Drying of algae

After the harvesting, algae needs to be dried for further processes. By drying or dehydration, the
algal biomass is converted to a stable storable product. Dehydration poses a problem of major
economic importance in that it may constitute 70-75% of the processing cost. The various
systems for drying differ both in the extent of capital investment and in the energy requirement.

There are various techniques for drying- Flash drying, rotary dryers, toroidal dryer, spray dryer
etc. Selection of the drying method depends on the scale of operation and also the use for which
the dried product is intended. Generally for drying of algae rotary dryer is preferred.

Rotary Dryer- The rotary drier is basically a cylinder, inclined slightly to the horizontal, which
may be rotated, or the shell may be stationary, and an agitator inside may revolve slowly. In
either case, the wet material is fed in at the upper end, and the rotation, or agitation, advances the
material progressively to the lower end, where it is discharged.

Working principle of Rotary Dryer-

Material to be dried enters the dryer, When the dryer is rotating, a series of internal fins will lift
the material by lining the inner wall of the dryer. When the material reaches certain height to roll
the fins back, it will be fell back to the bottom of the dryer, then passing through the hot gas
stream as it falls. This gas stream can either move toward the discharge end from the feed end
(known as co-current flow), or toward the feed end from the discharge end (known as counter-
current flow).
Designing of Rotary Dryer- here is the calculation for the counter-current rotary dryer
Feed inlet flow rate- 10,000lb/hr Moisture content in inlet feed- 30%
Moisture content in outlet- 5% Inlet temperature of air- 180°C = 356°F
Inlet temperature of feed- 40°C Relative Humidity of air- 20%

Dry solid in feed= 10,000(1 – 0.30) = 7000lb/hr

Water in feed = 10,000*0.30 = 3000lb/hr

Water rate in product (W)-

0.05 = W/( W + 7000), thus W = 368.42lb/hr

Hence the amount of water evaporated = 3000 – 368.42 = 2631.58 lb/hr

For wet bulb temperature of inlet air-

Where WG = Humidity of air at temperature tG , WH = Humidity of air at temperature tw

tG = temperature of inlet air, tw = wet bulb temperature, hG /(m PkG) = 0.26 for air at tw.

Now lets assume wet bulb temperature is 90°C = 194°F so WH = 0.046

WG – WH = 0.044

Ф = [0.26(356 – 194)/547.3] = 0.076 so Ф > WG – WH

Therefore the assumed temperature is high. For another trial we assume wet bulb temperature
160°F.

For it WH = 0.071, WG – WH = 0.089

Ф = [0.26(356 – 160)/529] = 0.096

Therefore the assumed wet bulb temperature is true

Calculation of the outlet air temperature- Empirically it is found that the drier operates
economically when total number of transfer units (NTU) is between 1.5 to 2.5

NTU = ln[(tg1 – tw)/(tg2 – tw )] we take NTU = 2.5

After putting all the values of parameters

Temperature of the outlet air (tg2) = 176.09°F
Amount of heat to remove water-
Cp(water) = 1 Btu/lb°F Cp(algae) = 0.71 Btu/lb°F
Product discharge temperature = (356 + 177)/2 = 266.5°F
Temperature of the feed = 104°F
Heat required to raise the product to discharge temp-
7000*0.71( 266 – 104) + 500*1(266 – 104) = 8.8* 105 Btu/hr

Heat required to remove water-

2500*1(160 – 104) + 500(176 – 160) = 1.4*105 Btu/hr

Hence total heat = 10.2*105 Btu/hr …………………(1)

Calculation of the mean temperature difference across Rotary Dryer-

Let Qp = Heat required to preheat the feed from inlet to wet bulb temperature.
Qs = Heat required to heat product from wet bulb temperature to discharge
Temperature.
Qv = Heat required to evaporate water at wet bulb temperature.

