Each drying machine has a specific application scope, and for each material, there are several drying units that can meet basic requirements. However, there is only one that can truly satisfy all needs. If the selection is incorrect, users will not only incur unnecessary high initial procurement costs but also face heavy costs throughout the usage period, such as low efficiency, high energy consumption, high operating costs, poor product quality, and even the inability of the equipment to run properly.
The following are general principles for selecting a dryer; it's difficult to say which one or which few are the most important.
1. Applicability ------ The drying equipment must first be applicable to the specific material and meet the basic requirements for material drying, including the ability to effectively handle the material (feeding, conveying, fluidization, dispersion, heat transfer, discharge, etc.), and meet basic requirements in terms of processing capacity, water removal, and product quality.
2. High Drying Rate - In terms of drying rate, during convection drying, the material is highly dispersed in hot air, resulting in a low critical moisture content and a fast drying process. Additionally, even with the same method of convection drying, different drying techniques can lead to varying critical moisture contents and subsequently, different drying rates.
3. Energy-efficient - Different drying methods have varying energy consumption indices. Generally, the thermal efficiency of conduction drying can theoretically reach 100%, while that of convection drying is only about 70%.
4. Cost-Effective Investment – When selecting desiccant units that perform the same function, there can be significant price differences. Opt for the one with the lower cost.
5. Low operational costs - equipment depreciation, energy consumption, labor costs, maintenance fees, spare parts costs...
6. Prioritize dryers with simple structures, ample spare parts availability, high reliability, and long lifespans.
7. Meets environmental standards, offers good working conditions, and high safety levels.
Before selecting, conducting a material drying experiment can provide in-depth understanding of the drying equipment already used for similar materials (their strengths and weaknesses), which is often helpful in making the right selection.
9. Rely less on past experience, focus on embracing new technologies, and heed expert advice.
