Paddle Dryer / Cooler

The GMF-Gouda Paddle Dryer is a machine used to heat treat powders,

granulates, filter cakes and pasty products in a full-continuous process.

These processes vary from drying, cooling, crystallising and calcinising to melting,
evaporating, solvents, sterilising, etc.

The GMF-Gouda Paddle Dryer has a heated trough

containing rotating heated paddle shafts. The
product is fed into the front of the machine. The
trough is oriented at a small angle of inclination,
placed slightly in unloading position. The product
moves to the outlet as a result of gravity. The
paddles do not have a transport function. They are
designed for maximum heat transfer. At the outlet
side, the product moves out of the machine via the
overflow unit.

The features of the GMF-Gouda Paddle Dryer are:

• Excellent control of the retention time and

temperature.
This results in a uniform product quality;
• No drying air required to dry the product;
• Hardly any dust production due to the slowly-
turning paddle shafts;
• Better heat transfer due to the specially-
shaped paddles.

The machine can be used for varied processes within a wide range of markets.

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Multifaceted thermal processes
The GMF-Gouda Paddle Dryer is a machine that is used for a wide variety of applications.
Applications for which stringent demands are set on uniform product quality (accurate
retention time control and/or strict temperature control), a careful treatment of the product
in order not to damage it or cause it to generate dust, or precisely the robustness of the
machine. And not unimportant: its compact construction in comparison with other
machines. The hollow shape of the paddle shafts ensures that the total surface area of
the interior functions as a heat exchanger. Many square metres of heat-exchanging
surface on only a limited amount of required floor space.

How does the GMF-Gouda Paddle Dryer work?

The product is fed into the front of machine through the top cover. Because the machine
is placed on a small slope, the product moves evenly through the machine under the force
of gravity. Consequently, the paddles do not have a transport function. The paddles
provide good heat transfer to the product and mixing of the product. At the end of the
machine, the end-product moves over the overflow unit and leaves the machine via the
underside. The product comes into intensive contact with the walls of the trough, the
shafts and the paddles. These are all heated.

The product level reaches slightly above the paddles. Above the product level there is a
collection area for vapours. The vapours that collect there are removed from the machine.
The working principle of the GMF-Gouda Paddle Dryer, with low rotation speed of the
paddle shafts and indirect drying principle, contributes to a negligible or even zero
substance emission. When it is nevertheless decided to use a gas cleaner, such as a gas
scrubber or gas filter, its size can remain small due to the low gas flow rates.

The table below shows how the GMF-Gouda Paddle Dryer relates to a stirred heated tank
(CSTR). The parameters listed are relative to one another.

Heated Volume Heat transfer Product flow

surfaces process area
GMF-Gouda Paddle Dryer many low high plug-flow
Stirred heated tank (CSTR) few high low arbitrary

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Direct drying versus indirect drying
The GMF-Gouda Paddle Dryer works on the basis of the indirect drying principle. Indirect
drying has various advantages in comparison with direct drying.

Direct drying
In direct drying, the heat of gasses is transferred immediately to the product. The hot
gasses come in direct contact with the product. That has a number of consequences,
including:

• The product may often not come into

contact with gasses (e.g. due to
product contamination, hygroscopic
products, etc.);
• Intensive product contact with gasses
generates dust;
• Relatively large volumes of hot gasses
must be cleaned, which requires gas
cleaning equipment;
• The recovery of solvents is more
difficult;
• Much unused heat leaves the dryer
again.

Indirect drying with the GMF-Gouda Paddle Dryer

In indirect drying, the heat is transported to the product via a metal wall. The heating medium
(steam, oil or water) remains separated from the product.

That has a number of advantages, including:

• The product never comes into
contact with the heating medium;
• Little or no dust formation due to
slowly-rotating paddles shafts;
• Intensive product contact through
special paddle shape with relatively
much heat-exchanging surface;
• No need to use sweep gas. The
result is low or even no flow waste
gasses that have to be cleaned.
Furthermore, toxic, odorous and
flammable products can be
processed safely;
• The recovery of solvents is simpler.

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Higher heat transfers coefficients
The GMF-Gouda Paddle Dryer produces an intensive contact with the product during the
rotation of the shafts. The heat transfer coefficients are high as a result of the specific
paddle design.

The wedge-shaped paddle ensures for

excellent contact on both sides of the
paddle and mixes the product in radial
direction. In addition, the wedge-shaped
paddle ensures for shear forces on the
paddle surface and this keeps the paddle
clean and contributes to improved heat
transfer.

The paddle shafts turn in opposite

directions. Paddle plates are attached to
the paddle. The paddle plates keep the
walls of the trough clean and also provide
for extra mixing. View of a half-filled GMF-Gouda Paddle Dryer.
The paddle shafts use a staggered grip.
Optimal mixing and heat transfer.
The paddles are attached to the shafts in
such a way that during turning they "grip" between the other paddles. This configuration
reinforces the mixing effect and the heat transfer due to the increased shear forces.

