Control of Drying Process in Mechanically Spouted Bed Dryer

ABSTRACT

The continuously operated Mechanically Spouted Bed (MSB) dryer of high evaporative capacity can be advantageously used to produce fine powder from paste-like materials, slurries, suspensions and sludges. Due to the thin layer formed on the surface of the spherical inert particles intensive heat and mass transfer occur and the drying process takes place in the constant rate period. Steady state drying conditions can be achieved when the total operational time of partial processes of inert bed drying does not exceed the cycle time of the inert particles.

A laboratory scale MSB dryer has been equipped with a computerised measuring, data acquisition and control system. In the knowledge of the hydrodynamic characteristics of the MSB and giving the enthalpy and mass balances over the dryer a calculation method has been developed for control of drying process.     

DRYING EXPERIMENTS WITH ALO(OH) SUSPENSION OF HIGH PURITY AND FINE PARTICULATE SIZE TO DESIGN AN INDUSTRIAL SCALE DRYER

ABSTRACT

AIO(OH) suspension of high purity and fine particle size was dried in a Mechanically Spouted Bed (MSB) dryer with inert particles. During drying the maximum required moisture content and the mean particle size of the dried product had to be taken into consideration. Also another important aspect was to avoid contamination of the dried solid with metals. PTFE cylinders of 8 mm in diameter and of 8 mm in height were used as inert particles, and also the whole dryer itself was coated with teflon. As a result of the drying experiments the optimum values of the process parameters were used for scaling-up. The specific rate of evaporation in the drying zone of the inert bed was the basis of the calculations. The suspension with capacity of 125 kg/h was successfully dried in the designed industrial scale MSB dryer with inert panicles and the required quality of the material was produced.     

Control of Drying Process in Mechanically Spouted Bed Dryer

The continuously operated Mechanically Spouted Bed (MSB) dryer of high evaporative capacity can be advantageously used to produce fine powder from paste-like materials, slurries, suspensions and sludges. Due to the thin layer formed on the surface of the spherical inert particles intensive heat and mass transfer occur and the drying process takes place in the constant rate period. Steady state drying conditions can be achieved when the total operational time of partial processes of inert bed drying does not exceed the cycle time of the inert particles.

A laboratory scale MSB dryer has been equipped with a computerised measuring, data acquisition and control system. In the knowledge of the hydrodynamic characteristics of the MSB and giving the enthalpy and mass balances over the dryer a calculation method has been developed for control of drying process.     

DRYING EXPERIMENTS WITH ALO(OH) SUSPENSION OF HIGH PURITY AND FINE PARTICULATE SIZE TO DESIGN AN INDUSTRIAL SCALE DRYER

AIO(OH) suspension of high purity and fine particle size was dried in a Mechanically Spouted Bed (MSB) dryer with inert particles. During drying the maximum required moisture content and the mean particle size of the dried product had to be taken into consideration. Also another important aspect was to avoid contamination of the dried solid with metals. PTFE cylinders of 8  mm in diameter and of 8  mm in height were used as inert particles, and also the whole dryer itself was coated with teflon. As a result of the drying experiments the optimum values of the process parameters were used for scaling-up. The specific rate of evaporation in the drying zone of the inert bed was the basis of the calculations. The suspension with capacity of 125  kg/h was successfully dried in the designed industrial scale MSB dryer with inert panicles and the required quality of the material was produced.     

Short-Time Drying of Beatsensitwe, Biologically Active Pulps and Pastes

Tomato concentrate and baker's yeast suspension were dried in the laboratory scale Mechanically Spouted Bed dryer with inert packing. Due to a large contact surface provided by the inert particles, very fast drying process can be achieved, ifthe thickness of the wet coating formed on the surface of the inert packing is film-like. The diffution resistance can be then considered negligible and drying can be performed at “quad-constant” rate. Derived fiom hydrodynamic characteristics the contact time between hot air and the wet coating is very short, therefore gentle drymg process can be performed. The quality of the dried yeast was controlled by counting the living cells (relative viabilny) and by measurement of the dough rise time. During continuous drying of thermoplastic tomato pure the “case hardening” periods could be shortened and tomato powder with insignificant quality loss was produced.     

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.     

