Simulation of pellet coating in Wurster coaters

A combination of computational fluid dynamics (CFD), discrete element method (DEM), and discrete droplet method (DDM), i.e., a CFD-DEM-DDM model, was developed to simulate coating of pellets in a Wurster coater. The model equations were implemented in parallel using an approach that uses the computational resources of both CPU and GPU. Effects of the gas flow pattern, inlet gas temperature, partition gap, and spray characteristics were studied on the process. Decreasing the peripheral gas velocity, increasing the central jet velocity, and reducing the partition gap caused more uniform distributions of the circulation time and draft tube time, while the inlet gas temperature had negligible effect on them. Very high jet velocity caused a wider distribution of the circulation time. The dynamics of the spray and its interaction with pellets had significant effects on the coating mass distribution. Widening the spray angle while maintaining the droplet size constant caused the most uniform coating mass distribution and the highest deposition rate. Heat and mass transfer conditions as well as the deposition pattern changed the distributions of the solvent content and temperature of the pellets.

Validating a Numerical Simulation of the ConsiGma(R) Coater

Continuous manufacturing is increasingly used in the pharmaceutical industry, as it promises to deliver better product quality while simultaneously increasing production flexibility. GEA developed a semi-continuous tablet coater which can be integrated into a continuous tableting line, accelerating the switch from traditional batch production to the continuous mode of operation. The latter offers certain advantages over batch production, e.g., operational flexibility, increased process/product quality, and decreased cost. However, process understanding is the key element for process control. In this regard, computational tools can improve the fundamental understanding and process performance, especially those related to new processes, such as continuous tablet coating where process mechanics remain unclear. The discrete element method (DEM) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) are two methods that allow transition from empirical process design to a mechanistic understanding of the individual process units. The developed coupling model allows to track the heat, mass, and momentum exchange between the tablet and fluid phase. The goal of this work was to develop and validate a high-fidelity CFD-DEM simulation model of the tablet coating process in the GEA ConsiGma® coater. After the model development, simulation results for the tablet movement, coating quality, and heat and mass transfer during the coating process were validated and compared to the experimental outcomes. The experimental and simulation results agreed well on all accounts measured, indicating that the model can be used in further studies to investigate the operating space of the continuous tablet coating process.