Pilotech Pilotech Mini Spray Dryer Manufacturer
- Pilotech min Spray Dryer is the perfect all in one research solution for any needs.
- Unique design to ensure that all functions are easy to select and adjust to quickly achieve the optimum conditions for spray drying.
- Fast install and cleaning times, simple to operate.
Pilotech Mini Spray Dryer
Shanghai Pilotech started to produce YC-015 mini spray dryer since 2005. The design idea is ‘small volume, low noise, low power and easy operation’. It is less than 1 square meter, the noise is lower than 60 DB, and the power is 3.5KW. The drying chamber uses borosilicate glass so that it is easy to observe experiment. YC-015 uses touch-screen operation. One can adjust parameters during experiment at any time. The glass components are connected with clips and is easy for operation.
YC-500 mini spray dryer, the design concept is to be as small as possible, small in size, and can be placed on the experimental table. The material required for the experiment is small, and 10ML can complete an experiment. The noise is small, less than 60DB. The YC-500 mini spray dryer has strong scalability. It can be equipped with a nitrogen circulation system for spray drying of organic solvents, and a vacuum system can be used for spray drying of heat-sensitive materials.
YC-510 vacuum mini spray dryer is the smallest vacuum low temperature spray dryer at present. YC-510 is a single-phase power supply, no complicated wiring, less than one square meter in volume, low noise during operation, and the minimum air inlet temperature is 50°C. It is suitable for spray drying of heat-sensitive materials such as probiotics.
YC-501 MiniInert Loop Spray Dryer can be used for safe spray drying of laboratory aqueous solutions and organic solvents. Due to the flammability and explosive characteristics of organic solvents, traditional open spray dryers cannot be used. A safe and reliable nitrogen circulation system is necessary. YC-501 mini spray dryer, built-in refrigerator, oxygen monitoring system, nitrogen cleaning system and solvent recovery system, solvent can be recovered online, it is the best choice for laboratory organic solvent spray drying.
YC-1800 mini low temperature spray dryer is a spray dryer with novel design. YC-1800 Mini Spray Dryer adopts micro-negative pressure design, no vacuum system is required, the lowest air inlet temperature is as low as 105°C, and the lowest air outlet temperature is 60°C. It is suitable for spray drying of Chinese medicine and sugar-containing materials, and can be equipped with fluidized bed drying function. , Suitable for rapid drying of particles.
YC-018A inert loop spray dryer, pilot scale spray dryer for organic solvents, with a processing capacity of 3500ML/H. But 100ML materials are also enough for completing an experiment. Small size, covering only 2 square meters. Low power, the host power is only 5.5KW. Low noise, below 50DB. The touch screen is fully automatic and easy to operate. It can be used for spray drying of most organic solvents.

Why Pilotech mini spray dryer?
- A simple and effective lab spray dryer for product research and development.
- With over 20 years of continual development, Pilotech lab spray dryer is world renowned for our quality and reliability.
- From bench spray dryer to pilot scale spray dryer, from aqueous solutions to organic solvents, complete specifications.
- You can discover our lab spray dryer outstanding efficiency and flexibility.
Dr. Chen
We are an Australian manufacturer specialized in feed industry. We bought a YC-2000 spray dryer from Shanghai Pilotech recently. It has been supplied and delivered to Brisbane as we scheduled. We are quite happy about the instrument itself. The quality, its user-friendly design and its price make it very competitive on the international market. We also enjoyed the communication with the sales representative, Ms. Vicky Xiang. She also kindly facilitated some technical support for us. The whole purchasing experience was satisfying and positive. Thank you!

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Mini Spray Dryer :The Complete Buying Guide
Pilotech mini spray dryer is a leader in the field of lab spray drying equipment. For 15 years, Pilotech has been the world’s leading solution provider for laboratory technologies for R&D, quality control and production.
Due to Pilotech mini spray dryer good quality, small size, low noise, low power, and excellent drying effect, the equipment has been rapidly welcomed and widely used by domestic universities, research institutes and enterprises.
The Pilotech mini spray dryer is classified as a water solution spray dryer , Inert Loop (organic solvents ) spray dryer, low temperature spray dryer, vacuum spray dryer, large particle spray dryer, Spray drying spray granulation machine, which can solve difficult drying of heat-sensitive materials, flammable and combustible organic solvent materials, high sugar content materials, high viscosity materials.
All mini spray dryer in Pilotech is easy to operate and can be used with a small quantity of materials. It is very convenient for investigating many operation conditions.
For a spray dryer, the PLC, touch screen, are all key components. We chose Taiwan’s Delta, which is the highest market share in the market now. Besides, heater, peristaltic pump, draught fan, temperature controller selected the best performing brand in the market. our atomizer and nozzle are made of SUS 316 stainless steel, the machine body is made of SUS 304 stainless steel, if you need, you can also customize 316 stainless steel.
All of the Pilotech mini spray dryers are modular if there are spare parts broken during the warranty period (1 year) and by non-human factors, you can get a new replacement from us for free. After the warranty period, you can purchase from your country or from us, we will give you the cost price. We will provide oil-free air compressor for free, you just need to prepare electricity and water. It helps you save more time and cost for academic research.
If you are unsure about our mini spray dryer, we are pleased to offer you a service where we will spray dry a sample for you, and you are always welcome to visit our new laboratory and see a unit being set up and run.
Get an instant quote on Pilotech mini spray dryer now!
All You Need To Know About Pilotech Mini Spray Dryer
Introduction
Today, the global demand for quality mini spray dryer and spray drying technology by universities, colleges, institutes, and R&D departments of companies has increased. This development is as a result of the growing impact of technology.
Specifically, the spray dryer ceramic industry and spray drying pharmaceutical industry have increased in popularity in the last few years. Yet, the cliché among the buying companies and colleges still remains, do your adequate background research before buying any of spry dryer absorber, food spray dryer, egron spray dryer, nano spray dryer, milk spray dryer machines, or any of the spray dryer technologies.
