Tea fixation and drying need gentle, uniform heat to preserve aroma, catechins, and appearance; overheating instantly destroys value. Belt and fixed-bed dryers therefore run at modest temperatures with carefully controlled humidity.
An enthalpy wheel recovers heat and moisture from the exhaust, stabilizing the drying air with far less primary heating and helping hold the tight temperature band the leaf requires.
Surfaces must be food-grade and easily cleanable to prevent taint transfer between different teas and batches - aroma cross-contamination is a real quality risk in tea processing.
Keep tight temperature control, gentle airflow, a bypass during the moisture-heavy phases, and sanitation between batches. Savings of 20-40% are typical with more consistent cup quality.