Horizontal Thin Film Dryers Horizontal thin film dryers are continuously operated contact dryers and used for a broad range of applications under vacuum, atmospheric pressure and overpressure. They consist of a horizontal externally heated shell with end covers, the inlet and outlet nozzles for feed, vapour and final product, nozzles for the heating medium and a rotor with screwed on elements supported in external bearings. The wet product fed through the inlet nozzle is conveyed steadily by the rotor elements along the heated dryer wall in a thin film, allowing an optimum heat transfer and a high evaporation performance. Vapours pass counter-currently to the product flow and leave the dryer close to the feed nozzle. Entrained particles are removed in the wet zone. Moisture levels of a few tenth of a percent up to 5% and more can be achieved. The residence time of the product is typically between 5 and 15 minutes. Applications • DRYING of slurries, sludges, pastes, filter cakes, wet powders • HEATING and COOLING of solids • MELTING (Urea etc.) • REACTION •MIXING of solids with liquids and subsequent thermal processes Process Features • Continuous, fully enclosed processing • Short residence time, small product hold-up • Low energy consumption • Superior mixing efficiency • Flexible through exchangeable rotor elements * Self-cleaning of heat exchange surface • Easy access • High heat transfer coefficient