Granule manufacturing apparatus and method for controlling and / or regulating a granule manufacturing apparatus - Patent Application 20070122997

Abstract

The present invention relates to a granule manufacturing apparatus (1) and a method for controlling and / or regulating a granule manufacturing apparatus (1).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a granule manufacturing apparatus, comprising: a granulator having an agitator driven by an agitator drive device and having at least one granulator inlet for supplying starting materials; a sieve device connected to the granulator through a granule supply line, the sieve device having a sieve chamber defined by a sieve housing, the sieve chamber being divided by a sieve into a granule chamber for accommodating granules discharged from the granulator and a sieve chamber for accommodating sieved granules; the sieve device being connected to a transfer gas supply line having a supply line inlet; and a granule transfer line having a transfer line outlet, the sieve chamber being connected to the sieve device through a granule transfer line. and a processing device connected to a processing tank, the processing chamber having a processing chamber, the processing chamber being capable of flowing through a processing section from a processing chamber inlet toward a processing chamber outlet by a process gas fed by a feed device assembly, wherein the feed device assembly allows a transport gas to be fed in a transport gas feed section extending from a supply pipe inlet to a transport pipe outlet, the transport gas feed section being further suitable for feeding sieved granules from a sieve chamber of the sieve device into the processing chamber of the processing device via a granule transport pipe line using the transport gas.

[0002] The present invention further relates to a method for controlling and / or regulating a granule manufacturing apparatus, the granule manufacturing apparatus comprising: a granulator having an agitator driven by an agitator drive device and having at least one granulator inlet for feeding a starting material; a sieve device connected to the granulator via a granule supply line, the sieve device having a sieve chamber defined by a sieve housing, the sieve chamber being divided by a sieve into a granule chamber for receiving granules discharged from the granulator and a sieve chamber for receiving sieved granules, the sieve chamber being connected to a transfer gas supply line having a supply line inlet; and a granule transport device having a transfer line outlet. The present invention relates to a processing apparatus, comprising: a processing apparatus connected to a sieve chamber of a sieve device via a pipeline, the processing chamber having a processing chamber through which a process gas fed by a feed device assembly can flow in a processing section from a processing chamber inlet to a processing chamber outlet, the feed device assembly being capable of feeding a transport gas in a transport gas feed section extending from a supply pipe inlet to a transport pipe outlet, the transport gas feed section being further suitable for feeding sieved granules from the sieve chamber of the sieve device into the processing chamber of the processing apparatus via a granule transport pipe using the transport gas. [Background technology]

[0003] Granule production devices are already known from the prior art.

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses a sieve device for sieving granules, particularly moist granules or dry granules, which is arranged between a granulator and a processing device configured as a fluidized bed dryer, and the sieve device has a sieve housing having a sieve bottom, a sieve cover and sieve side walls, a granule supply pipe line arranged in the sieve housing, a granule transfer pipe line for the sieved granules arranged in the sieve housing, and a sieve and a transfer gas supply pipe line arranged within the sieve housing.

[0005] A disadvantage of the granule manufacturing apparatus disclosed in the prior art is that the granule transport line connecting the sieve housing of the sieve device with the processing device configured as a fluidized bed dryer becomes at least partially blocked during the granule transport process, and the corresponding required cleaning of the granule transport line means that the granule transport process, and therefore the granule manufacturing process, must be interrupted in order to maintain the granule manufacturing apparatus. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2019 / 105700 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The object of the present invention is to improve a granule production apparatus and a method for controlling and / or regulating a granule production apparatus in such a way that interruptions of the granule transport process and thus the associated granule production process are unnecessary. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] This object is achieved in an apparatus of the type mentioned at the beginning, in that the granule production apparatus has a measuring device suitable for detecting a physical quantity of the transport gas from the group of volume flow rate, mass flow rate, or flow velocity in the transport gas feed section. By detecting the physical quantity of the transport gas from the group of volume flow rate, mass flow rate, and flow velocity, detailed information regarding clogging of the granule transport line is obtained, which information is useful for continuously clearing the granule transport line before it becomes clogged during the granule transport process, thereby making it unnecessary to interrupt the granule production process.

[0009] The gaseous medium, preferably air or an inert gas, is called the transport gas and / or process gas.

[0010] In a related variant of the granule manufacturing apparatus, the measuring device includes a measuring device for detecting a physical quantity of the transport gas in the transport gas feed section, preferably in the transport gas feed section section corresponding to the transport gas supply line. The measuring device is preferably configured as a thermal mass flow meter, a Coriolis flow meter, a magnetoinductive flow meter, an ultrasonic flow meter, a vortex flow meter, a differential pressure flow meter, or a flow monitor. A flow sensor such as the SI5000 from ifm electronic gmbh is used as the flow monitor. The arrangement of the measuring device as a measuring device makes it possible to very easily detect physical quantities such as the volume flow rate, mass flow rate, or flow velocity in the transport gas feed section. Ideally, the measuring device is arranged in the transport gas feed section section corresponding to the transport gas supply line, since in this transport gas feed section, the corresponding measurement of the physical quantity of the transport gas can be performed without much effort based on the transport gas flow without granules.

[0011] According to an additional advantageous configuration of the granule production apparatus, the granulator is configured as a mixer-granulator. Mixer-granulators, particularly high-shear mixers, have been used for wet granulation, especially in the pharmaceutical industry, for decades. Today, robust and reliable mixer-granulators, mainly configured as vertical granulators, are setting new standards in pharmaceutical granulation processes. Therefore, mixer-granulators are the first choice, especially when high granule density and rapid granulation are important in the granulation process. In addition, mixer-granulators require relatively little installation space, are easy to operate, and are easy to clean. The production of granules is called a granulation process, which begins with the supply of starting materials and ends with the emptying of the granulator.

[0012] In this regard, it is advantageous for the agitator drive to have a substantially constant drive torque throughout its rotational speed range. This influences and directly adjusts granule properties, particularly granule particle size, during the granulation process taking place in the granulator. By providing a uniformly high drive torque throughout its rotational speed range with the agitator drive, it is possible to adapt the shear force proportional to the agitator drive's rotational speed n during the granulation process, thereby enabling direct adjustment of the granule properties. For example, the physical quantity that causes the agitator drive's drive shaft to twist or bend is called or understood to be the drive torque. As long as the force and the lever arm are perpendicular to each other, the drive torque is the product of the force [N] and the lever arm [m]. The drive torque has the unit of energy [1 Nm (Newton meter)]. The drive torque of the drive shaft driving the agitator is proportional to the power output of the agitator drive device coupled to the drive shaft, i.e., P = 2πMn, where M is the drive torque [Nm], n is the speed [1 / s], P is the power [W], and π is the circular constant.

[0013] In another variant of the granule manufacturing apparatus, a sieve body is arranged in the granule chamber of the sieve device to feed the granules from the granule chamber through the sieve into the sieve chamber, and the sieve body can be driven by a sieve body drive device, which is advantageously configured as a motor. The advantage of the sieve body arranged in the sieve housing is that the sieve housing allows the granules to be pressed through the sieve more effectively. The sieve body thus optimizes the sieving process carried out in the sieve device. The sieve body arranged in the granule chamber is advantageously adapted to the structural shape of the granule chamber, which further improves the sieving process, since the granules are pressed through the sieve under continuous and constant pressure by the sieve body, which is adapted to the shape of the sieve. The sieving of the granules in the granule chamber is called the sieving process.

