De Dietrich Process Systems

Dust-Free Drum Containment System
The portable, self-contained drum containment system (DCS) keeps toxic, explosive, flammable powdered materials and powders with difficult flow characteristics totally contained to eliminate cross-contamination and personnel exposure during transfer operations. The DCS features multiple containment barriers, which enable powder to be transferred in any environment, directly into process equipment by a single operator. The DCS is designed to be used with the firm’s powder transfer system (PTS), which pneumatically conveys material, by dense phase, into a chamber and then releases it under slight nitrogen pressure directly into the vessel.

OptiMix reactor
Eliminating the need for top-entry baffles, the OptiMix reactor utilizes three wall-mounted baffles to enhance heat transfer, solids suspension and distribution, gas dispersion, gas flowrates, and mass transfer through improved mixing. The patented baffle design improves CIP efficiency by eliminating the difficult-to-clean top-head pocket at the baffle/nozzle interface. Vortexing and splashing are significantly reduced, resulting in less product drying and sticking to the heated wall above the liquid surface. In addition to improving cleanability, the sidewall construction of the baffles makes all top head nozzles available for process use. The symmetrical baffling of the OptiMix reactor reduces shaft deflection and extends seal life by minimizing the bending loads that are imposed on the agitator shaft. OptiMix glass-lined reactors are available in pilot plant and production sizes with either a standard jacket, or with a HemiCoil split-pipe jacket for optimum heat transfer.

Clean Valve
Designed for use on glass-lined reactors where batch-to-batch cleanability is important, the Clean Valve is a bottom-flush valve that is easy to operate and clean. The self-draining valve allows for a variety of functions (including sampling, gas dispersion, maintenance, etc.) without the need to interrupt the process and without dismantling the valve. The glass-linedsteel design ensures no metal contamination of the process fluid and enables use across a wide temperature and pressure range. The valve seat seals against the bottom outlet nozzle to prevent any collection or build-up of materials in the annular area between the valve seat and nozzle wall. An additional port with a 5-deg. downward sloping angle has been built into the valve to facilitate cleaning of the internal components and body. The Clean Valve features a UniTIP glass-lined steelhead and stem that is machined to provide a smooth-sealing surface for the valve-packing sealing rings. A Teflon-encapsulated Viton O-ring seal located in front of Chevron packing within the sealing neck provides a primary seal and positive sealing against the valve body to eliminate the accumulation of process material above the Chevron packing.

Powder Transfer System (PTS)
Powdered products that are either hazardous or subject to contamination when exposed to the workplace environment can be transferred safely by a self-contained Powder Transfer System (PTS). Designed for such products as pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals and metal powders, the totally sealed pneumatic system requires no external filters or vents, allowing dust-free charging of powder directly into closed vessels, including those under vacuum or pressure. The system transfers materials at velocities up to 5 m/sec, and can reportedly move non-free-flowing powders, including some wet cake, and handle flammable and explosive products safely. The system employs a sealed transfer vessel that is connected to the feed container and mounted on the vessel to be charged. Product is moved into the transfer vessel and then charged into the receiving vessel with no escape of dust or air into the environment. The PTS is equipped with four valves, one each for product inlet, product outlet, vacuum source and pressure source. The inlet valve is connected via sealed tube to the product source, and the outlet valve is similarly connected to the receiving vessel. Inside the PTS cover is a membrane that can filter particles down to 1 µm.