Yet, several fake producers are all over the place making illegitimate money off unsuspecting procurement officers of these companies and colleges, who end up buying counterfeit mini spray dryers for their laboratories that never last long.
If you don’t want to pay heavily for it, then don’t pay for a sub-standard and counterfeit spray drying machine. Annoyingly, money isn’t easy to come by. Instructively, as a company procurement officer or lab scientist and instructor, you’ve perhaps been tagged a misery guts by your chief executives as a result of continued purchase of bad spray drying equipment.
You’ve got to get yourself off the hook of spinners veiling as products and smartly turn to something that will deliver value, give you rest of mind and save you from unnecessary recurrent spending.
Pilotech mini spray dryer is the latest trend and hottest deal in the market even as you read this post. But again, it has a relatively long age behind it. Yet, it controls the market.
Do you seek to know what Pilotech mini spray dryers feature? Then let’s begin with 20 years production history that has made Pilotech mini spray dryer the best and most sought-after product in the market.
Pilotech Mini Spray Dryer Production History
The Pilotech mini spray dryer is an outcome of about two decades of research and solution delivery. The product is manufactured by Shanghai-based technology company, Pilotech Instrument and Equipment Co., Ltd, one of the world’s leading solution providers in the laboratory technology industry. The company technically started operations in 2005.
The company is popular for its high-quality products, incredible internal and external quality control, and state-of-the-art R &D environment. The company has been a strong partner to more than 3500 product users and clients. These include world-class technology-driven schools, institutes, universities, research central, and reverse engineering units.
What’s more, Pilotech also produces spray granulator, multipurpose extracting tank, and over-the-top high-temperature sterilizer. The vision is to reel out value-added budget-friendly lab spray drying equipment. The company distinguishes itself from other manufacturers of mini spray dryer by delivering products with out-of-the-world solutions.
Working principle of Pilotech Mini spray dryer
Pilotech mini spray dryer has a very simple mechanism by which it operates. On the equipment is a menu-driven microprocessor regulator which is responsible for selecting inlet temperature. The inlet air temperature for the YC-018 laboratory spray dryer ranges from 110 to 350 °C. The regulator also allows you to pick airflow as well as de-blocker frequency.
Once it selects the operations, the self-priming positive displacement pump (otherwise called a roller pump) acts on the diameter jet and then releases fluid sample from a container into the main chamber.
While this is going on, the compressor pumps air into the outer duct of the diameter fluid jet. The result of the operations of the roller pump and the compressor is the release of a finely atomized liquid spray into the drying chamber.
The dryer begins its dehydrating process in the drying chamber. High-temperature air is blown into the chamber to disperse all forms of vapour left in the atomized spray. A cyclone separates the free-flowing solid particles from the exhaust airflow, gathering together the solid materials through the sample collection bottle.
Meanwhile, the exhaust airflow is directed towards the atmosphere or into an extraction system through a flexible hose, usually with a diameter of 60 mm.
Features of Mini Spray Dryer
Pilotech mini spray dryer strolls into any market because it comes with many unassailable features. Whether you think in terms of size, design, architecture, capacity, energy consumption, pricing or durability, no mini spray dryer matches Pilotech’s.
Take a look at some of the features:
- Compact Size
That’s a cliché you don’t want to and shouldn’t forget so quickly. You’ve often heard ‘the smaller the size the better the quality.’ Pilotech mini spray dryers come in small sizes. The purpose is to ensure that users have a product that is not only handy but also more efficient and cost-effective. The thinking is that the smaller and more compact you have your spray dryers, the more efficiently they deliver.
- High Quality
Despite keeping their sizes small, Pilotech doesn’t comprise standard of their mini spray dryer products. With a team of highly experienced professionals who understand the drive for quality control, Pilotech mini spray dryers in their different models release fine result and design. Whether you talk of the centrifugal spray dryer, ceramic spray dryer, pressure spray dryer, or bench-top spray dryer, Pilotech offers the best you can find in the market.
- Multiple functions
One thing you don’t find out there with most of the spray dryers is the ability of one equipment to apply to many areas. For instance, mini spray dryer can apply to the aqueous solution, as well as to water solvents, pharmaceuticals, and dyestuffs, etc. With Pilotech mini lab spray drying tool, you have a dryer in your hand that serves a variety of purposes. The Pilotech mini spray dryer comes as spray drying granulator, cyclone spray dryer, water solution spray dryer, and organic solvents spray dryer.
- Expedient Preparation
Preparation is convenient because the material requires only a minimum of 20-30ml to complete sizeable amount of sample. The material also needs maximum capacity of 2000ml per hour to perform large amount of sample, and at rapid rate.
- Easy to install
Even if you’re a girl of 10, you can install and operate mini spray dryer. It does not take more than 10 minutes to install. If you try the HD visual operation on YouTube, it takes less than that even.
- Simple operation mechanism
In terms of operations, the mini spray dryer is designed with unimaginable simplicity and short set up duration. Pilotech mini spray dryer is built to run on to two easy-to-control and experimental models: the automatic and manual, or call it the eye-monitored mode.
- Easy to use
Using the equipment is very simple and takes few steps. It also has adjustable particle size from 1– 25 microns. The entre drying process is visible because it is goes through an assembly of glass. You can scale up the equipment to pilot or industrial scale. Typically, Pilotech mini spray dryer is also designed to stand by a keyboard and be regulated by a smart-looking screen touch display.
- Flexible to adjust
All functions and control keys on your spray dryer are simple to display and manipulate to suit your need. You can scale up the device to pilot or industrial level as much as you want. The particle size has an adjustable scale range from 1-25microns. Similarly, the equipment also prides itself in a high level of flexibility when you look at the different cylinder linear measures.
Different models of Pilotech Mini spray dryer
Pilotech mini spray dryer is made in different models and for different purposes. No two models can be used to execute similar functions, except the general functions that spray dryer machines typically perform.
The manufacturing company (Pilotech) understands the needs of each industry and how industry-specific spray dryers can help them boost production in many areas. Hence, they produce facsimiles of mini spray dryer for different laboratories.
