Spouted bed drying of Bauhinia forficata link extract: the effects of feed atomizer position and operating conditions on equipment performance and product properties

In this paper the effects of feed atomizer position and operating conditions on equipment performance (accumulation rate, product recovery, elutriation and thermal efficiency) and product properties (moisture content, size distribution, flavonoid degradation and flow properties) during spouted bed drying of Bauhinia forficata Link extract are evaluated. The parameters studied were the position of the atomizer system (top spray or bottom spray), the inlet temperature of the spouting gas (80 and 150oC) and the feed mass flow rate of concentrated extract relative to the evaporation capacity of th...