Energetic, Exergetic, and Exergoeconomic Analyses of Spray-Drying Process during White Cheese Powder Production

In this study, white cheese powder was produced using a pilot-scale spray dryer. Drying experiments were carried out with an inlet drying air temperature range of 160-230 degrees C, an outlet drying air temperature range of 60-100 degrees C, and an atomization pressure range of 294.2-588.4 kPa. The performance of the spray-drying process and the effects of process conditions on the process performance were evaluated using energetic, exergetic, and exergoeconomic analyses. The performance assessment was performed by using energy and exergy efficiencies, improvement potential ((I) over dotP) rate, total cost, and exergoeconomic factor terms. A comprehensive parametric study was conducted to investigate the effect of varying dead-state temperatures on exergetic and exergoeconomic performance parameters for the drying process. Correlations between the performance parameters and dead-state temperatures were developed. Exergetic efficiency values and (I) over dotP rates were found to vary between 2.66 and 6.00% and 7.54 and 10.96 kW, respectively, and total costs and exergoeconomic factors were in the range 7.30-7.82 TL/h (Turkish lira per hour) and 76.09-81.93%, respectively.