Method for dewatering and drying a liquid/solid slurry and an apparatus for using the method

The invention discloses an improved method and apparatus for utilizing the principal of dewatering and drying a liquid/solid slurry. Unlike the prior known method of consecutive material thickening, filtering, crushing and then subsequent drying which is achieved by means of an appropriate apparatus for each of the above enumerated process steps, in the present invention all these process steps are achieved with only one apparatus. The apparatus for the implementation of this method comprises consecutively connected filter press, feeding-compressing container with pressure feed chamber and a built-in heat exchanger and vacuum collector with a vacuum pump. The apparatus for carrying out the method is compact, has low energy consumption, and environmental cleanliness. The method ensures that the separated liquid phase can be used as a heat carrier for industrial and municipal needs. In addition, the process of the invention is fully automated. The total time for the consecutive implementation of thickening, filtering, crushing and drying compared to the prior known methods is considerably decreased by the method of this invention. Moreover, in the drying process of the invention only a fraction of the residual liquid is vaporized, while the remainder is expelled without its evaporation. Further, the extraction of salts dissolved in the liquid is achieved, since the liquid is not vaporized.