Design of a Pilot Fluidized bed Dryer

Abstract

In this research is desígned to pilot scale fluidized bed dryer using hot air as fluidizing medium and as a means saturated steam heater. This design is based on the phenomenon of fluidization, which allows for better contact between the wet material to be dried and the drying agent, achieving high rates of heat and mass transfer. To demonstrate the effectíveness of the desígned dryers were used as materials to dry cocoa, peas and coffee, in order to study the behavior of particles of different sizes, design was developed considering the larger particle (cocoa), giving a safety margin thereof They were performed experimental tests in which it showed the dryer efectivity that decreased in a 24% of moisture from cocoa, 43.2% of moisture from peas and 27.5% of moisture from coffee. In the investigation it is determined that the variables to be considered for efficient process are: hot air temperature, the vapor pressure of which must be kept constant, other important variables that are considered as particle size, initial humidity, flow air.