Drum Dryer

The drum dryer has acquired a unique place among other dryers because it can dry
products where other dryers give poor or unsatisfactory results.

Like no other dryer, the drum dryer can dry highly-sticky products and/or highly-
viscous media, but low-viscous liquids can also be dried on the drum dryer. The
crust that is then formed on the drum surface is, in contrast with other dryers,
actually welcome!

The drum dryer is heated on the inside and turns continuously. In a full-continuous
process, the product is applied in a thin film on the outside of the drum and begins
to dry immediately. After one rotation, a knife scrapes the dried product off the
drum surface as a film or as flakes.

The drum dryer is an indirect dryer. Unlike direct drying methods, where hot air is
used to evaporate the product moisture, the drum dryer needs no dust recovery. In
addition, the thermal results are more favourable than in other methods because no
heat is lost in the hot exhaust air.

The GMF-Gouda drum dryer has a wide range of possibilities:

Tailored models for the food and chemical

industries;
Perfectly suited for sticky and highly
viscous products;
Vacuum operation for temperature-
sensitive products;
Closed process area to protect the product
and/or the environment.

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The drying specialists

GMF-Gouda manufactures drum dryers in a wide range of test models, even up to

6 metres long. The applications for this technology are divided between two large
industries: the food industry and the chemical industry.
.

Realising the future vision

Our technology is developing further and further: our third

generation of drum dryers has been realised.

A 100% closed system, also for vacuum operation;

A system with minimum energy consumption and
dust emission (a complicated filter system is
unnecessary);
Machines that operate in accordance with HACCP
and EHEDG standards, thereby giving a guarantee
of optimal hygiene during the complete production
process.

Our quality insurance consists of certification by ASME,

TUV, European PED CE, Chinese SQLO and other local
certificates no matter where in the world.

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How does the GMF-Gouda drum dryer work?

The drum body of the drum dryer is heated on the inside by steam. A special
composition of cast iron gives the drum a combination of favourable properties: very
accurate shape retention even at high steam pressure and temperature, and
excellent "scraping properties", which are utilised by the scraping knife.
Steam heating gives a uniform temperature distribution over the drum surface and
this results in consistent product quality. The steam condenses on the inside of the
drying drum. The condensate is continuously removed from the drum, so that the
largest possible surface area remains available on the inside of the drum for
condensation of the steam. The steam system is a closed system, which means that
the product cannot come into contact with the steam or condensate.

Depending on the design of the drum dryer, the

Design of the drum dryer with underlying
application roll
product is applied continuously as a thin film on the
underside or top of the main drum. As the drum turns
and is heated on the inside, the product dries on the
outside of the drum dryer.
The short exposure to a high temperature reduces
the risk of damage to the product. The water or
solvent evaporates and leaves the process at the
top. If necessary, the vapour can also be suctioned
off locally around the drum. The dried product layer
finally reaches the knife and is scraped off.

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Indirect (drum drying) is more economical

Efficiency
In contrast with indirect drying on a drum dryer, a large quantity of hot air is
necessary for "direct drying" in order to achieve evaporation. In indirect drying, heat
is transferred by, for instance, steam to the (metal) wall, which in turn transfers it to
the product on the other side of the wall. All the heat transferred by the wall is also
used to dry the product and does not leave the machine or chimney unused. This
makes indirect drying a much more efficient process. An extra advantage is that
large dust recovery systems (such as filters) are no longer necessary due to the
absence of drying gas.

Drying drum
According to our experience, only specially-
composed cast iron can lead to high-quality
drum drying. The graphite particles in cast
iron ensure for a "lubricating" course of the
knife on the drum surface as the product is
scraped off.

The uniform hardness and homogeneous

structure ensure that the drum retains its
shape under high temperatures and high
internal pressures. An extremely accurate
roundness and wall thickness guarantee very Extremely accurate roundness and wall
thickness for the most uniform heat transfer
even heat transfer.

Chromed drying drums can also be supplied in order to meet the demands on
hygiene or corrosion for specific applications.