[0014] More preferably, a rotor disk is arranged in the sieve chamber of the sieve device. This rotor disk can be driven by a rotor disk drive, which is suitably configured as a motor. Particularly preferably, the rotor disk is arranged in the region of the bottom of the sieve chamber. The advantage of a rotor disk arranged in the sieve chamber in the region of the bottom of the sieve chamber is that the sieved granules do not remain on the bottom of the sieve chamber but are completely discharged out of the sieve chamber towards the treatment device.

[0015] In an additional advantageous configuration of the granule production apparatus, the transport gas supply line is arranged, particularly tangentially, on the side wall of the sieve housing. By arranging the transport gas supply line tangentially on the side wall of the sieve housing, preferably in the region of the sieve chamber bottom, centrifugal forces act on the sieved granules, particularly in the sieve chamber, which force them upward and away from the sieve chamber bottom, so that the sieved granules can be discharged from the sieve chamber toward the processing device more efficiently. This is further facilitated by the cylindrical, at least partially conical, structural shape of the sieve device. In this regard, the granule transport line is preferably arranged in the sieve housing above the transport gas supply line.

[0016] According to an additionally advantageous configuration of the granule production device, the granule transport line is arranged in a particularly tangential direction on the side wall of the sieve housing. Such an arrangement of the granule transport line allows the sieved granules to be discharged from the sieve chamber in the direction of the processing device in an improved manner, especially when the transport gas supply line is simultaneously arranged in a tangential direction on the side wall of the sieve housing.

[0017] Furthermore, the transport gas supply line has a filter assembly at the supply line inlet. This filter assembly is expediently configured as a HEPA filter. HEPA filters are the standard for mechanically cleaning transport gas, especially transport air, drawn in from the surroundings. HEPA usually stands for "High Efficiency Particulate Air." The filter assembly and the corresponding cleaning of the transport gas ensure that contamination of the sieved granules does not occur.

[0018] Preferably, the transport gas supply line is connected to the process gas supply line, so that a process gas can be used as the transport gas, thereby ensuring that the transport gas has the same properties as the process gas that processes the sieved granules in the processing device.

[0019] According to an additional advantageous configuration of the granule production apparatus, the processing device is configured as a coating device or a fluidizing device. By configuring the processing device as a coating device, it becomes possible to directly coat the sieved granules, for example with a protective layer. The configuration of a fluidizing device, in particular a fluidized bed device or a spouted bed device, also makes it possible to further process the sieved granules fed from the sieve chamber to the processing device, preferably to produce and coat spherical granules with a precisely defined particle size.

[0020] The feed device assembly further comprises a process gas feed device and / or a transport gas feed device. Preferably, the process gas feed device is arranged in the process gas supply line upstream of the treatment device and / or in the process gas discharge line downstream of the treatment device. The transport gas feed device is suitably arranged in the transport gas supply line. In a preferred configuration, the feed device assembly is configured as a process gas feed device and is arranged downstream in the process gas discharge line. This allows a negative pressure to be generated in the transport gas feed section, which feeds the sieved granules from the sieve chamber through the granule transport line into the treatment device for further processing.

[0021] According to another variant of the granule manufacturing apparatus, the granule manufacturing apparatus advantageously has a control device with an adjustment function. This control device controls and / or adjusts the granulator taking into account detected physical variables of the granulator. In this regard, the control device controls and / or adjusts the agitator drive and / or the granulator outlet closing device. The control device is advantageously configured to adjust the rotation speed of the agitator drive and / or open or close the granulator outlet closing device. By controlling and / or adjusting the granule manufacturing apparatus, in particular the agitator drive and / or the granulator outlet closing device, the granule manufacturing process can be divided into sub-processes that are carried out on a batch basis, such as a granulation process, a granule transport process, and a granule processing process. Here, the entire manufacturing process, i.e., from the supply of the starting materials to the discharge of the processed granules from the processing device, is referred to as the granule manufacturing process.

[0022] The transfer of granules from the sieve chamber to the processing device is called the granule transfer process, and the processing of the sieved granules fed into the processing device is called the granule processing process, which ends with the discharge of the processed granules.

[0023] According to an additional advantageous configuration of the granule production apparatus, the treatment device has an apparatus inlet closing device. In this regard, the control device controls and / or adjusts the apparatus inlet closing device, particularly when the control device is configured as a flap. By controlling and / or adjusting the apparatus inlet closing device, the treatment chamber of the treatment device is closed to the granule transport line, so that the process gas flows exclusively through the treatment device to maintain the granule treatment process. This preferably ensures sufficient fluidization of the sieved granules for the granule treatment process in the treatment device configured as a fluidizer.

[0024] Furthermore, the treatment device preferably has a process gas supply line, in which a process gas flow regulator is arranged. A control device appropriately controls and / or regulates the process gas flow regulator. The process gas flow regulator advantageously makes it possible to regulate the pressure loss occurring through the treatment device. In particular, the process gas flow regulator is used when the device inlet closing device is open during the granule transport process, thereby creating a negative pressure in the transport gas feed section that can be appropriately and precisely regulated.

[0025] Furthermore, the granule manufacturing apparatus preferably has a plurality of processing devices and a plurality of granule transport lines, each of which is connected to the sieving device by a granule transport line to achieve a so-called continuous granule manufacturing process, thereby doubling the amount of granules manufactured in a given period of time and thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0026] Furthermore, the above object is achieved by the method described above, in which the granule production apparatus has a measuring device that detects a physical quantity of the transport gas from the group of volume flow rate, mass flow rate, or flow velocity in the transport gas feed section during the granule transport process. By detecting a physical quantity of the transport gas from the group of volume flow rate, mass flow rate, or flow velocity in the transport gas feed section, detailed information regarding clogging of the granule transport line is obtained. This information is useful for continuously clearing the granule transport line before it becomes clogged during the granule transport process, thereby eliminating the need to interrupt the granule production process.

[0027] In this regard, the method is preferably carried out as a batch method. In a particularly preferred method, the granule production apparatus has a plurality of processing devices and a plurality of granule transport lines, each of which is connected to the sieving device by a granule transport line in order to carry out a continuous granule production process. By connecting a plurality of processing devices to the sieving device using a plurality of granule transport lines, it is possible to change a batch-based granule production process into a continuous granule production process. In this case, the control device supplies the processing devices with sieved granules in succession, thereby allowing granules to be produced continuously using a plurality of processing devices. Furthermore, it is possible to double the amount of granules produced in a given period, thereby reducing production costs.

[0028] In an additional advantageous embodiment of the method, the granule manufacturing apparatus has a control device, preferably with an adjusting function, to which the detected physical quantities are transmitted for further processing, preferably during the granule transport process, and the control device has an evaluation device, which further processes the detected physical quantities of the transport gas while taking into account the detected physical quantities of the transport gas.

[0029] According to an additional advantageous refinement of the method, the processing device has an apparatus inlet closing device, and the control device controls and / or adjusts the apparatus inlet closing device before the granule transfer process, thereby bringing the apparatus inlet closing device from a closed position to an open position.

[0030] According to an additional advantageous refinement of the method, the treatment device has a process gas supply line in which a process gas flow regulator is arranged, and the control device controls and / or regulates the process gas flow regulator before and / or during the granule transport process, thereby creating a negative pressure in the transport gas feed section for feeding the sieved granules from the sieve chamber into the treatment device.

