CA2007474C - Multioperational treatment apparatus and method for drying and the like - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for drying or otherwise treating materials within a controlled environment are provided. Included is a combination of features that imparts a fluidized state to particulate materials on a foraminous conveyor belt, which features also permit selecting other modes of operation including downflow of treating gas to and through the foraminous conveyor belt and upflow of treating gas to and through the foraminous conveyor belt. By this arrangement, a sinqle apparatus can be used to accomplish a plurality of different treatments by selectively adjusting treatment variables,

Description

Case 3659 I

1 MULTIORE~ATIO~AL TREATMENT APPARA~U~
A~D M~THOD FOR DRYING A~ THE ~IKE

D~SCRIPTIo~
s BACKGROUN~ AND DESCRIPT~O~ OF THE INv~lION
! 7 ~he present inve~tion generally r~lates to an apparatus and mathod for drying or othorwise traating 9 materials that are conveyed through an enclosed treating environment. ~ora particularly, the invention relates to 11 an especially versatile apparatu~ and method that allow the operator to select among a variety of operational 13 mod~. Trea~d ~ses, such as heated air and the li~e, ar~ able to be circulated through a vari~ty of paths and 15 combinations of movement that are d~signed to prss~nt different types o treatments and conditions to the 17 mater~al being treated. Included is a~ assembly tha~
convsy~ a foraminous belt, and the traated gas pat~ can 19 b2 selected including downwardly through materials on the belt, upwardly therethrough and by an arrangemen~ in 21 which the mat~rials being treat~d are su~jacted ~o ~luidized b~d conveyed condition~ undar which particulate 23 mat~rial~ are generally tumblea along the foraminous con~eyed b~lt. By virtue o~ thi~ invention, a single 25 pi~ce of eguipment can b~ easily adiusted so a~ to carry out a number of different treatment procedure~ that are 1 needed for processing or treating a variety of different products, such as different dry cereal products.
3 Dryers, ovens, refrigeration units, and the like have been provided which circulate treated gases such as 5 heated, p~essurize~ air for intimate, treated con~act with a variety of different products, including food 7 products, as well as granulated or particulate materials, such as dry cereals, as well as numerous other non-edible 9 and edible items. Typically, these devices are designed to perform primarily a single functiQn, such as baking 11 pi~æas, making crackers, baking coo~ies, drying chemicals, or c~rrying out a particular stage in th~
13 manufacture of a particular type of dry cereal.
With particular reference to thQ dry cereal 15 processing industry, cereal products o~ jdirferent ~ypes require di~ferent processing or treating steps. Most dry 17 cereal products require multiple treatment steps, each necessitating a type of drying or treating apparatus that 19 may not be suitabl~ for any other type of treatment or processing step. For e~ample, at certain stages, some 21 ary cereal product pr~pa.rations call for a~ apparatus that will permit alternating upflow and down~low o~ dry 23 air through the c~real preparation as it is bcing conv~yed thro~gh th~ apparatus. Such an approach may be 25 needed, for ~ample, for co~tinuous cooked flake pro~uct~
that need to remain substantially stationary on the 27 movi~g conveyor bed. Sometime~ it is important to minimize movement of tha cer~al particulat~ while ~hey 2g are on the conveyed surface in ord~r to achieve ~lavor and vitamin retention.
I 31 Other dry cereal prsduct~ may re~uirG a puf-toasting or a blis~er-to~sting procedur~ that ca~ be carried ou~
33 under relatively severe conditions in ord~r to impart a particular property sl~ch as color and/or flaYor 1 development to the ultimately produced dry cereal product. Some cereal products are best prepared by 3 including treatment with a so-called fluidized bed apparatus which typicall:y includes a solid conveyor and S relies upon pressurized l3as impingement onto the t~p SUrfaGe of this solid conveyor in order to tumble or turn 7 individual particles to thereby affect sp~cial treatments or to provid~ especially eficie~t tr~atment procedllres.
9 For e~ample, grain grits can be subjected to special treatments to form same ~irst into cup-shaped, thin 11 flakes and then puff-toast them into thicker and larger flakes or to blister-toast them into blistered and 13 wri~kled flakes under high temparature, short time ; fluidized bed conditions. Without this type of : 15 treatment, materials, such as grain grits, would form unsatisfactory flakes that look similar to ish scales.
17 Cer~ain other cer~al produ~ts cannot hs suitably processed with this fluidized b~d impingement type of 19 equipment because the rather violent impingement activity will damage the granules. An e~ampla of a cereal o this 21 type is one having a coating, ~ch as a suga- coating, which will bs removed from the product by frictional 23 engagement with the pressurii~ed air jets and with the solid con~eyor surfacs upon which the air jsts impin~a.

