SINTERING PROCESS AND APPARATUS

A process and apparatus for sintering material are described wherein a moist sintered material is passed by a travelling grate through an ignition zone, a sintering zone, and a colling zone with strand cooling of the sintered material being effected. The sistered material is passed through a purging zone of higher flow rate and lesser area than a subsequent initial cooling zone, followed by a final cooling zone. Cooling air from both the purging zone and the initial cooling zone is heated by the sintered material and removes dust particles therefrom. The resultant dust-laden air from the purging zone is de-dusted by conventional means, and the dustcontaining heated air from the initial cooling zone is conducted to the sintering zone and forced downwardly through the moist material in the sintering zone. The higher pressure over a lesser area in the purging zone results in agitation of the dust in the sintered material and greater removal of dust from the material than would be possible by normal cooling processes.