Tableting Process Water Content Control via Spray Rehumidification

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing tablet manufacturing processes face challenges in efficiently managing water content during granulation, drying, and tableting, particularly in maintaining optimal moisture levels for compressibility, friability, and stability of active pharmaceutical ingredients, especially for larger batch sizes where climate-controlled chambers are impractical.

Innovation Solution

Rehumidification of granulated powder after sieving by spraying water on the falling particles in a closed system, allowing for quick adjustment of moisture content to meet the target values for the tableting process, rather than relying on climate chambers for water content adjustment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If climate chambers are used to adjust water content, then water content control is achieved, but large space requirements and long processing time are needed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater content controlVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical climate chamber system with a spray-based liquid application system. Instead of using large climate-controlled spaces to gradually adjust moisture content over time, the invention uses spray nozzles to directly apply liquid (water or binding solution) to the granulate, achieving rapid and precise water content adjustment without the space and time constraints of traditional climate chambers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Manufacturing precision

If climate chambers are used to adjust water content, then water content control is achieved, but large space requirements are needed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater content controlVSAvoidspace requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If water content is increased after sieving, then tableting process improvement is achieved, but water content control precision is challenged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetableting process efficiencyVSAvoidwater content control

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback control system where the water content of the granulate is measured (either before or after spraying), and this information is used to calculate and adjust the amount of liquid to be applied. The control unit receives water content data and automatically determines the precise amount of binding solution or water needed to reach the target water content, ensuring both productivity improvement and precise control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent dynamically adjusts the water content parameter by controlling the amount of liquid applied during spraying. The system can adapt the water content based on the specific requirements of the tableting process, allowing optimization of tablet properties such as compressibility and disintegration time while maintaining precise control through automated dosing based on measured water content.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method enables precise control of water content for improved tableting outcomes, enhancing compressibility and stability of tablets while reducing the need for large climate-controlled spaces and time-consuming processes, particularly for larger batches.

Implementation Method 1

spraying the particles while falling from an upper container into a lower container

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAbsorption: Absorption (physical)

Implementation Method 2

During transport and sieving a not predictable amount of water may evaporate from the mixture

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Data Source

PatentEP3650010B1Improved tableting process

Publication Date: 2021.01.06 SIEGFRIED AG

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AI summary

The present invention relates to the process of tablet manufacturing. In particular, the invention shows how to manage different needs of water quantities during granulation, drying and tableting.