Fluid Bed Dryer or Fluidised bed dryer is a kind of equipment used extensively in the pharmaceutical industries to reduce the moisture content in raw ingredients like powder and granules. The working principle of this equipment includes fluidization of the fed materials. In this process, hot air at a high temperature and pressure is introduced in the system through a perforated bed of moist solid particulate. The solids are lifted from the bottom that are slightly wet in condition and are suspended in a stream of air (fluidized state). Heat transfer occurs as soon as there is a direct contact between the wet solid and hot gases. The dry gas takes away the vaporized liquid. The gas exiting is partially recycled, sometimes.
Working Principle of Fluid Bed Dryer
Fluid Bed Dryer or say Fluidized Bed Dryer is composed of a stainless steel chamber having a detachable bottom, which is often perforated and this is called the bowl. Through this perforated bottom, the air is introduced and with the help of heaters that increases the temperature of the air present inside. The heated air is then filtered and is allowed to pass through the bed of the material. Within the system, there is a provision for an attachment of a fan. The fan initiates and monitors the air flow direction. One can also regulate the air flow and the temperature at which the machine is working.
The Fluid Bed Dryer bag expands with the flow of air and powder particles start a turbulent motion. The material gets dry inside due to perpetual exposure to dry air. The material thus exiting the system is once again filtered.
Materials, after they are dried in a constant-rate drying, are processed via wet-bulb temperature. This process ensures that the ingredients dried through this process to low moisture content, under relatively low temperatures. One can achieve high drying results by installing the heat exchanging tubes or panels, which cover 80% of the heat exchange process. Due to the presence of a large heat exchange area inside the Fluidised Bed Dryer, the required gas amount is small. To check this issue, the sizes of each equipment of the system used in the system is minimized.
Where is Fluidised Bed Dryer Used?
A fluidized bed dryer is widely used in the granulation area of Pharmaceutical manufacturing. Granulation is a technique to dry the material in order to get the desired moisture content so that the manufactured medicines pellets are perfectly compressed.
Fluid Bed Dryer has a high drying rate, therefore, the material gets dried very quickly. Because of this property, this machine proves very useful in giving out high output.
Fluid Bed Dryer has been put in use to create synthetic resins. This machine can also be used in food, fertilizers, ceramics, Agrochemicals, etc. There is a machine type called B-FBD and this one is suitable for the material which requires drying in the decreasing-rate drying zone.
The Concluding Line
Abster equipment, having a decade-old history and headquartered in Ahmedabad has been supplying automated, semi automated machines that help Pharma Companies to get their desired output. The company offers a complete range of packaging equipment from the pharma companies present in domestic as well as international markets.
