Chapter 5: Equipment Design

5.3 Design of Spray Dryer:

5.3.1 Introduction:
Spray drying is an essential unit operation for the manufacture of many
products with specific powder properties. It is characterized by atomization
of a solution or suspension into droplets, followed by subsequent drying of
these droplets by evaporation of water or other solvents. Spray drying is
used for the manufacture of many consumer and industrial products such
as instant food products, laundry detergents, and pharmaceuticals. It is
well suited to continuous production of dry solids in powder, granulate or
agglomerate particle form from liquid feed-stocks.

5.3.2 Atomizer:
Atomizers are classified according to the three basic forms of energy commonly
employed pressure energy, centrifugal kinetic energy, and gaseous energy.
Where greater control is required over disintegration or spatial dispersion,
combinations of atomizer types may be employed, and, for example, swirl-spray
nozzles or spinning discs may be incorporated in a blast atomizer, their primary
functions being to produce thin liquid sheets which are then eventually atomized
by low, medium or high velocity gas streams.

5.3.3 Calculations:
Design of spray dryer with data:
Centrifuged detergents is to be dried from 35% wt% to 2% wt%
Feed rate= M9 =23315.51 kg/hr
Inlet heated air temperature =375 °𝐶
Outlet air temperature=115°𝐶
Inlet temperature of solid=45°C
Outlet temperature of solid=60 °C
Sprayed product=M₁₂ = 15464.37 Kg/hr
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Specific heat of solid=1.37 kj/kg. k
Chapter 5: Equipment Design

Efficiency of spray dryer:

𝑇𝑎𝑖𝑟,𝑖𝑛 −𝑇𝑎𝑖𝑟,𝑜𝑢𝑡
𝜀= × 100% … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …… … … … … … (5.36)
𝑇𝑎𝑖𝑟,𝑖𝑛 −𝑇𝑎𝑚𝑏

Where:
𝑇𝑎𝑚𝑏 ≡The ambient air temperature = 35°C
375−115
𝜀= × 100% = 76.47%
375−35

5.3.3.1 Evaporator rare:

Capacity of dryer= M18 =15010 kg/hr (dry detergents)
0.35
𝑋1 = initial moisture content (from inlet streamM9 ) = = 0.538 (kg moisture/kg
0.65
solid)
0.02
𝑋2 = Final moisture content (from outlet stream M₁₂ ) = =0.020 (kg
0.98
moisture/kg solid)
Evaporation rate of water=(𝑋1 − 𝑋2 ) × M18 … … … … … … … … … … … … …(5.37)
Evaporation rate of water= (0.538-0.020) ×15010= 7775.981 kg/hr
Champers efficiency= 76.470%
7775.981
THEN evaporation rate of water= = 10168.59kg/hr
0.76470

Atmospheric air assumed to be available with relative humidity 40%

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Chapter 5: Equipment Design

Figure 5.3 Humidity Chart

Then from humidity chart:
The humidity of inlet air=0.012kg water/kg dry air
Humidity of outlet air=0.121kg water/kg dry air
Moisture removed= (0.121-0.012) = 0.109kg water/kg dry air
THEN amount of air required:
Amount of air:
𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑒𝑣𝑎𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟
𝑀𝑎𝑖𝑟 = … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … (5.38)
𝑚𝑜𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑚𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑑
10168.59
=93289.82kg/hr
0.109
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Chapter 5: Equipment Design

5.3.3.2 Operating velocity :

𝐷𝑝2 (𝜌𝑝 −𝜌𝑡 )×𝑔
𝑣𝑠 = … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …… … … … … … (5.39)
18×𝜇

Where:
𝑣𝑠 =settling velocity
𝐷𝑝 = drop diameter 100 micron (assumed)
𝜌𝑝 = density of droplet in 750kg/𝑚3
𝜌𝑡 = density of air at average temperature in kg/𝑚3
g=acceleration due to
375+100
𝑇𝑎𝑣𝑔 = =237.5 ℃ =510k
2
29 ×273 29 ×273
𝜌𝑡 = = = 0.692 kg/𝑚3
22.4×𝑇𝑎𝑣𝑔 22.4×510

