Drying is one of the most common thermal operations in industry. In its simplest form, it is also one of the most intuitive: think of bed sheets drying quickly on a sunny, windy day. Everyone is familiar with drying from everyday life.
We mean the same thing when we talk about drying on a Revtech: the removal of water by heating a material and sweeping it with a flow of gas (usually air), which helps the process by carrying moisture away from the material. The higher the temperature and airflow, the faster the drying.
This solution is part of Revtech’s continuous heat-treatment range for the chemical industry.
Continuous dryer:
precise, electric, made for high-value products
What is the purpose of the drying process?
Drying can serve several purposes: extending a product’s shelf life, reducing transportation costs (paying to ship water is rarely the goal), or reaching the material properties required for the next step in the process, such as a subsequent chemical reaction or a sorting operation.
Our continuous dryer for your drying needs
Our continuous drying system can process materials across a wide range of initial moisture contents, particle sizes, densities, and natures. The main requirement is that the product remains free flowing and non-sticky throughout the process. Revtech offers continuous drying equipment designed for the precise and efficient treatment of powders and shaped materials such as pellets and extrudates, whether organic or inorganic.
Inside the vibratory tower, the product advances along a heated coil and dries in direct contact with it. A gas flow, usually air, sweeps the product to carry moisture away as it evaporates. This atmosphere can be precisely controlled, and a defined amount of gas can be injected directly inside the coil (closed system), in direct contact with the product. Gas flow rate, temperature, residence time, and gas injection are all tightly controlled and fully adjustable, so the process can be matched to the specific requirements of each material and application.
A wide range of residual moisture contents can be reached in our drying system. Depending on the temperature the solid material can withstand, moisture contents down to the ppm level are achievable, provided the product tolerates elevated temperatures. This is what we call ultra-drying. When applied to inorganic materials such as catalysts, the same process is often referred to as calcination.
Examples of concrete applications of the drying process developed by Revtech
Revtech’s drying technology is built for high-value products where precision, reproducibility, and full process control are non-negotiable. It is used across the chemicals and food industries, from the drying of powders and catalysts to moisture-sensitive food ingredients.
Drying catalysts and sorbents
Catalysts and sorbents sit at the heart of many industrial processes, steering chemical reactions and separations toward higher efficiency and selectivity. They are handled in a range of forms, from fine powders to pellets and extrudates, and drying is often a required step before they perform.
Drying catalysts and sorbents prior to their industrial use is essential for several reasons, and Revtech has developed its expertise in this field over more than 29 years. Our drying technology removes the water used as a solvent during the impregnation step, delivering a material that is ready for the next stage of catalyst manufacturing, typically calcination.
Our drying technology is also used at high temperatures (above 500 °C) for the calcination of sorbents such as molecular sieves, where strongly adsorbed water must be removed for activation or reactivation.
Several catalyst manufacturers have chosen Revtech to dry their precious metal catalysts, drawn by the high level of process control, negligible material losses, improved energy efficiency, and easy cleaning that prevents cross-contamination.
Drying organic powders
Drying is a very common step in the organic and pharmaceutical industries, where synthesis is often carried out in solution before the product is crystallized. The resulting wet solid then needs to be dried, or its moisture content reduced, depending on the application.
The drying of pharmaceutical ingredients and fine chemicals, usually in powder form, is a key application for Revtech.
Drying nutraceuticals and food additives
Our drying system has been used to remove moisture from high-value food additives, nutraceuticals, and dietary supplements that require precise control over temperature and residence time, such as certain vitamins and minerals. For these heat-sensitive, high-value ingredients, gentle and accurate drying is essential to preserve activity and quality.
Drying battery materials
Revtech's technology plays a role in battery recycling through the continuous treatment of shredded Li-ion battery material, directly after shredding and before the various battery components are sorted. This step does not strictly remove water but rather electrolytes, so the term "stripping" is often used instead of "drying". The operating principle, however, remains the same.
This stripping process, the removal of volatile compounds, can also be applied to many other materials, such as catalysts, for the purpose of their regeneration.
Further downstream, once the battery shred has been stripped, a proper drying step can be applied to the lithium-based or metal-based materials recovered as wet solids after the hydrometallurgical process, where valuable elements are leached in aqueous solution.
Which systems are available on the market?
Various systems can be used for drying :
Belt dryers
Paddle dryers
Fluidized bed dryers
Rotary dryers
Horizontal or vertical vacuum dryers
Revtech vibratory dryers
Each has its place, but most offer only coarse control over the parameters that decide drying quality: how long the product stays in the dryer, the temperature it actually reaches, and the gas that carries moisture away. Many also heat slowly and waste a large share of their energy, which weighs on both product consistency and running costs.
