Method and apparatus for treating fluids and non-fluid materials

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF TREATING AT LEAST ONE OF A GRANULAR MATERIAL AND A FLUID BY CONTACT WITH ONE ANOTHER COMPRISING ARRANGING THE GRANULAR MATERIAL IN A BED HAVING A PLURALITY OF TRANSVERSELY DISPOSED, UPWARDLY SPACED, FLUID ENTRY PORTIONS SEPARATED AND SUPPORTED BY INTERPOSED MEMBERS HAVING OUTER AND INNER EDGES WITH RESPECT TO SAID BED, SAID BED HAVING FLUID EXIT PORTIONS SPACED FROM SAID INNER EDGES, PASSING FLUID THROUGH SAID FLUID ENTRY PORTIONS AND OUTWARDLY FROM THE FLUID EXIT PORTIONS OF THE BED, AND THEREAFTER CAUSING A SURGE FLOW OF A GAS SHARPLY PEAKING SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE AND SUBSTANTIALLY IMMEDIATELY DECLINING BELOW THE MINIMUM STEADY STEADY FLOW RATE AT WHICH THE FLOW OF GAS CAUSES MOTION OF THE GRANULAR MATERIAL AND IN A REVERSE DIRECTION THROUGH SAID FLUID ENTRY PORTIONS TO REMOVE A PORTION OF THE GRANULAR MATERIAL FROM THE BED.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF TREATING AT LEAST ONE OF A GRANULAR MATERIAL AND A FLUID BY CONTACT WITH ONE ANOTHER COMPRISING ARRANGING THE GRANULAR MATERIAL IN A BED HAVING A PLURALITY OF TRANSVERSELY DISPOSED, UPWARDLY SPACED, FLUID ENTRY PORTIONS SEPARATED AND SUPPORTED BY INTERPOSED MEMBERS HAVING OUTER AND INNER EDGES WITH RESPECT TO SAID BED, SAID BED HAVING FLUID EXIT PORTIONS SPACED FROM SAID INNER EDGES, PASSING FLUID THROUGH SAID FLUID ENTRY PORTIONS AND OUTWARDLY FROM THE FLUID EXIT PORTIONS OF THE BED, AND THEREAFTER CAUSING A SURGE FLOW OF A GAS SHARPLY PEAKING SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE AND SUBSTANTIALLY IMMEDIATELY DECLINING BELOW THE MINIMUM STEADY STEADY FLOW RATE AT WHICH THE FLOW OF GAS CAUSES MOTION OF THE GRANULAR MATERIAL AND IN A REVERSE DIRECTION THROUGH SAID FLUID ENTRY PORTIONS TO REMOVE A PORTION OF THE GRANULAR MATERIAL FROM THE BED.