- Model YC-015A lab spray dryer
This is one of the most versatile spray dryers made by Pilotech, both in terms of applicability and operations. It comprises all the features and components a typical mini spray dryer has. It does not require any external device to power it.
The process of drying is highly visible due to the assemblage of glass materials. It is essentially used for organic and water (aqueous solutions) solvents. However, it can also be used in other areas such as oxide, blood polymers, resins, and foodstuffs and adhesives, etc.
This is a capable spray dryer. It is known for its capacity to process as much as 3500ML per hour. The lab spray dryer requires just a minimum amount of 100ML materials to perform a single experiment.
The suitability of this model is found in both in its use for a laboratory experiment and the pilot plant use. It contains relatively wide inlet air temperature range between 110 and 350 °C. That it is perfect for drying the spray of most materials is due to this wide temperature range.
However, after the dehydration process has ceased, the particle size ranges from 1 to 100 microns, thus making it applicability suitable for the spray drying of ceramics and advanced materials like a catalyst.
The first thing to note about the YC-2000 mini vacuum spray dryer is that it brings along with it the vacuum system into the spray dehydration process. It is one Pilotech product that significantly causes a drop in both the inlet and outlet temperatures of the spray.
Besides, this model requires a minimum inlet air temperature of 50 °C and it works with a processing capacity of 1500 ML per hour. The YC-200 lab vacuum spray dryer is a piece of good equipment for the spray drying of non-heat resistance high polymer materials.
For example, in the preparation of a probiotic enzyme in the lab, the YC-200 lab vacuum spray dryer is often used. Meanwhile, Pioltech offers a lab vacuum spray dryer that has a higher capacity in the region of 500ML per hour and 3500ML per hour.
When you’re searching for a mini spray dryer that has a low temperature, then YC-1800 mini low temperature spray dryer is the right Pilotech product to beckon on. The inlet air temperature for this model is 105oC.
This is a perfect dryer for the spray drying of heat-sensitive materials. For instance, in the preparation of enzyme and sugary materials such as the traditional Chinese medicine extracts, the YC-1800 mini low temperature spray dryer is a perfect choice.
The reason is that after the drying process, the materials do no remain twigged to the wall of the container. Also, the durability of this model can be found in the presence of a blend of high temperature resistant glass and the SUS304 stainless steel in the drying chamber of the equipment.
Besides, you can easily observe every stage of the experimental process. The addition of liquefied bed drying functionalities can trigger the YC-1800 spray dryer to be used for multiple purposes.
Without delay, you Pilotech YC-015A Mini Inert loop spray dryer would quickly and safely dry up laboratory organic solvents and aqueous solutions. It has massive processing capacity, capable of processing 1500ML per hour.
The equipment only requires 50ML to execute one single experiment. The YC-015A mini Inert loop spray dryer is designed with a unique built-in oxygen monitoring system. The purpose of that is to ensure the safety of the lab. This is because as the oxygen concentration increases than the fixed safe value, the machine will neither start nor cease auto operation.
As the name suggests, the Pilotech YC-018A pilot scale organic solvent spray dryer is specifically designed in the spray drying of organic solvents and aqueous solutions. It belongs to the family of the inert loop spray dryer and is capable of processing 4000ML per hour.
The product requires a minimum of 100Ml t execute a one single lab experiment. This is why is perfect for the laboratory and pilot plant. Despite the high degree of mobility that often accompanies the materials after the spray drying process, the YC-018A pilot is reputable for high recovery rate which is put at 92%.
Main parts of Pilotech Mini spray dryer
Although we have different models of the Pilotech mini spray dryer, there each of them contains almost the same parts. Each of the components is integral to the overall function of the entire equipment.
- Built-in Air compressor
The Air compressor is oil-free as it comes with cushion technique which keeps the noise of the equipment very low. This also makes it convenient for you to move the dryer around.
- Compressed air container
This is another important component of the device and it is made from SUS 304 stainless steel material. With this part on your mini spray dryer, you can be sure that your machine is adequately prevented from corrosive damage usually caused by vapour or moist.
- Microprocessor controller
Your mini spray dryer is built with a menu-powered microprocessor driver which allows you to select creek temperature, pump speed, and airflow. You can also use the controller to select auto de-blocker device which are major components of the equipment. The de-blocker frequency helps prevent the jet nozzle from becoming jammed.
- Manual
The equipment comes with an easy-to-understand English manual that is available for references, each time you need to check for detail or find out some important information.
Pilotech Mini spray dryer application
The YC-015 mini spray dryer the latest in the series of many Pilotech spray dryer products has no limit in terms of application. As a product that delivers quality, this equipment allows users to apply it to a wide range of areas.
The mini spray dryer is also broadly perfect for use to all forms of aqueous solutions including emulsions and suspensions. This why Yc-015 mini spray dryer is an excellent product in the fields of chemistry, biology, pharmacy, R&D, universities and institutes.
Especially, in areas where there is great enthusiasm in the use of a technique such as spraying non-heat materials expansively to powder sample, YC-015 becomes highly relevant and applicable. This is possible in the production process because the non-heat material allows some air in a little time. Also, the high temperature demand has no damaging effect on the component of production.
YC-015 is applicable in these production and processing materials and areas including:
- Flavor and Colourings
- Dairy
- Plant and Vegetable Extracts
- Resins
- Ceramics and Superconductors
- For dying non-heat and thermal sensitive materials
- Milk and Egg Products
- Soap and detergents.
- Organic solvents
Product Accessories
- Touch screen and PLC: Taiwan Delta
- Blower: Taiwan HENGFENG
- Air compressor air tank and body with 304 stainless steel: This is one feature that gives Pilotech mini spray dryer an edge. 304 stainless steel mini spray dryer guarantees deep drawing quality, ease of fabrication, resistance to corrosion and oxidation, excellent toughness, ease of cleaning, beautiful outlook, and low temperature properties. The Pilotech 304 stainless steel is in accordance with the GMP standard.
