Spray drying is an essential unit operation for the manufacture of many products with specific powder properties. Spray drying is used for the manufacture of many consumer and industrial products such as instant food products, laundry detergents, pharmaceuticals, ceramics, agrochemicals etc. During spray drying, agglomerates of dry particles are formed (see picture) which determine the instant properties of the powder (i.e. the ability to dissolve easily, quickly and completely). Agglomeration during spray drying is considered to be a difficult process to control. The main cause of this is the complex interaction of the process variables: the atomisation process, the mixing of spray and hot air and the collision of particles. As a consequence, agglomeration during spray drying is often regarded as a black box and is operated by trial-and-error.
Objectives
The objective of the EDECAD project is to develop an industrially validated predictive computer model, using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) technology. This predictive model will establish relations between
Design Tool
This model will be a powerful tool for designing and optimising spray drying and agglomeration machinery and for building new- generation multi-product equipment.
Target group
The EDECAD project will primarily focus on the food industry, because spray drying is by far their major drying process.
