DRYING PARTICULATE BIOMASS

摘要

An apparatus for drying particulate biomass material such as wood chips consists of a container (14) with a floor (16) defined by a multiplicity of longitudinally movable parallel slats (20) shaped to allow air to flow between adjacent slats but so as to inhibit passage of particulate material between them. There is an outlet (35) adjacent to one end of the slats (20), and there are ratchet elements (36) projecting from the upper surface of the slats (20). The slats are moved to-and-fro, and the ratchet elements (36) bring about net movement of the particulate material towards the outlet. The ratchet elements (36) nearer to the outlet (35) may project further from the slat than those further from the outlet.