Apparatus for continuous heat processing of ore pellets

Claim 1

Apparatus for The continuous heat processing of pellets, characterized by the cushioning of the pellets during preheating and incipient hardening to minimize breakage or attrition, wherein the pellets are enveloped in inert particulate material at all stages of processing comprising: a. a pellet-forming apparatus, b. a first enclosure containing a fluidized bed of solid particles of inert material arranged to continuously receive green pellets and buoyantly move them to a point of discharge with means for maintaining the fluidized bed at an elevated temperature to preheat and dry the pellets as they are carried to the point of discharge, c. a second enclosure containing a fluidized bed similar to the first into which the dry preheated pellets from the first unit are directly discharged, said second enclosure having means for maintaining the fluidized bed at a temperature higher than the first to effect incipient hardening of the pellets, d. means for charging fluidized gas to each of said enclosures so arranged as to direct the movement of the pellets through said enclosures, e. a columnar reactor arranged to continuously receive hardened pellets directly from said second enclosure at its upper end, said reactor having means for continuously supplying highlyheated inert particulate material into the upper end thereof to envelop the pellets as they are discharged into the upper end thereof, and f. means at the bottom of the reactor for continuously removing and separating pellets and particulate material to effect a continuous downward movement of the pellets and particulate material through the column at a controlled rate, g. said apparatus thereby effecting the processing of the pellets continuously while they are randomly enveloped in and separated by hot inert particulate material.