[0031] According to an additional advantageous configuration of the method, the control device, when subsequently processing the detected physical quantity of the transport gas, performs a comparison with a first threshold value for the physical quantity stored in the control device, thereby controlling and / or regulating the granule manufacturing device by sending a control signal and / or an adjustment signal to the agitator drive and / or the granulator outlet closing device to adjust the rotation speed of the agitator drive and / or open or close the granulator outlet closing device. In this regard, if the threshold value for the transport gas is lowered, the agitator drive is stopped and / or the granulator outlet closing device is closed. Preferably, the rotation speed of the agitator drive continues to increase over time during the granule conveyance process. In this regard, the control device, when subsequently processing the detected physical quantity of the transport gas, further performs a comparison with a second threshold value for the physical quantity stored in the control device. If the second threshold value for the transport gas is exceeded, the agitator drive is started and / or the granulator outlet closing device is opened. By constantly and continuously controlling the physical quantities selected from the group of volume flow rate, mass flow rate or flow velocity by the control device, it is automatically ensured that neither the sieves arranged in the sieve housing of the sieving device nor the granule transport pipelines become clogged or, in the worst case, blocked, so that the granule production process does not have to be interrupted.It is further advantageous if an interruption time is stored in the control device, and after the expiration of this interruption time, the agitator drive device is started and / or the granulator outlet closing device is opened.

[0032] Preferably, before or during the granule transfer process, at least one granulator inlet for feeding the starting material is closed, so that no erroneous air inflow into the granule production device can occur.

[0033] The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0034] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a first embodiment of a granule manufacturing apparatus. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a sieve chamber of a sieve device of a granule manufacturing apparatus. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a second embodiment of a granule manufacturing apparatus. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a third embodiment of a granule manufacturing apparatus. [Figure 5] 1 is a first graph that schematically illustrates the rotor speed of the agitator rotor and the flow rate, which is a physical quantity, on the time axis. [Figure 6] 2 is a second graph showing the rotor speed of the agitator rotor and the flow rate, which is a physical quantity, on the time axis. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0035] Unless otherwise stated, the following description relates to all embodiments of the preferred granule manufacturing apparatus 1 shown in the drawings.

[0036] The granule production apparatus 1 comprises a granulator 2, a sieving device 3 and a processing device 4, the granulator 2 being connected to the sieving device 3 by a granule supply line 5, and the sieving device 3 being connected to the processing device 4 by a granule transport line 6. The granule production apparatus 1 suitably additionally comprises a control device 7 with regulating functions for controlling (open-loop control) and / or regulating (closed-loop control) the granule production apparatus 1, the control device 7 preferably comprising an evaluation device 61 and / or a data bank 65.

[0037] The granulator 2, which is preferably configured as a mixer granulator 66, has at least one granulator inlet 8 for feeding the starting material AS. All materials to be fed to the granulator for granulation during the granulation process, in particular the various auxiliaries, additives, fillers, pigments, grinding aids and granulation liquids, are referred to as starting material AS.

[0038] Each granulator inlet 8 can be opened or closed expediently by a granulator inlet closing device 9, which is in particular formed as a granulator inlet closing flap 10 or as a granulator inlet lid 11. In an embodiment not shown, the granulator inlet closing device 9 is formed as a granulator inlet valve. The granulator inlet closing device 9 can be arranged in the granulator 2 or in the starting material supply line 12. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, two granulator inlet closing devices 9 are arranged in the granulator 2, while in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, two granulator inlet closing devices 9 are each arranged in the starting material supply line 12. Furthermore, the granulator inlet closing device 9 is expediently configured to send control or adjustment signals to and / or receive control or adjustment signals from the control device 7 for control and / or adjustment thereof. The control or adjustment signals are illustrated as short dashed arrows.

[0039] The starting material AS can be granulated by an agitator 13 arranged in the granulator 2 and having an agitator rotor 62. The agitator rotor 62 of the agitator 13 can be driven by an agitator drive 14, which preferably has a substantially constant drive torque over its rotational speed range. For this purpose, the agitator drive 14 is preferably configured as a torque motor or an electric motor. The agitator drive 14 is expediently configured to send control or regulating signals to and / or receive control or regulating signals from the control device 7 for control and / or regulation thereof. The control or regulating signals are illustrated as short dashed arrows. The control device 7 adjusts the rotational speed n of the agitator drive 14 and is expediently configured to stop the agitator drive 14 so that the agitator 13 is stationary and granules are not discharged from the granulator 2.

[0040] Furthermore, the granulator 2 has a granulator outlet 15. The granulator outlet 15 optionally has a granulator outlet closing device 16, which is expediently formed as a granulator outlet closing flap 17. The granulator outlet closing device 16 can be arranged at the granulator outlet 15, in the granule supply line 5, or in the sieve device 3. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the granulator outlet closing device 16 is arranged at the granulator 2, while in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the granulator outlet closing device 16 is arranged at the sieve device 3. Expediently, the granulator outlet closing device 16 is configured to send control or adjustment signals to and / or receive control or adjustment signals from the control device 7 for control and / or adjustment thereof. The control or adjustment signals are illustrated as short dashed arrows. The control device 7 is configured to open or close the granulator outlet closing device 16.

[0041] A granule feed line 5 connects the granulator 2 to the sieving device 3 via the granulator outlet 15 and the sieving device granule inlet 18 .

[0042] The sieve device 3 has a sieve chamber 20 defined by a sieve housing 19. The sieve chamber 20 is divided by a sieve 21 into a granule chamber 22 for receiving granules discharged from the granulator 2 and a sieve-through chamber 23 for receiving sieved granules. A sieve body 24 is preferably arranged in the granule chamber 22 of the sieve device 3 to feed the granules from the granule chamber 22 through the sieve 21 into the sieve-through chamber 23. The sieve body 24 can be driven by a sieve body drive 26, which is expediently configured as a motor 25; the motor 25 is preferably a torque motor or an electric motor. The sieve body drive 26 is expediently configured to transmit control or adjustment signals to and / or receive control or adjustment signals from the control device 7 for control and / or adjustment thereof. The control or adjustment signals are illustrated as short dashed arrows.

[0043] In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, no sieve body 24 is arranged in the granule chamber 22 of the sieving device 3, while in the embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4, a sieve body 24 is arranged in the granule chamber 22.

[0044] A rotor disk 27 is preferably arranged in the sieve chamber 23 of the sieving device 3, and the rotor disk 27 can be driven via a rotor disk drive 29, which is expediently configured as a motor 28. The rotor disk 27 is arranged in particular in the region 30 of the sieve chamber bottom 31. The motor 28 is expediently configured as a torque motor or an electric motor. The rotor disk drive 29 is expediently configured to send control or regulating signals to and / or receive control or regulating signals from the control device 7 for controlling and / or regulating the rotor disk drive 29. The control or regulating signals are shown as short dashed arrows.

[0045] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, no rotor disc 27 is arranged in the sieve chamber 23, while in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, a rotor disc 27 is arranged in the sieve chamber 23.

[0046] A transfer gas supply line 33 having a supply line inlet 32 ​​is connected to the sieve chamber 23 via a transfer gas inlet 75. , move If ambient air is drawn in as the transport gas TG via the gas supply line 33, a filter assembly 34 is arranged at the supply line inlet 32. This filter assembly is expediently configured as a HEPA filter 35.

[0047] Preferably, as shown diagrammatically in Figure 2, the transport gas supply line 33 is arranged in a particularly tangential direction on the side wall 36 of the sieve housing 19. The supply of the transport gas TG improves the transport of the sieved granules from the sieve chamber 23 to the treatment device 4. Furthermore, a gas flow is generated in the sieve housing 19 of the sieving device 3, which minimizes or completely prevents adhesion or deposition of granules on the inner surface of the sieve housing 19. In particular, the preferably lateral, particularly preferably tangential, arrangement of the transport gas supply line 33 in the sieve housing 19 results in very good flow conditions for the transport gas TG in the sieve housing 19 in order to prevent adhesion or deposition of granules in the granule transport line 6.

