The Fluidized Spray Dryer FSD™ produces an attractive coarse agglomerated, free-flowing dustless powder. It is a spray dryer that combines spray drying and fluid bed drying technologies. The Fluidized Spray Dryer FSD™ produces powders/agglomerates with a mean particle diameter (D50) between 0.1 – 0.4 mm all depending on the product.

Superior product quality
The powder quality from this type of spray dryer is used as a benchmark worldwide. It includes dyestuff, agrochemicals, inorganic salts, organic salts, tannins and other products.

All flowsheet animations are available in the GEA Niro download area.

Drying in more stages
The FSD™ operates with two or three drying stages, each adapted to the moisture contents during the drying process. In the initial drying stage, the concentrate is often atomized by co-current nozzles placed in the hot drying air duct. The air enters the spray dryer vertically through the air disperser at high velocity, ensuring optimal mixing of the atomized droplets with the drying air.

Further drying stages
At high moisture content, the powder may exhibit thermo plasticity and becomes sticky which helps the required agglomeration. However, the design and air flow pattern in the FSD™ plant is created in such a way that prevents the particles from sticking to the walls of the drying chamber, and instead be led directly into the integrated static fluid bed for second-stage drying. The combined spray drying and fluid bed drying makes the Fluidized Spray Dryer FSD™ concept very energy efficient.

VIBRO-FLUIDIZER™- final drying and cooling
When the powder has reached a certain moisture content, it can be discharged into a VIBRO-FLUIDIZER™ for final drying and subsequent cooling. The drying/cooling air from the chamber and VIBRO-FLUIDIZER™ is passed through a bag filter to seperate the fine powder, which is returned back to the atomization device, the chamber cone (static bed), or the VIBRO-FLUIDIZER™ for optimizing the powder characteristic. The VIBRO-FLUIDIXER™ can be replaced by our Triple-Bed as is used in the IFD™ dryer.

Powder structure
Should your demands for degree of agglomeration and the powder bulk-density not be met by the fines return to the nozzles alone, the FSD-GRANULATOR™ can help you consistently produce the high-quality powders that your customers demands. This patented 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.

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.

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