The influence of pressure and temperature on the kinetics of vacuum drying of ketoprofen

This paper explores the influence of temperature and pressure on drying kinetics of 2-(3-benzoylphenil propionic acid) - ketoprofen, in a vacuum dryer on laboratory scale. Experimentally determined relations between moisture content and drying rate vs time, were approximated with an exponential model. Model parameters were correlated with drying conditions (temperature, pressure) and defined by functions of their potentions. From an energy balance of the process, a mathematical model for simulating dependence of sample temperature vs drying time, and moisture content of material, has been developed. Simulation of the drying kinectics and sample temperature, by use of those functional dependencies shows good agreement with experimental results.