2~ Other equipment is ot~n nseded to accomplish other procedur~ ha~ing their ow~ respective tim~, temperatur2 27 and prcduct mo~emen~ condition~ and rsguiraments.
E~ampl~s of equipm~nt used herstofore in the cereal 29 i~ustry, as well as in other industrie~, in order to p~rform certain type~ of drying or other proc~ssing 31 oparatio~s include the impingeme~t type of system~ such as those illustrated by U.S. patents No. 3,060,590 and 33 No. 3,X29,377, as well as by No. 3,262,217 which also include~ the p~ovision of a vibra~ing conveyor onto which 7at ~, 1 impingement takes place. While thes~ types of devices which basically operate on air impingement principles can

3 be useful for certain types of applications, they do not provide the kind of versatility that can reduce th~
5 capital outlay and floor space needed or processin~ a variety of different products such as a full line of dry 7 cersal product~. Other devices that are useful, but are of limited versatility, include those of the traveling 9 screen type in which the products being processed are spread on a screen which is conveyed through a heated or ll otherwise conditioned environment. Thi~ type of an apparatus will not allow for the formation and use of a 13 ~luidized bed, and it is not particularly suitabl~ for performing puffing or toasting operations or other lS procedures.
It has been found that, by proceeding in accordance 17 with the present invention, it i~ po~sible to provide numerous types of treatment functions within a single l9 piece of ~quipment. The equipment can proceed to provide operating condition~ of the typ~ povided by a traveling 21 screen drying apparatu~, while permitt ng adjustments in conditions to transfor~ samQ into an apparatus that 23 provide~ a fluidized bed to levitate and tumble the materi31~ while su~jecting them to desired time, flow and 25 ~emperature conditions.
In summary, the present inve~tion is an apparatus and 27 method that incorpo~ates a foraminsus conveyor surface which can, whe~ desired, be tran~form~d into a 29 fluidization surface that operates in the ~aturs o~ a device that incorporates impingement of ga~ jets onto an 31 imperforate surface along which th0 material~ bei~g treated are conveyed. In addition, means are provided 33 for se:lectively varying the circulation path and movement velocity of th~ gaseous treatment fluid. Includ~d in the '7~-~7'~

l means for varying the treatment procedures accomplished by the present invention is the use of a lower plenum 3 beneath a foraminous conveyor belt, coupled with means for varying pressure e~erted by the fluid within the 5 lower plenum onto the foraminous conveyor.
It is a general object of the present invention to 7 provide an improved apparatus and method for imparting treating fluid to materials passed through a treatment 9 zone.
Another object of th.is invention is to provide an ll improved drying and treating apparatus and m~thod that embody multioperational features within a single unit.
13 Another object of the present invention is to provids an improved apparatus and method for performing a variety 15 of different drying or other treatment operations by modifying parameters of the treatment fluid.
17 Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method ~or multioperational l9 drying, toasting, or otherwise treating cereal materials with supplies of f lowing gas.
21 Another object of this invention is to proYide an impro~ed apparatus and method wherein ~luidized bed 23 conditions can be provided without re~uiring an im~erforate impingement suxface.
These and o~her objects, feature~ and advantages of the present invention will be clearly understood tArough 27 a consideration of the following detailed description.

~9 BRI~F D~TRTION OF THE DRAWING~
In ths course of this descriptisn, reference will be 31 made to the attached drawings, wher~in:
Figur~ l is a side elevational view o an apparatus 33 according to this invention, - 6 ~ (3~t7~
.

