Ultrahigh efficiency spray drying apparatus and process

Abstract

The disclosure relates to ultrahigh efficiency spray drying systems and processes, utilizing induction of localized turbulence in a drying fluid flow stream to produce spray dried product, having particular utility for low temperature spray drying operations. In a specific implementation, a method of processing a spray dryable liquid composition to form a spray dried product includes the steps of: generating a spray of the spray dryable liquid composition; contacting the spray of spray dryable liquid composition in a spray drying contact zone with a stream of primary drying fluid; injecting pressurized secondary drying fluid into the stream of primary drying fluid in the spray drying contact zone at multiple loci thereof to provide localized turbulence at said multiple loci; and recovering the spray dried product from the spray drying contact zone. Systems of the present disclosure are effective in achieving high-rate production of dry powder spray dried products, with substantially reduced capital equipment costs, energy requirements, and operating expenditures.