Preheating period-

Qp = 7000*0.71( 160 – 104) + 3000*1(160 – 104) = 4.4*105 Btu/hr

Change in air temperature = 4.4*105(356 – 176)/10.2*105 = 77.64 °F

Hence air temperature at the end of preheat = 253.64°F

(ΔT)P = [176 – 104] – [253.64 – 160]/ln(0.76) = 80.14°F

Heating period-

Qs = 7000*0.71( 266.5 – 160) + 500( 106.5)

Qs = 5.8*105 Btu/hr

Change in air temperature = 102.35°F

Air temperature at the start of heating = 356 – 102.35 = 253.64°F

(ΔT)s = 116.66°F

Evaporating period-

Qv = 10.2*105 – Qs – Qp = 4.8*105

(ΔT)v = 118.24°F
Now the mean temperature difference is given by

Qt = 1.5*106

Putting all the values of qp, qs, qv and (ΔT)v, (ΔT)s, (ΔT)P we get

(ΔT)m = 121.24°F

NTU Check-
NTU = (T1 – T2)/ (ΔT)m = (356 – 160)/121.24 = 1.61

According to the condition NTU should be between 1.5 and 2.5. Therefore the above mean
temperature value can be accepted.

Calculation for the diameter of the dryer-

The Design of the drier depends majorly on the amount of air entering the drier and the velocity
with which it enters the drier. below is the calculation for required air.

We take average humid heat = 0.25

Gs (Humid heat of air)*(Temp difference) = Total Heat

Total heat = 10.2*105 Btu/hr from eq. 1

Gs (0.25)( 356 – 176) = 10.2*105

Required air Gs = 23611 lb/hr

The air entering the drier is 23611 lb/hr. for designing the air is taken in excess so that the loss of
heat from the drier is compensated. So the air entering the drier can be taken as 25000lb/hr. and
we assume the maximum superficial air mass velocity to be 600 lb/hr-ft2. From the empirical
relation we can calculate the surface area of the dryer.

GGS = 25000[ 1 + 0.0165*23611/25000]

GGS = 25389.58 lb/hr

As we assumed GG = 600 lb/hr-ft2 So,

S = 42.31ft2 and the diameter of the dryer (D) = (4*42.31/3.14)0.5

D = 7.34ft = 2.23 m.

Calculation of the overall heat transfer coefficient (Ua)-

From the empirical relation between Ua, diameter of the dryer(D) and maximum superficial air
mass velocity(GG)

Ua = 15(GG)0.16/D

where GG = 600 lb/hr-ft2, D = 7.34ft

Ua = 5.68 Btu/hr-ft3-°F

Calculation of the length of the dryer (Z)-

We know that Q = UaSZ(ΔT)m

Where Q = total heat, S = heat transfer area, ΔTm = mean temperature difference

Z = 10.2*105/(5.68*42.31*121.24)

Z = 35.007 ft = 10.66 meter

The Z/D ratio for a drier should be between 3 to 10. Here the Z/D ratio is 4.76 hence the above
diameter and length can be taken.

Number of flights in the dryer-

Number of flights in the dryer = 3*D : where D is the diameter of the dryer in ft

No. of flights = 22.02 = 22 flights

The radial height of the flight is taken as 1/8th of the diameter of the dryer, hence

The radial height = (1/8)*7.34 = 10.92 inches

Conclusions-

Followings are the characteristics of the dryer

Dryer type- Counter current Rotary Dryer

Diameter of the dryer(D) = 7.34 ft = 2.23m
Length of the dryer(Z) = 35ft= 10.66 meter
Number of flights = 22
Radial height of the flights = 10.92 inches
References-
1. Jordan Konidis “Design of direct heated Rotary Dryers” university of montreal, March
1984.
2. Sloan, C.E. , Wheelock, T.D. and Tsoa, G.T. “Drying in chemical engineering”, June,
1967.
3. George D. Saravacos, Athanasios E. “Handbook of Food Processing Equipment” 355-
359 pg.
4. Belcher, D.W., Cook, Dittman “ Drying equipment”, Chemical engineering, January 17,
1977.

Submitted by

Dheeraj Kumar Rathore

2010CH10074