Method of dehydrating moist materials

Claim 1

IN A METHOD FOR THE DEHYDRATION OF MOIST MATERIALS, SAID METHOD BEING CHARACTERIZED BY THE USE OF MEANS FORMING A PLURALITY OF SEPARATE ZONES, THE STEPS OF RECURRENTLY INTRODUCING CHARGES OF HOT OIL AND MOIST MATERIAL TO BE DEHYDRATED INTO THE FIRST OF SAID ZONES, HOLDING EACH OF THE CHARGES WITHIN THE FIRST ZONE WITH APPLICATION OF A PARTIAL VACUUM TO CARRY OUT AN INITIAL EVAPORATING PHASE, THE TEMPERATURE OF THE HOT OIL BEING SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE THE VAPORIZATION POINT OF WATER AT THE APPLIED PARTIAL VACUUM, AND TRANSFERRING THE CHARGES SUCCESSIVELY FROM THE FIRST ZONE TO A SUCCEEDING SECOND ZONE, WHEREIN EVAPORATION IS CONTINUED WITH MAINTENANCE OF A PARTIAL VACUUM, THE TEMPERATURE OF THE OIL IN SAID LAST NAMED ZONE BEING WITHIN A RANGE SUBSTANTIALLY LOWER THAN THE INITIAL TEMPERATURE OF THE OIL IN THE FIRST NAMED ZONE, BUT SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE THE AFORESAID VAPORIZATION POINT.