AIPAK Fluid Bed Dryer

1.What Is A Fluid Bed Dryer?

As a matter of fact, fluid bed dryer is used to dry raw materials for a wide range of industries such as food processing, pharmaceutical, chemical, agriculture,etc, it can dry different types of material such as powders and granules. This machine is based on fluidization principle, the material is dried by hot air which enters into the machine under an action of high pressure.

Fluid bed dryer can handle a wide range of material and can adapt to different requirements of speed, thus it is ideal equipment for industries such as food processing, pharmaceutical, chemical, dairy, etc.

2.What Are The Advantages Of Fluid Bed Dryer?

Fluid bed dryer is popular in industries, do you know why? The truth is that it has many advantages which can bring businesses profits, some of its main advantages are as follows:

High Efficiency

Fluid bed dryer can dry a large amount of material per turn, and the machine can largely reduce the time which need to spend on drying material cause it is based on new technology. Having a high efficiency, fluid bed dryer is preferred by many industries.

Integratable

Perhaps you don’t know that fluid bed dryer can not only used alone, it can also be integrated with other machines to form a complete production line. The machines which can be integrated with fluid bed dryer are high shear granulator, vacuum feeder, lifter, etc.

Uniform Drying

Different from manual drying or other drying methods, using a fluid bed dryer can realize uniform drying, which can improve the quality of products. That’s why? As is mentioned that, the material is dried by the hot air, in fact, the hot air is evenly circulated in the machine so that each particle can be dried it.

Low Maintenance

Fluid bed dryer is made of hard and durable stainless steel, as a result, it isn’t easy to be damaged, the maintenance of this machine is simple, you don’t need to invest a lot in this filed. Maintaining a fluid bed dryer will spend less cost than you think.

3.What Are The Disadvantages Of Fluid Bed Dryer?

Everything has its positive and negative effects, so does the fluid bed dryer, after learning the advantages of this machine, you also need to have a look at its disadvantages.

Certain Security Risks

During the working process of fluid bed dryer, there will be much hot air and hot gas, so it is necessary to ensure the safety of your workshop, make it clear that there is no inflammable and explosive objects and don’t use this machine to dry flammable or toxic materials.

Material Limitation

Except flammable and toxic materials, there are other materials can not be dried by fluid bed dryer. For example, it can not dry viscous product, but why? As is mentioned that fluid bed dryer is based on fluidization principle, the material need to be moved during the drying process, but it will be hard for viscous product to move freely.

High Ware Rate

The working process of fluidized bed dryer is accompanied by high temperature and violent gas movement, which may cause wear or other damage to the machine after long-term usage. So you need to maintain this machine regularly, to prevent it from wearing.

4.Which Industries Are Fluid Bed Dryer Applied To?

Fluid bed dryer can be used in a variety of industries to help them handle materials, some main applications of this machine are as follows:

Pharmaceutical Industry

It’ s never need to guess, the most common application of fluid bed dryer is in the pharmaceutical industry. This machine is used to dry all kinds of drug granules, tablets, herb powders and so on, to let them be qualified for other pharmaceutical process.

Chemical Industry

Another important application of fluid bed dryer is chemical industry, it can be used to deal with a variety of chemical materials,such as dyes, pigments, fragrances, washing powders, etc.

And some chemical products, for an instance, the desiccants, they are produced in a granular form, during the production process, they need to be dried by fluid bed dryer to remove the moisture content of themselves.

Food Processing Industry

The food processing industry also have a need of fluid bed dryer, there are many food products, such as chips, nuts, breadcrumbs and others, have their own requirements for moisture content, to remove the extra moisture, the fluid bed dryers come in handy. Also, fluid bed dryer can handle sugar, salt and other condiments.

Dairy Industry

Have you never been curious about the process of making milk powder? In this process you can also see the figure of fluid bed dryer. It is used to dry the milk powder or other granular dairy products, for the purpose to let them be qualified for sale.

Agriculture Industry

Fluid bed dryer is also widely used in agriculture industry, many grains, such as rice, wheat, millet, soybean, etc, and all kinds of seeds, all need to be dried, fluid bed dryer is a good solution for them.

Mining Industry

It is less known that fluid bed dryer can be used to dry minerals, for a instance, it can dry coal mines to reduce the moisture content of them, as a result, the coal mines can reach the processing standard.

Metal Industry

Fluid bed dryer is active in metal industry to dry various of metal products such as metal powder, metal granules, and metal products which are made of different metallic materials.

Ceramic Industry

Can you image that fluid bed dryer can be used in ceramic industry? It is used to dry ceramic powder and ceramic pigments, to help improve the efficiency of ceramic processing.

5.How Many Types Of Fluid Bed Dryers There Are?

There are many different types of fluid bed dryers on the market, do you know what they are? If you are also interested at the classification of fluid bed dryer, please keep on reading.

• Batch Fluid Bed Dryer
  

The batch fluid bed dryer is suitable for small scale production cause its production output is not as high as other types of fluid bed dryers. During its working process, the temperature and circulation of the hot air are fixed. The advantage of batch fluid bed dryer is that it is cheaper than other types, can save your cost.

