Tornado flow separator for processing fine-grain or granular material

Claim 1

Tornado flow generator for processing fine-grain or granular particulate material with at least one gaseous medium such as for drying the particulate material, comprising a reaction chamber having a longitudinal axis and defined by a cylindrical chamber wall, supply inlets for gaseous medium disposed in and extending tangentially to said cylindrical wall, said supply inlets being disposed at axially spaced locations along said reaction chamber whereby floating paths of particulate material are formed between said axially spaced locations, at least one supply inlet for particulate material disposed at an incline and tangentially to said chamber wall at one longitudinal end region of said reaction chamber, at least one outlet for particulate material that has been processed in the generator located at a longitudinal region of said reaction chamber opposite said one longitudinal end, and means for withdrawing excess and spent gaseous media from said reaction chamber, said withdrawing means comprising an exhaust pipe extending into said reaction chamber along said axis thereof for at least half of the length of said reaction chamber, said pipe being formed with a plurality of exhaust openings distributed in axially spaced relationship over the length thereof, whereby gaseous medium introduced through said axially spaced supply inlets is withdrawn through corresponding adjacent axially spaced exhaust openings without impairing the flow of said free-floating paths of particulate material.