Predicting Spray Dryer Deposits by CFD and an Empirical Drying Model

Abstract

A new empirical drying model for use in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of a spray-drying process was developed. The model shared the same name as the experimental apparatus Drying Kinetics Analyzer™ (GEA Process Engineering A/S, Soeborg, Denmark), in short DKA. The DKA setup employed an acoustic levitator and the results were subsequently fed into a CFD code. CFD results from the DKA model used on a spray-drying process were compared to results from the standard Ranz-Marshall model and experimental results from full-scale tests. The product spray dried was maltodextrin DE18. The DKA model agreed well with the experiment with regard to determining flow and rubbery product depositions.