Thin Film Dryer - Design Principles

LCI offers thin film dryers with the following design configurations.

Rotor Designs

Pendulum Blade for solids-containing streams from which liquid must be evaporated or distilled

Transported Flow provides positive transport for dried powder through the horizontal dryer and can be used to adjust residence time

Rotor Orientation

Vertical configuration provides reliable, efficient processing of slurries, solutions, and suspensions to free-flowing powders.

Horizontal designs are ideal for applications where longer residence times are required for mass transfer and reactions, or where headroom is limited. The longer residence time provides the ability to reach lower residual volatile levels.

Vapor Flow

Countercurrent flow is recommended for most drying applications.

Thin Film Evaporators

An LCI agitated thin film evaporator (TFE) or wiped film evaporator (WFE or "wiffe") provides short residence time and open, low pressure drop configuration, allowing continuous, reliable processing of many heat sensitive, viscous, or fouling materials without product degradation.

High Viscosity Processor

LCI’s high viscosity processor is ideal for various polymers, resins, highly viscous food products and many others because it provides higher heat and mass transfer rates for viscous fluids and reliability when compared to other types of evaporation equipment.