Filter Dryers
Filtration and Drying in One Vessel — 3V Tech
Overview
The Filtrodry is 3V Tech’s Nutsche-type pressure filter dryer, combining solid-liquid separation and vacuum drying in a single vessel. A concentrated slurry enters the unit and leaves as a dry powder, without operator exposure and without transferring product between separate filtration and drying steps. Pressure filtration, re-slurry washing, cake smoothing, displacement washing, vacuum drying, and product discharge all take place inside one closed vessel.
The range spans two-arm, three-arm, and four-arm top-entry agitators, each fitted with toothed arms in straight or S-shaped profiles for cake smoothing and heat transfer. Adding heated arms increases the drying surface and shortens drying time across the family. A glass-lined Filtrodry FEP/GL variant is available for aggressive acid service, and a tilting SteriFilt/RFD variant is built for sterile and high-potency products.
A double mechanical seal, available flushed, dry running, or with gas lift-off, separates the drive mechanism from the process area. Integrated CIP coverage reaches the vessel, seal recess, process connections, dust filter, and discharge hatch, supporting cleaning between batches.
Available in chemical, pharmaceutical, and sterile versions, with discharge isolator options up to OEB6.
Common Specifications
| Type | Nutsche pressure filter dryer |
| Filtering surface | Up to 10 m² (FEP/SD) |
| Design pressure | -1 to +6 barg |
| Design temperature | -25 °C to +200 °C |
| Agitator | Top-entry, toothed arms, straight or S-shaped |
| Mechanical seal | Double: flushed, dry running, or gas lift-off |
| Filter media | Synthetic cloth, metal mesh, or sintered multilayer metal mesh |
| Materials | 316L stainless steel, Duplex, Alloy C-22, Titanium, glass-lined |
Model Range
| FEP/SD (two-arm) | Baseline two-arm filter dryer. Filtering surface up to 10 m². |
| FEP/TD (three-arm) | Adds a third heated arm for increased drying performance. |
| FEP/XD (four-arm) | Four heated arms with roughly 50% more heated surface than the two-arm design and reduced drying time. Filtering surface up to 8 m². |
| FEP/GL (glass-lined) | G2208 enamel for aggressive acid conditions. Filtering surface up to 2 m². |
| SteriFilt/RFD (tilting) | Tilting filter dryer for sterile products and HPAPIs. Filtering surface up to 2.5 m², no dust filter required. |
| TOTUM RFE | All-in-one reactor-filter-dryer combining reaction, filtration, and drying in one vessel. |
Key Features
One-Vessel Process
Pressure filtration, re-slurry and displacement washing, cake smoothing, vacuum drying, and discharge all occur in a single closed vessel, removing transfers between separate unit operations.
Scalable Agitator Range
Two-arm, three-arm, and four-arm top-entry agitators let the drying surface be matched to the product, with the four-arm FEP/XD offering roughly 50% more heated surface and reduced drying time.
Double Mechanical Seal
A double mechanical seal, available flushed, dry running, or with gas lift-off, separates the drive mechanism from the process area to protect product and operators.
Integrated CIP
Spray coverage reaches the vessel, seal recess, process connections, dust filter, and discharge hatch, supporting cleaning to pharmaceutical GMP between batches.
Containment to OEB6
Discharge and Pack-Off isolators bring product out under containment up to OEB6, with the tilting SteriFilt/RFD discharging under containment without a dust filter.
Material and Lining Options
Built in 316L stainless steel, Duplex, Alloy C-22, or Titanium, with a G2208 glass-lined FEP/GL variant for aggressive acid service.
Applications
- Pharmaceutical APIs and HPAPIs
- Sterile pharmaceutical products
- Biochemicals
- Crop protection and agrochemicals
- Flavors and fragrances
- Polymers and precious metals recovery
MHS Pharma — Northeast US Representative
MHS Pharma provides direct technical representation for 3V Tech across the Northeast United States. Contact us to discuss filtration, washing, and drying in a single vessel for your process.
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