1 Figure 2 is a generally schematic illustratio~ of an embodiment of th~ invention which shows the fluidizing 3 gas circulation according to the present invention;
Figure 3 is a generally schematic illustration of an 5 embodiment of the invention which shows the down~low gas circulation through the bed according to the present 7 invention;
Figure 4 is a generally schematic illustration of an 9 embodiment o~ the invention which shows the upflow gas circulation through the bed ~ccording to the present 11 invention;
Figure 5 is a more detailed ~lRvational Vi8W, 13 partially cut away! of a portion o the apparatus illustrated in Figure l;
Figure 6 is a transverse cross-s~ctional view generally through th~ em~odiment sho~n in Figure 5;
17 Figure 7 is a detail view of a portion of the preferred foraminous belt included in accordance with the 19 present invention, Figur~ 8 is a partial transv2rs~ cross-sectional view 21 illustrating an optional feature;
Figure 9 is a partial transv~rse cross-sectional view 23 illustrating an al~ernativ~ em~odiment: a~d Figura lO is a partial longitudinal c~oss~sectional 25 view illustrating a further po~sible embodiment.

27 D~RTPTION OF THE PARTICU~AR EM~ODl~h~S
A multioperational drying or cooking apparatus i5 29 illustrated in Figure 1. A plurality of enclosu~a as~e~blie3, genarally designated a~ 21, ar~ æhow~
31 conveyor assembly, generally de~ignate~ as 22, is shown as a continuous unit that join~ the enclosure 33 assemblie~ 21. As illustrat0d, each enclo~ure assembly includes two separately controllable tre2t.nan~ zones. In 35 some applications, but a single enclosur~ assembly may be ~37~

1 provided with greater numbers o~ treatment ~ones. In other versions, each enclosure assembly could have its 3 own separate conveyor assembly, and other processing steps could be carried out therebetween. Another option 5 which is avaIlable when using a co-,v~or ~ssembly, such as the preferred fle~ible conveyor assembly, is to have 7 the conveyor assembly continue onto a diferent treating station or stations positioned between th~ enclosure 9 assemblies 21.
Each enclosure assembly 21 includes gas conditioning 11 means, such as a burner assembly 23. Means are also provided, as discussed in greater detail herein, for 13 pressurizing the conditioning gas, for directing same, and for circulating same through a variety a diferent 15 paths and path combinations, depending upon th~
particular treating, drying or baking function and the 17 like to be performed within th~ enclosure assembly 21.
Controls including gauges 24 and air saal dampers 25 are 19 g~nerally illustrated. Circulatin~ fan assemblies 26 are also generally shown in Figur~ 1.
21 Conveyor assembly 22 includes an endless foraminous conveyor belt 27 mounted along pulley assemblies in a 23 generally known manner. Included are a driv~ pulley assembly and a driven pulley assembly ag, as well as 25 other takeu~ pullays and the like, th~ details of which will be ~ppre~iated ~y one of skill in tha art. The 27 p~ef2rred structure of the ~oraminou~ conveyor belt 27 is illustrated in Figure ~. It can be characterizQd as 29 woven mstal wir~ that is capa~le of a~ e~trem31y full ran~e of movement in the dire~tion o~ traYel. Such 31 movemsnt capabilities include being able to readily follow inclined paths to move ~rom equipment of dif~ering 33 treatment heights and being able to wind arQund conveyor pulleys and drive pulleys of r~la~iv~ly small diameter.

