Method for drying fructose solutions

Claim 2

A process for preparing dried solid fructose particulate free-flowing products from fructose solutions comprising: a. Drying dispersed fructose solution in a current of heated gas and in the presence of 1 to 10 parts by weight of separately introduced recycled product solids per part by weight of solids in the solution to be dried; and b. Supplying the hot drying gas at an outlet temperature of 60° to 120° C while maintaining average product residence time in the drying zone at about 30 seconds or less.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 in which the hot drying gas inlet temperature is in the range of from 100 to 300°C.

Claim 4

The process of claim 2 in which the average product residence time is maintained between 4 seconds and 30 seconds.

Claim 5

A process for preparing dry fructose products comprising: a. dispersing fructose particles having a particle size of less than about 500 microns in a current of heated air having an inlet temperature of at least 100°C; b. separately dispersing in the heated gas from about 1 to about 0.1 parts by weight, dry solids basis, of a fructose solution, per part by weight of said particles; c. evaporating the water from the solution; d. separating the resulting dry product from the hot gas stream having a temperature of 60 to 120°C; e. recycling the necessary amounts of dry product material from step (d) to provide the particles used in the dispersion step (a); and f. recovering the remainder of the dry product.

Claim 6

A process for preparing dry fructose products comprising: a. dispersing fructose particles having a particle size of less than about 500 microns in a current of heated air having an inlet temperature of at least 100°C; b. separately dispersing in the heated gas from about 1 to about 0.1 parts by weight, dry solids basis, of a fructose solution, per part by weight of said particles; c. evaporating the water from the solution; d. separating the resulting dry product from the hot gas stream having a temperature of 60 to 120°C; e. recycling the necessary amounts of dry product material from step (d) to provide the particles used in the dispersion step (a); and f. recovering the remainder of the dry product.

Claim 7

The process of claim 4 wherein the product recycled in step (e) is reduced to an average particle size of about 200 microns or less before introduction to the dispersion step (a).

Claim 8

The process of claim 5 wherein the size reduction is sufficient to provide an average particle size within the range of from about 50 to about 200 microns.

Claim 9

The process of claim 4 wherein the product obtained at step (d) is conditioned until the product is free flowing.

Claim 10

The process of claim 4 wherein the fructose solution contains 30 to 100 percent by weight fructose solids.

Claim 11

The process of claim 8 wherein the solution contains less than 58 percent by weight non-fructose sugar solids.