The reason for insulating and cladding drying chambers is to reduce the heat loss and thus
improve the thermal efficiency. However, the insulation material has sometimes caused
bacteriological hazards due to crack in the chamber wall, and old wet insulation material
is often the reason for powder deposits in the drying chamber due to cold spots.

The most radical way to avoid any problems is to remove the insulation completely – however the drawbacks are:

a) The evaporative capacity drops by up to 10% due to higher heat loss.
b) The temperature in the dryer room can in some cases exceed 40° C and is thus to be considered a very unpleasant working environment.

In view of the above, GEA Niro has developed removable insulation panels with an air gap between the chamber wall and the panels. This makes it possible to inspect, on a regular basis, the outside of a spray drying chamber in order to detect any leaks or cracks, which could be a bacteriological hazard to the powder production.