- Heating wire resistant to 1700 ° C high temperature: Pilotech spray drying equipment are made of thermal resistant wires and cables, including the lead wires for the equipment. Hence, they are perfect for variety of applications to high temperature up to 1700o
- Drying Room: Pilotech mini spray dryer contains high borosilicate glass, meaning that they have very low thermal expansion coefficients. This property makes them have more resistance to heat shock than any other common glass.
Differences and advantages between Mini spray dryer and vacuum dryer
Vacuum drying machine is the kind of dryer used for drying substances which tend to absorb moisture and vapour from the air. They are also used for thermally sensitive materials. The principle of operating vacuum dryer is forming a vacuum to drop the pressure in the chamber just below the vapor pressure of the water. The result causes the water to boil, thus increasing the rate at which the product dries.
Advantages
-It conserves a lot of energy as less energy is required for drying.
-It is cost-effective, reducing costs on storage and sale.
-It works faster than other drying techniques.
-It cuts down on processing times.
-It is a less damaging method.
However, the mini spray drying process is not as fast as the vacuum process.
Differences and advantages between Mini spray dryer and Mini freeze drying
Mini freeze drying, technically called lyophilization, is a process of drying in which you freeze material and then decrease the surrounding pressure to make the frozen water contained in the material to change from solid state to the gaseous state. This process is used mainly to preserve perishable goods or make them safe for long-distance conveyance.
However, the mini spray dryer is used for spry drying organic solvents and aqueous solution. It cannot be used for preserving food.
There are three stages of mini freeing dehydration undergoes, namely, the
Advantages
- It is used to preserve perishable goods
- It is economical in terms of resources and time
- It prevents food wastage
- The sublimation process is fast
Pilotech Mini spray dryer inspection before deliver
You don’t just buy a sheep in the poke. Whether you have them drop shipped via your e-store client or your physical store seller delivers them through a dispatch, you still need to check every product you buy. It is not exclusive to Pilotech; it is basic buying and selling commonsense.
But here is the good news: Pilotech mini spray dryer or vacuum dryer is not sold in e-store because the company wants to avoid their products being faked. Besides, Pilotech wants to maintain the standard of its product quality, it is strictly advisable to check out for sellers who may want to forge real Pilotech products and sell to naïve colleges or companies.
What to look for when choosing Pilotech mini spray dryer
If you’re choosing which mini spray dryer is best for a particular application, you have to consider three important things. You must bear in mind that dryer selection impacts on the quality of product quality. The case of heat-sensitive materials, such as foodstuffs or Fuzzy logic, readily comes to mind here.
- Know the moisture content of the material
One, you must know the moisture content of a solid material. Testing solid materials of the moisture content will give you an insight into which dryer is perfect and most suitable to handle your material.
- Identify material features
Besides, you must identify the features a particular material’s particle contains. These features vary from one spray dryer to another, especially in their moisture levels. For instance, a filter cake of 40% moisture can have better moisture flow that one with lesser, say 20% moisture percentage.
- Test many dryers to know the suitability
Thirdly, there is a possibility that several dryer systems may be suitable in both technical and economic terms, a particular application. In that way, you’ll need to carry out a careful assessment of many dryers to be to know which ones will best apply to your material.
- Follow the careful procedure for new product
It is also important that you follow a careful process. A new application, process or product, don’t try to mix procedure up. Be careful in the procedure that will produce the product.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can the Pilotech Mini Spray Dryer be used for spray drying of organic solvents?
Absolutely! As earlier pointed, kindly note that the Pilotech YC-015A, YC-501A, and YC-018A are the great solution for any kind of organic solvent spray drying you want to do. That is why they are called organic spray dryers.
- Can the Pilotech Mini Spray Dryer be used for spray drying of heat-sensitive materials?
No mistake about it. There are different models of Pilotech spray dryers for different fields and areas. If you’re looking for a spray drying machine for heat-sensitive materials, don’t think twice. YC-018, YC-1800 mini sprayer dryers, and YC-510, YC-2000 vacuum spray dryer are perfect for heat-sensitive materials. You want to know why? They both operate on low-temperature.
- Can the Pilotech Mini spray dryer be used for spray drying of ceramics materials?
There we go again! The YC-018 lab spray dryer is the perfect Pilotech mini spray dryer for ceramics and advanced materials. Their suitability is found essentially in their name.Besides, they operateon an inlet air temperature range of 110 to 350 °C.
- Can the Pilotech Mini Spray Dryer be used for spray drying of high viscosity materials?
Yes! The reason is simple. Because high viscosity materials are resistance to flow, the Pilotech mini spray dryer can be used for the production of vicious or powered food concentrates. It results from atomization which creates fine dewdrops from food liquids which are desiccated to particles in a hot air stream.
- What is the Particle size after drying in the Pilotech Mini spray dryer?
Because of its adjustable feature and flexibility, the particlesize of the Pilotech mini spray dryer stands at range 1 to 100 microns after the dehydration process. Hence, this makes it suitable for the spray drying of ceramics and catalysts.
A WRAP
Many have considered a lot of spray dryer products out there but they have to come back to Pilotech. The brand is incredible and offers the best services. Pricing is also relatively competitive. You buy these products and get value for money. Why not try today and be part of the trail?
Mini Spray Dryer: The Ultimate FAQs Guide
If you have any question about mini spray dryer, you will find the answer right here.
This guide covers everything about mini spray dryers such as parts, working principle, cleaning process, nozzle types, specification, and many more.
So, if you want to be an expert in mini spray dryers, keep reading.
- What is a Mini Spray Dryer?
- What are the Differences Between Mini Spray Dryer and Freeze Dryer?
- Which are the Main Features of Mini Spray dryer?
- Which are the Different Types of Mini Spray dryers?
- What are the Main Parts of Mini Spray Dryer?
- Which are the Types of Nozzles used in Mini Spray Dryer?
- What are the Benefits of Mini Spray Dryer?
- How Does Mini Spray Dryer Work?