[0048] Furthermore, the sieve chamber 23 of the sieve device 3 is connected by a sieve outlet 37 and via a granule transport line 6 having a transport line outlet 38 to a processing device inlet 48 of the processing device 4. As also shown in Figure 2, the granule transport line is also arranged in a particularly tangential direction on the side wall 36 of the sieve housing 19 of the sieve chamber 23 of the sieve device 3. This granule transport line 6 is preferably arranged in the sieve housing 19 at the same height as the transport gas supply line 33, as shown in Figures 1 and 4. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the granule transport line 6 is arranged in the sieve housing 19 above the transport gas supply line 33.

[0049] The treatment device 4 with the treatment chamber 39 is expediently configured as a coating device 40 with a spray device 68 with spray nozzles 67, in particular as a drum coater 69, or as a fluidizer 41. The fluidizer 40 is also in particular a fluidized bed device 42, or in some embodiments not specifically shown, a spouted bed device.

[0050] The treatment chamber 39 can be circulated in a treatment section 53 from a treatment chamber inlet 72 to a treatment chamber outlet 73 by a process gas PG fed by a feed device assembly 43. In the fluidizer 41, the sieved granules fed by the transport gas TG into the treatment chamber 39 of the treatment device 4 are fluidized by the process gas PG and thus further processed, for example during drying and / or coating. The processed granules are discharged from the treatment device 4 via a discharge device 71 having a granule discharge line 70. As shown in the embodiment shown in Figure 4, the two fluidizers 41 of the granule production device 1 share one common granule discharge line 70 It has the following characteristics.

[0051] Furthermore, the feed device assembly 43 allows a transfer gas TG to be fed in a transfer gas feed section 52 extending from the supply pipeline inlet 32 ​​to the transfer pipeline outlet 38, and this transfer gas TG is suitable for feeding sieved granules from the sieve chamber 23 of the sieve device 3 into the processing chamber 39 of the processing device 4 via the granule transfer pipeline 6 during the granule transfer process.

[0052] Thus, the feed device assembly 43 includes a process gas feed device 44 and / or a transport gas feed device 45, which is arranged in the process gas supply line 46 upstream of the processing device 4, as shown in Figure 1, and / or in the process gas outlet line 47 downstream of the processing device 4, as shown in Figure 4. The process gas feed device 44 and / or the transport gas feed device 45 is preferably configured as a blower 74. If a transport gas feed device 45 is present, it is particularly preferred that the transport gas feed device 45 Figure 3 In the most preferred embodiment, the granule production apparatus 1 has only one process gas feed device 44 arranged in the process gas outlet line 47 downstream of the treatment device 4, as shown in the embodiment shown in FIG.

[0053] 3, the transport gas supply line 33 is connected to the process gas supply line 46, so that the process gas PG is used as the transport gas TG, which is advantageous because the sieved granules are only exposed to the process gas during the granule production process.

[0054] Furthermore, the processing device 4 has a device inlet closing device 49 for the processing device inlet 48. Advantageously, the processing device inlet 48 can be opened or closed by the device inlet closing device 49, which is in particular formed as a device inlet closing flap 50. In an embodiment not shown, the device inlet closing device 49 is formed as a device inlet valve.

[0055] The device inlet closing device 49 can be arranged in the processing device 4 or in the granule transport pipeline 6, with arrangement in the processing device 4 being a preferred embodiment. In each of the illustrated embodiments, the device inlet closing device 49 is arranged in the processing device 4. Furthermore, the device inlet closing device 49 is expediently configured to send control or adjustment signals to and / or receive control or adjustment signals from the control device 7 for control and / or adjustment thereof. The control or adjustment signals are illustrated as short dashed arrows.

[0056] A process gas flow regulator 51 is expediently arranged in the process gas supply line 46 of the treatment device 4 for regulating the pressure loss occurring through the treatment device 4. The process gas flow regulator 51 is expediently configured to send control or regulation signals to and / or receive control or regulation signals from the control device 7 for control and / or regulation thereof. The control or regulation signals are illustrated as short dashed arrows.

[0057] Finally, the granule production apparatus 1 has a measuring device 54. The measuring device 54 measures the volumetric flow rate, mass flow rate or flow velocity v in the transport gas feed section 52. TG The measuring device 54 is suitable for detecting the physical quantity of the transport gas TG from the group. Expediently, the measuring device 54 is assigned to the sieve device 3. Preferably, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, the measuring device 54 is arranged in a transport gas feed section 55 assigned to the transport gas supply line 33. In Figure 3, the measuring device 54 is arranged in the granule transport line 6.

[0058] The measuring device 54 is expediently configured as a measuring device 56 for detecting a physical quantity of the transport gas TG in the transport gas feed section 52. The measuring device 56 is preferably a thermal mass flowmeter, a Coriolis flowmeter, a magnetoinductive flowmeter, an ultrasonic flowmeter, a vortex flowmeter, a differential pressure flowmeter, or a flow monitor that generates a Boolean signal, such as the flow sensor SI5000 from ifm electronic gmbh.

[0059] Figure 4 shows a particularly preferred embodiment of the granule production apparatus 1 among the various embodiments shown. The granule production apparatus 1 shown in Figure 4 has multiple processing devices 4a, 4b and multiple granule transport lines 6, each of which is connected to a sieving device 3 by a granule transport line 6 to achieve a continuous granule production process. The granule transport line 6 shown in Figure 4 forms two granule transport lines 6a, b. Each of the two granule transport lines 6a, 6b has a first common granule transport line segment 57 and a second granule transport line segment 58, each assigned to only one processing device 4. A switching device 60, e.g., a switchable flap system 61, is arranged at a connection point 59 between the first granule transport line segment 57 and the respective second granule transport line segment 58a or 58b. The flap system 61 is suitable for switching the granule transfer lines 6a, 6b so that the sieved granules are loaded via the corresponding granule transfer lines 6a, 6b into either the processing device 4a or the processing device 4b for further processing. In an embodiment not shown, the granule transfer lines 6 are formed completely separate from one another and do not have a common granule transfer line section 57.

[0060] In another embodiment not shown, the granule manufacturing apparatus 1 has three, four, five, six or more processing units 4 .

[0061] The method for controlling (open-loop control) and / or regulating (closed-loop control) the granule production device 1 is implemented in particular by the following steps, the order of which cannot be considered as a chronological order. These steps can be implemented in any order and, if necessary, simultaneously. - starting the feed device assembly 43 to feed the process gas PG in the treatment section 53; - adjusting the process gas flow regulator 51 to create a negative pressure in the transport gas feed section 52, preferably before and / or during the granule transfer process, in order to feed the sieved granules from the sieve chamber 23 into the treatment device 4; volumetric flow rate, mass flow rate or flow velocity v in the transport gas feed section 52 TG detecting a physical quantity of the transport gas TG from the group; - transmitting the detected physical quantities to the control device 7 for further processing, preferably during the granule transport process; - the detected physical quantities of the transport gas are further processed by the control device 7, for example stored, evaluated, etc.; in the evaluation device 61 of the control device 7, the volume flow rate, mass flow rate or flow velocity v TG A transport gas feed section for transport gas from the group 52 evaluating the detected physical quantity and comparing it in particular with a threshold value 63; - opening each granulator inlet closing device 9 to feed the starting material AS; - charging the starting material AS into the granulator 2 via at least one granulator inlet 8 to produce granules; - closing at least one granulator inlet 8, in particular each granulator inlet closing device 9, for supplying the starting material AS before or during the granule transfer process, in order to prevent any false air inflow into the granule production device; - discharging the granules produced in the granulator 2 into a sieving device 3, in particular by means of an agitator 13; - controlling and / or regulating the agitator 13 by means of the agitator drive 14; - controlling and / or regulating the granulator outlet closing device 16; - sieving the granules in a sieving device 3; - transferring the sieved granules from the sieve chamber 23 to the processing device 4; - closing the device inlet closing device 49 when the sieved granules are transferred from the sieve chamber 23 to the processing device 4; - processing the sieved granules in a processing device 4; - discharging the granules processed in the processing device 4 via a discharge device 71; -The processed granules are delivered from the processing equipment after the granule processing process. Was it expelled? , or opening the device inlet closing device 49 if a new batch is to be processed; - repeating the above steps in any order.

