Drying & Thermal Solids Processing Spotlight - October 09

Cabinet Oven
The No.800 is an electrically heated, 850°F cabinet oven that is used for drying specialty plastic powders. The workspace of this unit measures 38 × 26 × 38 in. Twenty KW are installed in Incoloy-sheathed tubular heating elements, while an 800-cfm, ¾-hp recirculating blower provides horizontal airflow to the workload. This walk-in oven features 6-in. insulated walls, a Type 304, 2B finish stainless-steel interior with continuously welded seams, disposable fresh air filter, stainless-steel loading truck, and a transfer dolly that includes an oven-to-dolly latch and dolly-to-truck latch.
The Grieve Corp., Round Lake, IL 847-546-8225 www.grievecorp.com

Hostile Process Split Shaft Seals
MECO’s patented EX-PAC model seals are built to withstand some of industry’s least hospitable environments, including aggressive solvents and other chemicals, temperatures up to 500°F, thermal shaft growth, pressure-vacuum fluctuations, high shaft run out, or misalignment and some axial shaft motion. The seals are used on slow-turning process equipment such as reactors, dryers, conveyors, etc. Available with either elastomeric or mechanical drive mechanisms, the EX-PAC shares the capabilities of other MECO seals and is available in a variety of materials and designs to suit individual applications.
Woodex Bearing Company, Inc., Georgetown, ME 800-526-8800 www.woodex-meco.com

Rotary Calciners
Custom-designed to meet processing requirements, Bartlett-Snow rotary calciners provide an effective and efficient means for continuously processing granular materials and powders at high temperatures, exceeding 1500°C, in oxidizing, inert, or reducing atmospheres. The design consists of an inclined rotating cylinder that is enclosed in a furnace along its active length, featuring gas, oil, dual-fuel burners, or electric heating elements. Available in sizes from 6 to 120 in. in diameter, these units can be equipped with gas-tight seals that prevent interchange between the internal atmosphere and local ambient conditions. Special internal flight design promotes gentle tumbling action and provides for uniform exposure and efficient heat transfer.
Alstom Power Inc., Air Preheater Co., Raymond Operations, Warrenville, IL 630-393-1000 www.bartlettsnowcalciners.com

Mixer and Jacketed Vacuum Dryer
This newly designed horizontal Ploughshare mixer and jacketed vacuum dryer is easy to clean. The full access door(s) across the front of the mixer provide(s) for greater access to perform frequent cleaning operations and other periodic maintenance operations. The Easy Clean design is available for batch or continuous material processing. The unit can be used for a range of applications including bakery mixes, dry soups and gravy mixes, spices and flavorings, powdered drink mixes, chocolates, icing mixes, candies, pharmaceutical granulations, nutraceutical microencapsulation, and vitamin mixes, as well as many other specialty applications.
Littleford Day Inc., Florence, KY 800-365-8555 www.littleford.com

Dewatering-Drying System
This dewatering-drying system consists of a 30-in.-diam circular vibratory screener that removes oversize and undersize particles and up to 50 gal of water per minute. It is integrated with a 40-in.-diam circular fluid bed dryer that dries up to 700 lb of on-size particles per hour. The screener’s vibratory action causes oversize particles to discharge through a spout at the upper screen’s periphery, on-size pellets to discharge through an extended spout at the lower screen’s periphery, and undersize fines and water passing through the lower screen to discharge through a third spout. The circular (versus rectangular) configuration of the fluid bed dryer consolidates system components, eliminates the need for heavy-gauge walls and braces, has fewer weld seams, cuts cleaning time by 50% or more, allows downsizing of vibratory motors, requires only one air inlet and outlet, and reduces cost, especially when finished to 3-A, FDA, and BISSC standards.
Kason Corp., Millburn, NJ 973-467-8140 www.kason.com

Indirect Drying System
The TorusDisc is designed to dry, heat, cool, or create a reaction with solids, slurries, gels, filter cakes, powders, and viscous materials. Residence times can range from minutes to several hours, making it suitable for a wide range of applications in food, chemical, mineral, and petrochemicals and plastics. The design provides indirect heat transfer and mechanical agitation of material. Key features include: optimal heat transfer and energy efficiency due to the high relative velocity between rotating discs and product; the ability to set rotor speed for optimum heat exchange and thorough mixing independent of residence times; batch or continuous applications; small footprint; and low maintenance.
Bepex International, Minneapolis, MN 612-331-4370 www.bepex.com

Vibrating Fluid Bed Dryer/Cooler
This vibrating fluid bed processor requires low energy requirements for drying and cooling aggregate material. The unit dries and cools aggregate product at high capacities and features a heat recovery system to reduce overall energy consumption. Integral cooling zone reduces product temperature for safer handling and reduced condensation. Capable of handling a broad range of particle sizes, the unit uses controlled vibrations to eliminate deck pluggage and convey large, nonfluidized “rocks” through the dryer.
Carman Industries Inc., Jeffersonville, IN 800-456-7560 www.carmanindustries.com

Paddle Dryer
Moistures of less than 10%, 1%, or even 0.1% can be achieved with this paddle dryer. The dryer’s dual intermeshing agitators with heated wedge-shaped paddles provide for uniform heat transfer to the product and high heat transfer rates. Residence time is controlled by the feed rate. Because the dryer is indirectly heated, the amount of off-gas is minimal. Heating can be done with steam or circulated thermal fluid. Paste, cakes, granules, and powders can be dried and low product moisture can be achieved. The dryer can also be used for heating, reacting, pasteurizing, and calcining.
Komline-Sanderson, Peapack, NJ 800-225-5457 www.komline.com