The agglomeration plants from GEA Niro for the chemical industry are based on innovative solutions combined with the designer’s product knowledge and experience.
In principle, “agglomeration” is a process where two or more single particles adhere to each other – either by force or coincidence to form the agglomerate. The trick is to control the process to obtain the wanted powder structure, particle/agglomerate size distribution and bulk density.
Single step agglomeration
At GEA Niro, we operate with single step agglomeration as it is done in the FSD™ and the IFD™ plant. The agglomeration is here mainly controlled by return of the fines (smallest particles) to the atomizer cloud. In the SPRAY FLUIDIZER™, you build up granules or agglomerates by spraying your liquid feed material on to a fluidized layer.
Two step agglomeration
In the two step agglomeration process, the basis material is a spray dried or fluid bed dried powder, on to which a liquid is sprayed to make the particles sticky so that they will agglomerate. In the chemical industry, two step agglomeration is carried out in a High Shear Continuous Granulator HEC™ where a fine and light dusty powder is converted into a high density free flowing granular powder, or- all depending on product composition and requirement to the agglomerate size - in the more simple Fluid Bed Granulator.
A combination of the above
An example of a combination of the one and two step agglomeration process is done in the FSD-GRANULATOR™ or in the IFD-GRANULATOR™. Here, it is possible to spray water or another liquid on to the fluidized powder layer in the integrated fluid bed to enhance the agglomeration.
The GEA Niro agglomeration plants can be delivered with an integrated manual or automatic CIP plant.
Safety aspects
All plants designed and supplied by GEA Niro will enable the end user to obtain approvals put forward by the EU directive.