Desert Lake Technologies
Refractance Window™ Drying Technology
Desert Lake Technologies Refractance Window™ drying technology is a proprietary drying method that uses a heat transfer process and specific properties of water to gently remove moisture while maintaining the maximum integrity of the natural material.
This drying technology is an innovative process unique to the Klamath Lake harvesting industry. DLT has the exclusive license, from developer MCD Technologies, to utilize this drying technology with Aphanizomenon flos-aquae and Daphnia pulicaria harvested from Klamath Lake. No other Klamath Lake harvesting company utilizes this method of drying.
The Refractance Window™ Drying Concept
When water is placed over a heating source, infrared energy is transferred throughout the water by convection. The heat energy then radiates from the water, primarily through evaporation.
When water is covered by a transparent membrane such as plastic and placed over a heating source, evaporation and its associated heat loss are blocked or "refracted", and only conduction occurs. The plastic membrane acts like a mirror reflecting the infrared energy back into the water.
But when a moist raw material is placed on the plastic membrane's surface, the water in the material creates a "window" that allows for the passage of infrared energy through the material. Heat behaves as if there were no membrane in that location, and is directly transferred to the water present in the material.
In a matter of a few moments, the water in the material on the plastic membrane's surface evaporates, and the "window" of infrared energy closes and "refracts" back into the heated water source, no longer exposing the material to heat.
Drying Process
As the material travels down the conveyor, the water in the material evaporates through the "window" in a matter of a few moments, with the "window" closing in proportion to the rapid dissipation of water in the material. Because the Mylar conveyor belt is a poor heat conductor, once the material dries, the "refractance window" closes, and only a miniscule amount of heat is transferred to the product as it is carried to the end of the conveyor system.
Raw material dried through the Refractance Window™ process delivers a flaked product close to its natural state. This expedient drying method protects the product's delicate nutrients, color and flavor.
Because the Refractance Window™ drying process maintains the temperature of the raw material far below the temperature of the water circulating beneath the conveyor belt, its precious nutrients are protected from oxidization. During the process, heat is applied to the material at 72°C for only three to five minutes.
This drying method is superior to freeze-drying and spray-drying methods in the preservation of the natural state of Aphanizomenon flos-aqua and Daphnia pulicaria. Freeze-drying techniques expose raw material to heat ranging from 30°C to 64°C for twenty-four straight hours. Spray-drying techniques apply heat to raw material ranging from 150°C to 300°C. Both methods can cause significant nutritional loss to the raw material being dried. Compare Refractance Window™ dried product quality to freeze-drying and spray-drying.
When comparing various drying technologies, the degree of preservation of a material's original color and flavor indicates the quality of the drying process utilized. Studies performed at Washington State University's Department of Biological Systems Engineering and Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition established the preservation superiority of the Refractance Window™ drying technology over all other methods of drying, including freeze-drying.
Read the Washington State University study on Refractance Window™ drying
Desert Lake Technologies is the only Klamath Lake freshwater products business with vertically integrated harvesting and drying systems. Our on-site drying capabilities enable harvested Aphanizomenon flos-aquae and Daphnia pulicaria drying without the high cost of transporting frozen raw materials to drying facilities.
The utilization of the Refractance Window™ drying process combined with defrayment of long-distance refrigerated transportation costs, results in Desert Lake Technologies' ability to produce superior quality products cost-efficiently, affording pass-along savings to our customers.
Food or specialty product manufacturers interested in contracting drying services, please contact Desert Lake Technologies Commercial Sales
| Toll Free | 800-736-2379 |
| International | 541-885-6947 |
| Fax | 541-885-6951 |
| sales@desertlake.com |
To learn more about Refractance Window™ drying technology, please pay a visit to the home of MCD Technologies; an industry leader in food processing equipment technology and the developer of this process.
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