- Which are the Materials Used in Mini Spray Dryer?
- Is there Standard Particle Size for Mini Spray Dryer?
- What are the Factors to Consider when Choosing a Mini Spray Dryer?
- Which are the uses of Mini Spray Dryer in Pharmaceutical?
- What is the Role of Encapsulation in Mini Spray dryer?
- Which are the Applications of Mini Spray Dryer?
- Which are the Materials you can Dry using Mini Spray Dryer?
- How Do You Specify Mini Spray dryer?
- Which are the Additional Accessories of Mini Spray Dyer?
- Is Mini Spray Dryer Appropriate for Heat-Sensitive materials?
- How Do you Clean Mini Spray Dryer?
- Are there Aseptic Spray Dryers?
- How do you Increase Efficiency of Mini Spray Dryer?
- How do you Troubleshoot Mini Spray Dryer?
- How Do you prevent Product Contamination in Mini Spray Dryer?
What is a Mini Spray Dryer?
This is a machine you can use to convert slurry, low viscosity paste, or liquid into free-flowing powder in single unit operation.
It is a piece of continual processing equipment that comes in a wide range of configurations.
Spray dryer helps in drying a material quicker compared to other types of industrial drying machines.
They find application in nearly every sector, including food and beverages, paint and pigments, mining and minerals, and pharmaceutical industries.
Mini spray dryer
What are the Differences Between Mini Spray Dryer and Freeze Dryer?
Here is a comparison of Freeze dryer vs. mini spray dryer in terms of:
Freeze dryer
Drying Process
In a freeze drying technique, the drying process entails the initial freezing of material before placing it in a vacuum.
The freezing is often performed in a controlled fashion to manipulate the structure of the ice crystal.
Primary drying through sublimation occurs at this stage to eliminate the unbound water.
Next is secondary drying, which sublimes the bound water, transforming the material to your specified residual moisture level.
This stage requires more energy since the target is bound instead of being unbound.
This is because of the operation of increasing shelf temperature to +20 degrees Celsius, in addition to low atmospheric pressure.
The goal is to bypass the liquid stage and transform ice straight into water vapor.
Conversely, a spray drying process involves a more straightforward and quicker process.
Spray drying entails a single-step process that transforms a liquid emulsion into dry powder.
The spray drying machine atomizes the solution into fine droplets that are immediately dried utilizing warm gas in a big chamber.
Temperature
The temperature of products during primary drying in a freeze dryer is typically below 0 degrees Celsius.
Whereas in secondary drying, the temperature falls between 20 to 30 degrees Celsius.
On the other hand, product temperatures in the mini spray dryer are usually above 80 degrees Celsius.
Quality of the Final Product
Moreover, the main advantage of a freeze dryer is its robust product quality.
Accurate regulation of low processing temperatures reduces any threat to the intrinsic characteristics of products.
Freeze dryers avoid eutectic melt, surpassing glass transition temperature and collapse, which results in the highest quality products.
However, mini spray dryers can subject products to shear stress in addition to the high temperature required during processing.
This has the potential of destabilizing compounds like proteins and compromise product properties, which ultimately reduces the quality of products.
Efficiency and Cost
The cost of mini spray dryer is comparatively lower than that of freeze dryer, which makes it a better option in certain industries.
Furthermore, having the potential for larger throughput, spray dryers are assumed as continuous process equipment, different from batch format of freeze dryers.
However, though the upfront cost of mini spray dryers is often lower.
This is not usually the situation for more complex formulations.
Products that need multiple layers of coating will have to go through multiple processes of coating.
This can require a lot of time and cost, making freeze drying a more cost-effective option for some formulations.
Which are the Main Features of Mini Spray dryer?
Here are the main properties of mini spray dryer:
Compact Size
This type of drying equipment comes in small size, ensuring easy portability coupled with efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Multiple Functions
Most modern spray dryers feature the ability to serve a number of purposes.
For example, you can find a single mini spray dryer for organic solvents, water formulations, aqueous solutions, dyestuffs, and pharmaceuticals.
Moreover, the machine can function as a spray drying granulator and cyclone spray dryer.
Adjustable
All functions and control keys on your spray dryer are simple to display and manipulate to suit your need.
You can scale up the device to pilot or industrial level as much as you want.
The particle size has an adjustable scale range from 1-25microns.
Similarly, the equipment also prides itself on a high level of flexibility when you look at the different cylinder linear measures.
· Digital Control System
Most mini spray dryers come with programmable logic controllers (PLCs) as their control system.
Which are the Different Types of Mini Spray dryers?
The most common types of spray dryer include:
Spray dryer system
Single Effect Spray Dryer
This is the most popular type of mini spray dryer.
The equipment has one source of drying gas at the chamber top.
Typically the air is injected in similar direction (co-current) to that of sprayed liquid.
It produces fine powder with poor flow and generates a lot of dust.
Multiple Effect Spray Dryers
A multi-effect spray dryer is a modern spray dryer type developed to overcome the poor powder flow and excess dust.
The drying machine applies two stages of drying materials, unlike single effect mini spray dryer.
The first is located at the top and the second has an integrated static bed at the chamber’s base.
Besides, the bed offers a humid condition, which causes clumping of smaller particles, producing more consistent particle sizes.
The sizes span from 100 to 300 μm.
This type of mini spray dryer produces free-flowing powder because ofits larger size of particle.
You can recycle the fine powder produced by the first phase in continual flow above the chamber. This takes place about the sprayed liquid.
Alternatively, you can recycle the powder within the integrated fluidized bed.
An exterior vibrating fluidized bed can finalize the drying of the products.
Multiple effect spray dryer can inject the hot drying air as a co-current, in one direction with the sprayed liquid atomizer.
You can also inject it counter-current, where the flow of hot air is reverse of the atomizer flow.
In co-current flow, the particles take less time within the mini spray dryer and particle separator (usually cyclone equipment).
However, the particles take more time within the system and are normally linked with a fluidized bed mechanism in counter-current flow.
