Used Fluid Air PolarDry 050 Electrostatic Spray Dryer – 50 kg/hr

MANUFACTURER INFORMATION

Fluid Air is a manufacturer and supplier of pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, food and specialty chemical processing equipment. Its technologies include fluid bed processing, granulation, drying, coating and electrostatic spray drying systems. The PolarDry product line utilizes electrostatic spray drying technology for converting compatible liquid formulations into dry powders. These systems are used in applications requiring controlled drying conditions, powder collection and specialized processing of temperature-sensitive or high-value materials.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Used Fluid Air PolarDry Model 050 electrostatic spray dryer with maximum evaporation capacity of 50 kg/hr, designed for GMP-oriented pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, biotechnology, food ingredient and specialty chemical powder manufacturing applications. System utilizes electrostatic spray drying technology with nitrogen drying and atomizing gas for processing compatible liquid formulations into dry powdered products. Rated for a maximum drying gas inlet temperature of 140°C, maximum drying gas flow of 1,870 m/hr as supplied, and design vacuum of 12 kPa. Atomizing gas specifications include a maximum inlet temperature of 150°C, maximum pressure of 4.14 bar and design flow of 100 m/hr as supplied. Features stainless steel spray drying chamber with FDA-approved PTFE liner, electrostatic atomization technology, pneumatic powder collection and conveying system, (3) reverse-pulse cartridge filters, HEPA filtration, dehumidification coil, drying gas heater, blower and oxygen monitoring safety system. Equipped with Watson-Marlow peristaltic liquid feed pump and Allen-Bradley programmable logic controller (PLC) with Batch Architect control system and operator human-machine interface (HMI) for automated process operation and monitoring. Product-contact surfaces include 316L stainless steel and FDA-approved PTFE. System is mounted on a stainless steel process skid and includes an elevated access platform with stairs for equipment access and maintenance. Electrical requirements are 480 volts, 3-phase, 60 Hz. Possible applications include electrostatic spray drying, liquid-to-powder conversion, specialty powder production, microencapsulation of compatible formulations, pharmaceutical ingredient processing, nutraceutical powder manufacturing, biotechnology material drying and production of specialty food ingredient and chemical powders.

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

• Manufacturer: Fluid Air

• Product Line: PolarDry

• Model: 050

• Equipment Type: Electrostatic Spray Dryer

• Condition: Used

• Design Application: GMP-Oriented Processing

• Maximum Evaporation Capacity: 50 kg/hr

• Drying Gas: Nitrogen

• Atomizing Gas: Nitrogen

• Maximum Drying Gas Inlet Temperature: 140°C

• Maximum Drying Gas Flow: 1,870 m/hr (Units Require Confirmation)

• Design Vacuum: 12 kPa

• Maximum Atomizing Gas Inlet Temperature: 150°C

• Maximum Atomizing Gas Pressure: 4.14 Bar

• Atomizing Gas Design Flow: 100 m/hr (Units Require Confirmation)

• Atomization Technology: Electrostatic

• Spray Chamber: Stainless Steel

• Spray Chamber Liner: FDA-Approved PTFE

• Product-Contact Materials: 316L Stainless Steel and FDA-Approved PTFE

• Powder Collection: Pneumatic Powder Collection and Conveying System

• Cartridge Filters: (3) Reverse-Pulse Cartridge Filters

• Additional Filtration: HEPA Filtration

• Gas Conditioning: Dehumidification Coil

• Heating System: Drying Gas Heater

• Air Handling: Blower

• Safety Monitoring: Oxygen Monitoring System

• Liquid Feed Pump: Watson-Marlow Peristaltic Pump

• Control System: Allen-Bradley PLC

• Batch Control Software: Batch Architect

• Operator Interface: HMI

• Equipment Mounting: Stainless Steel Process Skid

• Access Equipment: Elevated Platform with Stairs

• Electrical Requirements: 480 Volts, 3-Phase, 60 Hz

APPLICATIONS

- Electrostatic Spray Drying: Converts compatible liquid formulations into dry powders using electrostatic atomization and controlled drying gas conditions. This technology may support specialized powder processing applications requiring controlled particle formation and reduced thermal exposure relative to certain conventional drying processes.

