CFW Projects has produced dryers for a wide variety of applications. We focus on energy-efficient equipment tailored to the needs of a particular client. Our experience in the fields of thermodynamics and flow control is extensive, and we can provide customised solutions for a vast array of applications.

We focus on providing the most cost-effective equipment for the feed material and scale required. Entry-level options include a batch Mini Dryer available for rent ex stock. Larger businesses can trade in equipment or buy a complete large-scale system.

Every product has unique drying characteristics, and the properties which make for a high-quality product often depend on the drying process. These are among the solutions we have provided:

The variety of materials, with their different initial and desired properties, can make it challenging to design or select a drying system that meets the production requirements of the user while keeping costs down. The design aspects are multifarious and often depend greatly on the site and unique needs of the customer. It is no wonder that many technical descriptions of the engineering for industrial drying refer to it as an art requiring extensive experience.

The variables involved may be completely different for different applications:

• Feedstock particle size may be at the micron scale or the item may be several centimetres long.
• The product may have almost any degree of porosity.
• The drying time may range from less than a second (for very thin and porous items) to months for certain kinds of timber.
• Production capacities may range from less than a kilogram to many tonnes.
• The product may be stationary or move through the dryer at high speeds.
• Temperatures and pressures are highly variable.

In addition, the processes involved are highly nonlinear, making it difficult to scale up a dryer.

This range of variation makes it impossible to prescribe a general rule for drying that will apply to every industry, or even in most cases to all products within an industrial sector. A sound knowledge of the fundamentals of thermodynamics and relevant material properties, as well as copious experience, are the only safeguards against engineering errors that can lead to significantly lower profits.

In the advanced economies, drying applications use a significant proportion of the total energy use of industry. This proportion varies greatly, being fairly low for the chemical sector and much higher for paper production. In any case, the bulk of the costs involved lie in energy consumption and operation rather than in the capital cost.

Drying may be needed to make the handling, transportation and storage of the material easier, as well as for product quality. Poorly managed drying can irreversibly damage many kinds of product, leading to production losses.

CFW has undertaken numerous projects in a wide range of industries that process products with different drying dynamics and specifications. We can design and manufacture dryers for projects of any scale.