Continuous Spray-Drying Process for Beta-Carotene Powders
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing water-dispersible powders with high fat-soluble compound content, such as beta-carotene, face challenges in achieving low filter residue and maintaining powder quality during the spray-drying process, often resulting in unacceptable high filter residues due to particle collapse and agglomeration.
Innovation Solution
A process involving a bimodal particle-solvent distribution is achieved by splitting the emulsification and evaporation steps, using a loop setup with multiple evaporation and emulsification steps, and employing modified starch or gelatin as emulsifiers, ensuring that particles are stable and do not collapse during solvent removal, thereby maintaining high fat-soluble compound content and low filter residue.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the emulsification and evaporation steps are performed in a single continuous process, then the production efficiency is improved, but the particle stability deteriorates causing collapse and agglomeration
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous process is segmented into discrete alternating steps of emulsification and evaporation. The emulsification step creates particles with solvent in the core, followed by an evaporation step that removes solvent. This segmentation prevents particle collapse by allowing controlled solvent removal at specific intervals, while maintaining high productivity through continuous operation of the segmented steps in sequence.
2Loss of time
If the solvent removal is accelerated, then the processing time is reduced, but the particle structure collapses and filter residue increases
Solution Approach 1:
The solvent removal is performed through periodic evaporation steps that alternate with emulsification steps. Each evaporation step removes a portion of the solvent at a controlled rate, preventing sudden structural collapse. The periodic nature allows the particle structure to adapt gradually, maintaining integrity while achieving complete solvent removal over time.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the emulsifier concentration is increased to stabilize particles, then the particle stability is improved, but the filter residue increases due to agglomeration
Solution Approach 1:
The emulsifier concentration is optimized to the minimum level required for stability, and the particle stability is enhanced through controlled solvent removal kinetics. The alternating emulsification-evaporation steps allow particles to maintain stability with lower emulsifier content by preventing solvent-induced collapse, thereby reducing emulsifier-induced agglomeration and filter residue.
4Quantity of substance
If the spray-drying is performed with high fat-soluble compound content, then the powder quality is improved, but the filter residue before spray-drying increases
Solution Approach 1:
The solvent is removed through preliminary evaporation steps before spray-drying, creating a pre-concentrated dispersion with high fat-soluble compound content. This preliminary solvent removal prevents particle collapse and agglomeration that would otherwise occur at high concentrations, enabling the production of high-quality powder with minimal filter residue.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for the production of high-quality, water-dispersible powders with significantly reduced filter residue, enabling the manufacture of powders with high beta-carotene content, even with low-performing solvents like ethyl acetate, and ensures continuous operation without interruptions.
Implementation Method 1
removing the solvent of an intermediate composition in an evaporator
Implementation Method 2
an aqueous dispersion is spray-dried
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing spray-dried powders. During the process, a solvent is used. The process is done in a continuous manner and such that the emulsification mass ratio is low when removal of the solvent is started. Preferred solvents are isopropyl acetate and ethyl acetate. The invention also relates to a set-up to run the inventive process at industrial scale.