GEA Niro in Copenhagen has announced a further development of its visual monitoring system for spray dryers, SPRAYEYE™. The new equipment links infra-red cameras to a pre-warning system that makes it possible to detect dangerously high temperature increases in the powder within the spray dryer before it would become visible to the naked eye using a normal camera. The new cameras make the monitoring of the spray drying process much easier and safer as it is no longer necessary for an operator to watch the monitor to detect abnormalities.

 

GEA Niro developed SPRAYEYE™ to monitor the performance of spray nozzles in its dryers, using TV cameras, three years ago. The cameras show a real time continuous picture of the spray zone allowing operators to ensure that there are no leaks or any product build-up on the nozzles and that the spray pattern of the nozzles into the drying chamber remains at an optimum level. Furthermore it is possible with cameras to check whether the high pressure shut-off valves are leaking. This helps avoid unnecessary shut downs, improves product quality and reduces the risk of heat build up within the chamber which can, in extreme cases, cause fire or an explosion.

 

The new development adds an additional level of safety and process control. Using electronic alarm points the infra-red camera will alert an operator to the development of hot spots before they would normally become visible to the naked eye. This allows the operator to take the necessary action long before a problem can develop thereby maintaining the quality of the product and reducing even further the possibility of overheating. In extreme cases the control can be set to shut down the spray dryer if there is a risk of a fire or an explosion.

 

Thomas Willum Jensen is a senior project manager with GEA Niro. He is delighted with SPRAYEYE™ and says that it has come at exactly the right time as the cost of cameras has reduced dramatically in recent years making the technology affordable in many more applications. “The cost of cameras has reduced by a factor of 10 in the last three years,” he explained. “This means that more of our customers are using cameras as part of their control system and, therefore, have the opportunity to retrofit the new automatic monitoring technology in an existing or new plant.”

 

The new monitoring equipment has been introduced as part of GEA Niro’s ongoing programme of continuous development throughout its product range.