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Application of ZLSIL™, ZQSIL™ and ZLCSIL™ Series Silica Products in Spray Drying Processes
Created on 04.07
Application of ZLSIL™, ZQSIL™ and ZLCSIL™ Series Silica Products in Spray Drying Processes
Spray drying is a universally adopted industrial process for separating and manufacturing solid powder products from emulsions, dispersions, or solutions. It is widely utilized for powder production across a diverse range of industries, with key application sectors including:
• Food industry: tomato powder, compound soup bases, food flavorings, non-dairy creamers, egg powder, and more
• Dairy industry: milk powder, whey powder, and related products
• Feed industry: calf milk replacers, vitamin preparations, etc.
• Polymer materials industry: redispersible polymer powder, cellulose ethers, polycarboxylate superplasticizers, etc.
• Agrochemical industry: pesticide formulations
• Pharmaceutical industry: medicinal cellulose, lactose, active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) preparations, and more
Despite the significant differences in properties of powder products across these categories, all manufacturers share core production objectives: stable process operation, controllable production costs, and superior final product quality.Core Functions of Zhongqi Silica Products in Spray Drying Operations
When ZLSIL™, ZQSIL™ or ZLCSIL™ series silica and silicate products from Zhongqi (Shandong) Silicon Materials Co., Ltd. are fed into the spray drying tower, the silica/silicate components bond with the drying material particles, forming a uniform protective layer on the particle surface.
This protective layer effectively prevents particle agglomeration inside the spray tower, drastically reduces particle viscosity, and fundamentally eliminates product adhesion to the inner walls of equipment and pipeline surfaces. Compared with production processes without silica/silicate additives, the modified dried powder achieves remarkable improvements in flowability, storage stability, and application functionality when subjected to humidity and temperature fluctuations, as well as compressive loads during long-term transportation and storage, delivering a comprehensive enhancement of the overall quality of powder products.
In the spray drying production of vinyl acetate-acrylic terpolymer, an additive dosage of just 1% by mass can keep the inner wall and top cover of the spray tower clean, enable long-term trouble-free continuous production, avoid capacity loss caused by shutdowns for cleaning, while simultaneously improving product yield, optimizing production costs, and enhancing the sustainability of the production process.
From the perspective of application rules, the higher the coverage rate and the better the uniformity of the particle surface coated by ZLSIL™, ZQSIL™ or ZLCSIL™ series silica/silicate products, the more excellent the application effect of the additives.
Hydrophobic silica products (such as ZLSIL™ D 17 Precipitated Silica, ZLCSIL™ WR 972 Fumed Silica) feature water-repellent properties, offer easier dispersion in production systems, typically deliver better process compatibility compared with hydrophilic silica products, and can significantly improve the long-term anti-caking performance of spray-dried powders.
However, it should be noted that the hydrophobic protective layer formed on the surface of spray-dried powders may affect the dissolution and dispersion performance of the powder in water-based formulations. In addition, hydrophobic silica products may be subject to regional regulatory differences in certain application scenarios (such as food and feed formulations). For inquiries related to these application issues, you can directly contact our sales and technical service team.
The feeding position of ZLSIL™, ZQSIL™ and ZLCSIL™ series silica/silicate products plays a critical role in the application performance of the additives.
It is highly recommended to feed the silica/silicate products into the system via vapor phase feeding at a position close to the atomizer (the device that generates the liquid droplets to be dried). This can be achieved through: a dedicated feeding port at the top of the spray tower, a side feeding port at the upper part of the spray tower, or feeding through the hot drying air flow pipeline.
Post-addition blending of the powder after the spray drying process is an alternative option, but this method cannot achieve anti-sticking and anti-agglomeration effects inside the spray tower, and requires additional investment in blending processes and equipment.
The table below lists the commonly used ZLSIL™, ZQSIL™ precipitated silica/silicate products, and ZLCSIL™ fumed silica series for industrial spray drying applications. For niche application scenarios with special requirements, we can provide a full range of customized special products.
Product Model | Product Features | Application Notes |
ZLCSIL™ WR 972 | Hydrophobic Fumed Silica | General Purpose Industrial Grade |
ZLCSIL™ 200 | Hydrophilic Fumed Silica | General Purpose Industrial Grade |
ZLCSIL™ 200 F | Hydrophilic Fumed Silica | Food/Feed Special Grade |
ZLCSIL™ 380 | Hydrophilic Fumed Silica | General Purpose Industrial Grade |
ZLCSIL™ 380 F | Hydrophilic Fumed Silica | Food/Feed Special Grade |
ZLSIL™ D 17 | Hydrophobic Precipitated Silica | General Purpose Industrial Grade |
ZLSIL™ 22 S | Hydrophilic Precipitated Silica | Food/Feed Special Grade Available |
ZLSIL™ 50 S | Hydrophilic Precipitated Silica | Food/Feed Special Grade Available |
ZLSIL™ 340 | Hydrophilic Precipitated Silica | Restricted for food/feed use in Europe |
ZLSIL™ 350 | Hydrophilic Precipitated Silica | Food/Feed Special Grade Available |
ZLSIL™ 380 | Hydrophilic Precipitated Silica | Food/feed contact compliance under evaluation |
ZLSIL™ 622 S | Hydrophilic Precipitated Silica | For supply and use in China only |
ZQSIL™ 5162 | Hydrophilic Precipitated Silica | General Purpose Industrial Grade |
The actual application dosage of ZLSIL™, ZQSIL™ and ZLCSIL™ series products shall be comprehensively determined according to the specific application scenario, production process configuration and expected performance objectives. The recommended addition dosage (by mass) for conventional application scenarios is as follows:
• Chemical synthesis applications: 0.5% – 5%
• Food applications: 0.5% – 2%
• Feed applications: 0.5% – 3%
• Agrochemical applications: 0.5% – 5%
For accurate product selection and dosage guidance for specific application scenarios, you can directly contact the dedicated liaison personnel of the Technical Service Department of Zhongqi (Shandong) Silicon Materials Co., Ltd.
Zhongqi (Shandong) Silicon Materials Co., Ltd. Specialized in R&D, production and sales of high-end food & pharmaceutical excipient grade silica. Core brands: ZLSIL™, ZLXIDE™, ZLCSIL™. Products meet global food-grade standards, providing compliant high-performance formulation solutions for global food & pharma enterprises.
Full-process technical support & customized services available from our headquarters and production base.
Contact: Tel +86 53188737397 | Email Levin@silicaplant.com
Technical docs & application support available on request.
All information herein and published content is for reference only, with no warranty of accuracy or completeness. No warranty is given for product use results. We accept no liability for improper product use or information reliance. We reserve the right to adjust product prices & specifications without notice. For infringement issues, contact us for removal.
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