Summary
Spray drying is a common industrial process used to produce powder products in a variety of industries, including food, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries. However, it is an energy intensive process where a significant portion of the energy is generated using fossil fuels. Due to increasing sustainability goals and rising fuel costs many companies are exploring more energy efficient solutions. ATHCO has therefore developed a hygienic heat exchanger with a high efficiency, greatly improving the energy recovered in spray drying systems.
This paper will give operational insights and outline the benefits of ATHCO’s heat recovery system. The system captures heat from the humid exhaust air, enabling substantial energy savings and a reduced carbon footprint. The system uniquely recovers heat by condensation, increasing the potential energy recovery compared to traditional heat recovery systems operating above the dew point.
1. Introduction to Spray Drying and Energy Demands
Spray drying involves the rapid dehydration of a liquid feed into a powder, using high temperature air to evaporate the water from the feed. This process is energy intensive, with a typical spray drying system operating with a throughput of 90,000 kg/h with an inlet temperature of 180°C consuming around 4.3 MW of energy. A significant portion.

Challenges in Energy Recovery:
- Conventional heat recovery system keep
- Companies are often reluctant to allow condensation due to perceived risks , such as corrosion, powder load and hygiene concerns.
ATHCO’s solution addresses these challenges, enabling efficient, condensation-based heat recovery while maintaining hygienic standards and minimizing risks.
2. ATHCO’s Hygienic Heat Exchanger: Innovation in Heat Recovery
ATHCO’s CIP‘able high-efficiency heat exchanger represents a breakthrough in energy recovery technology for spray dryers. The unit is designed with the following core features:
- Condensation-Based Recovery: By operating in condensation mode, the heat exchanger captures latent heat from the humid exhaust air, enabling up to 50% more energy recovery compared to non-condensing systems.
- Hygienic Design: The unit is engineered to meet stringent hygiene standards, making it suitable for applications in chemical, feed, food, and other industries with strict requirements.
- High-Efficiency Operation: The system offers an impressive coefficient of performance (COP) of over 100, providing high energy output relative to input, without requiring an external heat pump.
3. Energy Recovery Potential
In a typical spray drying process, the energy savings achievable through ATHCO’s heat exchanger are considerable. Here’s a breakdown of the potential energy recovery:
- Standard Recovery (Non-Condensing): Operating above the dew point, traditional heat exchangers can recover around 1 MW from a 4.3 MW system, equating to roughly 23% of the total energy demand.
- Condensing Recovery with ATHCO’s Unit: By operating in condensation mode, ATHCO’s heat exchanger increases energy recovery by 50%, capturing approximately 1.5 MW, which translates to around 35% of the spray dryer’s energy consumption
This additional recovery is due to the capture of latent heat in the exhaust air, which is typically lost in non-condensing systems.
4. Environmental and Economic Benefits
The adoption of ATHCO’s heat exchanger system offers several environmental and economic advantages:
Environmental Benefits
- Reduced Carbon Footprint: By reducing fossil fuel dependence, the system decreases greenhouse gas emissions associated with spray drying processes.
- Lower Energy Consumption: The recovery of latent heat results in a more sustainable energy usage model for high-temperature drying applications.
Economic Benefits
- Significant Cost Savings: By reducing overall energy consumption by up to 35%, companies can lower their operating costs, especially as fuel prices continue to rise.
- Attractive Payback Period: With typical payback periods under three years, and often under two, the initial investment in ATHCO’s heat exchanger provides a fast return on investment, making it an appealing choice for energy-conscious businesses.
5. Comparative Analysis: Condensing vs. Non-Condensing Recovery
Feature | Standard Non-Condensing Recovery | ATHCO Condensing Recovery |
Energy Recovery | 1 MW (approx. 23%) | 1.5 MW (approx. 35%) |
Latent Heat Capture | No | Yes |
COP | 100 | >100 |
Payback Period | Typically 3-5 years | Typically <3 years, often <2 years |
The table above highlights the advantages of ATHCO’s condensing recovery over traditional non-condensing systems, particularly in terms of energy savings and return on investment.
6. Operational and Maintenance Considerations
Operating below the dew point in condensation mode can raise concerns about condensation management and potential hygiene issues. However, ATHCO’s heat exchanger is engineered to handle these challenges effectively:
- Condensation Management: The system is designed to control condensation effectively, preventing any negative impact on performance or hygiene.
- Hygienic Standards: Materials and design features are selected to resist corrosion and ensure compliance with industry-specific hygiene requirements, particularly cleanability in feed and food applications.
- Low Maintenance: The unit requires minimal maintenance, with an easy-to-clean design that reduces downtime and maintenance costs.
7. Case Study: Energy Savings with ATHCO’s Heat Exchanger
A spray dryer with an air throughput of 90,000 kg/h and 180°C air inlet temperature serves as a typical example. Under standard operating conditions, this system would consume about 4.3 MW of energy.
With ATHCO’s heat exchanger in place:
- Energy Recovery in Condensing Mode: The system recovers approximately 1.5 MW, reducing energy consumption by 35%.
- Estimated Annual Savings: Assuming 8,000 hours of operation annually, the total energy savings amount to 12,000 MWh. Given current energy prices, this translates to significant cost savings and a reduced payback period for the equipment.
8. Conclusion
ATHCO’s high-efficiency hygienic heat exchanger for spray dryers offers a transforming approach to energy recovery by enabling safe and effective condensation-based recovery. This innovation provides substantial energy savings, reduces carbon emissions, and delivers an impressive return on investment. With rising energy costs and increasing pressure to adopt sustainable practices, ATHCO’s solution is positioned to offer a competitive advantage to companies willing to embrace advanced energy recovery technologies.
For more information on how ATHCO’s heat exchanger can improve the energy efficiency of your spray drying operations, please contact our sales team.