Application > Chemistry

Spray dryers are one of the few dryers that allow liquids to be transformed directly into ultra-fine to fine powders (50 to 800 microns), dispensing subsequent comminution operations. In addition, it has the advantage of wide scalability, observed by dryers for tens of tons per hour. It can be applied to temperature sensitive products, solutions, suspensions, pastes and slurries. There are variants of this equipment that allow its operation with flows of drying air and liquid with a current or against a current, with a flow of liquid material ascending or descending. There are also different methods of nebulization, or atomization as it is more commonly used, with dual fluid (pneumatic), pressure, rotary and ultrasonic nozzles. In addition to the variables that are the physical and chemical properties of the materials to be dried, the process still has air and liquid flow rates as variables, and the air inlet and outlet temperatures. These parameters provide such flexibility to the technique that its success in the chemical industry in general is not surprising.

Some examples of spray dryer applications in drying in chemical industries are:

• Organic and inorganic salts;
• Detergents in general (soap powder);
• Paints (dyes and pigments);
• Plastics and resins;
• Catalysts;
• Abrasives;
• Metal ores and powders;
• Cement;
• Tannins;
• Cellulose.