I

1 The illustrated foraminous conveyor belt 27 includes a plurality of generally parallel rods 31 which are 3 generally threaded through so as to join alternating and generally mating accordian or ~ig-zag fli~hts 32. The 5 rods 31 join the ~lights 32 by pivotally connecting forward bends 33 of one flight 32 in alternating fashion 7 with rearward bends 34 of an adjacent flight 32.
Preferably, the rods 31 and ~he flights 32 are made o~
9 stainless steel or other durable and rigid material that is able to withstand thl~ temperatures applied on the unit 11 and is safe for use with food products.
Figure 2 illustrate~i the operation of the present 13 invention in a manner in which ~luidized bed conditions are presented above the foraminou~ belt 27 o the 15 conveyor assembly. The circulating ~an assembly 26 provides a supply of pressurized ga~, such a~ air, which 17 may, for example, be heated by means of the burner assembly 23. Whil~ the illustrated apparatus 19 recirculates th~ treating gas, make-up gas or air can be added as needed at 35 in order to vary or maintain ga~
21 temperature, drying characteristics and the like. The pre~surized ga~ is passed through suitabl~ conduits or ~3 passa~e into an upper plenum 3S and a lower plenum 37.
When desir~d, sid~ strsams of ga~ ~rom th~ circulating 25 fan as~embly 2~ can b~ provided. The sid~ stream flow is typically moni~ored by dampers or valves 38t and the 27 gasaou~ ~low ~its onto the longitudinal ~dge~ of the foraminou~ belt 27 through suitabls elongated lots 39 or 29 th~ like. This longitudinal side stream arrangement tassist~ in maintaining the materials being tr~ated on th~
31 foraminou~ belt 27, whila also as3i~ing in maintaining the fluidi2ed condition provided by thi~ moda o~
33 operation of ths invention.

1 With more particular reference to the fluidization tha~ is achieve~ by ~his mode of operation, the 3 circulating fan assembly 26 and/or a damper or valve 41 upstream of the upper plenum 36 permit adjustment of the 5 pressurization of the gas, such as air, w~thin the upper plenum 36, which is preferably closely monitored. This 7 pressurized source is then directed downwardly by suitable directing devices, such as the illustrated 9 plurality of tubes 92. Passage of this pressurized air through such directing devices will, of course, increase 11 the velocity of the gas flowing therethrough. This velocity can be adjusted by any suitable means, such as 13 the known means of providing a sliding or movable hole plat~ 43 so that holes therein are moved into or out of 15 alignment with outlets of the directing tubes 42 or the like. Differsnt positioning in this regard is 17 illustrated ln Figures 2, 3 and 4. The result of the various adjustment featuxes iq that output rom the 19 directing davices 42 is variable and i~ ori~nted generally downwardly toward the foraminous conveyor 27.
~1 The pressurized gas antering the lower plenum 37 builds a desired prsssur~ o~ gas within the lower 23 plenum 37. This prassure can ba provided, maistained and~or monitored by a damper or valve 44, th~ circulating 25 fan a~sembly 26, and ths like. If necessary, a damper or valve 45 could be opened to adjust the pressure within 27 he lower plenum 37; although this damper 45 will typically be closed during this mode of operation. In 29 acc~rdance with generally known principles, one or more perforat d distribution plates 46 can be provided in 31 ordar to further direct ga~ flow or control pressure within ~he lower plenum 37.
33 According to the mode illustrated in Figure 2, the primary path out of the lower plenum 37 i9 through the 35 foraminous conveyor belt 27, th~ plenum being 1 substantially closed on all sides e~cept for its upper portion that directly underlies the forami~ous conveyor 3 balt 27. ~y this arrangement, the generally downwardly-directed gaseous flow from the upper plenum 36 impinges 5 upon a pressurized gas layer that is provided at the boundary where the downflow gas meets the upflow gas.
7 This boundary may be considPred to be a generally horizontal cuxtain provided at or just slightly above the 9 foraminous conveyor belt 27 which is generally provided by the pressurized gas of the lower plenum 37.
11 Typically, the fluidized bed conditions of this inventio~
are achieved when the upward flow from the lower plenum 13 is between about 30 percent and about 80 percent of the downward flow from the directing devices.
Particulate materials 47, which ca~ be cereal flakes, nuggets, granules, puf~s or the lika, generally tumble 17 along the ~oraminous conveyor ~elt 27, but they do not pass therethrouyh to any si~nificant dogree. This 19 action, which is generally illustrated by curved, - arrow-headed lines in Fi~ure 2, generally levitates, 21 rolls, tumbles or fluidizes the particulat~ materials 47 alonq, with and ge~erally abov~ th~ foraminous conveyor 23 belt ~7. Also, gen~rally in accordance with impingement ty~e~ of dr~ing or treating devices, the pres~urized air 25 that luidize~ the particulate materials 47 simultan-eously impinges upon these materials a~ they are tumbled, 27 turned and moved, with tha result that treatment of the particulate materials 47 with this treating gas is 29 enhance~.
Thc trea~ing gas then flows out of th~ enclosuro 31 assembly 21 in a manner that i~ generally appreciated ;n the art, typically by way of an outlet as~embly including 33 a damper or valv~ 48 ~or traasmission to a cyclone assembly 49 or ths like for removing undesirable 35 materials ~rom, or otherwise treating, the gaseous medium 3~

