Scale-Up Droplet to Production Spray Dryer

Spray Drying has been the chosen technology for discrete particle production dating back to the early 1900’s. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is one of the developments utilized to better understand the behaviors of various products processed in spray dryers. With the extensive research using CFD there was a gap regarding the effects of heated gas on the atomized droplets in the chamber. Recently this gap was filled by the development of the Drying Kinetics Analyzer (DKA). The DKA opens the doors to visually evaluate the drying process of a single droplet.

Now with the data gathered in DKA analysis can be utilized with CFD modeling in designing new spray drying processes and improve existing installations.

In this presentation we will discuss our ability to examine how an individual particle dries and how varying conditions can impact the final powder morphology and properties. 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” shape, etc., and how to design the drying process and equipment to attain a certain type of particle.