Integrated filter dryer IFD™ from GEA Niro
The Integrated Filter Dryer IFD™ is a combination of well proven GEA Niro spray drying unit operations.
Product quality
The spray drying principle is used to produce a wide range of chemical products with improved flow characteristics and agglomerates with low dust content.
The location of the filter assembly inside the drying chamber improves powder quality and gives total in-place powder recovery and cleaning capability. The combination of the integrated fluid bed and filter arrangement simplifies powder handling because the need for external cyclones, bag-filters and fines recycling has been eliminated. In addition, the location and operation of internal filters enhance control over particle formation and hence over powder quality. The compact design and eliminated need for powder loaded ducts reduce the product contact with the equipment. Consequently, cleaning becomes easier making this spray drying concept attractive for many chemical products.
The IFD™ plant features:
For this spray dryer, GEA Niro has developed an air disperser concept, which operates with very low pressure loss and yet distributes the drying air around the nozzles a lot better than any other air disperser known to date. This again means lower energy consumption.
The nozzle lances are very short and operator friendly. They are easily adjusted to change product structure from non-agglomerated regular powders to agglomerated powders. The nozzle’s/fine’s return is easily monitored by a set of cameras, so that the operators from the control room can watch the spray continuously.
All flowsheets are available in the Animation Download area.
All this is combined into one unit with the following advantages:
- There are no ducts with powder loaded air. Cleaning time has thus been reduced
- The low pressure loss across the filters makes the plant less noisy and it consumes less energy
- No flexible connections where powder can accumulate
- The IFD™ spray drying plant requires 20-30 % less building volume. Therefore, total investment is lower
Powder structure
Should your demands for degree of agglomeration and powder bulk-density not be met by the fines return to the nozzles alone, the IFD-GRANULATOR™ can help you consistently produce the high-quality powders that your customers demand as this new GEA Niro system allows additional liquid to be added in the stationary integrated fluid bed – a feature that is not possible in traditional spray dryers. The liquid may be water, a liquid with the same composition as the feed, a melt or a solution containing different substances.
Read more about the Integrated Filter Dryer IFD™ here.
Safety aspects
All GEA Niro spray drying plants comply with the strictest requirements for health, safety and environmental compliance. GEA Niro’s expertise in explosion control design is unequaled and an invaluable aid whether considering ATEX, other European safety directives or local regulations. All plants designed and supplied by GEA Niro will enable the end user to obtain approvals put forward by the EU directive.