Continuous process for drying, preheating, and devolatilization of carbonaceous materials

Claim 1

THE PROCESS OF DRYING, PREHEATING AND DEVOLATILIZING CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS WHICH COMPRISES PASSING FINELY DIVIDED CARBONACEOUS LOW RANK COAL PARTICLES ENTRAINED IN A STREAM OF HOT GASES FLOWING UPWARDLY AT RELATIVELY LOW VELOCITY THROUGH THE BOTTOM OF AND UPWARDLY THROUGH A DRYING AND PREHEATING ZONE, WHERE THE SENSIBLE HEAT IN THE GASES IS TRANSFERRED TO THE CARBONACEOUS PARTICLES AND EVAPORATES THE MOISTURE THEREFROM, AND THE PARTICLES ARE PREHEATED TO ABOUT 250* -300* F., PASSING SAID STREAM AT INCREASED VELOCITY FROM SAID DRYING AND PREHEATING ZONE TO A SEPARATING ZONE AND THERE SEPARATING THE DRIED CARBONACEOUS PARTICLES FROM THE MOISTURE VAPOR AND SPENT GASES OF SAID STREAM, PASSING THE DRIED HEATED PARTICLES ENTRAINED IN AIR UPWARDLY THROUGH THE BOTTOM OF AND UPWARDLY THROUGH A REACTION ZONE WHILE SUDDENLY RAISING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE PARTICLES IN SAID ZONE TO A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 850* TO 1000* F. TO FORM CHAR, TAR AND PROCESS GASES AND WITHDRAWING SAID CHAR, TAR AND PROCESS GASES THROUGH THE TOP OF SAID REACTION ZONE.