Fluidized Bed Dryer

Introduction:
Fluidized bed dryer (also called fluid bed dryer) is a kind of equipment used extensively in
the pharmaceutical industries to reduce the moisture content of pharmaceutical powder and
granules. The equipment works on a principle of fluidization of the feed materials.

In fluidization process, hot air is introduced at high pressure through a perforated bed of
moist solid particulate. The wet solids are lifted from the bottom and suspended in a stream
of air (fluidized state). Heat transfer is accomplished by direct contact between the wet solid
and hot gases. The vaporized liquid is carried away by the drying gasses. Sometimes to save
energy, the exit gas is partially recycled.

Components of a Fluidized Bed Dryer

a. Air preparatory unit.

b. Product container.

c. Exhaust filter.

d. Exhaust blower.

e. Control panel.

f.  Air distribution plate.

g. Spray nozzle.

h. Solution deliver.

Principle :
In fluidization process, hot air is introduced at high pressure through a perforated
bed of moist solid particulate. The wet solids are lifted from the bottom and
suspended in a stream of air (fluidized state). As the hot air passes between the
particles it takes the excess moisture from the particles thus drying the particles.

Heat transfer is accomplished by direct contact between the wet solid and hot
gases.
Steps of Fluidization :

Step 1: Fluidized bed dryer loading :

Loading of materials involves adding a fresh batch of wet granules into the product
chamber through negative pressure feeding, materials can be sucked from the high
shear  mixer chamber through a feeding tube.

Step 2: Air inlet (intake) :

Switching the blower unit on is done from the control panel. Once the blower is
operational, the air is drawn continuously from the Air Handling unit and into the
tower through the lower plenum.

Step 3: Fluidization :

Inlet air is blown up through the static power bed as the velocity of the air
increases so does the space between powder particles until the particles become
suspended in a bed the fluidization process is through to occur in five stages
including smooth  fluidization, bubbling  fluidization, turbulent fluidization and
first  fluidization.  

Step 4: Drying:

The drying process takes place in three stages until the end point is reached (At the
end point the solid particles moisture level is equal or less than 1%)

Step 5: Pre heating:

Wet particles are suspended in hot and dry air stream. Moisture on the particles
surface evaporates as heat flows through the body  (conventional heating) the rate
of drying slowly increases as the particles absorb more heat.

The moisture lost during preheating is still small but the temperature of the bed
rises steadily.

Step 6: Filter bag shaking:

The blower continuously draws and excels air from Fluidized bed dryer. The
airstream may contain very small particles called fines. The filter bags capture the
fines in their pores but this cause the formation of a dust layer that clogs the filter
bags causing a pressure drop.

Mechanical shaking is the best way to remove the dust layer and it is done by the
pneumatic cylinder at the set intervals and seems we have two filtering chamber
the shaking is alternated between the two.

 Step 7: Discharging of dried material:

Discharging refers to the removal of dried materials from fluidized bed dryer. It
can be done manually by unlocking and wheeling the product container on its
trolley to the next process equipment.
Alternatively, vacuum conveying can be carried out by connecting the product
container with a tube and creating negative pressure for suction using a vacuum
transfer system. After drying, the next process is milling.

Material of Construction:
Stainless Steel

Parameters to be controlled in fluidized bed

dryers (system)
In order to improve operation, efficiency, and reproducibility of a fluidized bed dryer, some
parameters need to be controlled. These parameters are categorized into:

1. Apparatus parameters: Those controlled by the equipment.

2. Process parameters: Those controlled by the process.
3. Product parameters: Those controlled by the product.

1. Apparatus/Equipment Parameter
 Position of the air distribution plate: This parameter influences the pattern.
 Shape of the instrument: The annular based design gives a better product.
 Nozzle height: Nozzle height plays a vital role when fluidized bed dryers are used as a
coating machine. The atomized coating solution should not get dried before reaching the
tablet surface.

2. Process/Operating Parameter
 Temperature: Increased temperature leads to increased moisture diffusivity and hence
increased drying rate and decreased drying time. The nature of the material plays an
important role in choosing the operating temperature.
 Humidity: Faster drying is achieved when the moisture content of the inlet air is
maintained at its minimum.
 Airflow rate/gas velocity: Increasing gas velocity increases drying rate but should be
maintained at an optimized rate (not to fast or too slow). Gas velocity has no effect on
particles with high internal resistance to moisture transfer.

3. Product Parameters
 Moisture content of the feed material.
 Feed rate/batch size.
 Product moisture content.
 Particle size, shape, and diameter.
Disadvantages of using the fluid bed dryer :
 Risk of Fire Explosion:

Fluid bed dryers use high levels of hot gas and air thus making it difficult to
dry toxic or flammable materials.

This may place the lives of the people operating the machine or around the
machine in great danger.

 Electrostatic Build-up :

When we use the fluid bed dryer there are high chances of electrostatic build
up during the drying process.

It is a phenomenon that will happen especially when we are drying organic

particles.

We should, therefore, go for the fluid bed dryers with electrical earthing
elements to avoid this problem.

 Difficulty in Drying Sticky Particles :

The main principle of drying using the fluid bed dryer is the movement of
particles as it takes away excess moisture.

We will, therefore, experience a lot of problems when it comes to drying

sticky materials as they don’t move freely.