Therefore, co-current flow facilitates efficient operation of this mini spray dryer type.
Tall-form Spray Dryer
The spray drying machine utilizes a nozzle as the feed atomizer.
It is referred so because of the comparatively narrow nozzle spray angle and relative droplets velocity.
This needs a tall drying chamber having a proportionately small diameter to give adequate residence time to attain drying.
Centrifugal Spray Dryer
Shorter and fatter, this type of mini spray dryer utilizes rotary disk atomizers to produce the spray.
It has a flat spray angle with a broad spray pattern, thus the broad short and broad diameter tower.
What are the Main Parts of Mini Spray Dryer?
The basic components of spray dryer consist of:
Spray dryer flow diagram
Heating System
The heating system of mini spray dryer applies either direct or indirect heating technique.
With an indirect technique, the air has direct contact with the source of heating.
Nonetheless, in indirect technique, a heat exchanger indirectly heats the air.
The most important parameters in this method are temperature, airflow rate, and thermo-physical properties.
Spray Nozzle/Atomizer
This component of mini spray dryer helps in the optimization of the evaporation process.
Here is where you convert the liquid emulsion to fine droplets, assisting in the formation of a product having desirable features.
It uses different nozzles depending on the consumed energy for droplets production.
Drying Tower Chamber
The machine performs the spray drying process within the drying chamber.
This is where you remove moisture from the material by spraying it in the form of small droplets into heated air.
Dimensions and size of the drying chamber rely on the material type and type of distribution of the inlet hot air and feed.
Moreover, the feed rate and type of atomizer also determine its size and dimensions.
Powder Recovery Systems
Using centrifugal force, a cyclonic separating system segregates the tiny particles exiting the spray dryer from the heated air.
Process Control Systems
Most types of spray drying machines use a programmable logic controller (PLCs) as their control system.
Which are the Types of Nozzles used in Mini Spray Dryer?
Here are the different nozzle types you can use in the mini spray drying machine:
Nozzles in spray dryers
· Pressure Nozzles
Pressure nozzles working principle relies on conversion of liquid pressure energy to the flowing liquid kinetic energy.
It separates the liquid layers from one another because of their physical characteristics and air friction effect.
The change in pressure is the controlling parameter of the nozzle properties and feeding rate.
Also, the mean size of the nozzle is as well directly proportionate to the liquid viscosity and feeding rate.
Using pressure nozzles will help you reduce sedimentation within the dryer chamber.
However, it forms coarse powder particles with high bulk density.
· Centrifugal Nozzles
Here, centrifugal force moves the liquid towards a rotary disk center where the disk blades form the droplets.
The size of the particle is inversely proportionate to the rotary velocity and centrifuge disk diameter.
However, the particle size has direct proportionality to the density, surface tension, and viscosity of the material.
This type of nozzle for the mini spray dryer does result in clogging and fouling issues.
Therefore, it facilitates the manufacturing of high viscosity products with high crystals amount.
Pneumatic Nozzles
In these nozzles, you atomize the liquid formulation through high air velocity resulting inthe creation of frictional forces.
These forces help in the disintegration of the liquid to tiny droplets, which takes place in two phases.
The first phase does the liquid feed conversion to coarse droplets.
The second phase entails the coarse droplets conversion to tiny droplets.
Rheological features of feed and air like viscosity, surface tension, and density dictates the final quality of your product.
This type of nozzle for spray drying machine experiences clogging and fouling issues.
What are the Benefits of Mini Spray Dryer?
Here are some of the key advantages of spray dryers:
Mini spray dryer
- You can effectively control the properties and quality of product throughout the spray drying process.
- At low temperature and atmospheric pressure, it is possible to dry thermolabile products.
- Operating spray dryer is simple and allows mass production in a continuous process compatible with ordinary PLC control.
- You can dry melt, emulsion, feedstock in solution, paste, and slurry if they are pumpable.
- Allows easy selection of materials for production of mini spray dryer and experiences minimal corrosion problem.
This is because the dried materials get in contact with the surface of the equipment in an anhydrous state.
- Generates powder particles having controllable moisture content, form, size, and shape regardless of heat sensitivity and capacity of the spray dryer.
- The drying machine can have a variety of production rates and offers extensive design flexibility.
How Does Mini Spray Dryer Work?
The working principle of a spray dryer is straightforward.
The spray drying machine has a menu-driven microprocessor controller responsible for choosing inlet temperature.
Typically, the inlet air temperature spans from 110 to 350 degrees Celsius.
The controller as well enables you to select de-blocker frequency and airflow.
Atomization
After configuring the parameters of the spray drying process, the roller pump initiates the diameter jet.
The action injects fluid into the primary chamber from a container.
The rotary atomizer or nozzle converts the liquid formulation into tiny liquid droplets.
This is the stage where you develop the required final product qualities like size and viscosity of particle.
Drying
As atomization continues, the compressor injects air into the external diameter fluid jet duct.
The combined action of the compressor and roller pump injects into the drying compartment a fine-grained liquid spray.
It is in the drying chamber where the mini spray dryer starts the dehydrating process.
The system disperses all kinds of vapor remaining within the atomized spray by blowing hot air into the chamber.
This dries the droplets from the atomizer into a powder that is easy to pack and transport.
You can control the final powder moisture content by fine-tuning the hot air temperature.
Recovery
The process of recovering powder from the exhaust air takes only a few seconds.
You can perform the recovery by using a cyclone or bag filter.
A cyclone segregates the free-flowing solid grain from the exhaust air.
Ultimately, the sample collection container of the mini spray dryer gathers the solid powder.
Moreover, a flexible hose (typically with 60 mm diameter) directs the exhaust gas into an extraction mechanism or atmosphere.
Which are the Materials Used in Mini Spray Dryer?
The materials used to make the main parts of the mini spray dryer include:
- Glass assembly: Uses 3.3 borosilicate glass
- Connection piece/heater/Nozzle: Made using stainless steel
- Seal of powder collection container: FPM
- Cylinder/Seal cyclone:Silicone
- Polypress tube: EPDM
- Product feed tube: Tygon and Silicone
Is there Standard Particle Size for Mini Spray Dryer?
