Principles of a Granulation machine
Understanding Granulation: Granulators are Key for an Efficient Production
Granulators are used in numerous industries, including pharmaceuticals, food, and chemicals. They play a vital role in transforming fine powders into larger particles or agglomerates, these more manageable and offering several advantages in terms of product quality, flowability, and processing efficiency.
The Granulation Process
Granulation involves converting powders into granules, which are typically more stable, easier to handle, and suitable for further processing steps such as blending, compression, or coating. The choice of granulation technique depends on the desired product characteristics and the nature of the materials being processed.
Types of Granulation
There are two primary types of granulation:
Wet Granulation or more known as High-Shear Mixer (HSM): This method involves blending powders with a liquid binder to form a wet mass, which is then dried to obtain granules. High shear allows a better densification and better compressibility downstream the process.
Fluid bed granulation: A more advanced technique is fluid bed granulation, where the powder is suspended in a fluidized bed of air. A liquid binder is sprayed onto the suspended particles, promoting agglomeration and granule formation
High Shear Granulation: A Powerful conventional technique
High shear granulation is a technique used to produce granules from fine powders by applying high shear forces due high speed of the impeller blade. It involves mixing powders with a liquid binder, which acts as an adhesive, to form agglomerates.
Regardless of the type, wet granulators typically consist of the following components:
- Shape or type: a bottom or top driven motor impellers. Being bottom the most used in the pharmaceutical industry.
- Mixing product container: Where the powders and binder are blended.
- Impeller blade: A rotating blade or paddle that agitates the mixture and promotes granule formation. Design can bring more efficient process and better quality of final product.
- Chopper blade: A rotating blade used to break down large agglomerates into smaller granules.
- Binder feeding system: A mechanism to deliver the binder to the mixing chamber, mainly widely use peristaltic pump for most average binder’s viscosity.
- Discharge outlet: A port through which the granules are discharged and very often passing through a Wet mill system.
The Process in detail is the following:
The dry powder blend is initially mixed in a high-shear mixer granulator. A high-speed impeller, creates intense shear forces that break down powder agglomerates.
As the binder is added, the shear forces cause the particles to collide and adhere to each other, forming granules.
The granules continue to grow in size as more binder is added and the process continues.
Once the desired granule size and moisture content are achieved, the granules are discharged from the granulator.
The final point of the granulation process is very often determined by the impeller’s motor current or torque, correlated to the granules being made with the right binder quantity and impeller speed.
Fluid Bed Granulation: An advanced modern approach
Fluid bed granulation is a versatile technique used to produce granules from powders. It involves suspending particles in a fluidized bed of air and spraying a liquid binder onto the particles.
A stream of air is passed through a perforated plate, suspending the powder particles. This creates a fluidized bed, where the particles behave like a liquid. A liquid binder, such as a solution or suspension, is then sprayed onto the fluidized bed.
As the binder droplets contact the powder particles, they adhere to each other, forming nuclei. These nuclei grow in size as more binder is added, eventually forming granules. The fluidized bed also acts as a drying chamber. Hot air is passed through the bed to evaporate the solvent from the granules.
A fluid bed granulator typically consists of the following key components:
- Hinged or mobile Product Container: This is where the powder to be granulated is placed. It’s designed to ensure even distribution of the powder during the process.
- Air Distribution Plate: Located at the bottom of the product container, it distributes the incoming air evenly across the powder bed, creating the fluidized state. Design of it’s air distributor plate can play a significant role in the final product quality.
- Air Filter: Filters the incoming air to keep the product in the chamber and ensure no product loss.
Spray nozzle ROTOJET – Innojet fluid bed granulation
- Spray Nozzle: The spray nozzle atomizes the liquid binder and distributes it evenly onto the fluidized bed. Quantity and location inside the chamber plays important factor.
- Product Discharge: This component allows for the removal of the finished granules from the granulator. Most of the granules are being discharged into a Dry mill. Other product, like Pellets are not required to size in the mill.
Romaco Innojet: A Leader in Fluid Bed Technology
Romaco Innojet is a leading provider for Granulation equipment, having one of the most advanced fluid bed multiprocessor technology in the market. Their unique advantages offers exceptional performance and efficiency by using patented technologies.
To see how the process works in detail please watch the video:
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Key features of Romaco Innojet fluid bed granulator – VENTILUS:
Distribution plate orbiter – Innojet fluid bed granulation
- Precise control: Special design of the air distributor plate ORBITER, as well advanced spray nozzle ROTOJET and innovative filtration system SEPAJET brings the best granule outcomes.
- Energy efficiency: Optimized air flow by the ORBITER distribution plate, as well Heat Recovery System reuse the heat loss into the fresh inlet air stream for saving energy consumption.
- Gentle handling: Minimizes particle damage, archived via guided air flow, ensures product quality.
- Scalability: Available in various sizes with the same design for easy scalability to meet different production needs.
Conclusion
Granulators are indispensable equipment for industries that rely on powders and granules, they enhance the properties for further production steps. By understanding the different types of granulation and selecting the appropriate granulator for specific applications, manufacturers can optimize their production processes and achieve high-quality products.
