A CONTINUOUS DRYING AND/OR HEATING PROCESS AND APPARATUS

摘要

Apparatus and process for drying and/or heating materials. This invention was designed for use in the production of charcoal from wood feed material; however, it can be used to heat and/or dry many types of materials. Feed material is disposed in a reactor (11) wherein uncondensed pyrolysis volatiles generated by heating or drying are continuously recirculated in direct contact with feed material and withdrawn to a heat exchanger (76) where the pyrolysis volatiles are heated to a temperature within a temperature range which prevents condensation of the volatiles and acts to maintain the pyrolysis reaction of the feed material.