Spray Drying & Solvent Drying
From Liquid Feed to Finished Product
SantoTolling® dries specialty chemicals two ways: aqueous spray drying turns water-based feeds into powders and concentrates, and our rotary vacuum dryer handles solvent-based products. Send us your material under a toll agreement, or have us make it and dry it on the same 66-acre campus in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Every batch is tested before it ships.
Up to 1.2 Billion Pounds
Annually Produced & Supplied worldwide1
66-Acre Facility
Over a Dozen Specialized Buildings
19 Reactors, 33 Vessels,
67 Tanks & More
Certified Quality
ISO 9001:2015 · ChemStewards · EPA & FIFRA registered · Kosher · Halal
What Is Spray Drying?
Remove the Liquid, Keep the Performance.
Spray drying is a process that turns a liquid feed into a dry powder by atomizing it into fine droplets inside a chamber of heated air, where the liquid evaporates within seconds and the dried particles are collected.
Because each droplet dries so quickly, the material spends very little time exposed to heat.
Companies dry products to cut freight and storage costs, extend shelf life, and give customers a product that's easier to measure, store and blend. The catch is that industrial dryers are large, specialized and expensive to run, which is why many companies outsource the work.
Water-based feeds go through our aqueous spray dryers. Solvent-based products are dried in our rotary vacuum dryer, which removes solvent under reduced pressure at lower temperatures. We can dry material you supply, or make it first through chemical synthesis or chemical blending on the same campus.
TWO DRYING METHODS
Aqueous or Solvent-Based, We Match the Dryer to the Product
The right method depends on what your product is carried in and what the finished material needs to look like. Our engineers make the call during feed review.
Aqueous Spray Drying
The feed is atomized into heated air, the water evaporates in seconds, and the dried particles are collected as a powder or concentrate.
- Water-based solutions and suspensions
- Fine, consistent powders
- Short heat exposure
- Particle size verified by laser diffraction
Typical products: pigment concentrates, resins, coating formulations
Solvent Drying (Rotary Vacuum)
Material tumbles in a heated, rotating vessel under vacuum. Lower pressure lowers the solvent's boiling point, so product dries at gentler temperatures.
- Solvent-based and solvent-wet materials
- Lower drying temperatures
- Gentle handling of heat-sensitive products
- Residual solvent checked by GC
Typical products: solvent-wet solids and heat-sensitive materials
WHY DRY?
What a Dry Product Can Do That a Liquid Can't
Taking the water or solvent out changes how a product ships, stores and performs. These are the reasons our partners make the switch.
Lower Freight & Storage
Taking the water out means you ship and store product, not water, with less weight and fewer containers.
Longer Shelf Life
Dry powders are often more stable than the same material in solution, which can reduce spoilage and waste.
Easier Handling & Dosing
Free-flowing powders are simple to weigh, bag and add to a customer’s process.
Consistent Particles
Run to a set specification, spray drying gives repeatable particle size and moisture from batch to batch.
Short Heat Exposure
Droplets dry in seconds, which limits heat exposure compared with longer drying methods.
New Product Forms
Offer a powder version of an existing liquid product for markets or customers that prefer dry materials.
TWO PROGRAMS. ONE CAMPUS.
Toll Drying or Custom Drying
The difference comes down to who makes the feed. Both programs cover aqueous and solvent-based products and use the same dryers, lab and quality systems.
OPTION 1
Toll Drying
Your Feed. Our Dryers. Your IP.
You supply the water-based feed or solvent-wet material and the specification. We dry, test and package it, and the formula stays yours.
- Aqueous spray drying or rotary vacuum solvent drying
- Moisture, particle size or residual solvent tested on every batch
- Drying capacity without buying a dryer
- Batch records and test results for every run
- IP and formulations stay yours
Best for: companies that already make the product and need it dried, either for capacity or because they don’t run a dryer.
OPTION 2
Custom Drying
Your Spec. Our Feed. A Finished Product.
You define the finished product. We synthesize or blend the feed in our reactors and tanks, choose the right drying method, then dry, test and package it on the same campus.
- Feed made by synthesis or blending on site
- Raw material sourcing and supplier qualification
- Trial runs before production drying
- Release testing and documentation
- Packaging, storage and delivery to your schedule
Best for: companies that want a finished dry product without making or shipping the feed themselves.
Need the liquid product only? See chemical blending.
WHY SANTOTOLLING®
What You Gain When We Dry for You
A drying partner is only as good as the feed, testing and logistics around the dryer. Here’s what comes with a SantoTolling program.
Two Methods, One Partner
Spray drying for water-based feeds and rotary vacuum drying for solvent-based products, already installed, permitted and staffed.
Feed and Dryer on One Campus
Make the feed in our reactors or tanks and dry it on site, so material doesn’t ship between plants before drying.
Moisture, Solvent & Particle Size Verified
Our 24/7 lab checks particle size by laser diffraction, moisture by Karl Fischer and residual solvent by GC before release.
Trial to Production
Confirm your product dries to spec on a trial run, then move into production drying with the same team.
Packaging & Logistics
Dried product packaged to your spec, with bulk storage, warehousing and shipping from the same site.
