Gentle, controlled drying

Traditional Chinese medicine herbs, flowers (honeysuckle, chrysanthemum), and other botanical or pharmaceutical materials are dried at controlled, often low temperatures to protect active compounds. The exhaust is warm and humid, and recovering its heat stabilizes the inlet air while cutting energy use.

Suitable exchanger types and how they work

Clean stainless plate exchangers preheat the incoming drying air using the exhaust, with the streams fully separated to avoid cross-contamination of product air. Where humidity control matters, an enthalpy wheel recovers moisture. A sensible vs latent review helps decide if latent recovery is worthwhile.

Design considerations for pharma duty

Material must be cleanable and non-reactive — stainless with smooth, accessible surfaces. Provide condensate drainage, control face velocity to protect delicate material, and allow validated cleaning. Keep pressure drop low so the existing drying fans are not overloaded, and document the recovery performance for process records.