Abstract: A fluidized bed coating system for coating substrate particles with liquid and powder. The system includes a vessel having a particle separating partition that divides an internal chamber of the vessel into up-bed and down-bed regions. An upstanding spray nozzle within the particle separating partition for directing pressurized coating liquid upwardly into the up-bed region such that particles are liquid coated as they circulate through the up-bed and down-bed regions. A coating powder directing system is provided that includes a controller managed powder delivery manifold for directing coating powder and pressurized gas under the particle separating partition and below the discharge orifices of the spray nozzle for coating the liquid coated particles with a uniform thickness of coating powder as they are recirculated through the up-bed and down-bed regions.

Abstract: A system for cleaning filter cartridges having a cylindrically configured filter media. The cleaning system includes a tank for containing a cleaning liquid, and an open-sided cage for removably receiving and containing one of the filter cartridges to be cleaned. The cage is supported on a drive shaft of a motorized drive that is positionable for disposing the open-sided cage and filter cartridge contained therein in cleaning liquid in the tank and is selectively operable for rotating the open-sided cage and filter cartridge contained therein during a cleaning cycle for cleaning the filter media of the contained filter cartridge.

Abstract: An electrostatic spray dryer for drying liquid into powder including an elongated cylindrical drying chamber having an electrostatic spray nozzle at an upper end and a powder collection vessel at a lower end. The powder collection vessel includes a removable and replaceable filter collections sock made of filter material for receiving and collecting dried powder from the drying chamber. For cleaning residual powder from an inside wall of the drying chamber, a scraper member is provided that is coupled by magnetic attraction to a manually removable driver on the external surface of the wall.

Abstract: A system for cleaning filter cartridges having a cylindrically configured filter media. The cleaning system includes a tank for containing a cleaning liquid, and an open-sided cage for removably receiving and containing one of the filter cartridges to be cleaned. The cage is supported on a drive shaft of a motorized drive that is positionable for disposing the open-sided cage and filter cartridge contained therein in cleaning liquid in the tank and is selectively operable for rotating the open-sided cage and filter cartridge contained therein during a cleaning cycle for cleaning the filter media of the contained filter cartridge.

Abstract: An electrostatic spray drying system comprising an electrostatic spray nozzle for directing electrically charged liquid into a drying chamber, a drying gas inlet from which drying gas is simultaneously directed, and a conical powder direction plenum for receiving drying gas and entrained dried powder for direction to a filter containing powder separation plenum via a connecting conduit. The powder direction plenum and connecting conduit each have a surrounding water jacket heat exchanger through which cooling water is directed for cooling the drying gas and powder below damaging temperatures prior to entry into the powder separation plenum. The powder separation plenum has a return line for redirecting separated drying gas to the drying chamber through a condenser, blower, and heater for reuse in the system, with condensed water being selectively redirected to the inlet of the powder direction plenum heat exchanger and/or to the cooling water supply.

Abstract: An electrostatic spray dryer for drying liquid into powder including an elongated cylindrical drying chamber having an electrostatic spray nozzle at an upper end and a powder collection vessel at a lower end. The powder collection vessel includes a removable and replaceable filter collections sock made of filter material for receiving and collecting dried powder from the drying chamber. For cleaning residual powder from an inside wall of the drying chamber, a scraper member is provided that is coupled by magnetic attraction to a manually removable driver on the external surface of the wall.

Abstract: A fluidized bed spray drying system for drying liquid into powder including an elongated drying chamber, a spray nozzle assembly at an upper end of the drying chamber and a powder collection chamber at a lower end of the drying chamber. A drying gas inlet is provided in the powder collection chamber and a drying gas outlet is provided at an upper end of the drying chamber. A plurality of cylindrical filter elements at the upper end of the drying chamber are in communication with the exhaust gas outlet for filtering drying gas borne powder from drying gas exiting the drying chamber.

Abstract: An electrostatic spray dryer for drying liquid into powder including an elongated cylindrical drying chamber having an electrostatic spray nozzle at an upper end and a powder collection vessel at a lower end. The powder collection vessel includes a removable and replaceable filter collections sock made of filter material for receiving and collecting dried powder from the drying chamber. For cleaning residual powder from an inside wall of the drying chamber, a scraper member is provided that is coupled by magnetic attraction to a manually removable driver on the external surface of the wall.

Abstract: A spray drying system for drying liquid into powder including an elongated body and a closure arrangement at opposite upper and lower ends of the elongated body for forming a drying chamber within the elongated body. One of the closure arrangements including a drying gas inlet for introducing drying gas into the drying chamber. A spray nozzle assembly is supported in one of the closure arrangements. The lower end closure arrangement including a powder collection vessel for collecting powder dried in the drying chamber. The powder collection vessel is configured such that a blanketing gas may be directed into the interior of the powder collection vessel to blanket the powder in the powder collection chamber and thereby protect the powder from exposure to the drying gas from the drying chamber.

Abstract: A spray drying system for drying liquid into powder including a plurality of processing towers each including an elongated drying chamber, a spray nozzle assembly at an upper end of the drying chamber and a powder collection chamber at a lower end of the drying chamber. The powder collection chamber of each processing tower being configured to discharge power to a common conveyor system.

Abstract: An electrostatic spray drying system includes an electrostatic spray nozzle having a spray tip assembly arranged to discharge a supply of fluid into a drying chamber. The electrostatic spray nozzle is responsive to a duty cycle signal that determines periods at which the electrostatic spray nozzle is open to inject the fluid. A controller is programmed to activate a pulse width modulation (PWM) mode of operation for the electrostatic spray assembly, initiate a first timer, provide a first duty cycle signal to the electrostatic spray nozzle at a first PWM activation frequency while the first timer has not reached a first pulse duration, initiate a second timer when the first timer has reached the first pulse duration, and provide a second duty cycle signal to the electrostatic spray nozzle at a second PWM activation frequency while the second timer has not reached a second pulse duration.

