Patent ID: 8827671

Claim:
An extrusion and conditioning apparatus comprising: a conveyor housing having a conveyor line, a centrifugal cyclone separator, a blower and a supply line arranged in series within a circuit with the conveyor housing to form a closed conveyor circuit filled with superheated steam at a temperature of more than 100° C. whereby the superheated steam absorbs moisture as the moisture gradually emerges from an extruded product within the closed conveyor circuit; an extruder having a plate abutting the conveyor housing, the conveyor housing being displaceable in a transverse direction along the plate, whereby a seal is maintained when the conveyor housing is moved between a conveying position and a bypass position on the plate without having to interrupt a circulating flow of steam and without air entering the conveyor circuit or steam escaping from the conveyor circuit; whereby extruded material is removed by means of superheated steam via the conveyor line and the conveyor line communicates with a centrifugal cyclone separator for discharging an extruded product; and the plate prevents ambient air from entering the closed conveyor circuit and steam escaping from the closed conveyor circuit when the conveyor housing is moved between the conveying position and the bypass position in order to remove material from the extruder in the bypass position.