[0062] Next, the granule manufacturing process will be described in more detail by way of example with respect to the embodiment shown in FIG.

[0063] In a first step, the feed device assembly 43 configured as the process gas feed device 44 is started to feed the process gas PG through the treatment device in the treatment section 53. In this embodiment, the process gas feed device 44 is a blower 74.

[0064] At the same time, each granulator inlet closing device 9 is opened to supply the starting material AS, and the granulator outlet closing device 16 is closed. The starting material AS is charged into the granulator 2 via at least one granulator inlet 8, and granules are produced.

[0065] While granules are produced in the granulator 2, the flow of process gas through the processing equipment is adjusted via the process gas flow adjusting device 51. By opening the equipment inlet closing device 49, a negative pressure is created in the transfer gas feed section 52 to feed the sieved granules from the sieve chamber 23 into the processing equipment 4, and this causes ambient air to be sucked in as transfer gas through the filter assembly 34. The physical quantity of the transfer gas TG in the transfer gas feed section 52, i.e., the flow rate v TG is detected and transmitted to the controller 7 for further processing.

[0066] Subsequently, the two granulator inlets 8 for feeding the starting material AS, in particular the respective granulator inlet closing devices 9, are closed so that no erroneous air inflow into the granule manufacturing apparatus can take place.

[0067] After that, the granulator outlet closing device 16 is opened, and the granulated material is fed from the granulator 2 by the agitator rotor 62 into the sieve device 3. In the sieve device 3, the granules are sieved and then fed as sieved granules by the transport gas into the processing device 4 via the granule transport line 6. Before or during the granule transport process, the detected physical quantity of the transport gas is evaluated by the control device 7. For this purpose, the evaluation device 61 compares the detected physical quantity of the transport gas with a first threshold value 63 stored in the control device. As soon as the threshold value 63 is lowered, a control signal is sent to the agitator drive 14, which stops the agitator drive 14. The granules fed into the sieve device 3 are subsequently fed as sieved granules into the processing device 4. Since the granules are no longer fed out of the granulator 2, the amount of sieved granules in the transfer gas feed section 52, particularly in the sieve device 3 and the granule transfer pipeline 6, decreases, and the flow rate v of the transfer gas TG TG increases again.

[0068] After a predefined interruption time 65 stored in the data bank 65 of the control device 7 has elapsed, the agitator drive 14 again receives a control signal and again starts the discharge of the produced granules from the granulator 2. This sequence of steps is repeated until the granulator 2 is completely emptied.

[0069] The control device 7 then sends a control or adjustment signal to each granulator inlet closing device 9 to supply the starting material AS, and sends a control or adjustment signal to the granulator outlet closing device 16 to close the granulator outlet closing device. The granulator 2 is again filled with the starting material AS via at least one granulator inlet 8 and granules are produced. The steps following the production of granules in the granulator 2 are repeated in the same manner.

[0070] The control device 7 sends a control signal to the device inlet closing device 49 to close it. After the device inlet closing device 49 is closed, the sieved granules fed into the processing device 4 are further processed in the processing device 4, for example by coating with the spray device 68, and after the granules have been processed, they are discharged via the discharge device 71. For this purpose, both the spray device 68 and the discharge device 71 receive the necessary control and / or adjustment signals from the control device 7.

[0071] This batchwise granule production process is then repeated as frequently as desired until the required amount of granules is produced by the granule production apparatus 1 .

[0072] A first exemplary method for controlling and / or regulating the agitation drive 14 will be described with reference to the graph shown in FIG.

[0073] In the graph, on the one hand, the rotation speed n of the agitator drive 14 and thus of the agitator rotor 62 in revolutions per minute is plotted on the time axis in seconds, and on the other hand, the flow velocity v of the transport gas in meters per second. TG is plotted on the time axis in seconds.

[0074] At the beginning of the granule transport process, the flow rate v for the transport gas TG TG The threshold value for the flow velocity v of the transport gas TG is stored as a physical quantity in the control device 7. TG The threshold value 63 for is set at 14 m / s. For the measuring device 54 configured as the measuring device 56, a flow monitor is used, which monitors the flow velocity v of the transport gas TG. TG is greater than or less than threshold 63. In the illustrated embodiment, the flow monitor is a flow sensor SI5000 from ifm electronic gmbh.

[0075] For automatic progression, the rotation speed n of the agitator drive 14 continues to increase, since a high rotation speed n of the agitator drive 14 is required to completely empty the granulator 2 in one batch. TG If the rotation speed n of the agitator drive 14 has a sawtooth profile over time and the flow rate v TG However, after the initial start-up, the maximum flow velocity v is about 19 m / s. TG These time courses can be explained by the granules being fed into the granule chamber 23.

[0076] Unless the granules are fed from the granulator 2 to the granule chamber 23 of the sieving device 3, the flow rate v of the transport gas TG TG As soon as the feeding of granules from the granulator 2 into the granule chamber 23 of the sieve device 3 is started by starting the agitator drive unit 14, the flow rate v of the transport gas TG increases due to the increased pressure loss in the transport gas feed section 52. TG The flow rate of the transport gas TG, v TGWhen the threshold value 63 is exceeded, the agitator drive 14 is stopped, so that granules are no longer fed into the granule chamber 22. gas The sieved granules in the feed section 52 are fed into the treatment device 4 by the transport gas TG. As soon as the pressure drop decreases, i.e., the transport gas As soon as the amount of sieved granules in the feed section 52 decreases, the flow rate v TG increases again. With the passage of the interruption time 64, the sequence of steps is repeated in time. Thus, over increasing periods, the granulator 2 is completely emptied, whereby the rotation speed n of the agitator drive 14 increases more strongly until it reaches a maximum value (see the last three sawtooth cycles 76 of the rotation speed n). At the same time, the flow rate v of the transport gas TG TG The flow velocity v also increases until it reaches a maximum value. TG By evaluating the values ​​for ρ and the value for the rotation speed n of the agitator drive 14, it is possible to determine when the granulator 2 is empty.

[0077] After the granule transfer process, the sieved granules fed into the processing device 4 are processed in the processing device 4 and another batch of granules is produced in the granulator 2 .

[0078] Therefore, volumetric flow rate, mass flow rate or flow velocity v TG The physical quantity of the gas transported from the group, especially the flow velocity v TG Detecting this prevents the transport gas feed section from becoming at least partially blocked during the granule transport process.

