(672b) Scale-Up From Lab to Production Spray Dryer Using Levitated Single Droplet Analysis (DKA) and Computation Fluid Dynamics (CFD)

Since its recent introduction, the single droplet analyzer (DKA
- Digital Kinetics Analyzer) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) has allowed
optimization of spray dryer design.  Prior
to utilizing DKA combined with CFD, one would have to theorize how a powder would
behave during drying under various conditions and design the spray dryer
accordingly.   New Computational Fluid
Dynamics modeling power combined with a novel means to examine in detail how a
single drop of feed dries has allowed spray dryers to be more efficient, safer,
smaller, of higher capacity, and with fewer operational headaches than in the
past.

In addition to improvements in spray dryer design, DKA allows
us to examine how individual particles dry and how different drying parameters
affect the dried product.  This allows
the spray dryer to produce a ?custom particle? through adjustment of spray
drying parameters determined by DKA.   For example, some might want a strong particle
not easily damaged during transport; others might require a lightweight powder
that dissolves easily.  Use of DKA can
determine if a given feed will dry into hollow spheres, shriveled particles,
?doughnut? shapes, etc. while providing insight into design of drying equipment
and process parameters for attaining a certain type of particle.