Inversion Temperature and Pinch Analysis,Ways to Thermally Optimize Drying Processes

This work studies the compatibility and suitability of a combined inversion temperature and pinch analysis with the process selection for air and superheated steam spray drying of milk solids. The inversion temperature is a good starting point for an energy analysis because it is a simplified rate-based approach to comparing the steam and air drying systems. pinch analysis enables process integration, at least on a heat recovery and heat exchanger network level.

The resulting inversion temperature for the studied system was estimated as 182°C for the dryer inlet temperature. However, mass and energy balances showed that a minimum inlet temperature for spray drying of 184°C was required for the superheated steam dryer in order to ensure that the outlet solids temperature above the dew point temperature.

The inversion temperature is still very relevant in the early stages of a design process because it allows a quick assessment of which drying medium should result in a smaller dryer. It was evident that the steam system is better from an energy perspective because of the recoverable latent heat of the water vapor carried out of the dryer with the recycled steam. The steam system has between 82 and 92% of thermal energy recovery potential as condensable steam, compared with 13–30% energy recovery of the air system. However, other important design and operational factors are not discussed here in detail.

Combining the inversion temperature and pinch analysis suggests that superheated steam drying both gives better energy recovery and is likely to give smaller dryers for all operational conditions.