Lab technologiesSpray drying
Spray drying turns a liquid into a powder in seconds, and it is how the industry makes milk powders, extracts, flavours, proteins and encapsulated ingredients. On our laboratory spray dryer you test the formulation and the parameter window before booking time on an industrial dryer.
inlet / outlet Tfeed solids %carrieraw
What we test on the bench
- Carrier selection (maltodextrin, gum arabic, protein) and feed solids ratio.
- Inlet and outlet temperatures, feed rate and atomization, and their effect on yield, moisture and aroma loss.
- Encapsulation of oils, flavours and functional ingredients, and their stability.
- Powder properties: moisture, water activity, bulk density, solubility, flowability and stickiness.
- Side-by-side comparison with freeze drying and vacuum drying on the same raw material.
From the lab to the line
A laboratory spray dryer does not reproduce the residence time and temperature profile of an industrial tower, and we do not pretend it does. What it does give you: proof of feasibility, a formulation that works, and a first operating window to take to a manufacturer or a pilot trial with far fewer guesses. Where needed, a computer drying model helps estimate behaviour at scale.
What you get at the end of the trial
Powder samples from every trial point, a parameter table (temperatures, feed rate, solids ratio, yield) with the powder measurements, a recommendation on formulation and carrier, and a first operating window for the pilot. Where needed, an estimate of the expected behaviour in an industrial tower.
Frequently asked questions
How much material is needed for a spray-drying trial?
A laboratory spray dryer usually needs a few hundred millilitres to a few litres of feed per trial point. The exact amount depends on the solids content and on how many parameters you want to compare, and we set it together when planning the trial.
Is powder from the lab dryer identical to industrial powder?
Not necessarily. Particle size and bulk density from a laboratory dryer tend to be lower than from an industrial tower, because of the atomization and the short residence time. What does transfer well: carrier selection, solids ratio, temperature sensitivity and aroma loss. We document the expected differences ahead of the pilot.
Let's put your idea on the bench
A short first conversation: the product or challenge, the market, where you are, and what's already known. Then we ask for a short brief and come back with a proposal.
Talk to usQuestions about cost, timelines or who owns the formula? Read the FAQ