Quality & Compliance
ISO 9001:2015, ChemStewards, EPA and FIFRA registration, and Kosher and Halal certified products.
Side by Side
Toll Drying vs. Custom Drying
Use this to decide which program fits your product.
| Option 1Toll Drying | Option 2Custom Drying | |
|---|---|---|
| Drying method | Aqueous spray drying or rotary vacuum solvent drying | Selected by our engineers for your product |
| Feed | Supplied by you | Synthesized or blended by SantoTolling |
| Formula | Yours; you keep the IP | Your spec, with support from our technical team |
| Raw materials | Your responsibility | Sourced and qualified by SantoTolling |
| Testing & release | Moisture, particle size, residual solvent and your methods | Full testing of feed and finished product |
| Packaging & storage | Optional | Included |
| Best fit | You make the product, need it dried | You want a finished dry product, start to end |
How It Works
From Liquid Feed to Packaged Product
Every drying program follows the same five steps, so you know what happens next and who owns it.A drying partner is only as good as the feed, testing and logistics around the dryer. Here’s what comes with a SantoTolling program.
Consultation & NDA
We sign a confidentiality agreement, then review your product, volumes and dried spec.
Feed & Method Review
Engineers check water or solvent content, solids, heat sensitivity and targets, then choose spray or vacuum drying.
Trial Run
A trial confirms the product dries to spec, tested by our 24/7 lab.
Production Drying
Repeat runs to the approved settings, with testing on every batch.
Package, Store & Ship
Product packaged to your spec, held in our warehouse or shipped on your schedule.
EQUIPMENT BEHIND EVERY BATCH
Feed Prep, Drying and Testing on One Campus
Spray drying programs run on the same infrastructure that supports SantoLubes® Manufacturing’s own product lines.
- Aqueous spray drying or rotary vacuum solvent drying
- Moisture, particle size or residual solvent tested on every batch
- Drying capacity without buying a dryer
- Batch records and test results for every run
- IP and formulations stay yours
Aqueous
Spray drying
Solvent
Rotary vacuum drying
24/7
Analytical lab
SantoTolling provides other useful features:
Drying & Processing
Spray and rotary vacuum drying on site.
24/7 Analytical Lab
Moisture, solvent and particle size testing.
Packaging & Fulfillment
Packaged and shipped to your spec.
INDUSTRIES WE SERVE
Solutions for a Wide Range of Industries
Agriculture
Custom synthesis and blending of crop protection formulations and specialty agrochemical intermediates.
Aviation
Contract manufacturing for aerospace-grade fluids and specialty chemical intermediates under strict quality control.
Automotive
Scaled production of specialty fluids, additives, and coatings for OEM and aftermarket supply chains.
Electronics
Precision synthesis and blending for electronics-grade cleaning agents, coatings, and connector treatments.
Oil & Gas
Corrosion inhibitors, surfactants and specialty additives for upstream and midstream.
FAQ
Straight answers to what buyers ask us most before a drying project.
What is spray drying?
Spray drying is a process that turns a liquid feed into a dry powder by atomizing it into fine droplets inside a chamber of heated air, where the liquid evaporates within seconds and the dried particles are collected. SantoTolling offers aqueous spray drying for powders and concentrates on its campus in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Can SantoTolling dry solvent-based products?
Yes. SantoTolling's spray dryers handle aqueous, water-based feeds, and solvent-based products are dried in its rotary vacuum dryer, which removes solvent under reduced pressure so material dries at lower temperatures. Share the solvent, product and target specification during your consultation so our engineers can confirm the right drying method.
What are the benefits of drying a liquid product?
Drying removes the water or solvent from a product, which lowers shipping weight and storage space, can extend shelf life and makes the material easier to handle, measure and blend. Run to a set specification, drying produces material with consistent moisture and, for spray-dried powders, consistent particle size.
What kinds of products can SantoTolling dry?
SantoTolling spray dries water-based specialty chemical feeds into powders and concentrates, including pigment concentrates, resins and specialty coating formulations, and dries solvent-based materials in its rotary vacuum dryer. Each product is reviewed for solids content, solvent, viscosity and heat sensitivity before a trial run.
What is the difference between toll and custom drying?
In toll drying, the client supplies the liquid feed or wet material and specifications, and SantoTolling dries, tests and packages it for a processing fee while the client keeps ownership of the formula. In custom drying, SantoTolling also makes the feed through synthesis or blending on the same campus, then dries and packages it.
How does SantoTolling test dried products?
SantoTolling's 24/7 analytical lab measures particle size by laser diffraction and water content by Karl Fischer analysis, uses GC to check for residual solvent, and can confirm composition with LC-MS, NMR, FTIR and UV-Vis. Testing runs on the feed, in-process samples and finished product before release.
How do I start a drying project with SantoTolling?
Start with a free consultation by calling (864) 585-3661, emailing sales@santolubes.com or booking a call with an engineer through our contact page. Share whether your product is water- or solvent-based, its composition and solids content, target moisture and particle size, annual volume, packaging needs and safety data sheets, and an engineer will follow up to scope the project.