1 recirculating through the apparal:us. Certain such gaseous medium can e~it the cyclone apparatus by a 3 typical e~haust arrangement 51, which can be useful to maintain temperature and drying characteristics, all in 5 accordance with generally known principl~s.
By the mode or arrans~ement illustrated in Figure 2, 7 the particulate material~i 47 are subjected to fluidized bed conditions in the nat:ure of those developed by dryer 9 or treatment devices utilizing impingement principles in which a downwardly direct:ed flow of pre~surized gas 11 impinges upo~ an imperfor.ate and rigid surface. This is accomplished even though no such imperforate impingement 13 surface is provided. Typical co~dition~ that are needed in this regard for dry cereal proce~sing include 15 relatively high temp~ratures, on the order of about 400 to 550F. and somewhat brief treatment time~, on the 17 order of about 30 to about 90 seconds, while air velocities out o~ the directing dsvices will be in the 19 range of appro~imately 8000 to appro~imately 12,000 ~eet per minute. Moisture level~ can be reduced ~rom a range ~1 on the ~eneral order of 15 to 20 percent down to abou~
~ percent.
23 With reference to Figure 3, the particulate materi31~ 47 are subje ted to a downward flow 25 therathrough o treatment ga3 from the upper plenum 36 whil~ these mat~rials 47 are g~nerally po~ition~d on the 27 oram~nous co~veyor belt 27. Damper or valve 48 is substantially closed, and the b~lk of the volume o 29 treatme~t ga~ then enters the lower plenum 37, which is at a lower pressure than that of tha uppar plenum 360 31 The flow is t~en passed out of the lower pl~num 37 and is circulated to the cyclone asse~bly 49 by opening the 33 damper or valve 45.
Drying, cooking or treating operation~ of the type 35 that can be carri2d out on a so-~alled traveling screen assembly can suitably be accomplished accordin~ to this ~3~
.

1 mode of operation~ For e~ample, dry cereal flakes such as bran flakes ara typically dried or treated with an 3 upflow through the bed of flakes (which could be carried out by the pr~sent invention when in the mod~ illustrated 5 in Figure 9), and they are then subjected to downflow drying conditions that arle typically more efficient th~n 7 up1Ow drying An e~ample of a typical downflow drying operation would use air at between 250 and 300F., air 9 flows of on the order of about 200 to 300 ~eet per minute, and retention times o~ on tho ordsr of a few 11 minutes. A typical flaked product will then be dried to a moisture lavel of about 2 to 3 percent.
13 The operational mode or Figure 4 is one in which there is an upflow of treatment gas through the bed of 15 particulate materials 47. Treatment~ requiring upflow o gas through particulate material can b~ practiced when 17 the invention i8 adjust~d according to this mode. Damper or valve 45 is substantially closed, and tha prassurized l9 air flowing through the damper or valve 44 prsssuri~es the lower plenum 37. With this arran~ement, treatment 21 gases pas~ upwardly through the foraminous or woven m~tal conveyor 27 in order to thereby txeat particulate 23 material 47 ther~on, after which flow continue~ throu~h damp~r or valve 48 for retur~ to th~ cyclone 49 and 25 typically th~ damper or valve 41 i~ closed. With refarence to dry cereal proce~sing, this upflow mode, for 27 esampl~, can b~ used to provide initial surfac~ drying of 1ake3 in order to pr~vent both sticking to the conve~or 29 belt and matting of the flakes, which initially can have a moisture cont~nt in the approsimate ~0% range.
31 Further details of an apparatu~ ~tructure ~uitable for proceeding in accordanca ~ith thi~ inv~ntion are 33 illustrat~d in Figuras 5, 6 and 7. A plurality of the tubular directing devices 4~ are shown, each with a 35 tapering ~ip having a reduced inner diameter. Such - 13 ~

