shaft, provided there is no strong current of air passing through the shaft. In
the left wall of the shaft there are orifices L, and on the right orifices L'.
Through the orifices L', according to the object of the operation, either hot or.
cold air enters the shaft, while the orifices L are in a convenient manner'
connected with a ventilator or exhauster.

page_text: It is clear that the air entering the shaft by the orifices L' in consequence
of the action of the ventilator, must pass right across through the material as
it is falling downwards, and pass out of the shaft through the orifices L, the
path of the air being represented by the arrows z z¹ and 22.
If now we suppose the current of the air to be very strong, then it is easy
to understand that the material at the places marked a, where it falls from
one incline on to the next below, will be carried away by the current. Inas-
much, however, as the velocity of the air in the spaces M, owing to the arrange-
ment of the spaces, is less, the material will be projected, when a strong current
is employed, from the point x, in the direction indicated by the arrows y¹ or y²,
.and deposited on the top portion of the incline. This incline, however, is
inclined towards the exit point r, and hence, the material will slide down
towards as indicated by the arrow y³. Here it again encounters a strong
current of air, which tends to drive it in the direction indicated by the arrow y²
towards the orifice L, when it again falls on the incline, until finally it escapes
on the following incline A', on which, and in the corresponding space M, the
same operation is repeated.
It is clear from this explanation that the inclines A: serve the purpose of
transferring the substance to be treated from one incline A to the next incline A¹
and that, therefore, the inclines A may also be substituted by other devices or
arrangements, such for instance, as represented in Figure 1". In the latter
instance the inclines A are substituted by a sieve or perforated wall A2, and
the arrows marked in the drawing, represent approximately the path followed
by the material treated in such an apparatus, whenever a strong current of air
is passed through the orifices L the air passing through the spaces M in the
direction indicated by the arrow z. Examples of suitable forms of construction.
of this apparatus are represented in Figures 1 to 9 of the accompanying draw-
ings:-
and
Figure 1 is a front view of the apparatus, with the front wall partially removed.
Figure 2 is a side view in vertical section.
Figure 3 is a side view in vertical section of a modified form of construction.
Figure 4 is a horizontal section on the line ab of Figure 2.
Figure 5 is a horizontal section on the line c-d of Figure 3.
Figures 6, 7 and 8 are vertical sections through other forms of construction,
Figure 9 is a horizontal section of the apparatus shown in Figure 8.
From what has been adready stated in the introduction the effect and operation
of the various devices will be easily understood.
In the apparatus represented in Figures 1, 2 and 4 the material to be treated
enters the shaft by the shoot B, passing over the various inclines A and A¹
through the length of the shaft, and leaves the shaft by the discharge shoot C. In
front of the inclines A is arranged a compartment or casing D (Figures 2
and 4) which is rendered air-tight, and arranged at the right side of the
apparatus having only at the upper end an air inlet E, which can be regulated
by means of the door or valve F.
In the casing D tubes G are arranged, or the casing is directly connected with a
generator of hot air, or cold air, or the like, as required, the tubes G, in cases where
drying or heating is required, being heated with steam hot air, or the like,
or when it is a question of cooling, being supplied with suitable cooling medium.
The heating, or cooling medium, as the case may be, enters the tubes G at H,
arranged at the lower part of the apparatus, whereby the air passing down-
wards through E is heated according to the principle of opposite currents.
At the rear of the inclines A¹ is arranged a casing or compartment J, which
also is hermetically closed on all sides and connected in a convenient manner
with a ventilator blower or exhauster. The rear wall of the shaft is, as repre-
sented in Figure 1^, provided with orifices L and covers or regulating valves K
in such a manner that when the ventilator is at work, the fresh air entering