[0079] The graph shown in Figure 6 illustrates a second exemplary method for controlling and / or regulating the agitator drive 14. Except for the modifications described below, the method shown in Figure 6 corresponds to the method shown in Figure 5.

[0080] 6, the agitator driving device 14 is stopped by the control device 7 after the agitator driving device 14 falls below a first threshold value 63a, which corresponds to the threshold value 63 in the graph shown in FIG. 5. Unlike the method described in FIG. 5, in FIG. 6, the agitator driving device 14 is not made to wait for a predetermined interruption time 64 after being stopped, but the flow velocity v TG If the flow rate v falls below the second threshold 63b, the agitator driver 14 is started again. TG is set to about 17.5 m / s for the second threshold value 63b. After the threshold value 63b is exceeded, the rotation speed n of the agitator drive 14 continues to increase, thereby feeding the granules from the granulator 2 into the granule chamber 22 of the sieving device 3. The flow velocity v TG is the flow rate of the transport gas v TG decreases again until it is again below the first threshold 63a. The sequence of steps is repeated until the granulator 2 is empty.

[0081] The embodiments shown in Figures 1 and 3 are operated batchwise, whereas the embodiment shown in Figure 4 is operated, so to speak, continuously. The present application relates to the invention described in the claims, but also includes the following as other aspects. 1. A granule manufacturing apparatus (1) comprising: a granulator (2) having an agitator (13) driven by an agitator drive device (14), the granulator (2) having at least one granulator inlet (8) for supplying a starting material (AS); and a sieve device (3) connected to the granulator (2) via a granule supply line (5), the sieve device (3) having a sieve chamber (20) defined by a sieve housing (19), the sieve chamber The sieve device (3) is configured such that the sieve device (3) (20) is divided by a sieve (21) into a granule chamber (22) for accommodating granules discharged from the granulator (2) and a sieve chamber (23) for accommodating sieved granules, and the sieve chamber (23) is connected to a transfer gas supply line (33) having a supply line inlet (32). The sieve chamber (23) of the sieve device (3) is connected to a granule transfer line (6) having a transfer line outlet (38). a processing device (4) connected to a processing apparatus (4) having a processing chamber (39) which can be passed through a processing section (53) from a processing chamber inlet (72) to a processing chamber outlet (73) by a process gas (PG) fed by a feed device assembly (43), wherein the feed device assembly (43) can feed a transport gas (TG) in a transport gas feed section (52) extending from a supply pipe inlet (32) to a transport pipe outlet (38), and the transport gas feed section (52) is further suitable for feeding sieved granules from a sieve chamber (23) of the sieve device (3) into the processing chamber (39) of the processing device (4) via a granule transport pipe (6) by using the transport gas (TG); The granule manufacturing apparatus (1) comprises a measuring device (54) suitable for detecting a physical quantity of a transport gas (TG) from the group consisting of a volume flow rate, a mass flow rate or a flow velocity (v) in the transport gas feed section (52). 2. The granule manufacturing apparatus (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the measuring device (54) has a measuring instrument (56) for detecting a physical quantity of the transport gas (TG) in the transport gas feed section (52), the measuring instrument being suitably arranged in the transport gas feed section section (55) corresponding to the transport gas supply line (33). 3. The granule manufacturing apparatus (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the measuring device (56) is configured as a thermal mass flow measuring device, a Coriolis flow measuring device, a magnetic induction flow measuring device, an ultrasonic flow measuring device, a vortex flow measuring device, a differential pressure flow measuring device or a flow monitor. 4. The granule manufacturing apparatus (1) according to any one of the above items 1 to 3, characterized in that the granulator (2) is configured as a mixer granulator (66). 5. 5. The granule manufacturing apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the agitator drive (14) has a substantially constant drive torque over its rotational speed range. 6. 6. The granule manufacturing apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a sieve body (24) is arranged in the granule chamber (22) of the sieving device (3) in order to feed granules from the granule chamber (22) through the sieve (21) into the sieved material chamber (23), and the sieve body (24) can be driven by a sieve body drive device (26), which is expediently configured as a motor (25). 7. 7. The granule manufacturing device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a rotor disc (27) is arranged in the sieve chamber (23) of the sieving device (3), and the rotor disc (27) can be driven via a rotor disc drive (29), which is expediently configured as a motor (28). 8. 8. The granule manufacturing device (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that the rotor disc (27) is arranged in the region (30) of the bottom (31) of the sieve chamber. 9. 9. The granule manufacturing device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the transport gas supply line (33) is arranged in particular tangentially to the side wall (36) of the sieve housing (19). 10. 10. The granule manufacturing device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the granule transport pipeline (6) is arranged in particular tangentially to the side wall (36) of the sieve housing (19). 11. 11. The granule manufacturing apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the granule transport pipeline (6) is arranged in the sieve housing (19) above the transport gas supply pipeline (33). 12. 12. The apparatus (1) for producing granules according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the transport gas supply line (33) has a filter assembly (34) at the supply line inlet (32), which filter assembly (34) is expediently configured as a HEPA filter (35). 13. The granule manufacturing apparatus (1) according to any one of the above items 1 to 12, characterized in that the transport gas supply pipe (33) is connected to a process gas supply pipe (46), thereby making it possible to use a process gas (PG) as the transport gas (TG). 14. 14. The granule manufacturing device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the processing device (4) is configured as a coating device (40) or as a fluidization device (41). 15. 15. The granule manufacturing apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the feed device assembly (43) comprises a process gas feed device (44) and / or a transport gas feed device (45). 16. 16. The granule manufacturing apparatus (1) according to claim 15, characterized in that the process gas feed device (44) is arranged in the process gas supply line (46) upstream of the processing device (4) and / or in the process gas discharge line (47) downstream of the processing device (4). 17. 17. The granule manufacturing apparatus (1) according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that the transfer gas feed device (45) is disposed in the transfer gas supply pipeline (33). 18. The granule manufacturing apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the granule manufacturing apparatus (1) has a control device (7) with an adjustment function, which controls and / or adjusts the granulator (2) taking into account the detected physical quantities of the transport gas (TG). 19. 19. The granule manufacturing apparatus (1) according to claim 18, characterized in that the control device (7) controls and / or regulates the agitator drive device (14) and / or the granulator outlet closing device (16). 20. 19. The granule manufacturing apparatus (1) according to claim 19, characterized in that the control device (7) is configured to adjust the rotation speed (n) of the agitator drive device (14) and / or to open or close the granulator outlet closing device (16). 21. 21. The granule manufacturing apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that the processing apparatus (4) has an apparatus inlet closing device (49). 22. The granule manufacturing device (1) according to any one of claims 18 to 20 and 21, characterized in that the control device (7) controls and / or regulates the device inlet closing device (49). 23. 23. The granule manufacturing apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 22, characterized in that the processing device (4) has a process gas supply line (46) in which a process gas flow regulator (51) is arranged. 24. 24. The granule manufacturing apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 18 to 20 and 23, characterized in that the control device (7) controls and / or regulates the process gas flow regulator (51). 25. A granule manufacturing apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 24, characterized in that the granule manufacturing apparatus (1) has a plurality of processing devices (4) and a plurality of granule transport pipelines (6), and each processing device (4) is connected to a sieving device (7) by a granule transport pipeline (6) to achieve a so-called continuous granule manufacturing process. 26. A method for controlling and / or regulating a granule manufacturing apparatus (1), comprising: a granulator (2) having an agitator (13) driven by an agitator drive (14), the granulator (2) having at least one granulator inlet (8) for feeding a starting material (AS); and a sieve device (3) connected to the granulator (2) via a granule supply line (5), the sieve device (3) being defined by a sieve housing (19). The sieve chamber (20) is divided by a sieve (21) into a granule chamber (22) for accommodating granules discharged from the granulator (2) and a sieve chamber (23) for accommodating sieved granules, and the sieve chamber (23) is connected to a transfer gas supply line (33) having a supply line inlet (32). The sieve device (3) and a granule transfer line (6) having a transfer line outlet (38) are connected to the sieve device (3). a processing device (4) connected to a sieve chamber (23) of a sieve device (3) via a processing device (4), the processing device (4) having a processing chamber (39), the processing chamber (39) being passed through a processing section (53) from a processing chamber inlet (72) to a processing chamber outlet (73) by a process gas (PG) fed by a feed device assembly (43), the feed device assembly (43) feeding a transport gas (TG) in a transport gas feed section (52) extending from a supply pipe inlet (32) to a transport pipe outlet (38), the transport gas feed section (52) being further suitable for feeding sieved granules from the sieve chamber (23) of the sieve device (3) into the processing chamber (39) of the processing device (4) via a granule transport pipe (6) using the transport gas (TG); The method is characterized in that the granule manufacturing apparatus (1) has a measuring device (54), which detects a physical quantity of the transport gas (TG) from the group consisting of volume flow rate, mass flow rate, or flow velocity (v) in the transport gas feed section (52) during the granule transport process. 27. 27. The method according to claim 26, characterized in that the method is carried out as a batch process. 28. 28. The method according to claim 26 or 27, characterized in that the granule manufacturing device (1) has a control device (7) with an adjusting function, and the detected physical quantities are transmitted to the control device (7) for further processing, preferably during the granule transport process. 29. 29. The method according to claim 28, characterized in that the control device (7) comprises an evaluation device (61) which subsequently processes the detected physical quantities of the transport gas (TG) taking into account the detected physical quantities of the transport gas. 30. 30. The method according to claim 28 or 29, characterized in that the processing device (4) has an inlet closing device (49) of the device, and the control device (7) controls and / or adjusts the inlet closing device (29) of the device before the granule transfer process, thereby bringing the inlet closing device (29) of the device from a closed position to an open position. 31. 31. The method according to any one of claims 28 to 30, characterized in that the treatment device (4) has a process gas supply line (46), in which a process gas flow regulator (51) is arranged, and the control device (7) controls and / or regulates the process gas flow regulator (51) before and / or during the granule transfer process, thereby creating a negative pressure in the transfer gas feed section (52) for feeding the sieved granules from the sieve chamber (23) into the treatment device (4). 32. 32. The method according to any one of claims 28 to 31, characterized in that the control device (7), when subsequently processing the detected physical quantity of the transport gas (TG), performs a comparison with a first threshold value (63a) for the physical quantity stored in the control device (7), whereby the control device (7) can control and / or regulate the granule manufacturing device (1) by sending control and / or adjustment signals to the agitator drive device (14) and / or the granulator outlet closing device (16) in order to adjust the rotation speed (n) of the agitator drive device (14) and / or open or close the granulator outlet closing device (16). 33. 33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the rotation speed (n) of the agitator drive device (14) continues to increase over time during the granule transport process. 34. 34. The method according to claim 32 or 33, characterized in that when a first threshold value (63a) for the transport gas (TG) is lowered, the agitator drive device (14) is stopped and / or the granulator outlet closing device (16) is closed. 35. 35. The method according to claim 34, characterized in that the control device (7), when subsequently processing the detected physical quantity of the transport gas (TG), performs a comparison with a second threshold value (36b) for the physical quantity stored in the control device (7), and starts the agitator drive device (14) and / or opens the granulator outlet closing device (16) if the second threshold value for the transport gas (TG) is exceeded. 36. 35. The method according to claim 34, characterized in that an interruption time (64) is stored in the control device (7), and after the interruption time (64) has elapsed, the agitator drive device (14) is started and / or the granulator outlet closing device (16) is opened. 37. 37. The method according to any one of claims 26 to 36, characterized in that at least one granulator inlet (8) for feeding the starting material (AS) is closed before or during the granule transfer process, so that no erroneous air inflow into the granule manufacturing device (1) can occur. 38. 38. The method according to any one of claims 26 to 37, characterized in that the granule manufacturing apparatus (1) has a plurality of processing devices (4) and a plurality of granule transport pipelines (6), each processing device (4) being connected to the sieving device (3) by a granule transport pipeline (6) in order to carry out a so-called continuous granule manufacturing process.

