APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR WETTING POWDER

摘要

Apparatus for wetting particulate material comprises a duct (1) that is open at its base (2) and that is provided at its top (3) with a duct inlet (4) defined by inlet walls (5) down which water flows continuously from a weir (6) around the top of the walls. Sprays (19) at or just beneath the duct inlet (4) direct water downwardly so as to wet the particulate material. Preferably the apparatus is used for wetting friable particulate material, in which case the sprays direct water across the path of the downflowing particulate material so as to disintegrate it into individual particles and to wet these. Downflow of air is minimised by providing a cowl (9) over the top of the duct and by feeding the particulate material, generally by a screw feed (13), into a passage that leads from an inlet (15) that is esposed to the atmosphere to an outlet that discharge direct into the duct inlet (4).