Apparatus for contacting solid materials with fluids

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR CONTACTING FREELY FLOWABLE SOLID MATERIALS WITH GASEOUS FLUIDS COMPRISING AN UPRIGHT TREATING CHAMBER HAVING A VERTICAL WALL LATERALLY ENCLOSING SAID CHAMBER, A TOP CLOSURE FOR SAID CHAMBER OPEN TO THE INTRODUCTION OF SOLID MATERIALS THERETHROUGH AND INTO SAID CHAMBER FOR GRAVITATION OF SAID SOLID MATERIALS THROUGH SAID CHAMBER, A BOTTOM MEMBER IN SAID CHAMBER, THE UPPER SURFACE OF WHICH FORMS A TEMPORARY SUPPORT FOR A BED OF SOLID MATERIALS IN SAID CHAMBER, SAID BOTTOM MEMBER HAVING A PLURALITY OF DOWNWARDLY DIRECTED CONDUITS ASSOCIATED THEREWITH THROUGH WHICH SOLID MATERIALS CAN BE WITHDRAWN FROM ABOVE THE SURFACE OF SAID BOTTOM MEMBER, SAID CONDUITS BEING POSITIONED SO THAT THEIR INLET OPENINGS ARE AT THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID BOTTOM MEMBER AND ARE ARRANGED IN A PLURALITY OF HORIZONTALLY CONCENTRIC CIRCLES INCLUDING AN OUTER CIRCLE AND AN INNER CIRCLE, THE CONDUITS EXTENDING FROM SAID OUTER CIRCLE BEING DIRECTED DOWNWARDLY AND INWARDLY AND THE CONDUITS EXTENDING FROM SAID INNER CIRCLE BEING DIRECTED DOWNWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY SO THAT THE OUTLET OPENINS OF SAID CONDUITS FROM BOTH SAID OUTER AND INNER CIRCLES ARE ARRANGED TO FORM A COMMON CIRCLE IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE BELOW SAID BOTTOM MEMBER, WHEREBY WITHDRAWAL OF SOLID MATERIAL FROM ABOVE THE SURFACE OF SAID BOTTOM MEMBER IS EFFECTED WITH SUBSTANTIAL UNIFORMITY OVER THE ENTIRE LATERAL CROSS SECTION OF SAID CHAMBER; FLUID CONDUCTING MEANS FOR INTRODUCING GASEOUS FLUIDS FROM AN EXTERNAL SOURCE INTO SAID CHAMBER AND SEPARATE FLUID CONDUCTING MEANS FOR WITHDRAWING GASEOUS FLUIDS FROM SAID CHAMBER, SAID SEVERAL FLUID CONDUCTING MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID CHAMBER AT POINTS VERTICALLY SPACED FROM SAID BOTTOM MEMBER, ONE OF SAID FLUID CONDUCTING MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID CHAMBER AT A LOCATION ABOVE SAID BOTTOM MEMBER AND THE OTHER OF SAID FLUID CONDUCTING MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID CHAMBER AT A LOCATION BELOW SAID BOTTOM MEMBER.