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The spray drying process: a superior answer to the food industry’s needs

Whilst the spray drying process is used in both pharmaceutical and industrial applications, it’s probably the agri-food business that is the most regular employer of this approach. Spray drying for dairy products in the shape of milk powder was an extremely common use of this process, which requires a special chamber called a dehumidifier drying tower. Whole-fat milk, skimmed milk, buttermilk and whey can all be processed in this way. Nowadays, milk powder is often created from skimmed milk, especially when creating recombined dairy products. This powder is also used for feeding infants. Other food products that frequently receive the spray drying treatment include coffee, eggs, tea, cereals, a range of spices, stevia, vitamins, animal feed, colourings, starch and starch derivatives and even blood!

Description of the spray drying process

All companies using a spray drying tower are facing challenges. Atomization drying towers are subject to external & seasonal variations. The mixing ratio (absolute humidity) of the upstream air is a determining element in the capacity of the tower. In summer, when this ratio is high, the capacity decreases, whereas in winter, this ratio is lower, the capacity is higher. These variations make it more difficult to operate the tower with a high risk of production disruption.

Dessica ™ Systems’ control the humidity of the upstream air of the spray drying towers to obtain constant and stable intake conditions.

Drying process is an old method to safe foodstuffs, it is use for fruits and vegetables, and also with various technics with spray drying process, fluidized bed dryers and rotary dryers. In all this transformation process into powders, purees and flakes, the atmosphere must be control to limit the spreading of humidity. The dry air avoids the risk of clogging and caking.

The spray drying process depend on seasonal variations. DESSICA provide dry air upstream spray drying process to avoid sticking product and improve end-product quality.

Sterile air dehumidification unit is a hygienic system, specially designed to meet the requirements of users in the food industry.

What makes the spray drying process so effective?

Spray drying technology centres around a large dehumidifier drying tower, complete with a humidity control system that supplies dry air for this spray drying tower. Many businesses and industries use this technique – and for good reason! The spray drying approach offers a superior way to dry large quantities of a variety of products in a relatively short space of time. For a start, it is generally a method that offers good end results without incurring sky-high costs.

Spray-dried products have the advantage of being free-flowing, rather than forming flakes, which offers multiple benefits from a transportation and logistical point of view. Spray drying also creates powders that are stable – both in the physical sense of the term and with reference to chemical properties – and which are comprised of particles of consistent size. Finally, it’s a technique that can be ‘fine-tuned’ relatively easily, for instance, in the production of inhalable particles.

Benefits of the spray drying technology

  • Minimize the risks of production interruption due to climatic variations and the sticking of products on the Tower walls
  • Maximise the capacity of the drying tower and stabilized the residual moisture in the final product
  • Optimize and reduce the energy consumption using a patented innovative technology

 

The quality of our products, the efficiency of our installation and the impact on your work processes will be almost immediate.

Dry air for fluidized beds or spray drying towers

For the industrial drying processes with spray drying tower and fluidized bed systems (milk powder, coffee, yeast for example), hygiene and energy consumption are major issues. The DESSICA solutions significantly optimize theses product drying processes, such as spray drying towers and fluidized beds systems.

The fluidized beds are used in several applications in food processing, dairy, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. They are all use for drying or cooling of particles (powders, agglomerates), sugared pills or granulates from fin powders. The fluidized beds and pneumatics conveying are subject to advanced conditions and technologies. Fluidized bed dryers are recommended in the food industry for gentle and uniform drying, and to preserve the quality of chemical molecules and ingredients. The air supply in the fluidized beds dries the wet bulk products to a powder. The fluidized bed drying and powdery product transport processes also use dry air.

DESSICA supply provide the driest air possible upstream of the compressor or fluidized bed. This process reduces the risk of clogging and the caking of the product in these processes.

Benefits of dry air in fluidized beds

  • reduce the dew point of the air
  • preventing absorption of moisture
  • guaranteeing the fluidity of the product
  • reduce the risk of clogging and caking
  • uniform premium quality
  • maintain a constant humidity level for process air
  • control and optimize production
  • reduce maintenance times for process equipment
  • lower energy consumption

Low humidity for pneumatics conveying or bulk storage

Some powdered products are very hygroscopic. For pneumatics transport or bulk storage in silo some reactions appear: caking or clogging. These reactions are due to absorption of moisture by the powders and the high-level humidity. The DESSICA’s systems permit a reduce the dew point of air thus avoiding moisture adsorption and insure the fluidity of the product.

To avoid moisture adsorption, the dry powder must be in contact with dry air.  The conveying systems must be equipped with dehumidifier to maintain rapid flow of raw materials and exclude the risk of caking and clogging.

PRODUCT PROPOSAL FOR SPRAY DRYING PROCESS

Dehumidification solution

Sterile air dehumidification systems for the food processing industry

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