page_text: The
at E descends, becoming heated by the tubing G, passing then across the
apparatus in the direction, as represented in Figure 1 by the arrows z z¹³,
passing across and through the material to be treated into the casing J from
which it is continually drawn off by the ventilator or exhauster
ventilator then discharges the air either to the outside air or into or over a
funnel P, in which are deposited any particles of the material operated upon
that may have been carried away by the current of air. From the funnel P
the air may be passed into a casing or compartment Q arranged at the side,
for the purpose of completely using up the heating, or cooling power, still
contained in it; from thence the air passes, as indicated in Figures 4 and 5,
by means of tubes or through the inclines AA' if made hollow, into another
casing or compartment R arranged on the opposite side of the shaft, from
whence it ultimately passes into the upper space S and thence through the
passage T to the outer air.
As represented in Figure 2, the serpentine tube G the upper end of which is
carried back downwards, may be either connected with the funnel P or with
the hollow spaces between the inclines A and A'.
The heating or cooling medium, steam or liquid, may also be passed through
the hollow spaces between the inclines.
The apparatus as represented in Figures 3 and 6 is in every respect similarly
arranged to that represented in Figures 1 and 2, with the exception however,
that in this apparatus the serpentine tube in the compartment D is omitted,
the compartment itself being connected at its lower end directly with the
generator or supply of warming or cooling medium.
The apparatus represented in Figure 6 differs from those represented in
Figures 3 and 5 in only the modification that the air is drawn out of the
apparatus at the upper end of the rear compartment J, by which arrangement
the principle of counter-current is also usefully employed in the apparatus.
The apparatus as described is especially useful in cases where, besides cooling
or heating or drying, an energetic stirring is required in the treatment of the
material.
Finally all the parts of the apparatus, and especially the inclines A, A¹ of the
various modifications must be easily accessible. In order to allow of this, the
casings or compartments D, J, Q, R, S, are arranged in such a manner that they
can be separated, and if heavy may be mounted on or provided with rollers,
as represented in Figures 1, 2 and 4 as regards the front casing D.
The orifices L are so arranged that they can each separately be adjusted by
means of its cover K, but they may also be made adjustable by means of one
common rod actuating all of them at once so that the covers or valves may be
adjusted simultaneously.
Figures 7, 8 and 9 represent a further modification of the apparatus described.
As seen in Figures 7 and 8 the apparatus is provided on the top with a feeding
cylinder which introduces the material to be treated, and at the bottom
with a discharging cylinder for discharging the substance treated.
By the adjustment of the cylinders the amount of the material passed
through can be increased or decreased limited only by the gradient of the
material to be treated. By arranging the parts in such manner that the
admission of the material to the apparatus, or the discharge from the apparatus,
is adjusted to suit requirements, a larger or smaller quantity of material may
be heaped up on the inclines and exposed during any required time to the
effect of the current and the rarification of air in the spaces M.
means the substance may be treated to any required extent.
By these
The apparatus as represented in Figure 8 is characterized by the front set of
inclines being substituted by a perforated sheet metal plate or frame, A².
Figure 9. represents in a transverse section the apparatus shown in Figure 7,
showing the compartments Q, R, and S surrounding the shaft. The cold or

page_text: heated gases may be led through the passages whereby the effectiveness of the
apparatus may be greatly increased.
Warming of the apparatus from the outside is of importance, especially
when the apparatus is used for the purpose of removing water .e., drying,
inasmuch as by such an arrangement condensation of water on the inner walls
of the apparatus is prevented.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said
invention as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:—
1. Drying, cooling, heating or impregnating or similarly treating fluid, semi-
fluid, powdery, granular or like material by passing the material, by its own
weight, over and between obliquely arranged surfaces or between inclined
surfaces and a perforated surface from a high level to a lower level and applying
during such passage a strong current of air or gas to said material in a direction
contrary to that of the travelling material in order to act upon and penetrato
it, and carry it backwards into the chambers formed by the inclined surfaces
in which the current of air or gas produces a corresponding rarification of air,
substantially as described.
2. In a process of the kind described heating or cooling the inclined surfaces
substantially as described.
3. In a process of the kind described heating or cooling the whole apparatus
or certain parts of the apparatus substantially as described.
4. Drying, cooling or like apparatus in which the material to be treated
passes over inclined surfaces arranged obliquely to each other in a shaft while
air, or the like passes across the shaft, of such construction that behind the
several points where the material falls from one incline to the next, and where
the air current has a great velocity, relatively large chambers are provided,
the floors of which are inclined towards the said points, said chambers having
outlets such as L arranged at a distance from the narrow spaces between the
adjacent or overlapping inclines substantially as described.
5. In apparatus of the kind described outlets such as L, in the shaft, provided
substantially as described.
6. In apparatus of the kind described laterally arranged compartments such
as Q, R substantially as and for the purpose described.
7. In apparatus of the kind described hollow inclines (such as A or A¹) adapted
to be heated by steam or air, or to be cooled, the hollow inclines being preferably
so arranged as to establish a communication between the lateral compartments
substantially as described.
8. In apparatus of the kind described, lateral removable compartments such
as D, J, Q, R, S adjacent to the main shaft, substantially as described.
9. In apparatus of the kind described feeding and discharging cylinders by
means of which the charging and discharging of the material may be regulated
substantially as described.
10. Apparatus of the kind described comprising a series of surfaces all
inclined in one direction in combination with a vertical or substantially vertical
perforated metal sheet or frame, substantially as described.
11. The complete apparatus for treating granular, powdery, semi-fluid or fluid
material substantially as described or illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 4 or in
Figures 3 and 5 or in Figure 6 or in Figure 7 or in Figure 8 of the accom-
panying drawings.,
Doted this 31st day of May 1900