A new 762mm Vibro-Bed circular fluid bed drying system from Kason is said to increase operating efficiency, cut cleaning time and reduce cost.
The firm says the rigidity of the circular fluid bed processing chamber exceeds that of traditional rectangular fluid bed processors, allowing construction materials to be down-gauged and vibratory motors to be downsized. Associated components are also eliminated, such as multiple air inlets and outlets, the circular unit requiring only one of each. As a result, the dryer is said to be lighter, stronger and more energy efficient at equivalent capacities.
Reductions in material, weld seams, and associated labour decrease fabrication cost, particularly when units are finished to FDA, USDA, BISSC, or 3A standards, the firm says.
Cleaning time is cut in half due to stainless steel material contact surfaces, reduced weld seams, a quick-disconnect housing, and lack of internal cross members.
The compactness and light weight allow complete systems to be configured or modules containing the blower, heater and programmable controls on skid-mounted frames, requiring only on-site connections to a power source, dust collector, and material inlet/outlet.
Material fed into the top inlet of the dryer descends into the fluid bed chamber where it vibrates on a circular screen within a rising column of heated air ducted into the bottom of the chamber from the upstream heater/blower. The continuous airflow, and vibration induced by two vibratory motors and spring suspension, separate and fluidise individual particles, maximising surface area and drying efficiency.
The circular fluid processing unit is offered in diameters from 460mm to 2135mm, encompassing batch and continuous applications from low-capacity laboratory and pilot plant testing to medium-high volume production.