Process Engineering

Niro Chemical and Process Engineering

Process Engineering: Niro has the facilities in selected locations worldwide for testing of customer products and developing new processes, which involve the Niro core technologies of drying and associated upstream liquid processing and downstream powder handling.

INTERNAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
Internal development projects represent a main activity for the development team of GEA Niro. Such projects are by nature confidential. They are carried out by project teams comprising specialists in for example process engineering, mechanical design, product testing, field testing etc. Projects are aimed at both process and equipment development.

DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS WITH CUSTOMERS
Niro development projects are always directed towards meeting industrial challenges. And even if they start as internal laboratory work, they often expand into industrial scale trials with involvement of customers as a natural step. Niro has a long history of fruitful collaboration with customers on developing or adapting technology to specific products. As a general rule such projects are covered by confidentiality agreements.

DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS WITH SUPPLIERS AND INVENTORS
Niro is the leader in spray drying technology, commercially as well as technically. This position has been achieved through dedicated development of the essential technologies and collection of experience. GEA Niro, however, does not in any way exclude collaboration with external sources of know-how and equipment. Many examples exist to demonstrate how spray drying technology has been improved through contact with suppliers and inventors. Two examples:

Over the last two decades GEA Niro developed its fluid bed plate technology in co-operation with a trusted supplier. The latest step in this process is the sanitary, non-sifting plate called the BUBBLE PLATE™ covered by patents.

Niro is developing the laminar flow rotary atomizer, invented by Professor Peter Walzel of Dortmund University and covered by patents. The ability of this atomizer to produce narrow droplet size distributions looks very promising within several industries.

CO-OPERATION WITH UNIVERSITIES AND RESEARCH INSTITUTES
GEA Niro has a well-established network of contacts with universities and research institutes. One recent example of co-operation in this group is the joint program with the CHEC Research Centre, Department of Chemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark, through which Dr. Marcus G. Frey achieved his Ph.D. degree in January 2001 under the Industrial Ph.D. Program. The title of Dr. Frey's dissertation is "Product Recovery from Spray Dryers". The project received financial support from the Danish Academy of Technical Sciences.