Detailed Analysis of Air Flow and Spray Loss in a Pharmaceutical Coating Process

作者：Toschkoff Gregor; Suzzi Daniele; Tritthart Walter; Reiter Franz; Schlingmann Merten; Khinast Johannes G^*

来源：AICHE Journal, 2012, 58(2): 399-411.

DOI：10.1002/aic.12681

• multi-phase flow
• computational fluid dynamics
• pharmaceuticals
• tablet coating
• spray loss

In the pharmaceutical industry, more than half of all tablets receive a film coating. A commonly used technique is drum coating, where a film solution is applied to the moving tablets by a spray nozzle. Important process parameters include the amount and temperature of drying air, as well as spray nozzle position. Among other influences, the proper adjustment of these parameters has a great impact on spray loss, defined as the fraction of spray liquid that does not form a film on the tablets. Often, the lack of scientific data hinders a process setup based on engineering principles, resulting in operational conditions based on trial-and-error approaches. Here, we show how a coating system can be numerically modeled by means of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques. Furthermore, we present how different parameters affect the efficiency of the process, leading to a deeper understanding of the coating device.

• 出版日期2012-2