Knife holder
The well-thought-out construction of the knife
holder guarantees an even pressure over the
total length of the drum. The use of specific
materials prevents vibrations as a result of
scraping and guarantees uniform product
removal. The pressure of the knife can be
controlled simply and this is done outside the
process area.

Special knife holder for optimum scraping

properties

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Separate process area
In the design, a clear distinction is made
between the process section of the dryer
and the mechanical parts. This, for
instance, prevents the risk of
contamination by lubricants (or
contamination of the lubricants due to
leakage of the product). It also improves
the accessibility of parts for adjustment,
inspection and maintenance.

Separation between the process section

and mechanical parts

The unique advantages of a single drum dryer

...with overhead application drums

With the system of application drums, the product
supply can be controlled simply. Furthermore, the
application drums create a kneading effect that
prevents the formation of lumps in sticky products. A
perfect distribution over the entire length of the drum
makes the system ideal for processing doughy or
pasty products.

...with an underlying application drum

A model developed for targeted applications and
chemicals. In this machine, the application drum is
under the main drum. It picks up a fluid layer of
product and brings it onto the main drum. This
process is characterised by short drying time and
minimum product heating.

...with a front-mounted application drum

For processing certain heat-sensitive products, a
front-mounted application drum is often the most
obvious solution.

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The extra capacity of a double drum dryer

A double drum dryer, also called dual drum, is often

used for products with low to medium viscosity. In this
system, the product is fed into a pool between the two
drums (which always turn in opposite directions). The
small space between the drums can be set accurately
so that a desired film layer can be obtained.

Naturally, other combinations are possible. Depending on the product and the desired
end-result, a specific setup can be used.

Drum drying under vacuum

A drum dryer that operates under vacuum allows the product to be dried at lower
temperatures. There is a wide range of applications, including damage prevention
to heat-sensitive product components or evaporation of solvents at low
temperatures (the vapours are collected and can be condensed elsewhere).

Independence from atmospheric pollution and

climate conditions ensures for a reproduceable
product quality.

Foods can benefit from such careful treatment.

Evaporation takes place within a few seconds
without risk of oxidation. In this way, the
enzymes and proteins in the food are preserved
and blockage of proteins prevented. The end
product can be dissolved easily into a liquid.

Chemical products, too, can go into the dryer

from a vacuum process and undergo the drying
treatment. It goes without saying that, if
necessary, a protective gas such as nitrogen
can be used to keep the environment inert. Double drum vacuum dryer for high
vacuum with a fully heated casing

Dual drum vacuum dryers

These drum dryers provide a higher capacity and less product loss under vacuum.
Two steam-heated drums turn in an air-tight casing under high vacuum. The liquid is
fed between the drums from the top, dried and scraped off before the drums have
fully rotated.

In the GMF-Gouda vacuum drum dryer there is no accumulation of product residues

and no recirculation of the material.
The drum dryer can be easily accessed for inspection and maintenance.

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Most important applications for vacuum drum drying:
Vitamins Chemicals and pharmaceutical products
Proteins Recovery of solvents
Instant beverages Foods and plant extract
Chocolate products Beauty soaps, etc.

Pilot plant ensures process data

GMF-Gouda has an extended database containing knowledge and experience of a

large number of products. The pilot plant can be used for products that have not
been tested before or for existing processes that need further improvement.

All processes can be simulated in our laboratory. The reliability of the simulations is
proven by the success of hundreds of installations worldwide. In certain cases,
tests can be done at the customer's site. Mobile test machines can be leased for
that purpose.

Test facilities
Feasibility test
We need a small amount of product in order to determine whether it can be drum dried.

Manual test
For the manual test, we need about 1
kg of product in order to determine its
behaviour on a test drying drum and to
produce a small sample.

Guarantee test
To perform a guarantee test, we need
between 50 and 100 kg of product in
order to determine the capacity and the
process parameters. On that basis,
process guarantees are granted and a
comprehensive report is made.

Section of the pilot plant where products are tested

HEAD OFFICE
GMF-Gouda. Coenecoop 88, 2741 PD Waddinxveen, The Netherlands
P.O. Box 375, 2740 AJ Waddinxveen
Tel.: (+31) 182-623 723 Fax.: (+31) 182-619 217

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