CFW Projects has more than 20 years of experience in offering drying solutions. The technologies we use depend on the requirements of the customer and the ambient temperature and humidity conditions at the drying facility site. We can provide equipment for operations of any scale, from small-scale production with the CFW Mini Dryer to commercial-scale pet food factories, and for a wide range of products, including pellets, pet biltong and pet nutrition supplements.

The drying technologies we have used for pet food include

• Refrigeration type heat pump dehumidifiers
• Electrical heat and vent drying
• Steam heat and vent drying
• Hot water heating
• Hybrid drying systems consisting of a combination of various components above to optimise and improve flexibility
• Tunnel drying arrangements
• Batch room drying systems
• Containerized drying systems
• Rental drying solutions

This wide range of options enables us to offer cost-effective drying solutions as well as advice on improvements to existing systems. These include upgrading, repairs and switching to different energy sources. The systems we provide are designed and manufactured in-house, with integrated electrical and control systems, giving us a full understanding of the systems we provide and enabling us to provide correspondingly swift and focussed service.

Belt dryers are often recommended for drying or cooling extrudates. Heat can be recovered from the cooler to save energy in the drying system. CFW can design and manage the air system and integrate it entirely for effective drying.

About Pet Food Drying Systems

Many kinds of pet food are dried to extend product life and prevent bacterial growth and mould infestation. The texture and integrity of these foods are also more stable; as they are already fairly dry, they do not suffer damage from further drying as do semi-moist pet foods. The target moisture content varies from up to 30% for semi-moist foods down to 6%-15% for pellets.

Manufacturers typically use large thermal convection drying systems where temperatures can be fairly high. The product may subsequently undergo air-cooling and cleaning to remove crumbs, particles and remaining moisture.

Case-hardening, leading to interior moisture content that is too high, is often a problem for smaller South African producers. This may occur because the initial drying temperature is too high.