Coating and Drying in Spouted Bed: Influence of the Liquid-Particle Work of Adhesion

The aim of this work is to analyze the resulting process: coating or drying, and the respective fluid dynamic behavior, by bottom-spraying polymeric suspensions on a spouted bed of inert particles. Glass beads, ABS®, polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS) were chosen as inert particles and were analyzed and characterized by their physicochemical properties. The polymeric suspensions were characterized by density, surface tension, rheology, and wettability. The fluid dynamic behavior of the bed was correlated with the particles and suspensions characteristics for each process: coating and drying. Each process performance was correlated with the polymeric suspension-particle work of adhesion.     

Coating and Drying in Spouted Bed: Influence of the Liquid-Particle Work of Adhesion

The aim of this work is to analyze the resulting process: coating or drying, and the respective fluid dynamic behavior, by bottom-spraying polymeric suspensions on a spouted bed of inert particles. Glass beads, ABS®, polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS) were chosen as inert particles and were analyzed and characterized by their physicochemical properties. The polymeric suspensions were characterized by density, surface tension, rheology, and wettability. The fluid dynamic behavior of the bed was correlated with the particles and suspensions characteristics for each process: coating and drying. Each process performance was correlated with the polymeric suspension-particle work of adhesion.     

SLURRY DRYING IN GAS-PARTICLE CONTACTORS: FLUID-DYNAMICS AND CAPACITY ANALYSIS

The fluid-dynamic characteristics and evaporation capacities of several substrates (pure water, a mixture of water and carbohydrates, and apple pulps with maltodextrines) for conical spouted bed, fluidized bed and pneumatic dryers was compared.

For fluidized and spouted beds, the presence of fluids increased the fluid-dynamics parameters over the values when only inert particles were present in the beds. In both cases it was proposed correlations to predict those effects. In the spouted bed drier, increasing the load of inert particles resulted in a slight increase of the water evaporation capacity, while in the fluidized bed drier the effect was more marked. For fluidized and spouted beds, under similar operation conditions, the maximums of the suspension drying capacities are lower than the values of water evaporation, but for pneumatic drying this effect was the opposite. In general terms, the maximal capacities of fluidized bed dryers are higher than those observed in the spouted bed dryers.     

Spouted Beds of Inert Particles for Drying Suspension

A brief review of Brazilian research on drying process in spouted beds shows its relevance and evolution trends. Needs for applying this technique to dry pasty materials are discussed, focusing on a new model approach in order to overcome operational problems with particle agglomeration and with thermal efficiency. Based on this approach, two cases, drying of black liquor in a conical spouted bed of inert polypropylene particles under intermittent operation and drying of egg emulsion in a conical spouted bed of inert glass beads under continuous operation, are presented and analyzed.     

Spouted Beds of Inert Particles for Drying Suspension

ABSTRACT

A brief review of Brazilian research on drying process in spouted beds shows its relevance and evolution trends. Needs for applying this technique to dry pasty materials are discussed, focusing on a new model approach in order to overcome operational problems with particle agglomeration and with thermal efficiency. Based on this approach, two cases, drying of black liquor in a conical spouted bed of inert polypropylene particles under intermittent operation and drying of egg emulsion in a conical spouted bed of inert glass beads under continuous operation, are presented and analyzed.     

PNEUMATIC DRYING WITH SUPERHEATED STEAM: BI-DIMENSIONAL MODEL FOR HIGH SOLID CONCENTRATION

The utilization of superheated steam for pneumatic drying of solid particles makes it possible to operate with high particle concentration without the problem of phase saturation which tends to occur when hot air is utilized for drying. Normally, the operation of pneumatic dryers is analyzed through variations of unidirectional flows. For highly diluted transport conditions this is a correct assumption, but when the solid concentration is too high, the fluid dynamics is highly modified and the gas and solid velocities are distorted by solid–solid and Solid–Wall -interactions. These conditions affect the temperature distribution along the axial and the radial coordinates, which makes a bi-dimensional model analysis very important. Mathematical models have been developed for the bi-dimensional fluid dynamics of pneumatic transport. The present work applies one of these models to describe the axial and radial variation of velocities in a gas and particulate phase flow.     

Kinetics Study of Green Peas Drying in a Spouted Bed in the Presence of a Heat Carrier

In this study, a drying kinetics model for predicting the drying of green pea particles using a bench-scale spouted bed with heat carriers is investigated. The experiments were carried out under different operating conditions. The effect of inert particle diameter, inert particle type, and the mass ratio of inert particles to green peas was examined based on the performance of the dryer and the rate of drying. As expected, the rate of drying increased with increased mass ratio of inert particles to green peas and thermal diffusivity of inert particles.     

