Patent ID: 8578624

Claim:
A dryer for drying particulate material comprising: a plurality of heat transfer plates arranged in spaced relationship for the flow of the material to be dried therebetween, each heat transfer plate comprising: a pair of major opposing sides for transferring heat to the material to be dried; and a heating fluid inlet and a heating fluid outlet for the flow of a heating fluid through the plate; each heat transfer plate including a plurality of holes extending from one of the pair of major opposing sides to the other of the pair of major opposing sides; and at least one inlet plenum and at least one exhaust plenum, the plurality of heat transfer plates interposed between the plenums, to facilitate flow of a purge fluid in a direction across the direction of flow of the material to be dried, the flow of the purge fluid being from the at least one inlet plenum, through the plurality of holes extending through the heat transfer plates, to the at least one exhaust plenum, the flow of purge fluid being isolated from the flow of heating fluid through the heat transfer plates.