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Fluid Bed Granulator – Pros and Cons

When deciding whether a Fluid Bed Granulator is right for your powder processing needs, there are a few different factors you should consider. These factors include flowability, expansion chamber, and process parameters. Read on to learn more. In this article, you will discover the advantages and disadvantages of each of these features.

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What is Flowability in Fluid Bed Granulator?

Flowability of fluid bed granulation is an important attribute when designing a new tablet compression process. This method can be optimized by altering the binder concentration and the temperature during the mixing and drying stages. This process is commonly characterized by well-defined critical parameters. To optimize granulation, the optimal variables from the first set of experiments were used in the second set of experiments. Then, the atomization pressure and the compression force were varied in order to explore a new design space and evaluate their influence on the final tablet.

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Wet Granulation with Fluid Bed Granulator

Fluidized-bed granulation is a relatively simple process that can be used for various types of powders. This technique uses an air stream to agglomerate liquids. The particles produced are then separated by size and porosity. These characteristics make fluidized-bed granulation a good choice for many applications. However, it is important to select the proper granulation process based on the properties of the raw powder material and binder liquid.

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A fluidized bed granulator maintains the powder bed in a fluidized state to prevent the material from escaping. Liquid binder is sprayed onto the bed from a draft tube near the bottom. As solid particles adhere to the liquid droplets, granules are formed. Fluidizing air is necessary to ensure a continuous partial drying process throughout the granulation process.

What is Expansion Chamber in Fluid Bed Granulator?

A thermocouple probe is preferably provided through the expansion chamber wall. The full-length filter bags provide the highest air-to-cloth ratio in the industry. They are automatically pulsed clean, reducing operating temperatures, increasing yields, and decreasing clean-up time. They are installed in the upper portion of the expansion chamber and are pulsed clean, allowing continuous fluidization. Full-length filter bags are available for most Fluid Bed Granulators.

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What are Process Parameters of Fluid Bed Granulator?

There are many factors to consider when evaluating Fluid Bed Granulator process parameters. Usually, the process parameters are calculated assuming a constant bed depth. As the scale of production increases, the bed depth is increased as well. This factor is vital for both design and production batch sizes. However, the relationship between bed depth and scale-up parameters is not linear. Therefore, process parameters, such as air volume, must be adjusted based on visual observation.

In fluidized bed granulation, the granules are different than those produced in other wet granulation processes. When determining which granulation technique to use, the properties of the raw powder material and the binder liquid need to be considered. A liquid flow rate of more than one litre per second produces larger granules. A suitable nozzle height is one that covers the entire surface of the bed. If the nozzle is too low or too high, the bed will be wetted, and this will prolong the granulation process.

How Monitoring is Done in Fluid Bed Granulator?

The development of a process for the granulation of coated tablets has paved the way for a new method of monitoring fluid bed granulator performance. The fluid bed granulation process involves spraying a binder liquid onto fluidizing powder particles that then collide and form larger permanent aggregates. After this process, the wet granules are dried quickly in a fluid bed granulator. The in-line monitoring of granule moisture content has been performed using a range of analytical process sensors.

With this method, moisture and particle size can be monitored in real time. The spectrometer also provides real-time moisture measurements, which is critical for monitoring and adjusting the process parameters. The data obtained can also be correlated to temperature and moisture profiles to determine granule behaviour. These tools enable users to customize the monitoring of granulator processes and reduce variability.

The Bottom Line

A Fluid Bed Granulator can help you reduce your powder production costs while increasing your efficiency. The pros and cons of Fluid Bed Granulators are discussed above in detail. Fluid Bed Granulator in the medical, foodstuff, and chemical plants may all use granulators to granulate, pelletize, and coat many types of materials.