Distillers’ grains are by-products generated during brewing. They usually contain high moisture content, which makes them prone to spoilage and decay, releases unpleasant odors and causes environmental pollution. To tackle this problem, distillers' grains drying equipment has been developed on the market to dry wet distillers' grains for convenient storage, further processing and utilization. This article introduces the working principle of distillers' grains drying equipment.
I. Working Principle of Distillers' Grains Drying Equipment
The equipment mainly consists of a drying cylinder, heat source system, conveying system and control system. Its core principle is to rapidly dry distillers’ grains with high-temperature hot air and evaporate internal moisture to achieve dehydration.
Specifically, once wet distillers’ grains enter the drying cylinder, they fully contact high-temperature hot air inside. During heat and mass transfer, surface moisture of the grains evaporates quickly. Afterwards, internal moisture gradually escapes to complete dehydration and drying. Meanwhile, the drying equipment can effectively remove peculiar smells from distillers’ grains and upgrade product quality.
II. Operation Procedures for Drying Wet Distillers' Grains
1. Preparations
Before drying, crush large lumps of wet distillers’ grains into small particles to optimize drying efficiency. In addition, inspect the overall operating condition of the equipment to guarantee normal operation of the heat source and conveying systems.
2. Startup and Preheating
Preheat the equipment for a period of time before formal operation until the internal temperature reaches the required drying standard, then commence feeding and drying.
3. Feeding and Drying
After finishing preparations, feed wet distillers’ grains into the drying cylinder via the conveying system. During the drying process, strictly control the internal cylinder temperature and air volume to prevent over-drying or uneven drying of materials.
4. Discharge and Collection
Once drying is finished, convey the dried distillers’ grains out of the cylinder through the conveying system for collection. The treated distillers’ grains are ready for storage or deep processing.
III. Operation Precautions
Regular cleaning and maintenance of the drying equipment are essential. Clean the machine after long-term operation to maintain sanitation and operational safety.
Operate the distillers' grains dryer in strict accordance with safety operating procedures to prevent safety accidents.
