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Vol. 24, No. 03, pp. 365 - 374, July - September, 2007
Abstract - The purpose of this work was to study the performance of a rotary dryer in relation to number of
flights. In this work an equationing was proposed to calculate the area used by the solids in two-segment
flights of with any angle between the segments. From this area, the flight holdup and the length of fall of the
particles were calculated for different angle positions and the results obtained were compared to experimental
values. The results show an increase in dryer efficiency with the increase in number of flights up to a limit
value, for ideal operational conditions. The experimental data on average residence time were compared to
results obtained by calculations using equations proposed in the literature. The equation proposed for
predicting flight holdup and length of fall of particles generated very accurate estimations.
Keywords: Rotary dryer; Flights; Dynamic coefficient of friction.
could be used to calculate the solids holdup of a number and format of flights influence the amount of
flight at any angular position. He developed material present in the rotary dryer. Perry and Green
equations for different types of flight geometries. (1999) suggest that the volume occupied by the load
The purpose of this work was to analyze the of solids in the rotary dryer should be between 10
influence of the flights on the drying rate and to and 15% of the total dryer volume.
evaluate the validation of an equationing proposed Figure 2 presents a scheme of the flights with two
for the prediction of load and length of fall of the segments, indicating the main dimensions and
particles for two-segment flights. Another purpose variables that will be used in the equationing
was to verify the prediction of some equations in the accomplished in this work.
literature for the residence time of the rotary dryer. The flight, presented in Figure 2, can be
characterized by the lengths of segment 1 (l’) and
segment 2 (l), the angle between the two segments
EQUATIONING
(αA) and the circle radius (Ro) formed by the line
Flights between the edge of the flight (O) and the center of
the rotary drum. Two sets of Cartesian coordinates
A dryer may incorporate one or more different are considered. The origin (x,y) of the set is at the
types of flights. A sufficient number of flights must flight lip, the x axis is located along the first segment
be distributed across the drum in such a way that the and the y axis, perpendicular to the x axis. This set of
volume of material transported by the flights is coordinates moves as the flight rotates. The origin of
between 10 and 15% of the total material volume the stationary (X,Y) set is on the drum axis with the
inside the dryer (Perry and Green, 1999). The X axis being horizontal (Figure 2).
Particle Level
Nível do material
Y
y W
O δ
αA l
l’
R0 A
φ θ x
X
Schofield and Glikin (1962) linked the dynamic y = x tan( γ ) = x tan(φ − δ) (5)
angle of repose, φ (the angle formed by the level of
material in the flights and the horizontal line, see Its intersection with the line tracing the second
Figure 2) to the dynamic friction angle of the segment has the following abscissa:
material (µ), the angular position of the flight edge
(θ), the radial position of the flight edge (Ro) and the a2
x2 = (6)
drum rotation speed (ω), using the following tan( γ ) − b 2
equation:
with
2
ω
µ + R0 (cos θ − µsenθ) y2 = a 2 + b2 x 2 (7)
g
tan φ = (1)
ω2 as ordinate.
1 − R0 (senθ − µ cos θ)
g
The intersection of the solids level line with the
drum wall has the following abscissa:
In order to calculate the area occupied by the
material in the flights, the coordinates of points A
and B are first calculated (see Figure 2), the angle δ Bw ± B2w − 4A w Bw
xw = − (8)
between the two sets of coordinates is evaluated and 2A w
the volume of material is finally obtained.
Equations for the two-segment flights may be with Aw=1+[tan(α)]2,
obtained this way:
Segment coordinates: 1 (y1 = 0) and segment 2 Bw=2Xo[cos(α)–tan(γ)sen(δ)]+2yo[tan(γ)cos(δ)+sen(α)]
(y2 = a2 + b2x); with: a2 = xAtang(αA) and b2 = - and Bw=Ro2+R2 , and its ordinate is given by
tang(αA).
The coordinates of points A and B are given by y w = x w tan( γ ) (9)
Point A: xA = l’ and yA = 0.
Point B: xB = xA – lcos(αA) and yB = Three types of powder fills can occur:
lsen(αA).
In the stationary set of coordinates, the position of The particles reach the dryer wall. This will occur
point B must satisfy the following equation since it is
y
located on the wall of the drum of radius R: if γ > arc tan B , since the section area occupied
xB
X 2B + YB2 = R 2 (2) by dust is given by
Brazilian Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol. 24, No. 03, pp. 365 - 374, July - September, 2007
368 M. H. Lisboa, D. S. Vitorino, W. B. Delaiba, J. R. D. Finzer and M. A. S. Barrozo
Yo + R 2 − X o 2 0.3344 0.6085G
Yd = (14)
cos α τ = L ± (16)
αN 0.9 D Wd 0.5
R p
where Yo = R0cos θ and Xo = R0senθ.