The particle size of mini spray drying machine products spans from 1 to 100 micrometers after the process of dehydration.
This is because of the variable properties and flexibility of this type of drying machine.
Therefore, this makes it a suitable option for the spray drying of catalysts and ceramics.
Spray drying process
What are the Factors to Consider when Choosing a Mini Spray Dryer?
There are three essential things to consider when selecting the best mini spray dryer.
You should note that the choice of dryer affects product quality.
For example, in the scenario of heat-sensitive products like foodstuffs.
· Material Moisture Content
Knowing the moisture content of the product is one of the most important considerations when choosing a mini spray dryer.
This will help you in determining the best spray dryer for your materials.
Features of Material
Moreover, you need to establish the properties of particles constituted in the specific material.
These features have different effects on the spray drying process, depending on the type of industrial drying machine.
Case in point, a material having a 40 percent moisture level can exhibit better moisture flow compared to one having lesser.
Suitability of Spray Dryer
Several mini spray dryers may be appropriate for your specific drying application from both an economic and technical perspective.
Therefore, it is important to review several machines to choose the best spray dryer machine for your material.
Which are the uses of Mini Spray Dryer in Pharmaceutical?
Some of the pharmaceutical applications of Spray dryer include:
- The equipment helps in the drying of pharmaceuticals such as vaccines, penicillin, enzymes, and blood products.
- Manufacturing of co-processed excipients and excipients having enhanced flowability, tablet disintegration, and compatibility.
- To decrease tendencies of capping in crystals and boost drug compressibility.
- Help in the production of matrix microcapsule consisting of a biodegradable polymer and drug substances.
This is instrumental in attaining regulated drug release formulation.
- Mini spray dryer assists in improving rates of dissolution and solubility of poorly soluble drugs.
This is through the formation of solid dispersion or pharmaceutical complexes hence boosting bioavailability.
- Manufacturing of thermolabile materials, dry powder aerosol, and dry powder formulations.
What is the Role of Encapsulation in Mini Spray dryer?
You can also use a spray dryer for microencapsulation of materials.
Encapsulation during the spray drying process helps in entrapping “active” material inside a protective matrix.
The protective matrix is normally inert to the material you are encapsulating.
This gives an attractive benefit of manufacturing microcapsules through a comparatively simple continual processing operation.
Which are the Applications of Mini Spray Dryer?
Apart from its use in the pharmaceutical industry, here are the other industries that use spray dryers:
- Chemical Industries: Preparation of amino acids, catalysts, phenol-formaldehyde resin, PVC emulsion type, etc.
- Ceramic Industries: Kaolin, carbides, aluminum oxide, iron oxides, etc.
- Pigments and Dyestuffs: Titanium dioxide, chrome yellow, paint pigments, food color, etc.
- Fertilizer Production: Ammonium salts, nitrates, phosphates, etc.
- Surface-active Agents and Detergent: Emulsifying agents, bleach powders, detergent enzymes, among others.
- Food Industries: Egg, milk, soya protein, whey, etc.
- Fruits and Vegetables: Coconut milk, tomatoes, banana, etc.
- Beverage Industries: Tea, coffee, among others.
- Biochemical Industries: Enzymes, algae, yeast extracts, fodder antibiotics, etc.
- Environmental Pollution Control: Black liquor out of papermaking, flue gas desulfurization, etc.
Which are the Materials you can Dry using Mini Spray Dryer?
Spray drying machine finds application in a wide range of industries.
The main use of mini spray dryer includes safe drying of materials including:
- Ceramic materials
- Acids
- Heat-sensitive materials
- High-viscosity materials
- Organic solvents
- Aqueous formulations
- Mixture of organic and aqueous solvents.
How Do You Specify Mini Spray dryer?
Here is the information you should give your supplier during the specification of mini spray dryer:
- Power Rating
- Voltage
- Evaporative Capacity Air Flow Max
- Motor Control
- Temperature Input
- Heating Capacity
- Heating Control
- Interface
- Spray Gas
- Nozzle Diameter
- Mean Dwell Time
- Possible particle diameter
- Materials in contact with the product
- Dimensions (L xWx H)
- Weight
Which are the Additional Accessories of Mini Spray Dyer?
Let’s look at some of the available mini spray dryer accessories:
- Inert Loop: Facilitates safe operation when dealing with organic solvents. Most come with pressure and oxygen sensor.
- Dehumidifier: Versatile equipment for drying the inlet air to enable repeatable drying conditions.
Equally essential when handling water mixtures and organic solvents coupled with Inert Loop.
- Ultrasonic Controller and Nozzle: Helpful in upgrading the mini spray dryer to develop larger particles.
- Spray Chilling Accessory: Facilitates spray congealing of heated wax melts, fats, and polymers having a maximal melting temperature of 70 degrees Celsius.
The liquid melt droplets solidification happens in a stream of cold air.
- Outlet Filter: Used for collection of residual particles out the cyclone, thus protecting the spray drying machine, environment, and user.
Often feature a PTFE filter membrane and polyester deep filter.
- Inlet Filter: Helps in the protection of the product from drying air particles.
This is mostly an accessory for mini spray dryers applying open mode.
- Remote Control Panel:Come with a long cable for connecting to the spray drying equipment.
- Sterile Filter: Instrumental in pre-cleaning the stainless steel-glass filter housing using sterile filter element if handling potentially hazardous materials.
- Pre-cleaning Glass Set: Helpful in pre-cleaning the machine after handling hazardous substances.
Is Mini Spray Dryer Appropriate for Heat-Sensitive materials?
Yes, you can, on an industrial scale, use the mini spray dryer to process heat-sensitive materials.
Evaporation immediately consumes the thermal energy found in the hot drying gas.
This keeps the temperature of droplets at levels not harmful to the final product.
How Do you Clean Mini Spray Dryer?
Plant hygiene is among the top priorities when operating a mini spray drying machine.