l directing devices 42 typically run su~stantially the entire length of each treatment zone within the enclosure 3 assembly 21. Details of the preferred woven metal endless belt 27 as discussed herein are also shown.
With reference to Figure 8, this ilIustrates a situation which could be practicsd if it would be desired 7 to convert the present apparatus to one more closely resembliny a classical type of impingement structure. A
9 substantially flat, elongated and imperforate plate 52 can be positioned substa:ntially directly beneath the ll foraminous endless belt 27 at those location~ at which the belt 27 is in its pathway under the tubular directing 13 devices 42. By this option, the perforated endless belt is substantially transformed, from an operational point 15 o view, into an imperforate moving sur~ace.
Concerning Fi~urs 9, the directing devices of this 17 embodiment taka the form o a plurality o~ constrict~d openings 42a on thc bottom side of an upper plenum 36a.
l9 Treatment gas enters the plenum 36a when the damper or valve 41 is opened. Flow into th~ lowax plenum 37 passes 21 through damper or valve 44. Esit from above the foraminous belt 27 occurs wh~n damper or valve 48 is 23 opened, and e~it from the lower plenum 37 i~ through the damper or valve 45.
Rsgarding the embodiment which is illustrated in Figure lO, an upper plenum 36b is illustrated. A
27 plurality of directinq dsvic~ 42b ars positioned along the bottom surface of the plenum 36b. The~ directing 29 de~ic~ 42b taka the form of elon~ated transversa slots which dir~ct treatment gasas gensrally downw~rdly onto 31 the foraminous conYeyor belt ~7 when tha downward mode or tha flui~i~ation mode of this embodiment i~ pr~cticed.
33 While ganeral re~erence herain ha~ baen made to dry ceraal processing procedures, and especially with respect 35 to conclitions that ar~ met ~or esisting dry cereal 3'7~'7~

l manufacturing, it should be borne in mind that the versatility afforded by the present inYention i5 of 3 greater scope than this. For e~ample, because of the ease of use and cost-effective operational capabilities S of this invention, novel operations are contemplated.
One possibility is singlls sided coating of dry cereal 7 types of products or dry cereal processing that embodies a combination of toasting, then coating and then drying 9 operations in a single piece of equipment.
It will be understood that the embodiments of the 11 present invention which have been described are illustrative of some of the applications af the 13 principles of the present invention. Numerous I modidifications may be made by those skilled in the art 15 without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims (18)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A multioperational apparatus for treating particulate products, comprising:
enclosure means for providing a controllable atmospheric environment;
conveyor means for transporting particulate materials through said enclosure means, said conveyor means including a foraminous belt having a lower surface and an upper surface for supporting the particulate materials;
means for providing treating gas to said enclosure means;
means for flowing said treating gas and for selectively directing the treating gas substantially downwardly toward said foraminous belt, said downwardly directing means including means for varying the flow rate of the treating gas, including substantially stopping said substantially downwardly directed gas flow when desired;
means for flowing said treating gas and for selectively directing same to a lower plenum that communicates with the lower surface of said foraminous belt in order to selectively direct the treating gas upwardly toward said foraminous belt, said flowing means that upwardly directs including means for varying the flow rate of the treating gas to said lower plenum and for varying the pressure within the lower plenum, including stopping the upwardly directed flow when desired;
selectively openable and closeable upper exhaust means located above the foraminous belt for selectively providing outflow of treating gas from said enclosure means at a location above the foraminous belt;

selectively openable and closeable lower exhaust means located below the foraminous belt for selectively providing outflow of treating gas from said enclosure means at a location below the foraminous belt;
said apparatus has a downflow mode wherein said lower exhaust means is open and wherein said upper exhaust means is substantially closed, said downflow mode circulating the treating gas from said downwardly directed gas flow, through said foraminous belt and out of said lower exhaust means;
said apparatus has an upflow mode wherein said upper exhaust means is open and wherein said lower exhaust means is substantially closed, said upflow mode circulating the treating gas from said upwardly directed gas flow, through said foraminous belt and out of said upper exhaust means; and said apparatus has a fluidized bed mode wherein said upper exhaust means is open, wherein said means for flowing the treating gas to the lower plenum and said lower exhaust means are adjusted so as to maintain a treating gas pressure within said lower plenum that is adequate to offset said substantially downwardly directed gas flow to an extent that fluidized bed conditions are provided for particulate materials on said foraminous belt.