Drying of Coarse Particles in a Vertical Pneumatic Conveyor

In the present work, one-dimensional two-phase continuum models were applied to simulate the pneumatic drying of porous alumina and solid glass particles. Pressure profiles, gas and solid temperature, and gas and solids moisture profiles were obtained in a 53.4-mm conveying tube. For both particles, maximum values of gas-to-particle heat transfer coefficients were obtained at air velocities close to the minimum pressure gradient velocity. Experimental temperature and moisture profiles of gas and solids were compared to simulated predictions, showing that models based on the two-phase flow approach fail to predict all the observed physical phenomena in simultaneous momentum, heat, and mass transfer for pneumatic drying of coarse particles. However, using adequate correlations and constitutive equations to predict interaction forces and transport parameters, it was possible to obtain good predictions of gas and solid temperature profiles and of moisture content.     

FUNDAMENTALS OF GRANULATION TECHNIQUES

In the present work, one-dimensional two-phase continuum models were applied to simulate the pneumatic drying of porous alumina and solid glass particles. Pressure profiles, gas and solid temperature, and gas and solids moisture profiles were obtained in a 53.4-mm conveying tube. For both particles, maximum values of gas-to-particle heat transfer coefficients were obtained at air velocities close to the minimum pressure gradient velocity. Experimental temperature and moisture profiles of gas and solids were compared to simulated predictions, showing that models based on the two-phase flow approach fail to predict all the observed physical phenomena in simultaneous momentum, heat, and mass transfer for pneumatic drying of coarse particles. However, using adequate correlations and constitutive equations to predict interaction forces and transport parameters, it was possible to obtain good predictions of gas and solid temperature profiles and of moisture content.     

SIMULATION OF DRYING SUSPENSIONS IN SPOUT-FLUID BEDS OF INERT PARTICLES

In spouted and spout fluid bed dryers, the suspension is spread into the bed of inert particles, covering these particles with a thin layer. As the inert particles circulate, this suspension layer is dried and must become brittle enough to break off by the particle attrition. The powder produced is then carried out by air. Problems with the spout stability, particle agglomeration and powder deposits inside the column should be overcome by controlling the drying operation. The present work is aimed at modeling and simulating the drying of suspensions, such as organic and biological pastes, in conical spout-fluid beds of inert particles. A computer program has been developed combining the air flow and particle circulation models with the mass and energy balances and the drying kinetic equations in order to describe this drying process. The effect of cohesive forces is also incorporated to the fluid flow model. Simulation results are analyzed and compared with experimental data reported in the literature. Implication of these results in drying suspensions is also discussed.     

Three-dimensional modelling of pneumatic drying process

Steady-state three-dimensional calculations of heat and mass transfer in vertical pneumatic dryer were performed. The theoretical model of the drying process is based on two-phase Eulerian-Lagrangian approach for gas-particles flow and incorporates advanced drying kinetics for wet particles. The model was utilized for simulation of the drying process of wet PVC and silica particles in a large-scale vertical pneumatic dryer. The influence of wall thermal boundary conditions was investigated by assuming either known value of the wall temperature or adiabatic flow in the dryer. Analyzing the predicted particle drying kinetics, an uneven product quality was predicted due to non-uniform drying conditions in the central and peripheral zones of the pneumatic dryer. Moreover, for the case of non-insulated chamber walls such quality unevenness was estimated to be substantially greater than for the case with thermally insulated drying chamber. The examination of the predicted temperature profiles within the silica and PVC wet particles showed that the latter is subjected to higher temperature gradients potentially resulting in the greater rate of thermally-degraded final product.     

Drying Process on Inert Particles in Mechanically Spouted Bed Dryer

ABSTRACT

Suspensions, slurries and paste-like materials can be dried in the Mechanically Spouted Bed ( MSB) dryer with men packing. The circulation of the men particles characteristic of classical spouted beds is provided with a houseless conveyor screw mounted in the vertical axis of the bed. Radioactive isotopic tracer technique was used for measurement of the cycle time distribution ( CTD) of the spherical inert particles as a function of the operational parameters of drying. The variances ( σ²) of the CTDs and the particle velocity m the various zones of the MSB dryer were calculated. The circulation of the mert particles can be characterised by nearly plug flow. According to the physical model of drying on inert packing the heat and mass transfer coefficients were calculated. Que to the relativeiy uniform film-like, wet coating formed on the surface of the spheical inert particles, the drying process may be characterised with the constant rate of drying. A method has been elaborated for calculation of drying time, hereby the partial processes of drying on inert particles can be synchronised.     

洗衣粉悬浮液在惰性粒子流化床中干燥的研究

针对气体分布板开直孔的惰性粒子流化床,开展了洗衣粉悬浮液在床内的干燥性能研究。测定了流化床的床层压降曲线,考察了进料量、进风温度、进风速度及惰性粒子直径对于流化床传热性能的影响,且与气体分布板开斜孔的传热性能进行了初步比较。结果表明,流化床的床层压降主要是由惰性粒子的流化阻力所致;适当增加进料量和进风速度,或减小惰性粒子直径,以及将气体分布板的孔道由直孔改为斜孔,均可提高流化床的传热性能,但过高的进风温度则可能导致传热性能的下降。     

