Biological Control Extractor Bed

OPERATIONS:

DRYING

When drying pastes and solids in general, you simply need to feed the bed with the product to be dehydrated and control the process variables, such as air flow and temperature. Design variables are also important to define the best fluidization regime to dry your product. The variables controlled in this process are the inlet or outlet temperature, the drying air flow, the liquid feed flow and the atomization compressed air flow.

GRANULATION AND AGGLOMERATION

In granulation, the particles are suspended by an air stream that is injected while the binder liquid or agglomerator is sprayed through the atomization system. Thus, the finer particles are agglomerated into larger granules and the air flow allows drying throughout the process. In this process, there is a vast amount of variables that can influence the final granulation, mainly related to the formulation of the granulating agent and the physicochemical properties of the material or mixture of materials to be granulated. Another important category that deserves a great deal of attention is the temperature control and the air flow used, which directly affects the formation and friction of the granules.Therefore, using the fluidized bed in this type of process is very important and efficient in controlling the formation and quality of the granules.

COATING

Coating or covering in a fluidized bed is a process in which the particles are suspended by an air stream that is injected while the coating liquid is atomized through the atomizing nozzle. The solution involves the particle in a simultaneous wetting and drying process until it forms a homogeneous layer with specific characteristics. Coatings are used, among their many functions, to protect the cores against unfavorable environmental conditions such as excessive humidity and sunlight; to mask unpleasant organoleptic characteristics; modify or produce homogeneous coloration; increase mechanical stability; and protect against unfavorable physiological conditions of pH or action of gastrointestinal tract enzymes. Furthermore, it enables the controlled or slow release of active ingredients in the body.

MIXING

In fluidization, the bed of solid particles acquires a fluid behavior using the air flowr through it. Considering this, a good mixture of these materials is achieved, further increasing the heat and mass transfer rates. Thus, the choice of materials to be placed in the bed, as well as their characteristics, influence the fluid dynamic behavior, contributing to a more effective and homogeneous mixture.

EXTRACTION

The fluidized bed extraction process is a technique that has been used mainly to separate certain samples, generally powdery, from a solid matrix. In this process, the air passage through these compounds (matrix + powdery particle) causes the powder to come off over time and the control of variables such as the amount of air used, as well as the temperature, directly affect this removal. Depending on the objectives, both the loose powder and the solid matrix can be recovered.