Why choose a Revtech vibratory dryer for your drying projects?
In a Revtech dryer, gentle vibrations move the material forward as a thin, constantly renewed layer against the heated coil. Every particle is mixed and exposed in the same way, so the whole product flow dries evenly, with no hot spots and no over-dried fractions.
The coil temperature is tracked and corrected in real time to within +/- 1 °C, tight enough to protect heat-sensitive high-value products while still driving moisture down to the target level. Plug flow operation with no dead zones holds every particle’s residence time to within +/- 1 minute, so drying stops at the same endpoint across the whole batch. Gas injection and extraction points along the coil let the sweeping gas, and the moisture it carries away, be managed precisely from inlet to outlet. This degree of control is difficult to reach with conventional dryers.
The equipment behind this precision is built for industry: more than 29 years of field service, low maintenance, and reliable, cost-efficient operation over a long lifetime. Each line is engineered around a specific product rather than adapted from a standard model, and delivered turnkey for fast commissioning on site.
Unlike gas-fired dryers, a Revtech is electrically heated, which supports decarbonization goals while enabling the fine temperature control that gas cannot match. This precise control is what makes it possible to reach very low residual moisture, down to the ppm level, on sensitive high-value products, an ultra-drying capability that sets Revtech apart from conventional drying equipment.
Combined, these advantages position Revtech as a leading solution for industrial drying applications.
A good example of applied drying is lithium-ion battery recycling, where the same continuous technology not only removes moisture but even recovers the electrolyte for revalorization.
Tell us about your project to arrange a trial on the pilot line.
All about the drying process
What is the maximum initial moisture content that can be handled by a Revtech dryer?
There is no single answer, because the only real requirement is that the material remains free flowing so it can be conveyed by vibration inside the coil. Some materials stay free flowing at moisture contents as high as 50 to 60 wt%. A Revtech dryer cannot, however, handle slurries, pastes, or liquids.
Up to which material flowrate can Revtech technology be used as a dryer?
Our technology can reach product throughputs of up to approximately 4 t/h. The maximum achievable throughput depends directly on the initial moisture content: the higher the moisture, the lower the throughput, since more energy is needed to evaporate the additional water. Materials with a low bulk density or a low maximum allowable temperature will likewise tend to give lower throughputs.
How low a moisture content can a Revtech dryer reach?
It depends on how much heat the product can tolerate. For heat-resistant materials, a Revtech can bring moisture down to the ppm level, a capability we refer to as ultra-drying. On more sensitive products, the target is set by the temperature the material can withstand without degrading. In every case, the final moisture content is a controlled parameter rather than an approximate result, which is what high-value applications require.
Is a Revtech dryer suitable for electrification and decarbonization projects?
Yes. A Revtech is electrically heated, with no on-site gas combustion, which makes it a natural fit for manufacturers looking to cut fossil fuel use and lower the carbon footprint of their thermal processes. Electric heating also gives finer temperature control than gas-fired systems, so decarbonization comes without any loss of process precision.
Can a Revtech process Li-ion battery materials?
Yes. Revtech technology is used to treat shredded Li-ion battery material, removing volatile organic compounds in a continuous, controlled process (a step often called stripping). It can also dry the lithium-based and metal-based solids recovered downstream, after hydrometallurgical treatment. Battery recycling is one of the fastest-growing applications for our technology.
Do you have operating dryers as references in the industry?
Absolutely. Our equipment has been successfully used in industrial drying processes for more than 29 years, including the drying of catalysts and sorbents. On request, we can put you in touch with existing users and even arrange site visits.
How can I determine whether my process is suitable for Revtech technology, and how can its performance be assessed?
Testing on your actual product is the surest way to decide before investing in a new technology. Our headquarters host a pilot unit, built to industrial standards, where your material can be dried under representative conditions. It handles throughputs from several tens to several hundreds of kg/h and operating temperatures up to 700 °C, enough to cover the full range from gentle drying to ultra-drying.
Our trial team supports you throughout the campaign. We can rent any additional equipment your process calls for, such as inert or reactive gas supply or off-gas treatment, and arrange complementary services like online gas analysis. Based on your results, our process expert can also provide preliminary CAPEX and OPEX estimates for a full industrial line. Reach out and we will help you assess what Revtech can do for your product.
