Spray Dryer Applications: What Products Can Be Spray Dried?

A spray dryer converts a pumpable liquid feed into a powder by atomizing it into droplets and evaporating the liquid in a controlled drying-gas stream. Applications extend from pharmaceutical formulations and herbal extracts to dairy ingredients, specialty chemicals, ceramic slurries, and battery-material precursors. The feed may be a solution, suspension, dispersion, or emulsion, provided it can be handled and atomized by the selected system. [1]

For manufacturers, the useful starting point is the product they want to make: a stable API formulation, an extract powder with a defined marker content, an instant beverage ingredient, or a ceramic granule with suitable handling properties.

This guide covers 141 product and formulation entries across nine application categories. The examples include established industrial applications and candidates for specialized process development. Suitability depends on the actual formulation, feed properties, required powder specifications, and results from product trials.

Bombay Pharma Equipments’ spray dryers provide a starting point for discussing open-loop and closed-loop systems for laboratory, pilot, and production requirements. [13]

How spray drying works

The process starts with a prepared liquid feed. A nozzle or rotary atomizer breaks the feed into droplets inside the drying chamber. Contact with the drying gas causes evaporation, leaving particles that are collected through the chamber outlet, cyclones, and an appropriate filtration arrangement. [10,17]

The resulting powder properties depend on how the feed is formulated and how the dryer operates. Atomization, feed concentration, drying conditions, and residence time influence particle formation. A successful process must deliver the required product quality as well as acceptable recovery. [16]

1. Pharmaceutical APIs and formulation powders

A pharmaceutical spray dryer can be considered for powder formation, formulation development, and particle engineering. Depending on the formulation, development objectives may include dissolution performance, powder handling, or particle properties for a subsequent manufacturing step. [2]

API and formulation examples to evaluate include:

• Paracetamol, ibuprofen, diclofenac sodium, metformin hydrochloride, gabapentin, pregabalin, and theophylline.

• Carbamazepine, ketoconazole, itraconazole, atorvastatin calcium, montelukast sodium, aripiprazole, celecoxib, and voriconazole.

• Omeprazole, pantoprazole sodium, lansoprazole, rifampicin, azithromycin, amoxicillin trihydrate, ciprofloxacin hydrochloride, and acyclovir.

• Mannitol formulation and lactose formulation.

The intended solid form needs to be defined before process development. Producing a dry powder alone does not establish that an API meets its specification. Relevant evaluation may include assay, impurities, residual moisture or solvent, particle properties, and solid-state stability.

The list does not establish that these materials can share one production line. Pharmaceutical projects also need product-specific decisions about containment, segregation, cleaning, and qualification. Specialized containment is a separate design requirement. [3]

2. Spray-dried dispersions and amorphous solid dispersions

Spray drying is an important development route for spray-dried dispersions, often abbreviated as SDDs. For a suitable API and polymer combination, rapid solvent removal can produce an amorphous solid dispersion intended to improve dissolution behaviour. The formulation must also maintain the required physical stability during storage. [2,15]

Illustrative API–polymer pairings for screening include:

• Carbamazepine + PVP; ketoconazole + PVP; itraconazole + HPMC; itraconazole + PVPVA.

• Celecoxib + PVP; celecoxib + Soluplus; fenofibrate + PVP; fenofibrate + HPMC.

• Indomethacin + PVP; indomethacin + HPMC; ritonavir + polymer carrier; posaconazole + polymer.

• Atorvastatin + polymer; lopinavir + polymer; telmisartan + polymer.

These pairings are development candidates. The polymer grade, drug loading, solvent system, feed stability, and drying conditions need experimental selection. A named combination should not be described as a proven stable formulation without supporting data.

Where the selected solvent is flammable, the process requires an appropriately engineered inert-gas system and solvent-handling arrangements. Powder drying and any additional residual-solvent reduction must be assessed against the final specification. [12]

3. Biological, fermentation, and functional ingredients

Biological materials require attention to activity retention as well as powder formation. Spray drying has applications in enzyme and protein processing, while sterile pharmaceutical products require a dedicated aseptic process design. [4,5]

Examples in this category include proteins, peptides, amino acids, enzymes, vaccines, yeast extract, lactase enzyme, protease enzyme, amylase enzyme, and probiotic cultures.

The same evaluation criteria do not apply to every entry. Amino acids and yeast extract, for example, are different process-development cases from a vaccine or a live probiotic culture.

