Recirculation system for treating spent pulping liquor smelt to recover sodium values as active sodium sulfite

Claim 1

A CIRCULATORY SYSTEM FOR TREATING "SMELT" RESULTING FROM THE CONCENTRATION AND COMBUSTION OF SPENT PULPING LIQUORS AS TO OXIDIZE THE SODIUM SULFIDE IN SAID "SMELT" INTO SODIUM SULFITE WHICH COMPRISES: SIZE REDUCTION MEANS FOR CONVERTING "SMELT" SOLIDS TO A SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORMALLY FINE PARTICLE SIZE CAPABLE OF UNDERGOING "FLUIDIZATION," A VERTICALLY UPSTANDING, ELONGATE REACTOR MEANS HAVING A CLOSED BOTTOM END, AN UPPER OUTLET END AND A LATERAL INLET LOCATED NEAR THE BOTTOM OF SAID REACTOR, SOLIDS TRANSFER MEANS CONNECTING WITH SAID SIZE REDUCTION MEANS FOR DELIVERING SAID FINELY DIVIDED SOLIDS TO AND THROUGH SAID REACTOR INLET, SECOND CONDUIT MEANS FOR A "FLUIDIZING" AND OXIDIZING GAS SITUATED WITHIN SAID REACTOR MEANS AND SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY COEXTENSIVE THEREWITH, SAID "FLUIDIZING" CONDUIT MEANS HAVING AN OPEN ONELET END PROXIMATE THE BOTTOM OF SAID REACTOR MEANS BENEATH THE INLET FOR SAID SOLIDS, COLLECTION MEANS FLUIDLY CONNECTED WITH THE UPPER END OF SAID REACTOR FOR RECEIVING AND SEPARATING SOLIDS AND GAS CARRIED UP AND OUT OF SAID REACTOR, SAID COLLECTION MEANS COMPRISING A CHAMBER HAVING AN UPPER OPENING FOR VENTING "FLUIDIZING" GAS AND A LOWER OUTLET FOR PARTICULATE SOLIDS INCLUSIVE OF SODIUM SULFITE AND SOLDIUM SULFIDE, AND MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY CONTROLLING SAID COLLECTION MEANS OUTLET TO EFFECT SELECTIVE RECIRCULATION OF A PORTION OF SAID COLLECTED SOLIDS TO SAID REACTOR MEANS AND SELECTIVE DIVERSION OF A PORTION OF SAID SOLIDS TO A PRODUCT RESERVIOR.