KRDC Research & Development
KERONE's dedicated Research & Development Centre — where new thermal processing technologies are conceived, tested, and validated before full-scale production. Send your material to KRDC for pilot trials, process development, and scale-up studies.
What is KRDC?
KERONE Research & Development Centre (KRDC) is KERONE's dedicated facility in Ambernath, Thane, Maharashtra — purpose-built for thermal processing research, pilot-scale trials, and new technology development. Operating since our founding in 1976, KRDC bridges the gap between laboratory-scale ideas and full commercial production.
Our extremely refined and superior laboratory includes all essential facilities to undertake every kind of testing and drying trial. The testing workshop is classified into specialised sections — each designed to perform precise activities that meet all quality norms, standard techniques, and client-specific requirements.
KRDC works in close collaboration with KERONE's engineering teams, enabling rapid prototyping of new equipment designs and direct feedback between R&D findings and production. We maintain research affiliations with leading international institutions — ensuring our R&D is always at the frontier of global thermal processing technology.
KRDC Capabilities
From material characterisation to full process scale-up — KRDC covers every stage of the thermal processing development cycle.
Material Testing & Characterisation
Comprehensive analysis of drying behaviour, moisture content, thermal sensitivity, particle size distribution, and bulk density — building the data foundation for system design.
Pilot-Scale Drying Trials
Send your material to KRDC and run live trials on our pilot spray dryers, fluid bed dryers, microwave systems, rotary dryers, tray dryers, and freeze dryers before committing to full production investment.
Microwave & RF Research
Advanced research into microwave and radio frequency dielectric heating — characterising material interactions, optimising frequencies, and developing new heating profiles for challenging applications.
Process Optimisation
Systematic DoE-based optimisation studies to identify optimal operating parameters — inlet temperature, airflow, feed rate, residence time — maximising product quality and energy efficiency.
Scale-Up Studies
Structured laboratory-to-pilot-to-commercial scale-up protocols ensuring that performance achieved at bench scale is reliably reproduced in full production — reducing commissioning risk.
Technical Reports & Documentation
Detailed trial reports including mass & energy balances, particle size data, SEM images, moisture profiles, product quality assessments, and equipment specifications for scale-up.
Thermal Analysis
DSC, TGA, and thermal stability testing to map the behaviour of your material under heat — identifying degradation thresholds, phase transitions, and optimal drying temperature windows.
Coating & Impregnation Trials
Pilot coating line trials covering gravure, knife-over-roll, slot die, curtain, and Mayer rod coating methods — validating formulations and coating weights before commercial production.
Academic & Industry Collaboration
Open collaboration with universities, research institutions, and industry partners. KRDC supports NPD projects, joint publications, and technology transfer through structured research agreements.
World-Class Pilot Plant Infrastructure
KRDC houses a fully equipped pilot plant spanning multiple technology platforms — giving clients access to virtually every major industrial drying and heating technology in one location. All systems are instrumented with modern data acquisition for precise measurement and process documentation.
- Dedicated pilot spray dryer (co-current, counter-current, and mixed flow)
- Fluid bed dryer/granulator/coater — GMP and standard configurations
- Microwave tunnel dryer and batch microwave systems (915 MHz & 2.45 GHz)
- Radio frequency (RF) dryer for bulk material and web applications
- Pilot rotary dryer with variable RPM and temperature control
- Freeze dryer for heat-sensitive and biological material trials
- Lab-scale coating line (10" to 24" web width) — multiple applicator heads
Comprehensive In-House Analytical Capability
Our in-house analytical laboratory supports every phase of R&D — from raw material characterisation through to final product quality assessment. All analytical instruments are regularly calibrated and maintained to ISO standards, ensuring the reliability of data generated for client reports.
- Moisture analysers (Karl Fischer, halogen, and oven loss-on-drying methods)
- Particle size analyser — laser diffraction for dry and wet dispersion
- Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) for surface morphology analysis
- DSC / TGA thermal analysis for degradation profiling
- Bulk density, tapped density, Hausner ratio, and Carr index measurement
- pH, viscosity, surface tension, and rheology measurement
- Colour measurement and sensory evaluation for food and pharma products
Facility Gallery
A look inside KERONE's Research & Development Centre at Ambernath — click any image to view full size.
The Pilot Trial Process
From initial enquiry to final trial report — KRDC follows a structured 5-step process delivering actionable results.
Initial Consultation
Discuss your material, process requirements, product specifications, and scale-up goals with our application engineers.
Material Submission
Send a representative material sample to KRDC, Ambernath along with your technical data sheet and target product specifications.
Pilot Trial Execution
Our R&D team runs systematic trials on the appropriate pilot equipment, varying parameters to map the operating window.
Analysis & Evaluation
All trial samples undergo full analytical characterisation — moisture, particle size, bulk density, and morphology.
Trial Report & Proposal
Receive a detailed technical report with process data, product results, and a commercial proposal for your full-scale system.
Equipment at KRDC
Pilot and lab-scale systems available for material trials and process development at Ambernath.
Pilot Spray Dryer
Co-current & counter-current configurations, rotary atomiser and two-fluid nozzle, 5–50 kg/hr evaporation capacity.
Fluid Bed Dryer / Granulator
Batch fluid bed with interchangeable bowls for drying, granulation, and coating. GMP-grade SS 316L construction available.
Microwave Tunnel Dryer
2.45 GHz continuous microwave dryer for food, herbal, and chemical materials. Variable power 0–6 kW.
RF Dryer (Radio Frequency)
27.12 MHz RF dryer for bulk granular, slab, and web materials — uniform volumetric heating without surface overheating.
Pilot Rotary Dryer
Variable RPM and inclination, direct / indirect heating, suitable for granular bulk materials up to 150 kg/hr throughput.
Freeze Dryer
Shelf-type lyophiliser for pharmaceutical, biological, and premium food materials — temperatures down to −50°C.
Tray / Box Dryer
Hot air circulation tray dryer — adjustable temperature 40–200°C, uniform airflow, suitable for batch and mixed product trials.
Lab Coating Line
10"–24" web width pilot coating line with gravure, knife-over-roll, Mayer rod, and slot die heads. IR and hot air drying.
Infrared Dryer / Oven
Short, medium, and long wave IR panels — web drying, surface curing, and powder drying at laboratory and pilot scale.
Particle Size Analyser
Laser diffraction analyser for particle size distribution — wet and dry dispersion, 0.1 µm to 3500 µm range.
Thermal Analysis (DSC / TGA)
Differential Scanning Calorimetry and Thermogravimetric Analysis for material thermal characterisation and degradation profiling.
SEM & Optical Microscopy
Scanning Electron Microscopy and optical microscopy for surface morphology, particle shape, and coating quality assessment.
KRDC Location
Kerone Research & Development Centre
MGN Properties, Opposite Godrej Co.,
Addl MIDC Anand Nagar,
Ambernath (E) – 421506, Thane, Maharashtra, India