Wet Granulation Lab Report

Agglomeration by High shear wet granulation is achieved by introducing the binding liquid on to a shearing mass of powder to hold the fine particles together due to the adhesive action of the binder on their surface, or due to capillary and viscous action of the liquid solution [Ivenson et.al., (2001); Benali et.al, 2009] [1-2]. The driving force for the wet agglomeration process is the inter particle bond formed by liquid bridges (Saleh et.al. 2005) [3]. Wet granulation with liquid binder can be achieved in different types of mixers ranging from low shear granulators like tumbling drum, fluidized bed, spouted bed, High shear granulator or similar equipment’s (Benali et.al., 2009; Tardos et.al., 2005)[2,4].

The rate process of wet granulation

The powder to be granulated is Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) of quantity 540 kg which is mixed with pre-gelatinized starch of 38.46 kg. Binder solution is prepared with a binding agent Povidone K-30 (C6H9NO)n of quantity 3.606 kg and 80.00 liters of water. The binding solution is sprayed with a peristaltic pump at an RPM of 40 at 12 kg/min. And the lubricants added during blending are 12.0 kg of Pre-gelatinized starch and 6.0 Kg of stearic acid.

2.1.2 In experiment to identify the impact of different binder, with a binding agent Povidone K-30 as 4.4% (W/W), water being 80.0 L and second experiment with 12.6% (W/W) in which water is 80L and Povidone K-30 is 3.6 kg and pre-gelatinized starch 8.0 kg.

2.2 Experimental set-up and procedure

Granulation is performed in a high shear granulator of 1500L Fig 1; with a three blade impeller can be operated at an RPM range of 70-90, and an auxiliary chopper which will be operated at a RPM of 1400-2600. The wet granulated material is dried in a Fluid bed drier then milled and sifted in a Dry co mill at an RPM of 1200 with 1.8mmscreen opening. Experiments are also conducted with three different impeller designs impeller type 1, type 2 and Type 3 as shown in the Fig