Drying and Processing Systems for Catalyst Manufacturers

Large Niro Spray Dryer for production of catalysts

• Spray dryers in every conceivable configuration
• Fluid bed dryers - batch, continuous, stationary or vibrating
• Swirl fluidizers - an agitated flash dryer
• Extensive range of pilot plants
• State-of-the-art test stations

For over half a century, Niro has designed spray dryers and fluid bed processors for catalyst manufacturers and remains the supplier of choice for the vital processing stages for catalysts used in the petroleum refining and petrochemical industries.

Spray Dryers

Please see this page for Spray Dryer Selection.

Solutions, slurries and gels of both catalyst and catalyst carriers are spray dried with equal success. Aqueous catalyst formulations are dried in open cycle systems, while closed cycle systems are employed when the active components are dispersed in organic solvents.

Niro spray dryers have special atomizer and air disperser design features that secure continuous production of powders having properties for catalyst effectiveness in cracking, organic syntheses, and polymerization.

Spray drying transforms a pumpable catalyst formulation into dry powder in a continuous single step operation. The formulation is atomized in a spray using either an abrasion resistant rotary (wheel) or nozzle atomizer. The spray is mixed with hot air entering the chamber from an air disperser. Evaporation of moisture, particle formation, and completion of drying is accomplished under controlled conditions that give uniformity of powdered catalyst quality. The dry catalyst is discharged from the drying chamber and the air, after passing through a cyclone, bag filter or scrubber combination for final powder recovery, is exhausted to atmosphere.

Niro Vibro-Fluidizer® is a vibrating fluid bed of the plug flow type. The Vibro-Fluidizer® is successfully used on all types of powders, agglomerates, and granulates, especially those which fluidize poorly due to a broad particle size distribution or highly irregular shape, or require relatively low fluidization velocities to prevent attrition

Flash and Fluid Bed Dryers

Aeromatic-Fielder laboratory batch fluid bed type STREA-1 for product testing and application development. Here shown in a configuration which make it suitable for processing with organic solvents

These units are employed when the feed material is a heavy paste or a wet solid. Agitated flash dryers (Swirl Fluidizers) for dewatered catalyst support materials; fluid bed dryers for extrudates and other wet particulate materials. Such systems can be designed for open or closed cycle operation.

Pilot Plants

To assist both universities and corporate R&D departments, Niro offers a wide range of feasibility- and process development-scale spray dryers and fluid bed processors. The Niro range of pilot plants is available for purchase or testing at Niro test facilities.

Our test facilities are by far the most comprehensive offered by any company in the drying business. Here the feasibility of spray drying and/or flash and fluid bed drying can be established and testwork carried out to optimize processing conditions and provide representative product samples for further analysis and scale-up.