What is a Fluidized Bed Dryer?
A fluidized bed dryer, also known as a fluid bed dryer, is a process tool that is frequently used to lower the moisture content of granules, powders, and pharmaceutical, chemical, and food products.
It is well known that the machine significantly reduces the drying time of medicinal compounds, generally larger than 50 microns, utilised for tablets and capsules.
Trays and hoover dryers were formerly employed by manufacturers to dry out Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients.
Insulated tray chambers are stacked one on top of the other in trolleys to provide both hoover and tray dryers. The trays are filled with the item to be dried. By recirculating hot air in tray dryers, electric heaters and blow fans provide efficient heat transmission.
Under low atmospheric pressure, steam is passed through the annular region between a jacket and the vessel walls in a vacuum drier.
Even though they work well in practise, these manual and semi-mechanical drying procedures dramatically lengthen manufacturing batch times. In the end, this lowers the plant’s output capacity. Additionally, traditional dryers need a long downtime for maintenance and control of operations.
On the other hand, a fluid bed dryer employs fluidization, which transforms the material from a static solid-like state to a dynamic fluid-like shape.
A stainless steel container with a removable perforated bottom known as the bowl makes up a fluidized bed dryer. The moist solids are lifted and suspended by the constant air flow. The moisture is vaporised as a result of the heat transfer, making solid particles ready for processing.
Adinath International is one of the most trusted Fluidized-bed processor manufacturers in India.
We have used computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to conduct original and useful research. Through careful management of the process parameters, CFD validation improves the accuracy of velocity and temperature.
Desiccant dehumidifiers aid in reducing drying time as well. Separate centrifugal fans for process air intake and exhaust are present in a desiccant dehumidifier. 75% of the rotor face is exposed to the humid air. The absorption process has transferred the moisture to the silica gel, leaving the air after it crosses the rotor dry.
Advantages of a Fluidized Bed Dryer
Fluidization produces a high moisture removal rate, and fluid bed dryers are essential in producing consistent dried material output.
FBDs require fewer staff members to run and maintain the machine, which results in lower operating and maintenance expenses. Thus, efficient automation can do without human monitoring.
Fluid bed dryers used in flexible manufacturing must have adjustable batch sizes and controls. Until they reach their maximum permissible temperature and with varying drying durations, many chemical compounds release moisture at varying temperatures and relative humidity.
To make sure of it, the operator needs have total control over variables like airflow and feed rate to achieve the required result. Anish Pharma’s fluid bed dryers let you regulate the humidity and airflow while drying heat-sensitive goods.
However, because they require the free movement of the particles, fluid bed dryers are not appropriate for sticky semisolid drying materials. In this situation, conventional dryers are the best choice for drying sticky materials.
Applications of a Fluidized Bed Dryer
The most common application for fluid bed dryers is probably in the pharmaceutical business. This automated system has long since taken the place of traditional drying trays in the powder processing sector of the business.
Using fluidized bed dryers, spray granulation transforms a water-containing paste, solution, suspension, or melt into granules without risking product contamination or dust pollution.
Dryers also help in agglomeration, the process of assembling material particles into cohesive units like pellets or granules, as this process makes it easier to transport fine powders due to their loose packaging. Logistics are made simpler by this technique for distribution and transportation.
When employing a tangential roto granulator to coat a powder layer on mini-tablets and capsules, fluidized bed dryers are employed. Patients can take pills and capsules with no problems thanks to polymer coating. Pellets used for OSDs stacking are dried concurrently in a fluid bed drier. The applied layers are frequently much thicker, necessitating careful management of the powder density.
Additionally, businesses like the following use fluidized bed dryers as drying methods:
- Chemical
- Pharmaceutical
- Dyes
- Food
- Dairy
- Metallurgical
