Particle agglomeration in high shear mixers

Agglomeration mechanisms and liquid requirements in the batch granulation of fine powders in high shear mixers are discussed. Many experiments have revealed a close correlation between the degree of liquid saturation of the agglomerates and the growth rate. The saturation degree is determined by the amount of binder liquid and the particle packing density. Its effects on the agglomerate growth can be applied in the analysis of, for example, effects of mixer scale and processing conditions on liquid requirements and the final granule size. Studies of the growth kinetics show that agglomeration of fine powders may result into uniformly sized granules of spherical shape. This can be applied in the development of modified release products.