Contact Belt Dryer
Intro
Short Description
The contact belt dryer is primarily used in applications where the product properties or economic considerations make granulation of the product and drying in a convective belt dryer impractical.
Details
How It Works
Contact Belt Drying for Demanding Products
Contact belt drying enables the continuous processing of a wide range of different products. The process is particularly suitable for materials that, due to their consistency or sensitive structure, are difficult or impossible to process continuously using other drying methods.
Suitable for Sticky and Sensitive Products
A non-porous PTFE belt with very high chemical resistance is used. The special properties of the belt enable the processing of challenging product consistencies, including sticky, lumpy, and highly viscous products.
Products with a sensitive structure can also be processed gently using contact belt drying. Since the product remains on the belt throughout the drying process with minimal mechanical stress, the process is particularly suitable for products where gentle handling is essential.
Efficient Energy Transfer via Contact Heating Plates
The energy required for contact belt drying is primarily transferred directly into the product via heated contact plates. This ensures efficient and targeted heat transfer.
The drying process is supported by conditioned supply air, which absorbs and removes the vapours generated during drying. The combination of contact heat and controlled airflow allows the drying process to be precisely tailored to specific requirements.
Benefits
Technical and Economic Benefits
Energy-Efficient Process Operation
The contact belt dryer enables a high moisture load in the exhaust air. This allows the air required for the drying process to be used efficiently while reducing energy losses through the exhaust air.
A key component of the energy concept can be a vapour condenser. The thermal energy contained in the vapours is recovered and returned to the process. This further improves the energy efficiency of the system and reduces the demand for primary energy.
Robust Stainless Steel Construction
Our contact belt dryers are largely manufactured from high-quality stainless steel. The robust construction is designed for long-lasting and reliable operation and provides excellent resistance to the thermal, mechanical, and product-specific stresses encountered during the drying process.
Precise Control and Process Monitoring
Our contact belt dryers can be equipped with high-performance electronic control and regulation systems. This allows the relevant process parameters to be adjusted quickly and precisely to the specific properties of the product and the required drying conditions.
The following parameters, among others, can be controlled:
- Product residence time
- Drying air temperature
- Drying air humidity
- Air velocity
Continuous real-time process monitoring enables precise control of the relevant operating parameters. Deviations can be detected at an early stage, allowing process parameters to be adjusted accordingly.
This helps ensure reproducible drying results and consistently high product quality. At the same time, demand-based control of the process parameters enables energy-efficient operation of the contact belt dryer.
Design Options
Options and Variants
The contact belt drying system can be adapted to the specific requirements of the product with the following equipment:
- Non-contact belt cleaning system with spray nozzles and an air blow-off unit for removing residual liquid adhering to the belt.
- Product size reduction at the discharge using a rotating crusher roller.
- The heating plates and recirculating air can be heated using steam (indirectly via steam heating coils), thermal oil, hot water, or electric heating coils and electric heating plates.
- The system control can be implemented using control systems from all leading manufacturers to meet specific customer preferences.
- Integration into a production control system is possible, as our system controls provide the appropriate interfaces.
You Can Count on Us
Technical Data
Our contact belt dryers cover a wide range of applications, from entry-level systems for continuous drying to large-scale industrial applications, and from ceramic gels and geometrically shaped abrasive grains to boehmite paste. Accordingly, the technical specifications also cover a broad range:
- Temperature range: 40–200 °C
- Throughput / Capacity: 25–1,000 kg/h
- Conveyor belt width: 1,000–2,500 mm
Your Contacts
for Multi-Belt Dryers
Gernot Ingenerf
Division Manager, Belt Dryers and Specialized Systems
