Application: Small-scale evaluation of the SWIRL FLUIDIZER™ drying feasibility and testing of the unit for clients interested in the smallest SWIRL FLUIDIZER™ for R&D applications.

Capacity: The evaporative capacity is 1-4 kg/h and the minimum feed requirement is about 5 kg.

Specification: 80 kg/h of drying air is heated electrically to a maximum inlet temperature of 350 ºC and enters the chamber through an air distributor that creates the swirling air flow.

Feed is supplied by a Mono pump or a screw feeder and enters the rotor zone for disintegration. The product is recovered from the outlet air in a bag filter.

 

Today's environmental restrictions often require a more complex design, depending on the type of product, powder form, residual moisture content in the final dried product and/or toxicity properties.

GEA Niro has successfully developed and supplied a number of SWIRL FLUIDIZER™ systems that are designed to meet the requirements of customers and their local authorities. For example:

  • Open, environmentally friendly plants with highly effective components, ensuring emission of clean exhaust process air
  • Semi-closed plants, utilising low oxygen combustion gas as process air
  • Semi-closed plants, self-inertised and featuring incineration of exhaust air
  • Closed-cycle concept, with nitrogen purged process gas circuit.

Typical process design
The feed material is homogenised in a feed tank with a vertical agitator driven from below giving proper access for customer upstream equipment. The feed material is introduced into the drying chamber in a continuous and controlled rate. Process air is heated to the optimal thermal efficiency of the drying process (considering the heat sensitivity of the product in process). The air disperser has a tangential inlet to drying chamber is provided with a vertical rotary disintegrator.

Drying chamber is specially designed for optimal feed disintegration and distribution, giving a tight retention time. The exhaust system is typically selected with a GEA Niro-designed cyclonic bag filter. For special applications, Niro's SANICIP™, with an integrated wet cleaning-in-place system (CIP) is used. Product discharge to customer downstream system is, typical, through a GEA Niro rotary valve, and a PLC / PC control system is enacted to ensure reproducible operation.