down onto the one below it. Gradually the material works its way down through the dryer in this manner, and after 45 minutes clay exits the bottom of the dryer onto conveyor belts. Material to be dried usually enters the top of the dryer with a moisture content of around 18%, and exits as a product of around 10 to 8%. Generally, these figures all depend on the dewatering processes employed before the material reaches the dryer. Commonly, the Buell dryer handled shredded filter press cakes from standard square plate filter presses, although these were later replaced by a circular plate filter press capable of operating at much higher pressure. After being shredded, these press cakes were brought by conveyor belt to a paddle mixer in which the cakes were back-mixed with dried clay. The back mixed clay could then either be extruded into pellets and fed directly to the dryer or, depending on the grade of clay to be produced, might go through an additional stage of pug milling. External links Versatile Portable Dryer Industrial equipment Dryers