The spray dryer in the Food Hall of the Agrotechnology & Food Sciences Group is for research & educational purposes. It is suited for operation by students in an educational setting (e.g. course Food Engineering FPE-20306) and allows research activities e.g. aimed at controlled agglomeration or making small batches of a new food product under specific spray drying and agglomeration conditions. The equipment is owned by the Laboratory of Food Process Engineering, but is also used by Wageningen Food & Biobased Research to ensure optimal use of the equipment throughout the year.
Spray Drying
Spray drying is a common process in food industry. Main purpose of spray drying is to convert liquid formulations into a shelf-life stable powder for food or feed applications. Spray dried powders have superior quality as it is a relatively mild drying method.
The Advantage of a Pilot-Scale Spray dryer
Availability of this pilot-scale spray dryer is ideal for scale-up to a relevant industrial scale. This research facility is unique in comparison to other pilot-scale facilities, which are usually tailored for toll manufacturing rather than research. This pilot-scale spray dryer is not only unique in its scale, but it also has high flexibility to vary spraying nozzles, air distribution and agglomeration conditions to systematically study their impact on instant powder properties and energy consumption. The DW350 allows production under hygienic conditions.