Spray Drying
Spray Drying Facilities
These processes are carried out at our site in Selby, located in North Yorkshire. Spanning over 35 acres and with excellent transport links via the M62 and M1.
The facility operates an accredited Integrated Management System incorporating ISO 9001 Quality Management System, ISO 14001 Environmental Management System and FEMAS.
Spray drying
Spray drying is a technique used to convert a liquid or slurry into a dry powder by rapidly drying it with hot gas. This method is favoured for materials that require extremely consistent and fine particle sizes. All spray dryers employ an atomizer or spray nozzle to disperse the liquid or slurry into a controlled droplet size. The most common types are rotary disk and high-pressure swirl nozzles. Compared to other drying methods, spray dryers can dry a product much faster and transform a solution or slurry into a dried powder in a single step. Additionally, drying parameters can be adjusted to alter the particle size.
Spray cooling
Spray cooling is defined as a melt transition from soft or fluid state to rigid or solid powder form. Spray cooling is applied for encapsulation and because melts are much easier to handle – transport, dose and store – when available in powder form. The process is like spray drying, except that in this process cold air is used to rapidly dry a hot (molten) liquid – the droplets solidify as they cool, forming a powder or granule. Parameters can often be modified in order to change the particle size. Several of our driers can be equipped with chillers to allow them to be used for spray cooling.
Designed to deliver
At ICL we can process a range of materials including hazardous liquids and dust explodable powders.
Additional specifics include:
- Ribbon blender – 5 tonne capacity
- Ploughshare mixers – 5lt to 300lt capacity
- Glass lined reactors – various capacities
Spray Capabilities
Our in-house laboratory
As well as converting a liquid into powder form, we can also produce complex multi-component blends that can then be spray-dried. Our capabilities include handling a wide range of hazardous materials, such as corrosive, flammable, and toxic substances.
We operate driers ranging from small-scale pilot plant for production trials or short runs to large-scale industrial driers capable of processing bulk quantities. Finished product can be packed into bulk bags, drums, boxes, or small bags as required. If smaller containers are required, we can offer this in collaboration with trusted partners.
All the spray drying and spray cooling operations are supported by our in-house laboratory. Testing can be carried out at all stages including raw materials, in-process, and final product with certification provided if needed. Facilities available include ICP for elemental analysis, plus a wide range of other testing for characteristics such as assay, moisture, density, conductivity, viscosity, turbidity and particle size. Additional testing for specific materials or applications can be arranged if required.
Manufacturing processes and services at this site include not only spray drying and spray cooling, mixing, blending and packing, Caustic Soda storage & dilution, Sulphuric Acid storage & dilution and bulk chemical storage for many of our core products, with dedicated warehousing for dry goods.
