Patent ID: 8205350

Claim:
A dryer system for removing surface moisture from particulate in the form of a slurry of particulate and fluid, the dryer system comprising: an agglomerate catcher having an agglomerate removal grid, the agglomerate catcher removing particulate agglomerates from the slurry of particulate and fluid; a dewaterer having at least one deflection device within a foraminous membrane, and a dewatered particulate discharge chute, the dewaterer removing bulk fluid from the slurry of particulate and fluid; and a centrifugal dryer having a particulate lifting rotor assembly positioned within a screen, the rotor assembly comprising a plurality of lifting blades, for lifting the particulate through sections of the centrifugal dryer, the particulate generally drying as it is lifted through each section; wherein the rotor assembly of the centrifugal dryer comprises at least two sections, a wet particulate feed section into which the particulate from the dewatered particulate discharge chute enters the centrifugal dryer, and a drying section located above the wet particulate feed section, wherein the number of lifting blades per a given length of the wet particulate feed section is less than the number of lifting blades per the same length of the drying section; and wherein the lifting blades of the wet particulate feed section form at least two helical configurations, and have a blade angle of less than 35°.