2. The multioperational apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for providing treating gas includes providing treating gas that is heated air, and I wherein said flowing means pressurizes the heated air.

3. The multioperational apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said foraminous belt is a woven metal wire belt that is longitudinally bendable.

4. The multioperational apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said downwardly directing means includes a plurality of generally elongated tubes through which the treating gas flows generally downwardly.

S. The multioperational apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said downwardly directing means includes a plurality of constricted openings on a bottom side of an upper plenum.

6. The multioperational apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said downwardly directing means includes a plurality of elongated transverse slots on a bottom side of an upper plenum.

7. The multioperational apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lower exhaust means opens into said lower plenum.

8. The multioperational apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lower plenum has a generally open upper end that is located substantially beneath said lower surface of the foraminous belt.

9. The multioperational apparatus according to claim 1, wherein during said fluidizing bed mode said downwardly directed gas flow impinges upon said treating gas pressure o the lower plenum at a location generally along said foraminous belt, whereby said downwardly directed gas flow generally changes direction to provide a substantially upwardly directed flow of treating gas that treats the particulate materials and flows through said upper exhaust means.

10. The multioperational apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lower plenum has a generally open upper and that is located substantially beneath said lower surface of the foraminous belt, and said treating gas pressure of the lower plenum provides a generally horizontal curtain of treating gas generally at said foraminous belt, and wherein during said fluidized bed mode said downwardly directed gas flow impinges upon said generally horizontal curtain in order to provide said fluidized bed conditions.

11. The multioperational apparatus according to claim 1, wherein during said fluidized bed mode, the upward flow of treating gas from the lower plenum is between approximately 30 percent and approximately 80 percent of said substantially downwardly directed gas flow.

12. The multioperational apparatus according to claim 1, wherein during said downflow mode said means for flowing treating gas to the lower plenum is substantially stopped.

13. The multioperational apparatus according to claim 1, wherein during said upflow mode said means for flowing treating gas to said downwardly directing means is substantially stopped.

14. A multioperational apparatus for treating particulate products, comprising:
enclosure means for providing a controllable atmospheric environment;
conveyor means for transportinq particulate materials through said enclosure means, said conveyor means including a foraminous belt having a lower surface and an upper surface for supporting the particulate materials;
means for providing treating gas to said enclosure means;
means for flowing said treating gas and for selectively directing the treating gas substantially downwardly toward said foraminous belt, said downwardly directing means including means for varying the flow rate of the treating gas, including substantially stopping said substantially downwardly directed gas flow when desired;

means for flowing said treating gas and for selectively directing same to a lower plenum that communicates with the lower surface of said foraminous belt in order to selectively direct the treating gas upwardly toward said foraminous belt, said flowing means that upwardly directs including means for varying the flow rate of the treating gas to said lower plenum and for varying the pressure within the lower plenum, including stopping the upwardly directed flow when desired;
selectively openable and closeable upper exhaust means located above the foraminous belt for selectively providing outflow of treating gas from said enclosure means at a location above the foraminous belt;
selectively openable and closeable lower exhaust means located below the foraminous belt for selectively providing outflow of treating gas from said enclosure means at a location below the foraminous belt;
a substantially imperforate plate that is selectively positionable and removable from substantially directly under said lower surface of the foraminous belt;
said apparatus has a downflow mode wherein said substantially imperforate plate is removed from under the foraminous belt, said lower exhaust means is open, and said upper exhaust means is substantially closed, and said downflow mode circulates the treating gas downwardly through said foraminous belt and out of said lower exhaust means;
said apparatus has an upflow mode wherein said substantially imperforate plate is removed from under the foraminous belt, said upper exhaust means is open, and said lower exhaust means is substantially closed, and said upflow mode circulates the treating gas upwardly through the foraminous belt and out of said upper exhaust means; and said apparatus has a fluidized bed mode wherein said substantially imperforate plate is positioned substantially directly under said lower surface of the foraminous belt, and said upper exhaust means is open.

