Patent ID: 7125432

Claim:
A method for preparing particulate materials having a moisture content of at most 12%, said method comprising the steps of: a) introducing, into a reactor container, reaction mixture contents comprising reactants effective to form a suspension of water-insoluble particles selected from the group consisting of silica, silicates, or any mixtures thereof; b) feeding the resultant suspension of step “a” into a chamber in which the water-insoluble particles are subjected to a chamber filter press in order to wash and partially dewater the suspension to produce filtered particulate material; c) further dewatering the filtered particulate material under reduced pressure in the interior of the same chamber filter press as utilized in step “b” while simultaneously subjecting the filtered particulate material to heat to produce resultant crumble material having a solids content of 14.5 to 85% by weight; and d) comminuting while simultaneously heating the resultant crumble material from step “c” to provide said particulate materials exhibiting a median particle size within a range of from about 1 to 30 microns and a moisture content less than 12%.