Apparatus for iron ore reduction

Claim 1

IN AN APPARATUS FOR CONDUCTING A GAS-FLUIDIZED SOLIDS REACTION WHICH INCLUDES A VESSEL HAVING ENCLOSING SIDE, TOP, AND BOTTOM WALLS, GAS AND SOLIDS INLET AND OUTLET MEANS, A PARTITIONING VERTICAL BAFFLE LOCATED THEREIN WHICH DIVIDES THE VESSEL INTO SOLIDS INLET AND SOLIDS OUTLET CHAMBERS WHICH CAN FUNCTION SIMULTANEOUSLY AS GAS-FLUORIDIZED SOLIDS TREATING CHAMBERS, AND WHEREIN SAID BAFFLE CONTAINS AN OPENING CONNECTING TOGETHER SAID INLET AND OUTLET CHAMBERS, AND BOTTOM INLET AND TOP OUTLET MEANS FOR INTRODUCTION AND REMOVAL OF FLUIDIZING GASES FROM THE CHAMBERS, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING AN OVERFLOW MEMBER WITHIN AN OUTLET CHAMBER AFFIXED TO THE VERTICAL BAFFLE BELOW THE OPENING, ENCLOSING SAID OPENING TO A LEVEL LOCATED AVOVE THE TOP OF SAID OPENING TO FORM, WITH THE OPENING, AN AERATED WEIR SEAL WHICH PROVIDES IN OPERATION OF THE VESSEL FOR THE ONE-WAY FLOW OF FLUIDIZED SOLIDS THROUGH THE OPENING BY OVERFLOW OF SOLIDS ACROSS THE OVERFLOW MEMBER DOWNWARDLY INTO THE OUTLET CHAMBER THUS SUBSTANTIALLY ELIMINATING BACKMIXING OF FLUIDIZED SOLIDS BETWEEN THE CHAMBERS DURING TREATMENT, AND DURING WITHDRAWAL OF SOLIDS FROM SAID OUTLET CHAMBER.