Automation and Innovative Design of BUCHI’s New Spray Dryer Markedly Improve Spray Drying Performance

“Spray drying can be tedious and difficult to optimize or reproduce, as many parameters are not accessible to users,” says Mr. Marco Meuri, Business Area Manager at BUCHI Labortechnik. “The new Mini Spray Dryer S-300 enables you to monitor, control and automate your process like never before so you can obtain reproducible powders with minimal effort. All parameters, such as spray gas, drying gas and pump speed are automatically regulated by the system. The instrument also monitors both outlet and newly the product temperature for ultimate protection of heat-sensitive samples.”

The Mini Spray Dryer S-300 has been carefully designed to make the most efficient use of the operator’s time. The unique Auto Mode of the Mini Spray Dryer S-300 enables a fully automated spray drying process, freeing time for other tasks. Method programming options save a substantial amount of time by allowing users to save and repeat their runs, even possible for a sample queue where one sample is processed after another. Data reports in different formats can be easily generated at the push of a button.

Remote control options add to the convenient operation of the new Mini Spray Dryer S-300. The system can be monitored and controlled with an app on any mobile device or computer for more flexibility and shorter reaction times to any process changes.

“Operational safety and convenience were priorities for us when developing the Mini Spray Dryer S-300,” added Mr. Meuri. “Together with the Inert Loop S-395, users can safely handle samples with organic solvents. Spray Drying of water and organic solvent mixtures is also made possible by the Dehumidifier S-396, which provides dry air and allows for stable spray drying conditions.”

Innovative system features have been added to ensure higher reproducibility of the spray drying process. Sample loss is minimized thanks to a cyclone with a conductive coating that prevents the sample from sticking to the walls. The stainless-steel spray drying nozzle is strengthened with a ruby stone to further increase process reproducibility. Novel cyclone mounting simplifies system maintenance, as the cyclone can be easily taken apart and cleaned to also minimize risk of cross-contamination.

The Mini Spray Dryer S-300 is the newest version of the popular BUCHI Mini Spray Dryers, which has been featured in thousands of scientific publications on pharmaceutical, chemical and food-related research. To protect existing scientific data, extra care has been made to ensure all results are reproducible between the Mini Spray Dryer B-290 and the Mini Spray Dryer S-300. Hence, no research work completed on the Mini Spray Dryer B-290 is lost during transfer to the Mini Spray Dryer S-300.

The Mini Spray Dryer S-300 completes an established family of BUCHI laboratory equipment for drying applications. Together with the Encapsulator B-390 for encapsulation of active ingredients, the Nano Spray Dryer B-90 HP for handling of very small samples with highest yields and Lyovapor™ L-200/L-300 for laboratory-scale freeze drying, BUCHI’s drying portfolio can used for any R&D application in need of a highly efficient, versatile, and reproducible drying process.