The second term in the Friedman and Marshall
The equation just presented was used for (1949) equation expresses the air drag on the solids.
estimation of load variation in the flights with their The negative sign in this equation is used for
angular position (θ) and for calculation of the length concurrent flow and the positive sign is used for
of particle fall. The predictions obtained with these countercurrent flow.
equations were compared with experimental data Saeman and Mitchell (1954) were the first to
obtained for a rotary dryer operating with fertilizers. break away from the empirical approach to
calculating rotary dryer holdups adopted by previous
Residence Time researchers. They analyzed material transport
through the dryer in terms of incremental transport
Particle motion in rotary dryers is one of the rates associated with individual cascade paths to
greatest challenges in theoretical modeling of dryers yield a transport-rate distribution function. By
(Sherrit et al., 1993). The complex combination of assuming a linear relationship between the horizontal
particles being lifted in the flights, sliding and displacement of the particles due to the air flow and
rolling, then falling in spreading cascades through an its velocity, they derived the following equation for
air stream, and reentering the bed at the bottom, the average residence time:
possibly with bouncing and rolling, is very difficult
to analyze (Kemp, 2004). L
There are four components of particle movement τ= (17)
f (H*)DN R (tan α ± m ' v)
along the drum: a) gravitational, due to the slope of
Where f (H*) is a “cascade factor” with values The predictions of residence time using the
typically between 2 and π that increase as solids above-mentioned equations from the literature under
holdup increases, and m’ is an empirical parameter different operational conditions were compared with
(dimensional) for a given material. The positive sign experimental data obtained for a rotary dryer
in Equation (17) indicates the concurrent flow and operating with fertilizers, and the results are
the negative sign indicates the countercurrent flow. presented in the Results section.
Schofield and Glikin (1962) derived the
following residence time equation by considering the
drag exerted by the air flowing countercurrently to MATERIALS AND METHODS
the particles:
Materials
2Y
0.5
Lt q θ The fertilizers (simple superfosfate) used in the
τ= 2 g
+ (18) drying experiments were obtained from Fertibras, a
kv πN R
Yq (sin α − r ) company located in Uberaba-MG, Brazil. The solids
g had a Sauter average diameter of 2.76mm, a density
of 1.1 g/cm³ and a specific heat of 0.245kcal/kg°C.
12
with k = 1.5fρa / dρS where f = for Re < 0.2 and
Re Experimental Apparatus
0.687
12(1 + 0.15 Re )
f= for 0.2 < Re > 1000. In the experimental apparatus, shown in Figure 3,
Re the air was impelled by a 4-HP blower (1) and
passed through a duct with a 0.2 m diameter (3), its
Through analysis of a large amount of data found flow was measured with a hot wire anemometer (2)
in the literature on the operation of rotary dryers, and it was heated by a set of electrical resistances (4)
both on a pilot and an industrial scale, Perry and coupled to a voltage oscillator (5) and finally it
Green (1999) proposed the following general entered the dryer in countercurrent flow with the
correlation for calculation of the average residence solids (6). The air outlet was opposite to the solids
time: inlet (7). The solid was feding by a container (8)
with a worm gear in its lower part (9) and was
kp L removed on the side opposite to the solids inlet (10).
τ= (19)
DN 0,9
tan α The air (dry and wet bulb) and solids temperatures
were measured with copper-constantan thermocouples,
where kp is a parameter that depends on the number linked to a digital display (11). The dryer cylinder
and format of the flights. was 60 cm long with a diameter of 25 cm.
11
2
8
1 4
3 9
6
5 7
10
Brazilian Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol. 24, No. 03, pp. 365 - 374, July - September, 2007
370 M. H. Lisboa, D. S. Vitorino, W. B. Delaiba, J. R. D. Finzer and M. A. S. Barrozo
Experimental Procedure particle fall for a flight, the dryer cylinder was started
up and shut down many times, in such a way that the
a) Evaluation of the Number of Flights flights would operate in different angular positions.
d) Measurement of Flight Holdup and Length of Figure 5 shows the experimental results on
Particle Fall residence time and the ones calculated using the
following equations: load ratio (Eq. 15), Perry and
In order to measure the flight load in each angular Green (Eq. 19) and Friedman and Marshall (Eq. 16).
position, the equipment was stopped and the material Figure 6 shows the experimental data and the ones
was collected from the flight for weighing on an calculated with the Saeman and Mitchell’s (Eq. 17)
analytical scale. In order to measure the length of and Schofield and Glikin’s (Eq. 18) equations.
5.00
2.65 rpm and W=0.33 kg/min
2.65 rpm and W=0.67 kg/min
5.55 rpm and W=0.33 kg/min
5.55 rpm and W=0.67 kg/min
4.50
Drying Rate [10^3 min^-1]
4.00
3.50
3.00
2.50
2.00
0 2 4 6 8
Number of flights
Figure 4: Variation in drying rate with number of flights
Brazilian Journal of Chemical Engineering
A Study of Particle Motion in Rotary Dryer 371
14.0
Experimental data
13.0 Calculated by the hold up
Perry & Green Eq.
