Armfield – Miniature-Scale Research & Development Technology – FT80/FT81 Tall Form Spray Dryer and Tall Form Spray Chiller
The Armfield FT-80 Tall Form Spray Dryer and FT81 Tall Form Spray Chiller have been purposed-designedly to enable laboratory quantities of products to be processed.
Despite the size of the equipment, the powders produced will be comparable to large-scale production dryer capability.
Both systems offer unparalleled flexibility with separate, individually controlled inlet and outlet fans, together with variable nozle positions and selection of co- or counter- unsurpassed range of options. This flexibility is enhanced by an unsurpassed range of options, purpose-designed for laboratory research use.
With appropriate accessories it is possible to change from spray-drying to spray-chilling configurations in a matter of minutes, thus adding further unique experimental capability.
The FT80 Tall Form Spray Dryer is supplied as standard with two nozzles and nozzle hoses, one for co-current and one for counter-current. In counter-current configuration the nozzle is positioned at the bottom of the chamber and sprayed upward into the flow of hot air.
For spray chilling the flow of air from the inlet fan to the spray chamber is chilled instead of heated. The air is cooled using chilled water and a stainless steel heat exchanger. The FT81 Tall Form Spray Chiller is supplied complete with its own refrigeration unit. Counter-current configuration is normally used for spray chilling.
Available Models
An optional accessory is available to provide final cooling of the spray dried powder in a fluidised bed. This feature is particularly useful when drying powders containing fats as the fluid bed helps to crystallise the fat content. Typical applications include infant formulas and whole milk powders.
The Bag Filter accessory is used on the exhaust air outlet. The five micron filter removes virtually all of the remaining product dust in the airstream, resulting in clean air that can then be discharged directly into the working area, without requiring further treatment, ducting or extraction fans. (This filter is not designed to extract toxic or hazardous materials.)
The trace heating accessory is required when the product must be kept above a certain minimum temperature prior to atomisation in the spray nozzle.
It comprises a heater band on the feed vessel, a heater on the pump body and a further heater on each of the spray nozzles. The trace heating controls are enclosed in a separate mains powered stainless steel box, which can be positioned on the main control unit. Two independent temperature controllers are used for the feed vessel wall temperature and the nozzle body temperature. Although primarily required for spray chilling, this accessory can also be used with the spray drier.
Note: The trace heating is not designed to heat the product, but to maintain the product at an elevated temperature.
Key Features
FT80/FT81 Tall Form Spray Dryer and Tall Form Spray Chiller
Key Features
- Accessory sets are available to quickly change from drying to spray chilling
- Available as a Spray Dryer (FT80) or as a Spray Chiller (FT81)
- Drying air temperature up to 250°C
- Maximum flow rate up to 7 l/hr
- Maximum evaporation rate of 3 l/hr
- Tall form chamber straight side to diameter ratio of 3:1, conical discharge section
- Advanced two-fluid nozzle atomisation system
- Supplied with optional nozzle configurations for counter- and co-current atomising
- Individual inlet and exhaust fans with variable-speed control
- Bag filter and trace heating options
- Flexible controls and full instrumentation provided in the IP65 control console
- Easily dismantled for inspection and cleaning purposes
- Compact, mobile design
- Data logging facility for all key operating parameters
- Powder discharges from two points, chamber and cyclone
- Low noise levels
- Control and measurement of relative humidity
- Spark arrester on input and enhanced safety extraction fan
Benefits
- No clogging, no need for de-blocking devices
- Co-current flow for drying heat sensitive products
- Counter-current flow maximises chamber residence time for non-heat sensitive products
- Residence times in the drying cylinder variable up to 9 seconds
- Easy connections to electrical and compressed air utilities
- Data recording to computer for rapid evaluation and comparison
Key Industries
- Biopharmaceutical and Biotechnology
- Chemical
- Cosmetics & Personal Care
- Education & Academics
- Food & Beverage
- Oil & Gas
- Pharmaceutical
- Powders & Pigments / Coating
Brand
The Armfield Industrial Division designs and manufactures research & development systems, primarily for the food, beverage, dairy, edible oil and pharmaceutical industries. Used by many of the world’s leading corporations, Armfield systems enable researchers and product developers to replicate full-scale industrial manufacturing processes on a miniature-scale in the laboratory.