- Pharmaceutical Powder Manufacturing: Provides spray drying capabilities for compatible pharmaceutical formulations, active pharmaceutical ingredient preparations and pharmaceutical excipient systems. Potential applications include specialized powder production and formulation development, subject to equipment qualification and process validation.

- Nutraceutical Powder Production: Processes compatible liquid nutraceutical formulations into powdered ingredients for dietary supplements, functional food products and nutritional formulations.

- Microencapsulation: Supports potential encapsulation of compatible active ingredients, flavors, oils and other compounds within suitable carrier materials to produce specialized powder formulations. Encapsulation performance depends on formulation chemistry and process conditions.

- Temperature-Sensitive Material Drying: Provides controlled electrostatic spray drying for compatible products that may benefit from specialized thermal processing conditions, including selected bioactive ingredients, nutrients, flavors and specialty formulations.

- Biotechnology Ingredient Processing: May be used for drying compatible biotechnology-derived materials, fermentation products and bioactive formulations where process conditions can be validated for product stability.

- Food Ingredient Powder Manufacturing: Converts suitable liquid food ingredient formulations into powdered products for use in food processing, beverage manufacturing, flavor applications and specialty ingredient production.

- Flavor and Fragrance Encapsulation: Supports potential spray drying and encapsulation of compatible flavor compounds, aroma ingredients and fragrance formulations using appropriate carrier systems and operating conditions.

- Specialty Chemical Powder Production: Provides liquid-to-powder processing capabilities for compatible specialty chemical formulations, functional materials and industrial ingredients requiring controlled spray drying.

- Nitrogen Atmosphere Spray Drying: Uses nitrogen drying and atomizing gas to provide a controlled processing environment for compatible materials where oxygen exposure is a consideration. Applicable safety and operating requirements must be verified.

- Specialty Powder Particle Formation: Supports conversion of compatible solutions, suspensions and emulsions into powder particles, with resulting particle characteristics dependent on formulation properties and process parameters.

- Process Development and Specialty Manufacturing: May be suitable for production environments developing or manufacturing high-value specialty powders using electrostatic spray drying technology.

- GMP-Oriented Manufacturing Operations: Designed for GMP processing applications incorporating controlled equipment operation, appropriate product-contact materials and specialized powder handling. Actual GMP compliance depends on installation, qualification, validation and operating procedures.

SUITABLE PRODUCTS / MATERIALS

- Pharmaceutical Formulations: Compatible liquid pharmaceutical formulations containing active ingredients, excipients and carrier materials intended for spray drying into powdered products.

- Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Formulations: Suitable API-containing solutions or dispersions requiring specialized drying or particle formation, subject to chemical compatibility and validated process conditions.

- Pharmaceutical Excipients: Compatible liquid preparations containing pharmaceutical polymers, carriers, binders and other excipient materials intended for powder production.

- Nutraceutical Ingredients: Liquid formulations containing compatible vitamins, minerals, nutritional compounds and other dietary supplement ingredients.

- Vitamin Formulations: Compatible vitamin-containing liquid preparations intended for drying or encapsulation, with processing conditions selected to support ingredient stability.

- Bioactive Compounds: Suitable liquid formulations containing antioxidants, botanical constituents and other active ingredients requiring controlled powder processing.

- Botanical and Herbal Extracts: Compatible liquid plant extracts, herbal concentrates and botanical preparations suitable for spray drying with appropriate carriers.

- Probiotic and Biological Formulations: Potential applications involving compatible biological materials where processing conditions can be demonstrated to preserve required activity or viability.

- Protein Formulations: Compatible dissolved or dispersed protein ingredients intended for specialty powder production, subject to thermal stability and formulation characteristics.

- Enzymes and Biochemical Ingredients: Selected enzyme-containing or biochemical formulations where drying conditions can be validated for required functional properties.

- Flavor Ingredients: Compatible liquid flavor concentrates, flavor emulsions and aroma-containing formulations intended for powder production or encapsulation.

- Fragrance Formulations: Suitable fragrance compounds, aromatic ingredients and carrier-based formulations used in specialty powder manufacturing.

- Essential Oil Formulations: Compatible emulsified or carrier-based essential oil preparations intended for encapsulated powder applications.

