Sizing expander AeroExpander™

compact

Overview
The AeroExpander™ by Bühler is a hot-air expander designed to replace oil frying for snack pellets. Its continuous, compartmented conveying and high-velocity impingement air delivery enable uniform expansion and in-line integration for existing or new production lines.

Key benefits

• Highly flexible: modular standard sizes fit compact plant spaces and enable quick installation with minimal setup.
• Reduce operating costs: replaces frying and can cut oil usage by up to 75%, with potential savings exceeding USD 500,000/year on a typical 1200 kg/h line.
• Consistent pellet expansion: continuous conveying with precise temperature and air control achieves uniform bulk density, colour and texture; 100% expansion achievable with correct parameters.

Highlight features

• Impingement airflow — dual-plenum design with high-velocity impingement air for rapid heat transfer and uniform expansion; heated air recirculation improves energy efficiency.
• Focus on food safety — compartmented product conveyor supports FIFO tracking and uses food-grade materials for hygienic operation.
• Powerful performance & operator-friendly controls — intuitive graphic HMI for recipe management, time/temperature/fan speed control, start-up and shutdown; adaptable for various pellet types.
• Design — continuous in-line conveying and modular construction for compact layouts and straightforward integration.

Applications

• Suitable for expanding snack pellets made from corn, wheat, rice, potato or mixed-ingredient formulations as a healthier alternative to oil frying.

Services & training
Bühler provides installation support, preventive maintenance, spare parts and wear parts supply, upgrades and retrofit services, remote assistance and process assessments to ensure reliable operation and optimized performance.

Characteristics / technical specifications

• Product name / type: AeroExpander™ — hot-air expander for snack pellets.
• Expansion method: high-velocity hot-air impingement (dual-plenum) with heated air recirculation.
• Conveying: continuous, compartmented conveyor enabling FIFO product tracking.
• Control: graphic HMI with recipe management, time, temperature and fan speed control; start-up/shutdown management.
• Materials: heavy-duty construction using food-grade materials.
• Performance claims: up to 100% pellet expansion with correct settings; oil use reduction up to 75%; example savings > USD 500,000/year on a 1200 kg/h line.
• Pellet compatibility: corn, wheat, rice, potato and mixed-ingredient pellets.
• Installation: modular standard sizes for compact spaces; designed for integration into existing or new plant layouts.
• Energy efficiency: heated process air recirculation to reduce utility costs.