Particle processing assembly such as sucrose coating of pellets has a vessel to form a processing zone linked to a separating column for a continuous or quasi-continuous delivery

摘要

To produce and/or process particles (20), a fluid (31) is sprayed into a processing zone (19) at least at times to form the particles (20) in the zone (19) and/or to process them by coating. A gas is passed through the processing zone (19) to eddy the particles (20). The processing fluid (31) and/or the particles (20) are fed into the processing zone (19) in successive time intervals or continuously. In a continuous or quasi-continuous action, at least a part of the material in the zone (19) is passed to a separating column (40) where particles (20) of a given min. dia. and/or a given min. density are separated from the remainder of the material and are extracted from the processing zone (19). The spraying of the processing fluid (31) forms a coating around the particles (20). The particles (20) are formed from material clumps or from droplets of the sprayed fluid which are dried. The retained material in the separating column (40) is returned to the processing zone (19), while the particles are delivered which meet the specifications. A gas flow is formed in the separating column (40), upwards from below, so that material at the head section (41) of the column is carried back into the processing zone (19), and the finished particles (20) drop by precipitation into the foot section (42) of the column (40). An Independent claim is included for an assembly with a vessel (2) to define the processing zone (19) to form or hold the particles (20). A gas is fed through the processing zone, and at least one spray jet (28,36) delivers a fluid and/or particles into the zone (19). A separating column (40) is linked to the processing zone (19), with a fluid flow connection, to give a continuous or quasi-continuous delivery of particles (20) from the processing zone (19). The separation column (40) acts as a sifter, with a gas flow, with a passage (44) to carry the finished particles (20). The head section (41) of the column is at the vessel wall, which has two openings in a vertical array, to connect the interior of the vessel (2) with the column passage (44). The column passage (44) has a zigzag structure. The foot section (42) of the column is linked to a separator to give particle fractions and additional particle separation. The vessel (2) contains a rotor (9), rotating around a vertical axis (3), with a laying surface (11a) to carry the particles (20). The rotor (9) is powered by a rotary drive (14).