• Pharmaceuticals
• Bio-drugs
• Dyestuffs
• Dye Intermediates
• Organic Chemicals
• Insecticides
• Pesticides
• Solvent Recovery

ALPEN^TM RapidDry drying technology offers an efficient and optimal means of drying low percent solids solutions, containing heat-sensitive product. This is particularly true of several of the ingredients in the Pharmaceutical & Drugs (including APIs), Nutraceutical, Biotechnical and Food Industries which are manufactured from the extraction or reaction of plant materials using solvents ( water, methanol, hexane, etc. ). These processes result in an end-product in the form of a liquid with very low percent solids level.

These products have one common undesirable characteristic � they exhibit stickiness while transitioning to the solids phase during drying. Drying methods such as freeze drying, spray drying, tray drying etc. prove to be either expensive or less energy-efficient, besides requiring scraping of the product stuck to the container surface. De-agglomeration becomes an additional process-step before powder phase is obtained, often resulting in yield loss, extra labor resource and space and spillage issues.

This Dryer operates in a novel way, combining the advantages of fluidizing ( through high-speed agitation ) and vacuum drying ( with solvent recovery ), conserving heat-energy consumption and operating efficiency. Inherent in the process is de-agglomeration, shortening the drying time further and resulting in an end-product with very low moisture content ( < 0.3% reached comparatively quickly ). Many OEM Manufacturers of Rotary Vacuum Dryers as well as Double-Cone Rotary Vacuum Dryers claim that, by addition of choppers, the product gets milled to very fine size. Our experience ( and of our customers ) have shown different. This doesn't happen as desired ( and claimed ). Instead, the agglomeration around the choppers, in many instances, add a new dimension to the drying problem. While some agglomerate size reduction does happen, actually uniform milling across the entire mass seldom happens and where it does, it takes more time, delaying the drying process a bit. In our Dryer, where choppers are added to achieve uniformly fine dry powder, we recommend a variation in the process of drying itself which comprehensively ensures homogenous mass milling and does not exhibit the new dimension to the drying problem mentioned above. The ALPEN^TM RapidDry Dryer also incorporates specially designed scraping mechanism that accelerates the drying process significantly and also effectively minimizes, if not eliminates, manual post-drying scraping needs. The agitation cycle is redefined to achieve this.

These Dryers are engineered to maximize heat transfer rates, resulting in overall heat transfer coefficients that are many times higher than those of traditional dryers. This advanced drying technology achieves rapid drying in a single drying chamber and in a single batch-run.

Optionally, to prevent carry-over of solids into the vacuum line, the ALPEN^TM RapidDry Dryer incorporates an enhanced Pulse Back Filter mechanism in which a pneumatic pulse jet system ( using Nitrogen, or suitable inert gas ) provides continuous automatic bag cleaning. This also provides efficient Product ( dust ) recovery within the Dryer.

Trials conducted in a pilot version of this Dryer confirm the following benefits :

1. Controlled drying through effective/optimum heat transfer.
2. Improved drying rates, reducing drying times by 40 to 60% compared to other dryers in the same class.
3. Increased yield as well as efficiency of drying ( reduced energy consumption ).
4. Efficient single unit processing of the entire process.

Drying in ALPEN^TM RapidDry Dryer enables customer to produce a pure, dried product with solvent levels below the limits set by the FDA. Also, the design and construction of the Dryer conforms to cGMP standards and can be offered to meet or exceed FDA / 3A / USDA compliance as required by the customer.

ALPEN^TM RapidDry Dryer can now replace the following, because of its competitive advantages :

1. RCVD ( Rota-Cone Vacuum Dryer )
2. RVPD ( Rotary Vacuum Paddle Dryer )
3. Nauta Dryer
4. ANFD ( a RapidDry Dryer + ANF Combo can do the job ANFD does in less than half its time )
5. VTD ( Vacuum Tray Dryer )

Go ahead. Test your product in our pilot unit ( 10 L charge ) before you agree with us. It won't cost you much.

Capacities :

Pilot Lab Unit ( 5 Litres batch-size ) to Production Plant Unit ( 5,000 Litres batch-size ).