Method of drying calcium chloride and product produced thereby

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR PRODUCING PELLETS OF CALCIUM CHLORIDE HAVING SURFACE PROTUBERANCES, WHICH PROCESS COMPRISES, ESTABLISHING A HEATED BED OF PARTICLES OF A CALCIUM CHLORIDE, AGITATING SAID BED TO CAUSE A CIRCULATORY MOVEMENT OF SAID PARTICLES THEREIN AND A GRADUAL INTERCHANGE BETWEEN THE PARTICLES IN THE INTERIOR OF SAID BED AND THOSE IN THE PERIPHERAL PORTIONS OF SAID BED, INTRODUCING A CALCIUM CHLORIDE SOLUTION AT POINTS WITHIN THE INTERIOR OF SAID BED TO COAT THE PARTICLES IN AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF SAID BED WITH SAID SOLUTION, SUPPLYING SUFFICIENT HEAT TO SAID BED TO MAINTAIN THE TEMPERATURE OF SAID BED SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE THE BOILING POINT OF SAID SOLUTION, WHEREBY TO SUBSTANTIALLY DRY THE COATED PARTICLES BEFORE SAID COATED PARTICLES REACH THE PERIPHERAL PORTIONS OF SAID BED SO THAT THE SMALLER PARTICLES IN SAID BED INCREASE IN SIZE AND THE PARTICLES IN THE PERIPHERAL PORTIONS OF SAID BED ARE SUBSTANTIALLY DRY, AND DISCHARGING DRIED PELLETS OF CALCIUM CHLORIDE FROM A PHERIPHERAL PORTION OF SAID BED.