Abstract: An electrostatic spray dryer for drying liquid into powder including an elongated body defining a drying chamber, a spray nozzle assembly at one end of the drying chamber and a filter element housing and powder collection chamber at an opposite end. A non-structural non-metallic liner is disposed within the elongated body in spaced relation to an inner wall surface for defining an internal drying zone. The liner is releasably supported within the body for enabling selective removal and replacement following a particular usage. The illustrated elongated body has a modular construction comprising a plurality of modules, with at least one being selectively removable and replacement for altering the length of the drying chamber for a particular spray application. The liner also is replaceable with a liner of a length corresponding to the altered length of the drying chamber or with a different diameter for a particular usage.

Abstract: A spray dryer for drying liquid into powder including an elongated drying chamber, a spray nozzle assembly at an upper end of the drying chamber and a filter element housing and powder collection chamber at a lower end of the drying chamber. The filter element housing comprises a plurality of cylindrical filter elements supported from a wall of an exhaust chamber that communicates with an exhaust gas outlet of the filter element housing. In one embodiment, the filter element housing includes an inner downwardly opening cylindrical shroud surrounding the filter elements which defines an outer annular powder and drying gas passageway communicating with the powder collection chamber, and the exhaust chamber is defined by a downwardly opening conical plenum having an outer conical surface for directing drying gas and powder about the shroud into the powder collection chamber. Filter elements each have a respective reverse gas pulse cleaning device.

Abstract: A spray drying system for drying liquid into powder including an elongated body and a closure arrangement at opposite upper and lower ends of the elongated body for forming a drying chamber within the elongated body. One of the closure arrangements including a drying gas inlet for introducing drying gas into the drying chamber. A spray nozzle assembly is supported in one of the closure arrangements. The lower end closure arrangement including a powder collection vessel for collecting powder dried in the drying chamber. The powder collection vessel is configured such that a blanketing gas may be directed into the interior of the powder collection vessel to blanket the powder in the powder collection chamber and thereby protect the powder from exposure to the drying gas from the drying chamber.

Abstract: A spray drying system for drying liquid into powder including a plurality of processing towers each including an elongated drying chamber, a spray nozzle assembly at an upper end of the drying chamber and a powder collection chamber at a lower end of the drying chamber. The powder collection chamber of each processing tower being configured to discharge power to a common conveyor system.

Abstract: A fluidized bed coating apparatus for coating liquid onto the surfaces of particles directed into a coating chamber. A liquid spray nozzle assembly disposed below a hollow separator within the coating chamber includes an ultrasonic atomizer for atomizing coating liquid into a fine liquid particle cloud and a pressurized air directing air cap for forming the ultrasonically atomized fine liquid particle cloud into a cone shaped spray pattern and propelling the liquid particles through the separator into an upbed region of the coating chamber for recirculation in an outbed region, and through the separator. A cooling air passageway system is provided within the spray nozzle assembly for cooing the ultrasonic atomizer during operation.

Abstract: A fluidized bed spray drying system for drying liquid into powder including an elongated drying chamber, a spray nozzle assembly at an upper end of the drying chamber and a powder collection chamber at a lower end of the drying chamber. A drying gas inlet is provided in the powder collection chamber and a drying gas outlet is provided at an upper end of the drying chamber. A plurality of cylindrical filter elements at the upper end of the drying chamber are in communication with the exhaust gas outlet for filtering drying gas borne powder from drying gas exiting the drying chamber.

Abstract: A modular spray gun manifold having a plurality of spray gun modules arranged in a lateral array each separated by an adjacent support assembly. Each spray gun module has a central liquid passage communicating with a spray nozzle and a transversely oriented liquid inlet port communicating through an outer side of the spray gun module for connection with an independently controllable liquid supply. The spray gun modules further include a recirculation port communicating between the central passageway and a recirculation conduit in an adjacent support assembly. A control valve of each module is operable when in open spraying position for blocking communication of liquid from the central passageway to the circulation port and when in a valve closing position blocking the liquid flow to the spray nozzle while redirecting liquid from the liquid inlet to the recirculation port for recirculation through the manifold array.

Abstract: A spray dryer for drying liquid into powder including an elongated drying chamber, a spray nozzle assembly at an upper end of the drying chamber and a filter element housing and powder collection chamber at a lower end of the drying chamber. The filter element housing comprises a plurality of cylindrical filter elements supported from a wall of an exhaust chamber that communicates with an exhaust gas outlet of the filter element housing. In one embodiment, the filter element housing includes an inner downwardly opening cylindrical shroud surrounding the filter elements which defines an outer annular powder and drying gas passageway communicating with the powder collection chamber, and the exhaust chamber is defined by a downwardly opening conical plenum having an outer conical surface for directing drying gas and powder about the shroud into the powder collection chamber. Filter elements each have a respective reverse gas pulse cleaning device.

Abstract: An electrostatic spray drying system includes an electrostatic spray nozzle having a spray tip assembly arranged to discharge a supply of fluid into a drying chamber. The electrostatic spray nozzle is responsive to a duty cycle signal that determines periods at which the electrostatic spray nozzle is open to inject the fluid. A controller is programmed to activate a pulse width modulation (PWM) mode of operation for the electrostatic spray assembly, initiate a first timer, provide a first duty cycle signal to the electrostatic spray nozzle at a first PWM activation frequency while the first timer has not reached a first pulse duration, initiate a second timer when the first timer has reached the first pulse duration, and provide a second duty cycle signal to the electrostatic spray nozzle at a second PWM activation frequency while the second timer has not reached a second pulse duration.