For enzymes, the final powder should be evaluated for retained activity. Probiotic development requires measurements of viable organisms after drying and during storage. Published experimental work shows that the protective formulation can materially affect probiotic survival; the result must be established for the specific strain and process. [5,6]

A closed-loop dryer does not, by itself, establish aseptic processing. Gas recirculation and solvent recovery address different requirements from sterile-product manufacture. Vaccine and other sterile biologic applications need suitably designed, qualified aseptic systems and evidence that the product retains its required characteristics. [4,12]

4. Nutraceuticals and herbal extract powders

A spray dryer for herbal extracts can convert a liquid extract into a powder for further formulation, blending, or packaging. Development needs to balance powder recovery and handling with retention of the extract’s relevant active or marker compounds. [7]

Herbal extract examples include ashwagandha extract, turmeric extract, amla extract, neem extract, brahmi extract, green tea extract, ginger extract, ginseng extract, and moringa extract.

Other nutraceutical examples include spirulina, chlorella, vitamin C formulation, beta-carotene emulsion, omega-3 emulsion, and protein hydrolysate.

The feed form matters. A filtered botanical extract, an algae suspension, and an oil-containing emulsion present different requirements for pumping, atomization, and drying.

Some formulations use carrier materials to aid powder formation or encapsulation. Carbohydrate carriers such as maltodextrin are used in the development of powders containing flavours, fragrances, and oils. Carrier choice and loading must match the intended composition of the finished product. [8]

For hydroalcoholic extracts, system selection should consider the actual solvent mixture and its process hazards. The botanical name alone cannot determine whether an open-loop or closed-loop dryer is appropriate.

5. Food, dairy, beverage, and protein powders

Food spray drying covers dairy concentrates, beverage extracts, protein ingredients, flavours, and nutritional formulations. Different products may require fine powders or agglomerated powders with suitable reconstitution properties. Multi-stage systems can combine spray drying with fluid-bed processing where the product requires it. [9]

Food and beverage examples include:

These names describe ingredient or powder targets. The dryer receives a suitably prepared liquid feed. A coconut milk powder project, for example, starts with an appropriate liquid emulsion.

Sugary and hygroscopic feeds can create sticking and caking problems. Feed formulation, operating conditions, and the need for agglomeration or additional drying should therefore be evaluated together. An instant powder specification also needs a defined measure of wetting, dispersion, or dissolution rather than relying on visual appearance. [1,9]

6. Chemicals, polymers, and specialty materials

Industrial spray drying is used across chemical applications including detergents, dyes, pigments, polymers, and other specialty materials. The process may be selected to produce a powder with suitable handling, dispersion, or downstream processing characteristics. [10]

Examples to evaluate include:

• Detergent slurry, soap slurry, pigment dispersion, and dye solution.

• Paint binder dispersion, polymer latex, PVP solution, PVA solution, and HPMC solution.

• Starch derivative, silica sol, chelate solution, inorganic salt solution, organic acid solution, and resin solution.

Feed viscosity, foaming, stickiness, abrasiveness, and solvent composition are useful starting points for design discussions. A polymer latex presents a different drying challenge from a dissolved inorganic salt.

Water-based feeds may be considered for open-loop processing after assessing the product and process. An organic-solvent resin solution requires a solvent-compatible process design. Aqueous feed alone does not remove the need to assess the hazards of the dried powder. [10,12]

7. Ceramics, battery precursors, and advanced materials

Spray drying can convert ceramic slurries and other advanced-material feeds into powders or granules for subsequent processing. Particle formation is particularly relevant where downstream manufacture depends on consistent granule characteristics. [10,11]

Examples include alumina slurry, zirconia slurry, silicon carbide slurry, titania slurry, cathode precursor slurry, anode precursor slurry, lithium iron phosphate precursor, nickel-manganese-cobalt precursor, nanomaterial suspension, and catalyst precursor.

For ceramic feedstocks, development may target granule size and handling properties. Battery-material projects place particular emphasis on controlled particle characteristics, process consistency, and the suitability of equipment for abrasive feeds. [11]

Spray drying prepares a dried intermediate. The complete manufacturing route may still require calcination, sintering, coating, classification, or other product-specific operations. Those requirements should be defined before the dryer specification is finalized.

8. Agrochemicals, feed additives, and cosmetic ingredients

Applications also extend to agricultural formulations, animal nutrition, and personal-care ingredients. Spray-drying and particle-processing systems are used in agrochemical production and in the manufacture of feed and cosmetic ingredients. [1,10]

Examples to evaluate include fertilizer solution, pesticide suspension, herbicide formulation, fungicide formulation, animal feed yeast, pet food digest, collagen hydrolysate, hyaluronic acid solution, cosmetic botanical extract, and fragrance encapsulation.

