Fluidized bed spray dryer system

A fluidized bed spray drying system for drying liquid into powder comprising:

• an elongated body supported in an upright position;
• an upper end closure arrangement and a lower end closure arrangement at opposite upper and lower ends of the elongated body, respectively for forming a drying chamber within said elongated body;
• a spray nozzle assembly supported in one of the upper end closure arrangement and lower end closure arrangement;
• said spray nozzle assembly including a nozzle body having a liquid inlet for coupling to a supply of liquid and a discharge spray tip assembly at a downstream end for directing liquid to be dried into said drying chamber;
• said lower end closure arrangement including a powder collection chamber for collecting powder dried in said drying zone;
• said drying chamber having a drying gas inlet for introducing drying gas into said drying chamber for drying liquid directed into the drying chamber into powder;
• said drying chamber having an exhaust gas outlet adjacent an upper end thereof;
• said upper end closure arrangement having a plurality of cylindrical filter elements communicating with said exhaust gas outlet for filtering drying gas borne powder from drying gas exiting the drying chamber through said filter elements and the exhaust gas outlet;
• said cylindrical filter elements each being closed at a lower end and having an opposite upper open axial end communicating with said exhaust gas outlet such that drying gas exiting the drying chamber passes through a cylindrical side of the filter element which restrains gas borne powder with drying gas proceeding through the cylindrical side of the filter element and then out the open axial upper end to said exhaust gas outlet;
• and
• a recirculation conduit coupled between said exhaust gas outlet and the drying gas inlet for reintroducing drying gas into the drying chamber, wherein the recirculation conduit directs drying gas first through a condenser and then through a heater as gas is recirculated from the exhaust gas outlet to the drying gas inlet.