Table 1.

Comparison of Direct and Indirect dryers [4]

Direct/adiabatic dryer (convective Indirect/non-adiabatic contact
Property
type) dryer (conductive type)
Uses sensible heat of gas that contacts Little or no carrier gas is required
Carrier gas the solid to provide the heat of to remove the vapors released
vaporization of the liquid from the solids
Heat transfer medium is in direct Heat needed to vaporize the
Heat transfer contact with the surface of the material solvent is transferred through a
to be dried wall
Avoided, as the heat transfer
Risk of cross
Persists medium does not contact the
contamination
product
Easier because of limited amount
Difficult as there is a large volume of
Solvent recovery of non-condensable gas
gas to be cooled to recover the solvent
encountered
Operation under Allows operation under vacuum,
Not possible
vacuum ideal for heat sensitive materials
Minimized because of small
Dusting High
volume of vapors involved
Easier to control as vapors can be
Explosion hazard Higher rate
easily condensed
Handling of toxic
Not suitable Suitable because of low gas flow
materials
Higher energy efficiency as the
Significant energy lost through exhaust
Energy efficiency energy lost through the exhaust
gas
gas is greatly reduced
Drying rates are limited by heat
Evaporation and
Higher than contact dryers transfer area, lower production
production rates
rates
Higher initial cost; difficult to
Cost High
design, fabricate and maintain