15. The multioperational apparatus according to claim 14, wherein during said fluidized bed mode the downwardly directed gas flow impinges upon the substantially imperforate plate.

16. The multioperational apparatus according to claim 14, wherein during said downflow mode said means for flowing treatinq gas to the lower plenum is substantially stopped.

17. The multioperational apparatus according to claim 14, wherein during said upflow mode said means for flowing treating gas to said downwardly directing means is substantially stopped.
18. A multioperational method for treating particulate products, comprising:
providing a controllable environment and transporting particulate materials therethrough on a moving foraminous belt havinq a lower surface and an upper surface for supporting the particulate materials;
flowing treating gas from a supply of treating gas and selectively directing same downwardly toward the upper surface of the moving foraminous belt through an upper flow path, upwardly toward the lower surface of the moving foraminous belt through a lower flow path, or through both the upper and lower flow paths toward the upper and lower surfaces of the moving foraminous belt;

selectively exhausting treating gases from the controllable environment at a location below the lower surface of the moving foraminous belt, above the upper surface of the moving foraminous belt, or both below and above the moving foraminous belt;
whereby said multioperational method includes selecting among any of the following circulation procedures:
circulating said treating gas including downflowing same by said selectively directing step downwardly toward and through the moving foraminous belt, exhausting same at the location below the moving foraminous belt and returning substantial guantities of the thus exhausted treating gas to the supply of treating gas;
circulating said treating gas including upflowing same by said selectively directing step upwardly toward and through the moving foraminous belt, exhausting same at a location above the moving foraminous belt and returning substantial guantities of the thus exhausted treating gas to the supply of treating gas; and circulating said treating gas to achieve fluidization, including downflowing same by said selectively directing step downwardly toward the movinq foraminous belt, upfowinq the treating gas by said selectively directing step upwardly toward the moving foraminous belt, and selecting said step of exhausting treating gases from above the upper surface of the moving foraminous belt and returning substantial quantities of the thus exhuasted treating gas to the supply of treating gas said downflowing step and said upflowing step occurring substantially simultaneously at substantially the same portions of the movinq foraminous belt, said upflowinq step maintaining a flow of treating gas that is adequate to offset said downflowing step to the extent that said upflowing step, said downflowing step and said selected upper exhausting step cooperate in fluidizing particulate materials on the moving foraminous belt.
19. The multioperational method according to claim 18, wherein said step of selectively upwardly directing treating gas includes flowing treating gas into a lower plenum having an upper surface that opens into the lower surface of the moving foraminous belt, thereby imparting a selected pressure to treating gas within the lower plenum.
20. The multioperational method according to claim 19, wherein said selected pressure of the lower plenum treating gas is between approximately 30 percent and approximately 80 percent of the flow of treating gas of said step of selectively downwardly directing treating gas.
21. The multioperational method according to claim 18, wherein the flow of treating gas in said step of selectively upwardly directing treating gas is between approximately 30 percent and approximately 80 percent of the flow of treating gas in said step of selectively downwardly directing treating gas.
22. The multioperational method according to claim 18, wherein said upflow circulating procedure includes carrying out said selective exhausting step substantially completely at the location above the upper surface of the moving foraminous belt.
23. The multioperational method according to claim 18, wherein said downflow circulating procedure includes carrying out said selective exhausting step substantially completely at the location below the lower surface of the moving foraminous belt.

24. The multioperational method accordinq to claim 18, wherein said fluidization circulating procedure includes carrying out said selective exhausting step substantially completely at the location above the upper surface of the moving foraminous belt.
25, The multioperational method according to claim 18, wherein said supply of treating gas is subjected to a heating step.
26. The multioperational method according to claim 18, wherein said fluidization circulating procedure includes providing a generally horizontal curtain of treating gas generally at the moving foraminous belt.
27. The multioperational method accordinq to claim 18 wherein said step of transporting particulate materials transports particulates being processed into dry cereal products.
28. The multioperational method according to claim 18 wherein said fluidization circulating procedure includes tumbling the particulate materials.
29. The multioparational method according to

claim 18, further including monitoring and controlling said flowing steps and said exhausting steps in order to maintain predetermined flows of treating gas.