Patent ID: 8231938

Claim:
A method for producing enzyme granulates, comprising: a. injecting at least one liquid enzyme formulation via nozzles into a heated solids-laden processing gas stream, the processing gas stream entering a device, via at least one opening gap ( 1 ) which is rotationally symmetrical or elongated that leads into a process chamber ( 8 ) in the form of gas jets and the processing stream entering the at least one gap ( 1 ) horizontally and being redirected upwards by a deflection part ( 3 ) into the processing chamber ( 8 ) and flowing as a type of free stream into the device, b. subjecting moistened solids in the heated gas stream to a drying and granulation process, c. separating the particles from the gas stream after a residence time, and returning the particles into a processing chamber, where in an upper region of the processing chamber ( 8 ) and in an expansion zone ( 14 ) located above the process chamber ( 8 ), gas speed reduces so that upward flowing particles fall laterally out of the gas stream ( 23 ) and fall back into the processing chamber ( 8 ), which is limited in a lower region by sloped lateral walls ( 29 ) defining a lateral incline, and by the effect of gravity and the lateral incline via a return zone ( 24 ) move towards the as least one of the gas entry gap ( 1 ), d. directing, as a result, the particles into the gas entry area where they are subsequently entrained once more by the processing gas into the processing chamber ( 8 ), e. separating fine particles, dust, and particles from the particles entrained by the processing gas and returning the fine particles, dust, and particles to the process as seed material for granulate formation, f. forming a circular flow of solid matter, through material return into the gas stream, arranged in an axial direction of the reaction chamber, g. adding at least one inert material as an addition into the enzyme granulate matrix or parts therefrom for diluting the enzyme, wherein the at least one inert material is added in at least one of: solutions, suspensions or melts, which is separate from the enzyme formulation, and h. atomizing the at least one inert material via at least one inert material atomizing three way nozzle or four way nozzle that is separate from at least one liquid enzyme atomizing nozzle for atomizing the liquid enzyme formulation during the drying and granulation process, with both types of nozzles being present in an injection zone ( 22 ) in the core zone above the deflecting part ( 3 ); wherein the average value of the residence time of the enzymes in the processing chamber amounts to less than 1.5 hours.