Energy-Efficient Fluid Bed Drying System Recycles Exhaust Air to Cut Heating Costs and Improve Process Efficiency
Washington, NJ: An innovative fluid bed drying system from the Witte Co., Washington, NJ, recycles up to 75% of heated exhaust air to cut heating costs by up to 30% during the continuous drying of bread crumbs, sesame seeds, rice, salt, limestone, sawdust, polymers, inorganic chemicals and other food, chemical, mineral, wood and plastic products that require processing at temperatures greater than 150 degrees F.
Recycling the air through a continuous pulse jet dust collector mounted atop the dryer and reheating it through a natural gas burner, the energy-efficient Witte system permits the process to operate at a high outlet moisture content while staying comfortably above the dew point of the final exhaust air. In operation for a major consumer products company, the Witte system cut energy costs by 20% by recirculating 50% of the outlet air. In addition, by recirculating 50% of the air, the environmentally friendly Witte system cut the amount of exhaust air released to the atmosphere by 50%.
The innovative Witte system may be adapted with a cyclone in the upstream portion of the dryer to accommodate large particle sizes or wet feed materials with low dusting levels.