(668f) Monte Carlo Modeling of Three-Component Granulation with Evaporaton

The study of granulation, both experimentally and numerically, has received a great deal of attention over the last several years. Our contribution to the field has focused on the development of a multi-dimensional population balance model for granulation that is numerically solved via constant-number Monte Carlo. Recently, we simulated the granulation of a two-component system (powder and binder) in an idealized fluidized bed granulator operated in semi-batch mode; the powder was already present at time zero and the binder was introduced continuously during granulation. Each granule was characterized by the amount of powder and binder present. The agglomeration kernel was modeled based on the collision rate obtained by the kinetic theory of granular flow (KTGF) combined with a geometric model for the sticking probability of granules based on the fractional coverage of the granule surface by the binder. Monte Carlo simulation results compared very favorably with experimental data. We now extend this work to treat the binder as a bicomponent solution of soluble binder in water. As such, a three-component system must now be considered: powder, soluble binder, and water. Monte Carlo is updated to include not only the continuous addition of binder, but also a heat and mass balance on the moisture within the granules. These simulation results can be directly compared with ?loss on drying? experimental results. The status of this research is presented.