12.0 Friedman & Marshall Eq.
11.0
7.0
6.0
5.0
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Experiment number, (-)
Figure 5: Experimental and calculated residence times (Eq. 15, 16 and 19)
14.0
Experimental data
13.0
Saeman & Mitchell Eq.
12.0 Glikin Eq.
11.0
Average reisdence time, min
10.0
9.0
8.0
7.0
6.0
5.0
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Experiment number, (-)
Figure 6: Experimental and calculated residence times (Eq. 17 and 18)
It can be observed in the results presented in data. This equation has interesting characteristics for
Figure 5 that Eq. (15) (load) had a good fit with the the project, performance and scale-up of rotary
data. However, use of this equation for the project is dryers, since it takes into consideration the load in
not feasible, because it is not related to any process the flights and the particle drag.
variable. Perry and Green’s and Friedman and
Marshall’s equations had good fits for experiments 1 Dynamic Coefficient of Friction (µ), Holdup and
to 8. In these experiments, the value of solids flow Length of Fall
was 0.67 kg/min. When the solids flow had been
lowered (experiments 9-12), the values predicted by Figure 7 contains the results calculated by
these equations did not represent well the experimental measurement and with Eq. (1) for the
experimental data. This is explained by the fact that simple superfosfate dynamic friction coefficient (µ)
these equations do not to take into account either the as a function of flight angular position and solid
load effect on the flights or the particle drag by the moisture (0.08 and 0.12 kg of water/kg of dry solids)
air flow. and Figure 8 contains the data on the dynamic
Figure 6 shows that Saeman and Mitchell’s friction coefficient (µ) for these two values of solids
equation is in good agreement with the experimental moisture.
Brazilian Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol. 24, No. 03, pp. 365 - 374, July - September, 2007
372 M. H. Lisboa, D. S. Vitorino, W. B. Delaiba, J. R. D. Finzer and M. A. S. Barrozo
1.20
Moisture 0.12 kg/kg
Moisture 0.08 kg/kg
1.15
1.05
1.00
0.95
0.90
0.85
0.80
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Angular position of the flight (θ)
Figure 7: Dynamic friction coefficient for the simple superfosfate as a function of angular position
1.10
1.08
1.06
Dynamic friction coefficient (µ)
1.04
1.02
1.00
0.98
0.96
0.94
0.92
0.90
0.00 4.00 8.00 12.00 16.00
Solids Moisture (dry base), kg/kg
In the results in Figure 7, it can be observed that average length of particle fall, in the moisture range
the dynamic friction coefficient is independent of the studied.
angular position of the flight. This result is in Figure 9 contains the comparison between the
agreement with those found in other literature (Revol holdup measured experimentally for each flight
et al., 2001). For the results presented in Figure 7, angular position and the results obtained with the
the dynamic friction coefficient reached a confidence proposed equationing (Eq. 2 to Eq. 14) for the
interval of 95%, between 0.974 and 1.015, with an prediction of holdup for the two-segment flights.
average value of 0.994. Figure 10 contains the same for the length of particle
The results presented in Figure 8 show that the fall for a flight. The results in Figures 9 and 10 show
dynamic friction coefficient (µ) remained in a that the equations for load prediction in the flights
constant range, when the fertilizer moisture was and the length of particle fall generated very precise
increased from 0.08 to 0.12 kg of water/kg of dry estimations. This confirms its potential use for the
solids. Therefore, for this material, an average value prediction of solids cascading inside the rotary
of 0.994 can be used to calculate the flights load and dryer.
0.600
Experiment
Calculation
0.500
0.300
0.200
0.100
0.000
0 25 50 75 100 125 150
Angular position of the tip of the flight (θ), º
Figure 9: Variation in flights solids holdup with angular position of the flight tip
0.20
Fall length (Yq), m
0.16
0.12
0.08
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Angular position of the flight, (θ), º
Figure 10: Variation in the average length of particle fall in the flight with angular position.
Brazilian Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol. 24, No. 03, pp. 365 - 374, July - September, 2007
374 M. H. Lisboa, D. S. Vitorino, W. B. Delaiba, J. R. D. Finzer and M. A. S. Barrozo
important information, such as the flights holdup for τ average residence time, min
different angular positions and the average length of θ angular position of the rad
cascading particle fall, was obtained on the material flight edge,
cascading characteristics in the dryer θ average angle of particle rad
The proposed equations for prediction of the load fall of the flights,
in two-segment flights and the average length of ρs particle density, kg/m3
particle fall generated very precise estimations from
the experimental data. Therefore, these equations
may be used in projects for the prediction of the REFERENCES
solids cascading behavior inside a rotary dryer.
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