Scoping Design Calculations

These models use experimental data from drying kinetics tests in a laboratory, pilot-plant or full-scale dryer, and are thus more accurate and reliable than methods based only on estimated drying kinetics. They treat the dryer as a complete unit, with drying rates and air velocities averaged over the dryer volume, except that, if desired, the dryer can be subdivided into a small number of sections. These methods are used for layer dryers (tray, oven, horizontal-flow band, and vertical-flow plate types) and for a simple estimate of fluidized-bed dryer performance. For batch dryers, they can be used for scale-up by refining the scoping design calculation. 

Fluidized-Bed Dryers In design mode, the required gas flow rate can be obtained from a heat and mass balance. Bed cross-sectional area is found from the scoping design calculation the required gas velocity should be found from fluidization tests, but for initial design puiposes, a typical value is 0.5 m/s. 

Direct heat rotary dryer. The direct heat units are generally the simplest and most economical in operation and construction, when the solids and gas can be permitted to be in contact. In design mode, the required gas flow rate can be obtained from a heat and mass balance. Bed cross-sectional area is found from a scoping design calculation (a typical gas velocity is 3 m/s for cocurrent and 2 m/s for countercurrent units). Length is normally between 5 and 10 times drum diameter (an L/D value of 8 can be used for initial estimation) or can be calculated by using an incremental model (see Examples 21 and 23). 

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