Process and apparatus for converting a solution or suspension into a dried particulate, granulate product
AssigneeAktieselskabet Niro Atomizer
InventorsSvend Hovmand, Erik Liborius
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mixer-granulator, preferably a spiral path granulator, is combined with a pneumatic conveyor dryer in a process for converting a solution or suspension into a dried particulate product. In a preferred embodiment, the particles formed in the mixer-granulator show a non-equilibrium moisture distribution with an interior part of lower moisture content and a surface part of higher moisture content.
Claims39
A process for converting a solution or suspension including recycled material into a dried particulate product in a material cycling system including a pneumatic conveyor dryer and a mixer-granulator, said process comprising:
- a. mixing in said mixer-granulator, the solution of suspension with recycled material consisting of dried particulate material of smaller particle size than the desired final product, to obtain particles of a higher moisture content than that of the desired final product,
- b. feeding the resulting particles into and conveying them through said pneumatic conveyor dryer without any substantial disintegration of said particles,
- c. classifying dried particulate product discharged from the pneumatic conveyor dryer into a fraction of desired particle size range, an undersize fraction, and, if present, an oversize fraction,
- d. withdrawing particles of desired size range as final product,
- e. disintegrating oversize particles, if any, and
- f. recycling the disintegration product together with undersize particles into said mixer-granulator.
An apparatus for converting a solution or suspension into a dried particulate product comprising a mixer-granulator means for mixing a solution or suspension with a particulate recycle material, a non-disintegrator pneumatic conveyor dryer, means for feeding particles formed in the mixer-granulator means into the pneumatic conveyor drier, means for classifying particles discharged from the pneumatic conveyor dryer for recovering a dried particulate product and particulate recycle material, and means for recycling particles from the classifying means into the mixer-granulator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.