Mechanistic Modelling of Aggregation Phenomena in Population Balances of Granulation

This paper addresses the development of population balance models for granulation processes. Granulation processes find application in a wide range of industries spanning pharmaceuticals, fertilisers, detergents, food processing, etc., to improve handling, flow properties, controlled dissolution and delivery rates, uniformity in the distribution of multiple components, and taste and aesthetics. At present, granulation processes are operated in a highly inefficient manner, with large recycle within the process. Thus, there is a need to better understand and model the granulation process, so as to enable more efficient operation based on sound scientific principles. The novelty in the present model is two fold: first, the employment of a multi-dimensional population balance; and second, the exploitation of advancements in the underlying science to develop mechanistic kernel models.