- Food Ingredient Solutions: Liquid food ingredients, extracts and compatible dissolved solids intended for conversion into dry powders.

- Nutritional Beverage Ingredients: Compatible liquid nutritional formulations and ingredient concentrates intended for powdered food or beverage applications.

- Functional Food Ingredients: Suitable bioactive food ingredients, botanical concentrates and specialty functional components requiring controlled powder production.

- Specialty Chemical Solutions: Compatible chemical solutions containing dissolved materials intended for spray drying and particle formation.

- Chemical Suspensions and Emulsions: Suitable dispersions and emulsions that can be processed through the feed pump, atomization system and drying chamber without unacceptable settling, clogging or instability.

- Encapsulation Feed Formulations: Compatible mixtures of active ingredients and carrier materials designed for microencapsulation or controlled powder formation.

- Specialty Polymer Formulations: Compatible polymer-containing solutions or dispersions intended for powder production, subject to solvent compatibility and processing limitations.

Product compatibility depends on solvent composition, viscosity, solids content, particle size, feed stability, electrostatic properties, thermal sensitivity and material compatibility. The nitrogen-based drying configuration does not by itself establish suitability for every solvent or flammable formulation.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

- What is the Fluid Air PolarDry Model 050 electrostatic spray dryer used for?

The Fluid Air PolarDry Model 050 is an electrostatic spray drying system designed to convert compatible liquid formulations into dry powders. Potential applications include pharmaceutical ingredient processing, nutraceutical powder production, food ingredient drying, specialty chemical manufacturing and microencapsulation of selected formulations.

- What is the maximum evaporation capacity of the Fluid Air PolarDry 050?

The machine has a maximum rated evaporation capacity of 50 kg/hr. This represents the stated evaporation capacity rather than the amount of finished dry powder produced per hour. Actual powder output depends on feed solids concentration, moisture content, product characteristics and operating conditions.

- What is electrostatic spray drying?

Electrostatic spray drying uses electrically influenced atomization to form droplets from a liquid feed, followed by drying under controlled gas and temperature conditions. The technology is designed to support specialized powder formation and may provide processing advantages for certain formulations compared with conventional spray drying methods.

- How does electrostatic spray drying differ from conventional spray drying?

Conventional spray drying typically relies on atomization and heated gas to evaporate liquid from droplets. Electrostatic spray drying introduces electrical effects into the atomization process, potentially influencing droplet and particle behavior. Depending on the formulation and process design, this may support specialized powder properties or different drying conditions. Actual performance must be established for each product.

- Does this PolarDry 050 use nitrogen gas?

Yes. The system is designed for nitrogen drying and atomizing gas. Nitrogen provides a controlled gas environment that may be beneficial when processing certain oxygen-sensitive materials. Safe operation depends on the complete gas handling configuration, oxygen monitoring system and validated operating procedures.

- What is the maximum drying gas inlet temperature?

The system has a maximum drying gas inlet temperature rating of 140°C. Actual operating temperature should be selected based on the formulation, moisture removal requirements, equipment limitations and desired finished powder characteristics.

- What are the atomizing gas specifications?

The supplied specifications identify a maximum atomizing gas inlet temperature of 150°C, maximum pressure of 4.14 bar and design flow of 100 m/hr. The flow rate units should be confirmed against the manufacturer's equipment documentation.

- What is the maximum drying gas flow?

The supplied specification lists a maximum drying gas flow of 1,870 m/hr. The dimensional units should be verified before the value is used for process engineering, utility sizing or equipment comparison.

- What materials are used for product-contact surfaces?

Product-contact surfaces include 316L stainless steel and FDA-approved PTFE. These materials are commonly used in specialized processing equipment because of their corrosion resistance, cleanability and compatibility with selected pharmaceutical, food and chemical applications.

- Does the spray dryer have a PTFE-lined drying chamber?

Yes. The system features a stainless steel spray chamber with an FDA-approved PTFE liner. The suitability of the liner for specific formulations, solvents and operating temperatures should be confirmed.

- What is the purpose of the electrostatic atomization system?

