What is a Fluidized Bed Dryer? Where is it used?

A fluidized bed dryer is a type of industrial equipment that is used to decrease the moisture content of food, pharmaceutical, and chemical powders and granules. A fluid bed dryer is well-known for reducing the drying time of medicinal compounds larger than 50 microns which are used in tablets and capsules. 

Why Use Fluidized Bed Dryers Over Traditional Dryers?

Traditionally, producers employed trays and vacuum dryers to extract moisture from Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients.

Tray and vacuum dryers are insulated tray chambers stacked on top of one other in carts. The material to be dried is arranged in the trays. Tray dryers use electric heaters and blast fans to circulate hot air.

A vacuum dryer operates below atmospheric pressure with steam passing through the annular space between a jacket and the vessel walls. While successful in practice, these manual and semi-mechanical procedures greatly increase drying time and have long manufacturing batches. This decreases the plant’s output capacity. 

On the other hand, a fluid bed dryer employs fluidization to change the material from a static solid-like state to a dynamic fluid-like one.

A fluidized bed dryer consists of a stainless steel container with a removable perforated bottom known as a bowl. The constant air flow lifts and suspends the moist solids. The resulting heat transfer vaporizes the moisture, preparing the solid particles for further processing.

Advantages of Fluid Bed Dryers

Fluid Bed Dryers produce consistent dry material output because fluidization results in a high moisture removal rate.

FBDs need fewer operating and maintenance expenses, as well as fewer human resources to operate and clean the machine. Thus, smooth automation can reduce the need for human intervention.

Fluid bed dryers used in flexible manufacturing require customizable batch capacity and controls. Different chemical compounds release moisture at different temperatures and relative humidity levels until they reach their maximum permissible temperature, with varying drying durations.

To do this, characteristics like as airflow and feed rate must be totally adjustable by the operator in order to produce the required result. Fluid Bed Dryers provide precise control over airflow and humidity during the drying of heat-sensitive goods.

However, fluid bed dryers are not suited for sticky semisolid drying materials since they require particle-free mobility. In this instance, conventional dryers are perfect for drying sticky materials.

Working Principle of the Fluid Bed Dryer System

A fluidized bed dryer operates on the fluidization of materials. During the fluidization process, heated air or gas flows across a bed of solid particles. The gas or air will rise via the gaps between the particles. As the velocity rises, the particles’ upward drag forces grow and equalize the gravitational forces underneath them. As a result, the bed is described as fluidized, with particles suspended in the fluid.

Fluidized bed dryers are an effective option for gentle and uniform material drying. Fluid bed dryer manufacturers use practical research to build drying systems. Ridhi Pharma provides a wide selection of fluidized bed dryers manufactured in accordance with international manufacturing standards.