This is particularly essential when working with foodstuff and pharmaceuticals.
Modern designs of mini spray dryers coming with a variety of cleaning alternatives.
The spray drying equipment feature components engineered to handle specific cleaning techniques.
The method of cleaning spray dryer has vital effects on control system functionality and plant design.
A hose is adequate for washing the drying chamber for certain products.
On the other hand, some products will require that you replace the atomizer using an orbital cleaner.
Plants dealing with a single product may employ an automated and validated cleaning process that entails minimal disassembly.
They require special components like automatic Clean-In-Place (CIP) nozzles and swing cone entry to the drying compartment.
With smaller types of mini spray dryer, you can use clamp connections to link the main components and ducts.
This ensures easy disassembly and manual cleaning of the drying machine.
Moreover, in larger spray dryers having wider ducts, you can mount various kinds of cleaning nozzles.
For optimal efficiency, you can divide the equipment into various cleaning zones and operate through a control system ensuring minimum manual operation.
Here is the sequence of fully automated mini spray dryer Clean-In-Process:
- Rinse;
- Wash using caustic detergent;
- Rinse;
- Wash using acid detergent, and
- Ultimate rinse using purified water.
Are there Aseptic Spray Dryers?
Certain products require production in plants having minimal bio-burden or under an aseptic environment.
Advancement in spray drying technology has led to the development of aseptic spray dryers.
The ultra-modern spray drying machines feature an automated cleaning process entailing sterilization utilizing clean steam.
How do you Increase Efficiency of Mini Spray Dryer?
Let’s look at the three main ways ho can improve the efficiency of spray dryer:
Air flow in spray dryer
Atomization Techniques
Proper liquid atomization is crucial for satisfactory spray drying and production of top-quality powder.
You can incorporate a high-pressure nozzle and centrifugal disk atomizer in one mini spray dryer.
Doing so helps in the development of the most desirable product and gives maximal versatility for drying a number of materials.
Cutting Drying Costs
Reducing the specific process energy consumption is the surest means of reducing energy use in your spray dryer.
Raising the inlet temperature while lowering the outlet temperature can lead to a wider temperature differential.
This procedure significantly cuts energy requirements and poses no harm to the most thermally sensitive products.
However, you must take precautions and ensure a correct balance, with the nature of material dictating the upper limit.
Heat Recovery Equipment
Optimum thermal performance of mini spray dryerstypically also requires you to integrate heat recuperators.
However, just a few types of recuperators are suitable for the spray drying process because of its dust-laden air.
The dust in the air incline to contaminate the surfaces of heat exchange.
Therefore, the best recuperator for mini spray dryer needs to have the following features:
- Modular design
- Low-pressure drop
- High thermal efficiency
- Large temperature range
- Automatic cleaning
- Large capacity
- Stainless steel construction
Air-to-liquid plate and air-to-air tubular designs are the types of recuperators you should use in spray dryers.
How do you Troubleshoot Mini Spray Dryer?
Here are ways you can troubleshoot common problems in spray dryers:
Malfunction | Possible cause | Corrective Measure |
The spray dryer cannot turn on | · Blown fuse · No voltage | · Change the fuse · Insert mains plug or inspect the plug for damage |
Spray dryer is not heating up | · Heating circuitry not connected · You have not turned heating on · Nominal entry temperature is lower than room temperature · Blown fuse · Defective Heater · Faulty tubing system (No flow or incorrect direction of flow within the heating system) | · Connect the heating circuit · Turn on heating circuitry · Pre-configure a new inlet temperature · Change fuse · Contact your mini spray dryer customer service · Inspect tubing system |
Blocked Nozzle | · Too concentrated product · Encrustation on the exit of the nozzle · Dirty nozzle · Defective nozzle (bent nozzle needle) | · Utilize lower concentration inlet pump · Increase pulses number for cleaning the nozzle · Use cooling water to cool nozzle · Completely disassemble the nozzle and clean using water · Replace defective element or nozzle |
Dripping of product in the spray chamber | · No spray flow · Inadequate spray flow | · Open the valve of compressed air · Examine pressure air within the supply tube |
Debris on the spray cylinder | · Dirty nozzle · Defective nozzle (bent nozzle needle) · The product is not drying · Entry temperature exceeds the product melting point Product associated deposits Depositing of droplets on the wall of spray cylinder due to wide spray angle | · Completely disassemble the nozzle and wash using water · Replace defective element or nozzle · Decrease the temperature differential between exit and entry · Raise gas spray flow rate (> 600 l/h) · Decrease peristaltic performance of the pump · Decrease entry temperature · Reduce the angle of spray by adjusting the position of the spray cap |
Pulsed or Irregular or spraying | · Leaks within the spray nozzle | · Inspect seals within the spray nozzle and change when necessary |
Fall in Entry temperature | · You have turned heating off · Unplugged Heater plug Blown fuse | · Turn on heating · Insert heater plug · Change fuse |
Exit temperature rises | · Blocked Nozzle · Hose not immersed in the stock solution · Concentration change in the stock solution · No product feed | · Cleanse the nozzle by turning on the cleaning nozzle or actuating the cleansing button · Raise the pulses count for the nozzle washing operation · Immerse hose in the stock solution · Agitate product to achieve regular concentration · Turn on the peristaltic pump |
How Do you prevent Product Contamination in Mini Spray Dryer?
Apart from operation, cleaning of spray dryer is one of the essential processes in its life.
Regular cleaning of your spray drying machine ensures that you produce high integrity products.
Modern types of mini spray dryers come with CIP systems that help in cleaning to:
- Eliminate buildup that may cause an explosion or fire.
- Remove buildup causing quality issues in product
Segregate product groups to avoid cross-contamination - Remove bacterial growth that may lead to product contamination.
Now we would like to hear from you.
What is your experience with the spray dryer you’re using?
Or, if you need a new mini spray dryer for your labs or research institutions, Pilotech has a perfect solution for you.
Contact us now for all your inquiries and questions about spray dryers.