Fluid bed driers are a relatively new innovation for the chemical engineering field that provide some significant production and engineering efficiencies. In the 1920s, France Winkler of Germany developed the first fluidized bed reactor. These days the fluidized bed driers are essential components in producing polymers such as rubber, polypropylene, polyethylene, styrenes and a whole host of organic processing operations.
There are many features that make the fluid bed drier principle a positive innovation to your manufacturing process, such as more uniform particle mixing, more consistent temperature control and the ability to run operations continuously. Using the circulating fluidized bed gives you efficiencies through continuous batch runs that do not require multiple start up processes as well.
When looking at adding a fluid bed drier to your manufacturing process you want to consider the intended results and capacities required to understand cost savings and maintenance requirements. When switching to a fluidized bed implementation, you will need an increased vessel size for the reactor due to the air content in the particulate that is being mixed. In addition, your maintenance schedule should account for the potential erosion of the internal components based on natural wear and tear of the fluidized bed contents.
Before you are ready to get quotes for your fluidized bed reactor you should look at various online reviews of vendors. You can find feedback and comments from previous customers that will give you insights into both the performance and integration process. In addition to the online reviews, you can also look at industry association resources and speak with colleagues for referrals related to purchasing a new fluid bed system. While some of this information may be subject to intellectual property for their process, other contacts within your industry may have timely insights that can help you get the best solution for your production needs.
Regardless of which fluidized bed drier and system you select, it can help you increase your capacity and efficiency during the manufacturing process, improve the coating and treating of your particulate components, and minimize quality control issues during final output. Your initial research should help you ask the right questions and to make the best decisions when it comes time to solicit quotes and proposals.
