Modelling of High Shear Wet Granulation Using a Population Balance Framework

Wet granulation processes are difficult to reproduce and thus are often operated inefficiently which leads to high recycle rates in a continuous processes and high rejection rates in batch processes. A modelling approach can help to improve the efficiency of wet granulation processes significantly by understanding the effects of process parameters and material properties better.

In this study, a compartment-based model is used to model the wet granulation process, employing a one-dimensional population balance framework. For this modelling approach, the mixer is decomposed in three regions spray region, impeller region, and chopper region. Laboratory scale granulation experiments are conducted to estimate unknown parameters for empirical rate expressions. Finally, the model developed is validated using experimental data at different process scales. In order to assess the performance of the granulator model, the granulation end-point is predicted and compared to additional experimental results.