The efficiency of the GMF-Gouda Paddle Dryer

The compact construction
As mentioned earlier, the GMF-Gouda Paddle Dryer is a compact machine. That is
because it has many square metres of heat-exchanging surface relative to the content.
Two hollow shafts with hollow paddles turn in opposite directions in the horizontal trough.
The trough has an ω-(omega) shape that follows the contour of the paddles.

The paddle shape

Moving parts are crucial for the system. They have
been expertly designed. Excellent heat transfer is
ensured when the product is refreshed regularly and
remains in good contact with the heat-exchanging
surface.

The paddles of the GMF-Gouda Paddle Dryer play a

large role in creating these optimal conditions.

Specific paddle shape for maximum heat

transfer and self-cleaning capacity.

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 • The fragile product is not damaged because the smooth
paddle shape does not force it to flow;

• The uniquely-shaped paddle has a self-cleaning capacity. The

wedge-shaped paddle produces shear forces on the paddle
surface and this keeps the paddle clean and contributes to a
higher heat transfer;

• Even pasty and/or sticky products that do not flow freely can
be processed perfectly;

• An even flow (plug flow) through the machine gives each

product particle an identical retention time and ensures a high
uniform product quality;

• The front and back of the paddle transfer heat to both sides
because they are not placed in slanted position. It therefore
has a propelling force on both sides. This is in contrast with
transport screws or other paddle dryers that only transfer heat
Pasty products in the Paddle Dryer.
on the propelling side.

Paddle:
Transport screw: Product contact = heat flow
Product contact = heat flow in both directions.
in only a single direction.

As the product moves through the machine, the paddles ensure that the product is well
mixed and that it flows easily through the machine.

The paddles gives excellent mixing in radial direction. The product is mixed poorly in axial
direction. As it moves further into the machine, the product increasingly meets the end
specifications with preservation of the plug flow.

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The shafts are accurately aligned. The paddles turn alongside one another and this
creates a good ratio between product / heat-exchanging surface and product flow. The
dustproof cover of the GMF-Gouda Paddle Dryer can also be adjusted for a process
under vacuum or overpressure.

Condensation that may result during the process can be prevented by completely heating
the cover or by a light air flow (if necessary with an inert gas) to the central discharge
outlet on the cover.

Additional process techniques

Heating / cooling combination
The GMF-Gouda Paddle Dryer offers the possibility to process products with different
temperature zones in the machine. In this way, the product can undergo two or even three
temperature treatments. For example, the product can first be heated quickly. The product
can then be given a certain retention time at a lower temperature in order to meet the end
specifications. And when the product meets the specifications, it can be cooled. All in a
single machine.

Removal of solvents
Special attention is given to the sealants in order to prevent the escape of solvents. The
collection of solvents occurs by keeping their concentration in the exhaust vapours as
high as possible. The pressure is monitored by a small gas de-aerator. The solvents are
condensed and the waste gasses / non-condensables are drawn off.

Recirculation
Some products become very viscous when they have a certain moisture content. In most
cases this "sticky phase" or pasty phase can be well processed using standard paddle
shafts. For, the paddles have a self-cleaning capacity. Where other systems have to
recirculate a dried product in order to avoid the stick phase, the Paddle Dryer can usually
dry the product in one step without recirculation.

Well-coordinated quality check

Thanks to a well-dosed product flow, the product temperature at the product outlet can
serve as a measure for the moisture content and as a check of the supply of heating
medium. In this way, a constant product quality can be achieved, even when the amount
of the supply and the moisture content vary.

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Applicability

The GMF-Gouda Paddle Dryer is a machine used for a wide variety of applications.
The applications for which this machine can be used include:

Industry-oriented
• Chemical
• Environment
• Pharmaceutical
• Foodstuff

Process-based
• Drying
• Heating
• Cooling
• Roasting
• Melting
• Cooking / braising
• Calcination
• Crystallisation
• Sterilisation Half-filled Paddle Dryer with polished paddle shafts.
• Removal of solvents

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Pilot plant ensures process data
GMF-Gouda has an extended database containing knowledge and experience of a large
number of products. The pilot plant can be used for products that have not been tested
before or for existing processes that need further improvement.

All processes can be simulated in our laboratory. The reliability of the simulations is
proven by the success of hundreds of installations worldwide. In certain cases, tests can
be done at the customer's site. Mobile test machines can be leased for that purpose.

Test facilities
Manual test
To perform a manual test, we need about 5
kg of product in order to determine the
behaviour of the product.

Guarantee test
To perform a guarantee test, we need
between 500 and 1000 kg of product in order
to determine the capacity and the process
parameters. On that basis, process
guarantees are granted and a
comprehensive report is made.
Mobile test machine

HEAD OFFICE
GMF-Gouda Coenecoop 88 2741 PD Waddinxveen, The Netherlands
P.O. Box 375, 2740 AJ Waddinxveen
Tel.: (+31) 182-623 723 Fax.: (+31) 182-619 217

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