How to spot, solve, and prevent poor nozzle performance in your spray dryer
Because proper liquid atomization is the key to successful spray drying, the performance of your dryer's spray node is critical. A worn, corroded, or clogged nozzle can change your dryer's liquid flow rate, spraying pressure, or spraying pattern. The result is spray droplets that are either too large or too small. Large droplets coat the walls of the drying chamber and increase the moisture content of your spray-dried powder. Small droplets create an excess of overdried or burnt fines in your powder, destroying its quality. This article describes some common causes of poor node performance and provides specific suggestions to help you spot, solve, and prevent nozzle problems.
Your dryer's spray nozzle performs two important functions: First, it meters the flow of your feedstock into the drying chamber; second, it atomizes your feedstock into the proper droplet size for producing the desired spray-dried powder. The nozzle's ability to perform these functions can be affected by erosion [wear], corrosion, clogging, caking, improper nozzle assembly, and accidental nozzle damage.