Claims

1. A granule manufacturing apparatus (1) comprising: a granulator (2) having an agitator (13) driven by an agitator drive device (14), the granulator (2) having at least one granulator inlet (8) for supplying a starting material (AS); and a sieve device (3) connected to the granulator (2) via a granule supply line (5), the sieve device (3) having a sieve chamber (20) defined by a sieve housing (19), the sieve chamber (20) being configured to sieve the starting material (AS). The sieve chamber (23) is connected to a sieve device (3) through a granule transport line (6) having a transport line outlet (38), and the sieve chamber (23) is connected to a transport gas supply line (33) having a supply line inlet (32). a processing device (4) having a processing chamber (39) which can be passed through in a processing section (53) from a processing chamber inlet (72) to a processing chamber outlet (73) by a process gas (PG) fed by a feed device assembly (43), wherein the feed device assembly (43) can feed a transport gas (TG) in a transport gas feed section (52) extending from the supply pipeline inlet (32) to the transport pipeline outlet (38), and the transport gas feed section (52) is further suitable for feeding sieved granules from the sieve chamber (23) of the sieve device (3) into the processing chamber (39) of the processing device (4) via the granule transport pipeline (6) using the transport gas (TG); The granule manufacturing apparatus (1) has a measuring device (54) suitable for detecting a physical quantity of the transport gas (TG) from the group consisting of volume flow rate, mass flow rate or flow velocity (v) in the transport gas feed section (52).

2. 2. The granule manufacturing apparatus (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the measuring device (54) has a measuring instrument (56) for detecting a physical quantity of the transport gas (TG) in the transport gas feed section (52) and is advantageously arranged in a transport gas feed section section (55) corresponding to the transport gas supply line (33).

3. The granule manufacturing apparatus (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the measuring device (56) is configured as a thermal mass flow measuring device, a Coriolis flow measuring device, a magnetic induction flow measuring device, an ultrasonic flow measuring device, a vortex flow measuring device, a differential pressure flow measuring device or a flow monitor.

4. 4. The device (1) for producing granules according to claim 1, wherein the granulator (2) is configured as a mixer granulator (66).

5. 5. Apparatus (1) for producing granules according to claim 1, characterized in that the agitator drive (14) has a substantially constant drive torque over its rotational speed range.

6. A granule manufacturing apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a sieve body (24) is arranged in the granule chamber (22) of the sieve device (3) to feed granules from the granule chamber (22) through the sieve (21) into the sieved material chamber (23), and the sieve body (24) can be driven by a sieve body drive device (26), which is suitably configured as a motor (25).

7. The granule manufacturing device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a rotor disk (27) is arranged in the sieve chamber (23) of the sieve device (3), and the rotor disk (27) can be driven via a rotor disk drive device (29), which is expediently configured as a motor (28).

8. 8. Apparatus (1) for producing granules according to claim 7, characterized in that the rotor disc (27) is arranged in the region (30) of the bottom (31) of the sieve chamber.

9. 9. The device (1) for producing granules according to claim 1, wherein the transport gas supply line (33) is arranged in particular tangentially in the side wall (36) of the sieve housing (19).

