Morphology and Fluidity of Spray-Dried Powder Transported by Compressed Air

This work was carried out in a tile ceramic company that works with the wet milling process. The main objective was to evaluate the variations in the characteristics of the spray-dried powder transported vertically using compressed air. The particle size distribution, moisture and fluidity of the spray-dried powder were evaluated. The granule morphology was evaluated by scanning electron microscope. The main concern was the spray-dried powder fluidity, which in turn can impair the loading of the press, causing compaction fluctuations and thereby geometrical and size variations in the pressed samples. The results show that the vertical transportation by compressed air significantly impairs the fluidity of the spray-dried powder, reduces the moisture content and change the sphericity of the granules.