A pet-food digest project may focus on a practical powder ingredient, while a fragrance project may focus on encapsulation within a carrier matrix. Agrochemical formulations need their own requirements for active-content retention, product handling, and containment.

These applications should be assessed within the intended industry and production environment. Their inclusion in one application guide does not imply that food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and agrochemical products can be processed interchangeably on one installation.

9. Pharmaceutical excipients and carrier materials

Excipients can be spray-dried as ingredients or processed with an API or other functional material. Their role depends on the final formulation, which may target powder handling, stabilization, encapsulation, or particle engineering. [2,15]

Examples include PVP K30, Soluplus, HPMC, mannitol, trehalose, leucine, hydroxypropyl cellulose, MCC dispersion, sodium alginate, and chitosan.

An excipient name is only part of the specification. Grade, viscosity, concentration, and interaction with other components influence feed preparation and drying behaviour. A polymer suitable for one formulation may require different conditions in another.

For inhalation development, geometric particle size alone does not establish suitability. Aerodynamic performance and the required formulation characteristics need to be evaluated for the intended product. [2]

Open-loop or closed-loop spray dryer: how to choose

The product name helps identify the application. The actual feed and process requirements determine the appropriate system.

In a typical open-loop arrangement, drying air passes through the process and is discharged after suitable separation and treatment. A closed-loop inert-gas arrangement recirculates the process gas and can recover evaporated solvent through condensation. Oxygen monitoring and process controls are essential parts of solvent-system design. [12,13]

Containment, inerting, and aseptic processing address different requirements. The final equipment specification must identify which are needed for the particular application.

Learn more about solvent recovery in closed-loop spray dryers.

What should a spray-drying trial establish?

A useful trial starts with a defined feed and a defined powder specification.

The feed information should include composition, solvent mixture, solids concentration, viscosity, suspended-particle characteristics, and stability during preparation and pumping. The product targets should identify the required moisture or residual-solvent level, particle properties, and measures of quality or activity.

Trial evaluation should cover:

• Recovery: powder collected, wall deposits, fines losses, and a material balance.

• Dryness: residual moisture and, where relevant, residual solvent.

• Particle properties: size distribution, morphology, bulk density, and handling behaviour.

• Product quality: assay, impurities, solid form, marker content, enzyme activity, or probiotic viability as relevant.

• Storage performance: stability, caking, and packaging requirements.

• Scale-up requirements: atomization, gas handling, collection, cleaning, and available utilities.

Laboratory or pilot trials help evaluate feasibility and guide scale-up decisions. Results should be assessed against the intended specification rather than against the ability to collect a powder sample alone. [16]

Why temperatures need product-specific validation

An inlet temperature describes the drying gas entering the chamber. It is not the temperature experienced by the product throughout drying. Evaporation cools wet droplets, and the product’s exposure changes as drying proceeds. [2]

Outlet temperature, feed rate, gas flow, concentration, and residence time interact with drying performance. Lower temperature settings alone do not establish that a sensitive material will remain active or that the powder will be sufficiently dry. [1]

A product list with indicative inlet and outlet ranges is useful for planning. The operating window must be established for the actual feed, equipment, and final specification.

Frequently asked questions

Can a spray dryer process heat-sensitive products?

Some heat-sensitive products can be spray-dried using a suitable formulation and operating window. Feasibility depends on retained quality or activity, drying performance, and storage stability. It must be demonstrated through product-specific development. [2,5]

Can oils and fragrances be spray-dried?

They may be incorporated into suitable emulsions and encapsulated within a carrier matrix. This is a formulation and encapsulation process: it does not mean that a neat oil will become a dry powder simply by removing water. [8]

Does spray drying automatically improve API solubility?

Improvement depends on the formulation and resulting solid state. Spray-dried dispersion development must establish dissolution performance and physical stability for the selected API–polymer system. [2,15]

Can one spray dryer handle every product in this guide?

Suitability must be assessed application by application. Solvents, feed properties, product-contact materials, atomization, cleaning, containment, and the required product environment can demand different configurations. [3,13]

Discuss your spray-drying application with Bombay Pharma Equipments

Whether you are developing an API formulation, herbal extract powder, food ingredient, specialty chemical, or engineered material, start with the feed and the powder you need to produce.

Bombay Pharma Equipments offers customized open-loop and closed-loop spray-drying solutions for laboratory, pilot, and production applications. Share your product composition, solvent system, solids concentration, feed rate, required capacity, and target powder specifications so the system can be discussed around your process. [13]

Explore Bombay Pharma spray dryers or send your application enquiry.

Email: enquiry@bombaypharma.com [14]