(745b) Numerical Workflow for Predicting Tablet Coating Uniformity in Pharmaceutical Coating Processes from Lab to Commercial Scale

In this presentation, tablet coating uniformity was predicted in different coater geometries (ProCepT, Glatt GMPC1, Omega and Bohle BFC 5) using commercial software (Rocky DEM and ANSYS CFD). Two tablet shapes () and various operating conditions (drum rotational speed, batch load, spray rate, and nozzle position) were investigated and the results were compared against experimental data. Simulation results showed good agreement with both experimental and analytical models of the coating process, and a sensitivity study was also performed out to determine the influence of the critical parameters during the process. A workflow for predicting the Coefficient of Variation of the tablet film coating thickness using numerical simulation is proposed for virtual process design.