内热式惰性粒子流化床中膏状物料干燥模型

通过对惰性粒子流化床中膏状物料干燥机理的分析,得到了干燥时间及单位面积床层水分汽化量的数学计算式,可对干燥器的性能进行预测。采用带浸没加热管的惰性粒子流化床对膏状钛白物料进行干燥中试研究,采用气流式喷嘴将膏状物料分散成200～400μm的小液滴喷洒在惰性粒子表面进行干燥,探索了适宜的干燥条件,测定和确定了最佳的干燥工艺参数、操作参数和设备参数。结果表明:该干燥工艺能强化床内传热传质,促进高黏性膏糊状物料很好地分散,床层温度分布均匀,干燥器的操作弹性大,热量消耗低,干燥强度高,传热系数可达300W·m-2·K-1以上。     

Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of Drying of Carrots in a Fluidized Bed with Energy Carrier

A pilot scale fluidized bed dryer with an inert energy carrier (steel, glass beads ranging from 2.7 to 6.5 mm) was used to investigate the drying of carrots. The effects of sample diameter, inert material type, inert material diameter, amount of inert material, air velocity, and temperature on the rate of drying were studied. A mathematical model was proposed for predicting the drying rate and temperature of drying material. It was found that presence of inert particles enhance the rate of drying. The results of this study also revealed that, although the rate of drying increases with decreasing sample diameter, increasing the inert material thermal conductivity, and increasing air temperature, but the inert material diameter and air velocity have no significant effects on the rate of drying. The independence of rate of drying on air velocity especially in well-fluidized systems indicates that external diffusion is not a controlling step in this process. Also the presence of inert materials causes the drying material to reach more rapidly to its final internal temperature.     

A Review on Paste Drying with Inert Particles as Support Medium

An overview of the contributions of the literature in the field of drying with inert particles is presented. Recent experimental studies developed in conventional spouted and fluidized beds aimed at describing and understanding the effects of the presence of a liquid or paste on the global behavior of these types of dryers are approached. Advances in numerical simulation of drying with inert particles are discussed. Several open research issues and future perspectives are addressed.     

Drying characteristics of porous material immersed in a bed of hygroscopic porous particles fluidized under reduced pressure

A relatively large wet material was immersed in a fluidized bed of hygroscopic porous particle (silica gel beads) under reduced pressure. And then the drying characteristics were compared with those in the case of inert particle (glass beads). The comparison of drying characteristics is performed experimentally and theoretically. In calculation, the water transfer from the sample to the fluidized bed was considered. The calculation results are in good agreement with the experimental data. The effects of the operational conditions (the pressure in the drying chamber and the temperature of the drying gas) on the drying characteristics were also examined in both fluidizing particles.The drying finishes earlier in the case of hygroscopic porous particle than in the case of inert particle regardless of pressure in the drying chamber, since the water transfer from the sample facilitates the drying in the case of hygroscopic porous particles. The temperature decrement in drying appears in the case of inert particle. This phenomenon is also observed in the case of hygroscopic porous particle, but the decrement degree of the temperature is much smaller than that in the case of inert particle. The difference of the minimum temperature in the sample in drying between the cases of hygroscopic porous particle and inert particle is very slight for different pressures in the drying chamber.     

Simulation Of Drying Suspension In A Conical Spouted Bed

A software for simulating the drying operation of diluted suspensions in conical spouted beds of inert particles has been developed. This computer program combines the fluid flow and the solids circulation models with the drying kinetic equations. The simulated results for drying animal blood in a spouted bed of inert particles compare with data reported in the literature.     

Drying characteristics of starch in an inert medium fluidized bed

The effects of gas velocity (0.32 to 0.67 m/s), inlet gas temperature (25 to 100 °C) and the mass ratio of starch to inert particles (0.1 to 0.4) on the drying rate of starch in a 0.083 m-ID × 0.80 m-high inert medium fluidized bed were investigated. The drying mechanism in an inert medium fluidized bed can be classified into adhesion-dispersion, evaporation and disintegration steps. The drying rate increases with the increasing inlet gas temperature and velocity; the rates being about 10 times those reported for an agitated pan dryer. However, the drying rate decreases slightly as the mass ratio of starch to inert particles increases. Also, the drying rate exhibits a maximum at an optimum bed porosity. The drying rate data obtained in an inert medium fluidized bed have been correlated with the relevant dimensionless groups, i.e. Stefan and particle Reynolds numbers based on the theory of isotropic turbulence.     

Inert particles as process aid in spray-freeze drying

Abstract

Spray-freeze drying (SFD) is a novel and advanced drying technology in the production of high-value foods and pharmaceuticals. However, long drying time is still a disadvantage for the SFD applications. This constraint could be alleviated using inert particles. This article provides the experimental results on SFD of whole milk in an integrated spray-freeze and vacuum freeze drying equipment. The effects were quantified in terms of the SFD drying time and the properties of the obtained milk powder in relation to the size of stainless steel balls used as inert particles. It is shown that the drying time could be reduced to some extent due to inert particles embedded and the milk powder of reduced size has high porous microstructure.