10. 10. The device (1) for producing granules according to claim 1, wherein the granule transport line (6) is arranged in particular tangentially to the side wall (36) of the sieve housing (19).

11. The granule manufacturing device (19) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the granule transport line (6) is arranged in the sieve housing (19) above the transport gas supply line (33).

12. 12. The granule manufacturing apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein the transport gas supply line (33) has a filter assembly (34) at the supply line inlet (32), the filter assembly (34) being expediently configured as a HEPA filter (35).

13. The granule manufacturing apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the transport gas supply line (33) is connected to a process gas supply line (46), thereby making it possible to use a process gas (PG) as the transport gas (TG).

14. 14. Apparatus (1) for producing granules according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the treatment device (4) is configured as a coating device (40) or as a fluidization device (41).

15. 15. Apparatus (1) for producing granules according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the feeding device assembly (43) comprises a process gas feeding device (44) and / or a transport gas feeding device (45).

16. The granule manufacturing apparatus (1) according to claim 15, characterized in that the process gas feed device (44) is arranged in a process gas supply line (46) upstream of the processing device (4) and / or in a process gas discharge line (47) downstream of the processing device (4).

17. 17. Apparatus (1) for producing granules according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that the transport gas feed device (45) is arranged in the transport gas supply line (33).

18. The granule manufacturing apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the granule manufacturing apparatus (1) has a control device (7) with an adjustment function, which controls and / or adjusts the granulator (2) taking into account detected physical quantities of the transport gas (TG).

19. 19. Apparatus (1) for producing granules according to claim 18, characterized in that the control device (7) controls and / or regulates the agitator drive device (14) and / or the granulator outlet closing device (16).

20. The granule manufacturing apparatus (1) according to claim 19, characterized in that the control device (7) is configured to adjust the rotation speed (n) of the agitator drive device (14) and / or to open or close the granulator outlet closing device (16).

21. 21. Apparatus (1) for producing granules according to any one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that the treatment device (4) has an apparatus inlet closing device (49).

22. Apparatus (1) for producing granules according to any one of claims 18 to 20 and claim 21, characterized in that the control device (7) controls and / or regulates the apparatus inlet closing device (49).

23. The granule manufacturing apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 22, characterized in that the processing device (4) has a process gas supply line (46) in which a process gas flow adjusting device (51) is arranged.

24. 24. Apparatus (1) for producing granules according to any one of claims 18 to 20 and 23, characterized in that the control device (7) controls and / or regulates the process gas flow regulator (51).

25. The granule manufacturing apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 24, characterized in that the granule manufacturing apparatus (1) has a plurality of processing devices (4) and a plurality of granule transport lines (6), and each processing device (4) is connected to the sieving device (7) by a granule transport line (6) to achieve a continuous granule manufacturing process, so to speak.

26. A method for controlling and / or regulating a granule manufacturing apparatus (1), comprising: a granulator (2) having an agitator (13) driven by an agitator drive (14), the granulator (2) having at least one granulator inlet (8) for feeding a starting material (AS); and a sieving device (3) connected to the granulator (2) via a granule feed line (5), the sieving device (3) having a sieve chamber defined by a sieve housing (19). The sieve chamber (20) is divided by a sieve (21) into a granule chamber (22) for accommodating granules discharged from the granulator (2) and a sieve chamber (23) for accommodating sieved granules, and the sieve chamber (23) is connected to a transfer gas supply line (33) having a supply line inlet (32). The sieve chamber (22) is connected to a granule transfer line (6) having a transfer line outlet (38). a processing device (4) connected to the sieve chamber (23) of the processing device (3), the processing device (4) having a processing chamber (39), the processing chamber (39) being circulated in a processing section (53) from a processing chamber inlet (72) toward a processing chamber outlet (73) by a process gas (PG) fed by a feed device assembly (43), the feed device assembly (43) feeding a transport gas (TG) in a transport gas feed section (52) extending from the supply pipeline inlet (32) to the transport pipeline outlet (38), the transport gas feed section (52) being further suitable for feeding sieved granules from the sieve chamber (23) of the sieve device (3) into the processing chamber (39) of the processing device (4), via the granule transport pipeline (6) using the transport gas (TG); The method is characterized in that the granule manufacturing apparatus (1) has a measuring device (54), which detects a physical quantity of the transport gas (TG) from the group consisting of volume flow rate, mass flow rate, or flow velocity (v) in the transport gas feed section (52) during the granule transport process.

27. 27. The method according to claim 26, characterized in that the method is carried out as a batch process.

28. 28. The method according to claim 26 or 27, characterized in that the granule manufacturing device (1) has a control device (7) with an adjusting function, and the detected physical quantities are transmitted to the control device (7) for further processing, preferably during the granule transport process.

29. 29. The method according to claim 28, characterized in that the control device (7) has an evaluation device (61), which subsequently processes the detected physical quantities of the transport gas (TG) while taking into account the detected physical quantities of the transport gas.

30. 30. The method according to claim 28 or 29, characterized in that the processing device (4) has a device inlet closing device (49), and the control device (7) controls and / or adjusts the device inlet closing device (29) before the granule transfer process, thereby bringing the device inlet closing device (29) from a closed position to an open position.

31. 31. The method according to claim 28, wherein the treatment device (4) has a process gas supply line (46) in which a process gas flow regulator (51) is arranged, and the control device (7) controls and / or regulates the process gas flow regulator (14) before and / or during the granule transport process, thereby creating a negative pressure in the transport gas feed section (52) for feeding the sieved granules from the sieve chamber (23) into the treatment device (4).

32. 32. The method according to claim 28, wherein the control device (7), when subsequently processing the detected physical quantity of the transport gas (TG), performs a comparison with a first threshold value (63a) for the physical quantity stored in the control device (7), whereby the control device (7) can control and / or regulate the granule manufacturing device (1) by sending control and / or adjustment signals to the agitator drive device (14) and / or the granulator outlet closing device (16) in order to adjust the rotation speed (n) of the agitator drive device (14) and / or open or close the granulator outlet closing device (16).

33. 33. The method according to claim 32, characterized in that the rotational speed (n) of the agitator drive (14) increases over time during the granule transport process.

34. 34. The method according to claim 32 or 33, characterized in that when a first threshold value (63a) for the transport gas (TG) is lowered, the agitator drive (14) is stopped and / or the granulator outlet closing device (16) is closed.

35. 35. The method according to claim 34, characterized in that the control device (7), when subsequently processing the detected physical quantity of the transport gas (TG), performs a comparison with a second threshold value (36b) for the physical quantity stored in the control device (7), and starts the agitator drive device (14) and / or opens the granulator outlet closing device (16) if the second threshold value for the transport gas (TG) is exceeded.

36. 35. The method according to claim 34, characterized in that an interruption time (64) is stored in the control device (7), and after the expiration of the interruption time (64), the agitator drive device (14) is started and / or the granulator outlet closing device (16) is opened.

37. 37. The method according to any one of claims 26 to 36, characterized in that the at least one granulator inlet (8) for supplying the starting material (AS) is closed before or during the granule transfer process, so that an inadvertent inflow of air into the granule manufacturing device (1) cannot occur.

38. 38. The method according to any one of claims 26 to 37, characterized in that the granule manufacturing apparatus (1) has a plurality of processing devices (4) and a plurality of granule transport lines (6), each processing device (4) being connected to a sieving device (3) by a granule transport line (6) in order to carry out a so-called continuous granule manufacturing process.

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