Patent ID: 8424219

Claim:
A drying apparatus for drying pellets from a process fluid, wherein the drying apparatus comprises: a. a screen device that has a screen area, wherein the screen area has screen openings; wherein the screen area comprises: (i) cross-sectional areas that are smaller in area than the cross-sectional areas of the smallest pellets; (ii) a first drying zone to which the pellets in the process fluid are delivered and in which the process fluid drains off through the screen openings; (iii) a second drying zone in which the still damp pellets are subjected to a stream of drying fluid; b. an oscillating device configured to oscillate the screen device such that the pellets move from the first drying zone to the second drying zone under the influence of the oscillations; and c. an overflow wall separating the first drying area from the second drying area, wherein the overflow wall prevents the process fluid in the first drying zone from entering the second drying zone and allows the pellets to travel to the second drying zone under the influence of oscillations.