• Continuous Fluid Bed Dryer

Continuous Fluid Bed Dryer-Photo Credit:L.B. Bohle

Continuous fluid bed dryer, that is, a machine which can dry powders and granules continuously, thus it is suitable for large scale of production. This machine can provide an efficient drying and it has long service life.

• Semi-continuous Fluid Bed Dryer

Semi-continuous Fluid Bed Dryer-Photo Credit:Glatt

The semi-continuous fluid bed dryer is between the batch type and continuous type, it is suitable for medium scale of production. This type of fluid bed dryer also has many advantages,such as easy operation, save cost, wide application, etc.

• Static Fluid Bed Dryer

Static Fluid Bed Dryer-Photo Credit:Carrier

The reason why the static fluid bed dryer is called as so is that it can keep static during the working process, this machine is multi-functional, it can complete the operations such as drying, cooling and sterilizing in the same unit. Static fluid bed dryer is an ideal equipment for handling uniform materials.

• Vibratory Fluid Bed Dryer

Vibrating Fluid Bed Dryer-Photo Credit: Griffin Machinery

Vibrating fluid bed dryer is common in many industries, during the working process, the machine will vibrate constantly to help material be fluidized and strengthen the heating operation, as a result, the machine have good drying effect. Vibrating fluid bed dryer is suitable for chemical, pharmaceutical, food, mining industries, etc.

• Horizontal Fluid Bed Dryer

Horizontal Fluid Bed Dryer-Photo Credit:Carrier

As the picture shows, the material feeding, processing and discharging of horizontal fluid bed dryer is in the horizontal direction. The horizontal fluid bed dryer can work continuously and it is easy to operate, is ideal equipment for industries.

Vertical Fluid Bed Dryer

Different from horizontal fluid bed dryer, the working process of vertical fluid bed dryer, which include material feeding and discharging, is in the vertical direction. In the vertical fluid bed dryer, the air enters the machine from the upper fan of the machine. This machine is convenient to integrate with other equipment.

6.What Are The Main Parts Of Fluid Bed Dryer?

Do you have curiousness about the structure of fluid bed dryer? Do you want to know the main parts of this machine? You can find answer in this part, let’s begin.

1.Mid-effect Filter

The function of mid-effect filter is to filter out impurities from the air, to avoid them affect the fluidization effect.

2.Post Filter

Post filter, it likes an extra layer of insurance, it is used to filter the air again to ensure there are absolutely no bacteria in the air.

3.Heater

As the name implies, heater is used to heat the air, to increase its temperature, so the materials can be suspended by the action of hot air and then by dried.

4.Distributor

Distributor plays a vital role in the working process of fluid bed dryer, its function is to evenly distribute air in the machine, which can promote the whole drying process.

5.Fluidized Bed

Fluid bed is a main component of the machine, it is the place where the materials interact with air and be dried.

6 & 8. Blower

Blower is designed to discharge the hot air and polluted air, if the polluted air isn’t discharged, it will affect the working process and sometimes it can can be harmful for the health of operator.

7.Compressed Air

This part is to compress the air, increase the pressure of air and transfer it to energy.

9.Silencer

Silencer is used to reduce the noise during the working process of fluid bed dryer, this is a optional part of the machine.

10.Vibration Eliminator

The function of vibration eliminator is to reduce the vibration of other component, prevent vibration from being transmitted to the pipeline and its related components causing damage to them.

7.How Does Fluid Bed Dryer Work?

To be honest, the working principle of fluid bed dryer is simple, the whole working process is as follows:

Working Principle Of Fluid Bed Dryer-Photo Credit:Pharmacy Scope

At first, the wet materials are loaded on the perforated bed evenly, and then, the blower is turned on, the air will be extracted constantly and enter the machine from the bottom area.

The next step is the fluidization process, the speed of the movement of air is increased, the distance between particles increases, then the materials are suspended. At this moment, the drying process begins.

Obviously, next is the heating operation, the air is heated, thus the moisture content of the material is reduced, as the material absorbs heat constantly, the moisture will gradually be reduced.

Next, the air is discharged by the action of blower, and filters will catch the dust in the air. The final step, dried materials are discharged and be delivered to the next equipment.

8.A Comparison Of Fluid Bed Dryer And Rotary Dryer.

Generally, most of you will have trouble when choose dryers, you don’t know you need to choose a fluid bed dryer of a rotary dryer. Don’t worry, here is a comparison between the two machines, to help you make a choice.

Working Principle

The working principles of fluid bed dryer and rotary dryer are totally different, the working principle of fluid bed dryer is fluidization, it dry the materials by the circulation of hot air while rotary dryer takes a use of rotating, it overturns the materials constantly to let them dry.

Range Of Application

By contrast, the range of application of rotary dryer is more wide, it has ability to handle heavy duty materials so that it can be used in heavy industry, and it can adapt to different materials. However, fluid bed dryer has high requirement for the consistency of material, it need to handle powers or granules which are even in size.

