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First-stage
spray dryer
(SD)
Fluidized bed
exhaust into SD
chamber
Second-stage
fluidized bed
Steam control
valve 50 psig
30o F H20/glycol
Dehumidifying
coil
Condensate
Prefilter
to the discharge. Unlike static fluidized beds that rely on complete fluidization, the vibrating fluidized bed
can handle a wide range of particle
sizes, densities and shapes without rat-holing or excessive elutriation. The airflow can be adjusted to
maximize drying efficiency without
worrying about the degree of fluidization. Continuous vertical, uniform airflow maintains consistent
product moisture and temperature.
500230
900280
300170
300145
500300
900245
Product gain, %
26
21
17
Heat saving, %
24
18
13
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
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45
Single-stage spray dryers
(retention time in seconds)
40
35
25
20
Warm up
Moisture content, %
30
15
Constant
rate
Falling
rate
10
5
0
Time
FIGURE 2. This typical drying curve helps to illustrate how a second-stage dryer can optimize the drying
process
Operating advantages
Table 1 shows the operating advantages of two-stage drying. The
inefficiency of a direct dryer (that
uses air to dry) is seen in the hot air
exhausted. By reducing the temperature of the air exhausted or the
amount of air consumed, energy
consumption will be reduced. At
the same time, a lower spray-dryer
outlet temperature will increase the
temperature difference (T) and thus
increase the evaporation capacity.
For Example 1, as mentioned in
Table 1, the intermediate temperaInternal (circular fluidized beds):
Wet feed is distributed (seeded to start)
Good localized mixing gives consistent
blended moisture
Once-through design versus multiple passes
with external backmix
Deeper bed in center
Vibrator can be adjusted for plug flow or
backmix direction
Wet feed
Recycled dry
powder
Wet feed
Backmixer
Conveys in one direction
Dry powder
Semi-dried material
blends with wet feed
Dry powder
FIGURE 3. Some products may need re-drying and multiple back mixing passes, but internal back mixing, inherent in circular fluidized beds, accomplishes drying with minimal heat history to the product
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
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Predryer
Rotary Dryer
Or post
dryer
Or
Belt dryer
Or
Or
Post dryer
Pre- or post-dryer
A circular fluidized-bed dryer can
also function as a pre-dryer and
pre-conditioner upstream or as a
post-dryer and cooler downstream
of an existing rectangular fluidizedbed dryer, rotary dryer, belt, flash
or other dryer (Figure 4). Product
buildup in the feed zone of these
dryers can occur due to moisture
fluctuations, lumps, stickiness,
degradation and contaminants.
Rather than replace the primary
Feed
Heated or cooled
Inlet air-2
Inlet air-1
Heated or cooled
FIGURE 5. A new dryer design includes two separate air inlets and allows for drying and cooling in
one unit
60
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
Authors
James Schak is product manager of fluidized-bed processing
equipment for Kason Corp. (6771 East Willow St., Millburn, NJ
07041; Phone: 973-467-8140;
Email: jschak@kason.com). He
has 30-plus years of experience
with direct and indirect dryers
ranging from process engineering and design to teaching and
marketing, and previously was Chem Systems national
sales manager for GEA Niro. Schak also teaches a
Drying Technology course for the University of Wisconsin. He holds a B.S.Ch.E. from New Jersey Institute of
Technology.
Sunny Nwadinma is an applications engineer with Kason Corp.
(same address and phone as
above; Email: snwadinma@
kason.com). He covers product
lines of circular fluidized-bed dryers, coolers and moisturizers, circular vibratory and centrifugal
screeners, and static sieve
screeners. He was previously laboratory manager. He studied engineering technology at
Essex Community College and studied mechanical engineering and science at New Jersey Institute of Technology. He holds certificates from the Dale Carnegie
course on fluidized-bed technology from University of
Wisconsin, and the Effective Facilitator Course offered
by the Leadership Strategies institute.
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