Method and apparatus for drying and separating solid particles

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR DRYING AND CLEANING SMALL PARTICULATE MATERIAL HAVING COMPONENTS OF DIFFERENT SPECIFIC GRAVITIES, COMPRISING A FLUIDISING VESSEL, AT LEAST ONE PERFORATE SUPPORT IN SAID VESSEL FOR A FLUIDISED BED OF DISCRETE SOLID PARTICLES, MEANS FOR FEEDING SAID DISCRETE SOOLID PARTICLES TO SAID VESSEL AND ON TO SAID SUPPORT, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING GASEOUS MEDIUM TO SAID VESSEL UNDER CONDITIONS OPERATIVE TO FORM AND MAINTAIN SAID FLUIDISED BED, SAID MEANS COMPRISING A GASEOUS MEDIUM SUPPLY LINE LED TO THE FLUIDIZING VESSEL AT A POINT BENEATH THE FLUIDISED BED, MEANS OPERATIVE TO PRODUCE PULSATIONS OF FLUID PRESSURE OF SAID GASEOUS MEDIUM IN SAID BED COMPRISING A PULSING UNIT PROVIDING IN A CIRCUIT FOR THE GASEOUS MEDIUM, WHICH IS BRANCHED FROM SAID GASEOUS MEDIUM SUPPLY LINE, SAID BRANCHED CIRCUIT BEING LED TO SAID VESSEL AT A POINT ABOVE SAID BED, MEANS FOR FEEDING SAID PARTICULATE MATERIAL TO SAID FLUID-