Vacuum Drying of PA-11 Polymer (Nylon) Using a TURBODRY Horizontal Vacuum Dryer

Achieving 0.26% residual moisture in PA-11 nylon in just 30 minutes with the TURBODRY MHT-200RS horizontal vacuum dryer.

At Bachiller, we have conducted a series of pilot drying trials with PA-11, a bio-based engineering polyamide also known as nylon 11, using our TURBODRY MHT-200RS horizontal vacuum dryer.

The trials, carried out at our Test Center, achieved a minimum residual moisture content of 0.26%, demonstrating the feasibility of combining hydrothermal treatment and vacuum drying in a single industrial unit.

The Challenge: Optimizing Industrial Polyamide Drying
Polymer drying is a critical process in the chemical industry, particularly when handling materials such as polyamides, which require precise control of temperature, pressure, and residual moisture content.
The objective of this project was to optimize the hydrothermal treatment of PA-11, performed at temperatures close to 155°C, followed by vacuum drying to reduce the product's moisture content while minimizing agglomerate formation.
After observing agglomerate formation in previous trials using vertical drying technology, a horizontal vacuum dryer with agitation was selected for evaluation, aiming to improve treatment uniformity and the particle size distribution of the polymer.

The Solution: TURBODRY MHT-200RS Horizontal Vacuum Dryer
To validate the process, the TURBODRY MHT-200RS was used. This horizontal paddle dryer is designed to combine mixing, thermal treatment, degassing, and vacuum drying operations for solid and wet products.
Its agitation system keeps the product in continuous motion, promoting uniform heat transfer and efficient moisture removal. In addition, it incorporates a high-speed chopper that helps control agglomerate formation during the process.
This configuration allows temperature, pressure, and agitation conditions to be adapted to the characteristics of each product, combining different processing stages within a single unit.
During the PA-11 polyamide pilot drying trials, six tests were conducted using different polymer grades, processing between 40 and 50 kg of material per trial.

Results of PA-11 Polymer Vacuum Drying
The trials demonstrated the TURBODRY's ability to significantly reduce the moisture content of nylon 11. Residual moisture levels ranging from 0.26% to 0.50% were achieved, depending on the polymer grade and operating conditions.
One of the most significant results was obtained during a trial in which vacuum drying reduced the moisture content from 8.9% to 0.26% in approximately 30 minutes.
In addition to moisture removal, the particle size distribution of the product was evaluated. Thanks to the horizontal configuration and the agitation and deagglomeration system, improvements were achieved compared to previous trials using a vertical dryer.
Under certain operating conditions, more than 90% of the particles had a size below 160 µm, reaching up to 95.3% in one of the trials.
Furthermore, the discharge system enabled the automatic recovery of an average of 92% of the processed material, demonstrating satisfactory performance during discharge operations.
These results highlight the potential of the TURBODRY horizontal paddle dryer for the industrial drying of technical polyamides. Its technology combines significant moisture reduction with effective agglomerate control and removal, while allowing operating conditions to be tailored to the specific requirements of each process.

Validate Your Polymer Drying Process at Bachiller's Test Center
At Bachiller, we have more than 50 years of experience in the design and manufacture of industrial vacuum dryers and process equipment for the chemical, pharmaceutical, and food industries.
Our Test Center enables pilot trials using real products, allowing different drying technologies to be evaluated and the most suitable operating conditions to be determined before industrial scale-up.
We offer solutions for the vacuum drying of nylon, polyamides, and other polymeric materials, tailored to the specific requirements of each application.
Do you need to optimize your polymer drying process or validate an industrial process using your own product?

Discover our Test Center and find out how we can help you validate your process.