LABORATORY EXPERIENCE: Spray Dryer (Functional Design)

Your company is working in a new active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) in the form of a
powder, which is obtained dissolved in water. Previous studies have shown that the powder
should have a particle size between 120 and 250 µm for maximum effect. The goal of this
project is to study the particle sizes obtained using a Spray Dryer in the pilot plant by
optimizing the operation variables of the equipment to maximize the recovery and the amount
of particles of the appropriate size.

Spray drying is a technology based on atomization technique used in a variety of processes and
it is commonly found in the chemical, food and pharmaceutical industries. The equipment
consists of a single unit, which manages to transform, in a quick way, any dissolution
(solutions, emulsions, suspensions, etc.) into dry powder, by a simple and continuous process.
The atomizer sprays the solution into fine droplets. Once inside the equipment, the droplets
get in contact with a stream of hot nitrogen or air, which makes the droplets evaporate, while
the solute is suspended with the stream and collected in a deposit.

Specific objectives:
o Prepare a diagram of the equipment. Identify and list all the factors that influence the
process and the yield.
o Determine the flooding temperature (the amount of heat is not enough to vaporize
water) for the different pump percentages.
o Propose a design of experiments to be able to study the influences of the identified
factors on the recovery.
o Evaluate the heat losses of the equipment.
Additional Information and warnings:

o The user manual of the equipment is available at:

https://assets.buchi.com/image/upload/v1605800257/pdf/Operation-
Manuals/OM_093004_B-290_es.pdf.
o All solutions must be done with DEIONIZED water.
o The air inlet pressure must not exceed 2 bar.
o The nozzle cleaner must be activated when passing the solution (set at 1).
o Do NEVER turn off the aspiration blower if the temperature is above 70 °C.
o Be careful when touching the equipment because some of its parts may be hot.
o Once finishing an experiment, you must decrease the temperature and shut down the
equipment before collecting the product obtained.
o In case the pressure indicated in the filter pressure increases over 20 mbar during
operation, the equipment must be stopped and cleaned. Talk to the responsible of the
laboratory before starting the cleaning.
o The last half hour of the last day of the laboratory practice is used to clean the
equipment. Talk to the responsible of the laboratory before starting the cleaning.

MEQ – FUNCTIONAL DESIGN LABORATORY | Spray Dryer

Planning:
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4
Understand and draw the diagram of the equipment
Flooding curve
Prepare the acetate solution
Spray dry the acetate solution
Calculate the yield of the separations
Evaluate the heat losses of the equipment
Clean the equipment

References:

1) O. Özdikicierler et al. (2019). Modeling and optimization of the spray drying

parameters for soapwort (Gypsophila Sp.) extract. Food Science and Biotechnology.
28(5). 1409-1419. DOI: 10.1007/s10068-019-00573-0
2) L.P. Pui et al. (2022). Effects of spray-drying parameters on physicochemical properties
of powdered fruits. Foods and Raw Materials. 10(2). 235-251. DOI: 10.21603/2308-
4057-2022-2-533
3) M. Nespi et al. (2021). Optimization of Spray-Drying Parameters for Formulation
Development at Preclinical Scale. AAPS PharmSciTech.DOI: 10.1208/s12249-021-
02160-1.

MEQ – FUNCTIONAL DESIGN LABORATORY | Spray Dryer