Increased Efficiency
Up to 70% less energy need

No odor emissions to environment
Neighbor friendly production

Increased Throughput
Shorter drying time

Compact Size
Reduced space required

Reduced Total Cost of Ownership
Low opex, fast ROI

Improved Product Quality
No oxidation, less aroma loss

Full Electrification
No gas dependency

No Fire nor Explosion Risk
No oxygen in system

No CO2 Emissions
Using high temperature heat pumps

Food proof production
Depathogenized by sterilization

Water Recovery
Water recycling within company

Less Cooling after Drying
Flash drying effect at discharge

PURE Steam Drying is a continuous drying process of highest energy efficiency and without CO2 emissions. It operates in the absence of air in an atmosphere of superheated steam with steam temperatures between 100° and 200°C at atmospheric pressure. This approach allows the continuous recovery of the evaporation heat necessary for drying in a simple way by recompressing the vapor by means of a high temperature heat pump. The heat required to evaporate the liquid water from the material is returned to the process in a heat exchanger by condensing the vapor. Vapor recompression (MVR) gives the technology maximum energy efficiency. While moist material is fed into the process from below through open airlocks from the ambient air through the steam-air separation layer, dry material and liquid water of 100°C leave the plant in a sterile condition, which allows the water to be reused.

The technology can be powered exclusively by electricity, which means that CO2 emissions are zero if a renewable source is used. The process can achieve a specific energy requirement of 0.3 kWh/kg of evaporated water (including preheating), depending on the material, the initial moisture content and the desired target drying level. If waste heat of at least 100°C is available, it can be fed into the process, further increasing energy efficiency.

The specific energy need varies depending on the application and especially on the moisture removal percentage along the drying process.

1.   Superheated steam flow toward material (150° – 180°C, 1 atm.)
2.   Water evaporation from material
3.   Increased steam mass flow leaving material (110° – 140°C)
4.   Steam reheating in heat exchanger
5.   Heat loss compensation by additional heaters
6.   Recompression of additional steam (4 – 5 barA)
7.   Heat recovery by condensation (140° – 150°C)
8.   Water discharge (~100 °C)
9.   Continuous material feed
10.  Material discharge

PURE Steam Drying is suitable for all materials that can be dried at a temperature of at least 100°C. Depending on the material properties, the material temperature rises to typically 110-120°C, with the steam temperature being 140-160°C. After the material leaves the steam atmosphere, it undergoes abrupt post-evaporation, causing the temperature to drop rapidly.

Depending on the materials, be it sludge, bulk, granules, sand or ceramic molds, the conveying principle can be integrated into the drying environment in any way adapted. PURE Steam Drying can be scaled to all orders of magnitude.

Whether PURE Steam Drying is suitable for drying your products can be shown by tests.

We offer drying tests of your materials using our laboratory equipment. This allows subsequent analysis of the product quality and determination of the final moisture content. In addition, a statement can be made about the necessary residence time. The determination of the sorption isobars of the material also allows a statement about the necessary drying temperature and the energy requirement.

Please contact us: info@aquaero-water.com