A laboratory scale-spray dryer performance was evaluated
experimentally. Powder yield, drying rate, feeding rate, drying time,
evaporation rate and energy consumption were investigated under
different inlet air temperatures and atomization speeds for drying some
milk-juice blends and whole milk. Theoretical approach of the dryer was
developed, and energy inputs and outputs were estimated at the same
experimental conditions.
The results showed that the powder yield decreased with increasing both
inlet air temperature and atomization speed, on the other hand, drying
rate and time, feeding rate, evaporation rate increased with increasing
both air temperature and atomization speed. Energy consumption
decreased with increasing both air temperature and atomization speed,
where, it ranged from 36.47 to 53.29 GJ/kg for the milk-juice blends
depending on both atomization speed and drying temperature, while it
ranged from 38.53 to 45.70 GJ/kg for the whole milk. Dryer efficiency
increased with increasing drying temperature and atomization speed. It
ranged from 42.09 to 71.03% depending on drying temperature and
atomization speed.
Theoretical approach showed that the estimated energy consumption was
lower than the actual energy consumed, also, the estimated energy inputs
were higher by 4.28 to 5.59% than the outputs of energy. |