Drying Of Pastes In Spouted Beds Of Inert Particles: Design Criteria And Modeling

ABSTRACT

The drying of pastelike materials can be performed well in spouted beds (SB) of inert particles. In this work the drying performance of pastes in conical pastes in conical spouted beds is analyzed as a function of column dimensions, fluid flow characteristics and paste properties. imulated data on fluid flow together with the experimental results on drying of different pastelike materials are presented and discussed to provide criteria for the design of a conical spouted bed dryer for suspensions.     

Fundamental Research on Drying Process in Institute of Engineering Thermophysics,CAS

Abstract

Some results of our fundamental research on drying processes are summed up in this article. It consists of three parts: (1) Multistage fluidized bed drying, including particle flowing characteristics, heat and mass transfer between particles and drying medium, drying characteristics of drying materials; (2) Impinging stream drying, the flowing and drying characteristics of a vertical impinging stream dryer, one-stage and multistage semi-circular impinging stream dryer and combined vertical and semi-circular impinging stream dryer are discussed; (3) The effects of rapid transient heat and mass transfer on drying processes, such as time and space scales for nonFourier or nonFickian and influence of extreme heat and mass transfer are also discussed.     

THESES/DISSERTATIONS/1963-1983, POLAND

ABSTRACT

A fluidized bed of inert particles lpar;packing)--> can be used advantageously for the drying of paste-like materials of high moisture content. Wet pasty material is fed into a fluidized bed of chemically inert coarse particles. The wet material coats the surface of the inert particles. Drying takes place mainly in the thin layer formed on the surface of particles. After reaching a certain moisture content, the dried material film breaks off the surface of the packing particles, and leave the fluidized bed as a fine powder in the exit gas stream.

Experiments were performed using different organic and inorganic materials e.g. raw materials from human and veterinary     

The Gas-to-Particle Heat Transfer and Hydrodynamics in Spouted Bed Drying of Sawdust

Abstract

This article presents experimental results for spouted bed drying of sawdust, carried out in a full-scale as well as in a laboratory-scale dryer using air as well as steam as drying media. The aim is to present design parameters for a spouted-bed sawdust dryer that can be used by the industry in designing full-scale dryers. A hydrodynamically stable spouted jet spouted bed was obtained. The heat transfer characteristics of the bed were represented in terms of a volumetric heat transfer coefficient (VHC). When sawdust is dried in a spouted bed, the mean VHC is increasing up to fiber saturation level (20–25% wb) from 40 to 110 W/m³ K. The VHC decreases with the residence time and with an increased static bed height. Gas temperature profiles are also presented for the bottom part of the drying chamber.     

EFFECT OF PARTIAL PROCESSES OF DRYING ON INERT PARTICLES ON PRODUCT QUALITY

Particulate materials of high moisture content (suspensions, pulps) can be advantageously dried in the mechanically spouted bed (MSB)-dryer with inert packing. Due to the flow characteristics the partial processes of the inert bed drying (coating, drying, wearing of the dried coat) can be well controlled. The particle size of the product, which is one of the most important quality requirement is controlled e.g. by the wearing time in the inner conveyor screw, that is by its rotation speed and conveying length. However, this latter can be increased only simultaneously with the spouted bed height together with pressure drop increase. To avoid this drawback a modified MSB-dryer was developed. By this way the particle-size can be controlled in vider range, independently from the bed height. The results were demonstrated by drying tests carried out with microwave pretreated potato pulp.     

Drying of Slurries in Fluidized Bed of Inert Particles

A fluid bed dryer with inert particles was used for drying of slurries. Experiments were performed in a cylindrical column 215 mm in diameter and 1200 mm in height with glass spheres as inert particles. Slurries of Zineb fungicide, copper hydroxide, calcium carbonate, and pure water were used as the feed material. The effects of operating conditions on dryer throughput and product quality were investigated. Main performance criteria, i.e., specific water evaporation rate, specific heat consumption, and specific air consumption, were quantified. Temperature profile along the bed was mapped, and nearly isothermal conditions were found due to thorough mixing of the particles. The material hold-up and residence time were determined. Simple heat and mass balances predict the dryer performance quite well.     

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARATION OF MANUSCRIPTS FOR DIRECT REPRODUCTION (REVISED, 1992)

ABSTRACT

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.     

