| abstract |
Apparatus are set forth for particularly dehydrating products such as corn syrups, fruit and vegetable extracts, dairy products, or other temperature-sensitive or hard-to-handle products. The apparatus include using a pulse combustor to generate a hot, turbulent, gaseous environment in a dehydration chamber and spraying the feedstock into the chamber. As the feedstock droplets travel through the chamber, they are dehydrated and thereafter collected by suitable devices. Temperature and feedstock residence time in the chamber are controlled to prevent product degradation. Where the dehydrated product is hygroscopic, processing aids may be added to control hygroscopicity. |