𝜇 At average temperature =2.7058× 10−5 kg/m.s

THEN:
𝐷𝑝2 (𝜌𝑝 − 𝜌𝑡 ) × 𝑔
𝑣𝑠 =
18 × 𝜇
(100×10−6 )2 (750− 0.692)×9.8×3600
𝑣𝑠 = =5427.76 m/hr
18×2.7058×10−5

5.3.3.3 Diameter of spray chamber:

𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒
Cross-section area= … … … … … … … … … … … … … (5.40)
𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦

Total volumetric flow rate of air= (𝑉𝐻 )𝑎𝑣𝑔 × 𝑀𝑎𝑖𝑟 … … … … … … … … (5.41)

Where:
𝑀𝑎𝑖𝑟 = 93289.82 Kg/hr from previous calculation
(𝑉𝐻 )𝑎𝑣𝑔 = average humid volume of inlet and outlet air.

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Chapter 5: Equipment Design

5.3.3.4 humid volume:

22.4 𝑇 1 𝐻1
𝑉𝐻 = [ + ] … … … … … …… … … … ... … … … … … … … (5.42)
273 𝑀𝑤𝑎𝑖𝑟 𝑀𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟

Where:
𝑉𝐻 =Humid volume of inlet air
22.4∗648 1 0.012
𝑉𝐻 = [ + ] =1.869𝑚3 /𝑘𝑔
273 29 18
22.4∗388 1 0.121
Outlet of air 𝑉𝐻 = [ + ] =1.311𝑚3 /𝑘𝑔
273 29 18
1.869+1.311
(𝑉𝐻 )𝑎𝑣𝑔 = =1.590 𝑚3 /𝑘𝑔
2

Then
Total volumetric flow rate (vr ) =1.590× 93289.82 =148330.814𝑚3 /ℎ𝑟
𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 148330.814
Cross-section area= = =27.328𝑚2
𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 5427.76

𝜋𝐷𝑐 2
𝐴𝑐 = … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … (5.43)
4

THEN 𝐷𝑐 =5.899m =6m

5.3.3.5 Residence time :

𝑡𝑑 = 50 × (𝐿⁄𝑆)2 … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … (5.44)
𝐿⁄ =Ratio of water to solid in feed= 0.35⁄
𝑆 0.65 = 0.538
THEN:
𝑡𝑑 = 50 × (0.538)2 = 14.4970 sec

5.3.3.6 volume:
V = vr × τ… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ..(5.45)
vr = 148330.814𝑚3 /ℎ𝑟
τ =14.4970 sec
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Chapter 5: Equipment Design

THEN:
148330.814×14.4970
𝑉= =597.32 𝑚3
3600

5.3.3.7 Height:
 The height of the top:
Assume the height of filters
L= 3m
 The height of the middle
𝜋𝐷2
V= 𝐿 … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … (5.46)
4
𝜋62
597.32= 𝐿
4

L= 21.126m
 The height of the bottom (triangle)
Base= 6m
Angle= 45°
Height= (tan( 45) *3) … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … (5.47)
H = 3m
Total height = 21.126+3+3= 27.126m

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Chapter 5: Equipment Design

5.3.4 Summary of Spray Dryer Design:

Material of construction Stainless steel
Efficiency 76.47%
Operating velocity 5427.76 m/hr
Cross section area 27.328𝑚2
Volume 597.32 𝑚3
Height 27.126m
Table 5.3 Summary of Spray Dryer Design

Figure 4.4 Spray drayer Design

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Chapter 5: Equipment Design

References
1. Coulson & Richardson's Chemical Engineering. Vol. 6, Chemical Engineering
Design, 4th Ed.
2. Robert H. Perry, 1997, Perry's Chemical Engineer's Handbook 7th edition
Perry, McGraw Hill, London.
3. Coulson & Richardson's, Chemical Engineering Volume 2, Chemical
Engineering Design, 5th Ed., 2002.
4. Stanley M.Walas, Chemical Process Equipment- Design and Selection,
Butterworth- Heinemann, 1990.
5. Octave Levenspiel, Chemical Reaction Engineering, 3rd Ed, John Wiley &
Sons, 1999.
6. Coulson & Richardson's, ''Chemical Engineering, Volume 1'', Sixth edition,
J.ML Coulson, J. F. Richardson, 1999.

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