Method for drying and torrefaction

1. A method for torrefaction of water-containing cellulose material within an inert atmosphere, said method comprising:

cascading cellulose material between a plurality of rotatable trays vertically stacked within a plurality of processing zones provided within a material processing chamber,

heating said cellulose material within said material processing chamber to generate steam from the contained water in said cellulose material,

discharging said steam generated from said cellulose material from said material processing chamber, and

recycling at least a portion of said steam to at least one of said processing zones within said material processing chamber, wherein said steam at least partially provides an inert atmosphere within said material processing chamber.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said material processing chamber includes a discharge outlet for cellulose material processed within said plurality of processing zones, and a source of fluid for cooling the processed cellulose material being discharged from said outlet.

3. The method of claim 1 , further including a supply of inert gas coupled to said material processing chamber for maintaining said inert atmosphere.

4. The method of claim 1 , further including heating said steam prior to recycling to said material processing chamber.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said heating comprises passing at least a portion of said steam through a heat exchanger heated by another portion of said steam discharged from said material processing chamber.

6. The method of claim 1 , further including condensing water or volatiles from said steam discharged from said material processing chamber.

7. A method for torrefaction of water-containing material within an inert atmosphere, said method comprising:

passing material to be torrefied between a plurality of material supports within a material processing chamber,

heating said material within said material processing chamber to generate steam from the contained water within said material being processed,

exhausting said steam from said material processing chamber,

heating said steam exhausted from said material processing chamber,

returning at least a portion of the heated steam to said material processing chamber, wherein said steam at least partially creates an inert atmosphere within said material processing chamber, and

discharging torrefied material from said material processing chamber.

8. The method of claim 7 , further including condensing at least a portion of said steam prior to returning said steam after heating to said material processing chamber.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein said material supports comprise a plurality of vertically stacked trays.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein said heating said steam comprises superheating said steam.

11. The method of claim 7 , further including supplying an inert gas to said material processing chamber to maintain said inert atmosphere.

12. The method of claim 7 , further including quenching said material being discharged from said material processing chamber.

13. A method for processing material, comprising:

feeding material into a material processing chamber having an upper portion and a lower portion, and a rotatable assembly extending between said upper portion and said lower portion supporting a plurality of vertically displaced material supports;

applying heat within the upper portion of said material processing chamber for drying said material;

collecting exhaust from said material processing chamber;

recycling the collected exhaust to said processing chamber;

torrefying said material within the lower portion of said material processing chamber; and

discharging said material from said material processing chamber.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising quenching the torrefied material.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the recycled exhaust at least partially provides an inert atmosphere within said material processing chamber.

16. The method of claim 13 , further including heating said exhaust before recycling to said material processing chamber.

17. The method of claim 16 , further including using at least a portion of said exhaust from said material processing chamber for heating said exhaust to be recycled.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein said exhaust comprises steam.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein said material comprises water containing cellulose material.

20. The method of claim 13 , further including supplying an inert gas to said material processing chamber.

21. A method for torrefaction of water-containing cellulose material within an inert atmosphere, said method comprising:

cascading cellulose material between a plurality of rotatable trays vertically stacked within a plurality of processing zones provided within a material processing chamber,

heating said cellulose material within said material processing chamber to generate steam from the contained water in said cellulose material, and

discharging said steam generated from said cellulose material from said material processing chamber, wherein said steam at least partially provides an inert atmosphere within said material processing chamber.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein said material processing chamber includes a discharge outlet for cellulose material processed within said plurality of processing zones, and a source of fluid for cooling the processed cellulose material being discharged from said outlet.

23. The method of claim 22 , further including a supply of inert gas coupled to said material processing chamber for maintaining said inert atmosphere.

24. The method of claim 21 , further including supplying an inert gas to said material processing chamber for maintaining said material processing chamber in combination with said steam in an inert atmosphere.

25. The method of claim 21 , further including condensing water or volatiles from said steam discharged from said material processing chamber.

26. A method for torrefaction of water-containing material within an inert atmosphere, said method comprising:

passing material to be torrefied between a plurality of material supports within a material processing chamber,

heating said material within said material processing chamber to generate steam from the contained water within said material being processed,

maintaining a quantity of said steam in said material processing chamber for at least partially creating an inert atmosphere within said material processing chamber, and

discharging torrefied material from said material processing chamber.

27. The method of claim 26 , further including condensing at least a portion of said steam from said material processing chamber.

28. The method of claim 26 , wherein said material supports comprise a plurality of vertically stacked trays.

29. The method of claim 26 , further including exhausting said steam from said material processing chamber, and recycling at least a portion of said steam being exhausted to said material processing chamber.

30. The method of claim 26 , further including supplying an inert gas to said material processing chamber to maintain said inert atmosphere in combination with said steam.

31. The method of claim 26 , further including quenching said material being discharged from said material processing chamber.

32. A method for torrefying material, comprising:

feeding material to be torrefied into a material processing chamber having an upper portion and a lower portion, and a rotatable assembly extending between said upper portion and said lower portion supporting a plurality of vertically displaced material supports;

applying heat within the upper portion of said material processing chamber for drying said material;

creating steam from heating said material in said material processing chamber;

torrefying said material within the lower portion of said material processing chamber; and

discharging said material from said material processing chamber.

33. The method of claim 32 , further comprising quenching the torrefied material.

34. The method of claim 32 , wherein said steam at least partially provides an inert atmosphere within said material processing chamber.

35. The method of claim 32 , further including discharging at least a portion of said steam from said material processing chamber, and recycling at least a portion of said steam to said material processing chamber.

36. The method of claim 32 , further including using at least a portion of said steam within said material processing chamber for maintaining said material processing chamber in an inert atmosphere.

37. The method of claim 32 , wherein said material comprises water containing cellulose material.

38. A method for torrefying material, comprising:

feeding material to be torrified to a material processing chamber;

heating the material within the processing chamber to generate exhaust gases including steam to be discharged therefrom;

creating heated gases by combustion of at least a portion of the exhaust gases discharged from the processing chamber;

heating at least a portion of the steam discharged from the processing chamber using the heated gases; and

recycling at least a portion of the heated steam to the processing chamber.

39. The method of claim 38 , wherein the steam at least partially provides an inert atmosphere within the processing chamber.

40. The method of claim 38 , wherein the exhaust gas includes volatile gases.

41. The method of claim 40 , further including recovering a portion of the volatile gases discharged from the processing chamber.

42. The method of claim 38 , further including condensing a portion of the steam discharged from the processing chamber.

43. The method of claim 38 , wherein heating the steam using the heated gases occurs in a heat exchanger.

44. The method of claim 38 , wherein the material comprises cellulose material.