The electrostatic atomization system is designed to influence liquid droplet formation during the spray drying process. This can support specialized drying and particle formation requirements. Resulting powder properties depend on the formulation, operating parameters and equipment configuration.

- Can this spray dryer be used for temperature-sensitive ingredients?

The PolarDry technology may be suitable for certain temperature-sensitive formulations requiring controlled drying conditions. Potential products include selected nutrients, flavors, botanical compounds and other active materials. Suitability and retention of product activity must be established through process evaluation or testing.

- Can the Fluid Air PolarDry 050 be used for pharmaceutical manufacturing?

The system is described as designed for GMP processing applications and includes 316L stainless steel and PTFE product-contact surfaces. It may be suitable for compatible pharmaceutical formulation processing. Actual use in regulated manufacturing requires appropriate installation qualification, operational qualification, process validation and applicable regulatory compliance.

- Can this machine be used for microencapsulation?

Potentially. Electrostatic spray drying may be used in microencapsulation applications involving compatible active ingredients and carrier materials. Examples may include flavor compounds, oils, nutrients and other specialty ingredients. Encapsulation efficiency and finished powder characteristics depend on formulation and processing conditions.

- What feed pump is included with the system?

The spray dryer includes a Watson-Marlow peristaltic feed pump. Peristaltic pumps are commonly used to deliver liquid formulations through flexible tubing and can provide controlled feed transfer into processing systems. Specific flow range, tubing material and chemical compatibility should be confirmed.

- How is dried powder collected from the system?

The Fluid Air PolarDry 050 includes a pneumatic powder collection and conveying system. This system is designed to assist with handling and transferring collected powder during the drying process. The exact collection arrangement and recovery efficiency should be verified for the installed configuration.

- What filtration equipment is included?

The system includes three reverse-pulse cartridge filters and HEPA filtration. Reverse-pulse cleaning is used to help remove accumulated powder from filter surfaces, while HEPA filtration provides high-efficiency particulate filtration in the system's designated gas handling arrangement.

- Does the machine include oxygen monitoring?

Yes. The equipment includes an oxygen monitoring safety system. Oxygen monitoring is particularly relevant to nitrogen-based processing environments. Buyers should verify the installed safety controls, alarm functions, interlocks and applicable operating requirements before use.

- What control system does the Fluid Air PolarDry 050 use?

The machine features an Allen-Bradley PLC with Batch Architect control system and an operator HMI. This configuration supports automated process operation, operator interaction and management of applicable batch processing parameters. Specific software functionality, data recording and recipe capabilities should be verified.

- Does this machine include a process skid and access platform?

Yes. The system includes a stainless steel process skid and elevated access platform with stairs. These components provide equipment support and access for operation, inspection and maintenance.

- What electrical power is required?

The system requires 480-volt, 3-phase, 60 Hz electrical service. Buyers should also evaluate supporting utility requirements, including nitrogen supply, ventilation, gas conditioning and any auxiliary equipment needed for installation.

- Can this spray dryer be used for solvent-based formulations?

Suitability for solvent-based formulations must be evaluated individually. Although the machine uses nitrogen drying and atomizing gas and includes oxygen monitoring, these features do not independently establish compatibility with flammable or combustible solvents. Buyers should verify equipment ratings, solvent recovery arrangements, explosion protection, material compatibility and applicable safety requirements before processing solvent-containing products.

- Can Aaron Equipment assist with shipping this Fluid Air PolarDry spray dryer?

Yes. Aaron Equipment can assist with coordinating transportation arrangements for used industrial spray dryers and processing systems. Our team can help review equipment dimensions, process skid configuration, elevated access platform, disassembly requirements, loading considerations and available freight options. Contact Aaron Equipment for additional shipping information.

- How can Aaron Equipment help with purchasing or selling industrial spray drying equipment?

Aaron Equipment buys, sells and helps customers source used industrial processing equipment, including spray dryers, fluid bed dryers, pharmaceutical dryers, powder processing systems, filtration equipment and other specialty manufacturing machinery. Buyers can contact Aaron Equipment for equipment specifications, availability and purchasing assistance. Companies looking to sell surplus equipment can inquire about direct purchases, consignments and auction services. Contact Aaron Equipment at 630-350-2200 for additional information.