Modeling of Muti-layer Far-Infrared Dryer

Abstract

The heat and mass transfer models applicable to biological products at each element in a far-infrared fixed-bed dryer were established. The model was validated by comparing the simulation results with experimental data of black mushrooms (Lentinus edodes) in terms of moisture content and drying rate. The very good agreement suggests that the models for heat transfer and drying rate of biological products in the far-infrared fixed-dryer can be obtained by establishing the equations of radiation and dehydration in interspace elements. An unevenness of change in moisture content and drying rate on the same horizontal layer in the dryer was found. Thus it is necessary to take some measures to solve this nonuniformity in drying if the proposed dryer is employed.     

DRYING OF SOY PULP (OKARA) IN A BED OF INERT PARTICLES

ABSTRACT

Drying of okara, an insoluble pulp residue waste byproduct of tofu production, was investigated in a continuously moving bed of inert particles subjected to vortex-like motion. The experimental variables in their respective ranges included the mass of Teflon pellets used as inert particles (0.4–1.2 kg), feed rate (0.5–1.4 kg/h), inlet air temperature (100–145°C) and airflow rate (195–271 m³/h). The dryer showed good performance in general and produced dry okara with moisture content ranging from 5 to 33% wb depending upon the operating conditions. The product recovery ranged from 80 to 90% on dry basis in most experiments. The specific water evaporation rate in okara drying increased with increasing of the feed rate and mass of Teflon pellets. However, the specific heat consumption decreased with an increase in the okara feed rate. Results showed that specific heat consumption for okara drying in a bed of inert particles was about 3 to 4 times higher in comparison with that of free water.     

HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER DURING DRYING OF A LIQUID FILM FROM THE SURFACE OF A SINGLE INERT PARTICLE

ABSTRACT

This paper presents the results of theoretical and experimental studies on drying of aqueous suspensions of finely dispersed solids sprayed over the surface of an inert ceramic sphere. The effects of temperature and air velocity on kinetics of heat and mass transfer as well as peeling off the layer of a dry material from the sphere surface are described. The mathematical model of a drying process based on simplified ?gradientless? approach to transfer phenomena is proposed. The adequacy of the model developed for drying of the wet coat from a single sphere to the real drying process taking place in a bed of particulate carrier is confirmed by results of drying of several organic dyestuffs in an industrial spouted bed dryer with inert particles.     

PNEUMATIC SUSPENSION DRYING: MODELING AND COMPUTATIONAL SIMULATION

This paper presents an alternative method for drying suspensions, which consists in wetting inert polypropylene particles with suspension and drying these wet particles while they are pneumatically transported with hot air or combustion gases. A mathematical model was developed to simulate the drying process and the pneumatic transport. Experimental work was carried out in a pilot pneumatic dryer, using polypropylene particles like inert transport phase to verify these models. Apple pulp maltodextrine mixtures was dried and the results confirm the technical feasibility of the proposed technology.     

Screw Conveyor Dryer: Process and Equipment Design

The effects of various process variables and equipment components (geometry) on the performance of a screw conveyor dryer (SCD) were studied in terms of the material throughput and its uniformity, dryer load, specific consumption of mechanical energy, and heat transfer rate. The experimental results for drying of fine crystalline solids (50–100 µm particle size and 550 kg/m³ bulk density) in a 3-meter-long uninsulated jacketed screw conveyer dryer with a 0.072-m screw diameter have been used. The hydrodynamic performance of the SCD was also studied using sand particles of 350 µm size and 1500 kg/m³ bulk density (tapped). The maximum specific consumption of mechanical energy for conveying was found to be 1 kJ/kg. Moreover, the flow behavior of the material at the dryer discharge was found to depend strongly on the screw speed and the material feed rate.     

Drying of Suspensions in the Draft Tube Spouted Bed

A draft tube spouted bed dryer with inert particles was used for drying suspensions. The effects of the operating conditions on dryer throughput and product quality were investigated. Experiments were performed in a cylindrical column 215 mm in diameter with a draft tube 70 mm in diameter and 900 mm in length. The bed was made of polyethylene particles, 3.3 mm in diameter with a density of 921 kg/m³. The fungicide Zineb, calcium carbonate, calcium stearate and pure water were used as feeding materials. A drying model using the continuity and momentum equations for turbulent accelerating two‐phase flows and conventional rate equations is proposed and discussed. The work is relevant for estimating dryer performance.     

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.