Drying of wet carbon black pellets

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR DRYING CARBON BLACK PELLETS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A ROTATABLE DRYING TUBE HAVING A STATIONARY HOOD ENCLOSING EACH OPEN END THEREOF; A WEAR RING ATTACHED TO EACH STATIONARY HOOD SO AS TO CONTACT THE ADJACENT END OF SAID TUBE AS A SEAL BETWEEN SAID HOOD AND SAID TUBE; MEANS FOR FEEDING WET PELLETS TO ONE STATIONARY HOOD AND MEANS FOR REMOVING DRY PELLETS FROM THE OTHER HOOD; A STATIONARY HOUSING ENCLOSING SAID TUBE; A FURNACE IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID HOUSING TO SUPPLY HOT COMBUSTION GASES TO THE ANNULUS BETWEEN SAID HOUSING AND SAID TUBE; A SINGLE MEANS FOR SUPPLYING COMBUSTION GASES FROM SAID ANNULUS TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID TUBE COMPRISING A FIRST CONDUIT COMMUNICATING WITH SAID ANNULUS AND THE INTERIOR OF SAID TUBE AT ABOUT ITS AXIS OF ROTATION SPACED FROM AND ADJACENT THE STATIONARY HOOD HAVING MEANS FOR REMOVING DRY PELLETS THEREFROM, SAID CONDUIT HAVING AN OPENING IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID TUBE FACING SAID STATIONARY HOOD HAVING MEANS FOR REMOVING DRY PELLETS THEREFROM; A SECOND CONDUIT COMMUNICATING WITH THE STATIONARY HOOD HAVING MEANS TO FEED WET PELLETS THERETO; AND BLOWER MEANS IN SAID SECOND CONDUIT TO CAUSE COMBUSTION GASES TO PASS THROUGH SAID FIRST CONDUIT, SAID ROTATABLE TUBE AND SAID SECOND CONDUIT.

Claim 3

THE METHOD OF REDUCING CARBON BLACK LOSS FROM A HEATED, ROTARY DRUM, CARBON BLACK PELLET DRYER HAVING A STATIONARY HOOD AT EACH END OF THE DRUM WITH A WEAR RING BETWEEN THE STATIONARY HOOD AND THE ADJACENT END OF THE DRUM TO EFFECT A SEAL BETWEEN THE ROTATING DRUM AND STATIONARY HOOD AND WHEREIN A PORTION OF COMBUSTION GASES RESULTING FROM BURNING FUEL TO SUPPLY HEAT TO SAID DRUM IS UTILIZED AS PURGE GAS TO REMOVE MOISTURE RELEASED FROM THE PELLETS PASSING THERETHROUGH WHICH COMPRISES INTRODUCING SAID PURGE GAS TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID DRUM AT ITS AXIS OF ROTATION AND AT A SINGLE POINT SPACED FROM AND ADJACENT THE PELLET EXIT END OF SAID DRUM AND CONCURRENT WITH THE FLOW OF PELLETS; AND WITHDRAWING SAID PURGE GAS FROM THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID DRUM SO THAT SAID PURGE GAS REVERSES ITS DIRECTION AND SWEEPS SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF SAID DRUM.

Claim 4

THE METHOD OF REDUCING CARBON BLACK LOSS FROM A HEATED, ROTARY DRUM, CARBON BLACK PELLET DRYER HAVING A STATIONARY HOOD AT EACH END OF THE DRUM WITH A WEAR RING BETWEEN THE STATIONARY HOOD AND THE ADJACENT END OF THE DRUM TO EFFECT A SEAL BETWEEN THE ROTATING DRUM AND STATIONARY HOOD AND WHEREIN A PORTION OF COMBUSTION GASES RESULTING FROM BURNING FUEL TO SUPPLY HEAT TO SAID DRUM IS UTILIZED AS PURGE GAS TO REMOVE MOISTURE RELEASED FROM THE PELLETS PASSING THERETHROUGH WHICH COMPRISES INTRODUCING SAID PURGE GAS TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID DRUM AT ITS AXIS OF ROTATION AND AT A SINGLE POINT SPACED FROM AND ADJACENT THE PELLET EXIT END OF SAID DRUM AND CONCURRENT WITH THE FLOW OF PELLETS; AND WITHDRAWING SAID PURGE GAS FROM THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID DRUM SO THAT SAID PURGE GAS REVERSES ITS DIRECTION AND SWEEPS SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF SAID DRUM.