Size

In common, rotary dryers are larger than fluid bed dryers, they occupy more space than fluid bed dryers. On the opposite, fluid bed dryers are modular designed, they can save space relevantly.

Energy Consumption

Guess which one of these two machines consumes more energy, the correct answer is fluid bed dryer, in the working process of this machine, there will be much hot air, to fluidize material, the machine need to consume a lot of energy. On the contrary, rotary dryer doesn’t need to consume so much energy.

9.Which Factors Will Affect The Working Process Of Fluid Bed Dryer?

To consider what factors affect the working process of fluid bed dryer, you need to think from three dimensions, what are they? Well, you need to consider the machine itself, the air and the material.

In terms of the machine

Can you believe that even the position of distributor and the shape of the machine can affect the working process? These two factors can affect the air circulation when the machine is working. Therefore, you need to adjust the distributor and the machine shape to adapt to different material drying requirements.

In terms of the air

As you know, the working of fluid bed dryer is very dependent on the air so that many parameters of the air will influence the drying result. What do you think make the influence? To be honest, these include the temperature, humidity and flow rate of the air.
So, when you need to use fluid bed dryer, remember to set up these parameters in advance.

In terms of the material

As the object which is dried by fluid bed dryer, the condition of the material can also cause different results. In fact, the initial state of the material is very important,how much moisture content is contained in the material, how much material is put into the machine by the operator, these are all variates.

10.How To Maintain Fluid Bed Dryer?

Do you know that the smooth working of a machine is inseparable from regular maintenance, but how can you maintain a fluid bed dryer, is the maintaining process the same as other machines? Let’s start exploring.

●You need to inspect your fluid bed dryer regularly, to check whether there are aged or damaged parts, and you need to add lubricating oil to the moving parts regularly, to prevent them from wearing.

●An important thing is that you need to clean the fluid bed regularly cause it contact with different materials everyday, the purpose of this operation is to remove the remained materials or other dusts.

●Filter is a vital component of fluid bed dryer, it will affect the final material, so you should maintain, clean and replace it regularly.

●Please check relevant parts, such as emergency stop button and temperature sensor, make sure that they can work normally, or there might be safety problems during the operation process of fluid bed dryer.

●Fluid bed dryer is a special equipment which need proper operations, therefore, the operators need to be trained regularly, master professional knowledge of fluid bed dryer.

11.How To Troubleshoot Fluid Bed Dryer?

During the working process of fluid bed dryer, there might be some problems of the machine, what you need to do is troubleshoot it, but how can you do that? In this part, you can learn some common problems and solutions of fluid bed dryer, hope that they are helpful to you.

Long Drying Time

When you feel that the machine takes longer than normal to dry the material, there is a possibility that the moisture content of the material is high so that the machine need more time. To solve this problem, you can dry the material in advance or dry it twice.

High Temperature

If the temperature is different from what you set, you need to check the heater to see whether it is damaged, if it is, replace it; How about it isn’t damaged? At this moment, you need to check the temperature sensor and replace it.

High Moisture Content After Drying

If there are still high moisture content of the material after drying, there are two possible reasons: the amount of feeding materials is too large, the temperature and the flow rate of the hot air are low. To solve this problem, you just need to check and adjust the material and hot air accordingly.

Dried Material Contains Impurities

If the dried material contains impurities, you need to check the filter, if it is damaged, replace it with an intact one, if it isn’t damaged, the reason may be the grids of it are larger than the particles of material, you need to replace it with a proper one.

Large Noise

If the machine occurs large noise during the working process, you need to check whether there is excessive amplitude or the there are loose connection parts of the machine.If the reason is the former, turn down the amplitude, if is the later, tighten loose parts.

12.How To Select The Right Fluid Bed Dryer?

Having said so much, I guess what you are most concerned about is how to select a proper fluid bed dryer, don't worry, let's discuss together next, what factors should be considered when you select a fluid bed dryer.

Type Of Fluid Bed Dryers

At first you need to set up a certain goal, which type of fluid bed dryer is the most suitable for your business. There are to many choice for you, the vertical fluid bed dryers, the horizontal ones, the batch fluid bed dryer and continuous &semi-continuous ones. You need to think comprehensively, think about your production scale, material, real requirements and so on.

Reliable Manufacturer

When you determine which type of fluid bed dryer is the best for you, the next thing is to find a reliable manufacturer, but how to judge the manufacturers on the market? You need to search for the top manufacturers and their customers’ reviews, and figure out whether they have careful after-sales service and warranty, which are quite important.

Your Budget

A good foundation determines the superstructure, your budget is the most essential factor cause it can directly determine the grade of the fluid bed dryer which you can afford.It is suggested to buy the most expensive fluid bed dryer within the range of your budget, don’t be fooled by cheap prices!

Conclusion

It is not doubt that fluid bed dryer plays a vital role in pharmaceutical and material processing industries, it is based on fluidization principle, to help industries handle their raw material. Finishing reading this blog, do you think you know fluid bed dryer deeper? Or do you have any other puzzles about the machine that haven't been mentioned yet? Welcome to contact us if you have other queries.