Answers to 10 questions about drying (1992)
Particulate drying is an untidy business: The raw material is never a continuum, but is rather a three-phase mixture [solid, liquid, and gas or vapor]; the particles vary in size, shape, and surface character; phase boundaries during drying are ill-defined; and except in theory, flow mechanisms inside particles aren't well-understood. Drying isn't computer-friendly.
Drying is a major energy consumer and, potentially, a major source of atmospheric pollution: These factors are drawing attention now. In this second of a question-and-answer series on powder and bulk solids handling problems, a consultant answers 10 questions about recent drying developments.