Both spray drying and fluid bed spray granulation can be used to convert liquid products into bulk materials. The most effective process will often be dictated by the desired properties of the final particles and the specific application. Glatt Ingenieurtechnik has a thorough understanding of both techniques and has a long history of designing fluid bed systems that are tailored to individual customer products.
Drying solids-laden liquids is frequently used in industry to convert products into a more manageable form and enable their storage at ambient temperatures. The resulting bulk materials are not only more stable than the liquid raw materials, they also have lower weights and smaller volumes, significantly reducing transportation and storage costs as well as any handling issues.
To dry liquids as quickly as possible, spraying them into a hot air stream (spray drying) is very effective. It has been used for decades to quickly and cost-efficiently dry large-volume bulk products such as milk powder. In addition to being suitable for large volumes, spray drying is also well suited for products with a low solids content as quite high temperatures can be used. Due to the fact that a lot of water is evaporated the cooling effect and the short residence time reduce heat induced damages. Nevertheless, the fine particles generated create dust problems, Especially when enzymes or other proteins are involved. They are, however, often potent allergens and, finely distributed as dust, are highly effective even in low concentrations and require further processing.
PLease follow the link for the PDF download and read more about:
- Targeted adjustment of product properties
- The principle of fluidised bed spray granulation
- Pushing the limits of spray drying
- Customised system design and process parameters
- Advantages of spray granulation
Author: Gudrun Ding, Head of Business Development Process Technology, Glatt Ingenieurtechnik GmbH, Weimar, Germany
Originally published in the magazine ‘Nutraceutical Business Review’, issue 05/2022, HPCi Media Limited
