Fluidized bed spray granulation: Analysis of the system behaviour by means of dynamic flowsheet simulation

Nowadays, software tools for the flowsheet simulation of industrial processes are commonly used for design, simulation, balancing, troubleshooting and optimization purposes. Most of the tools are applicable to fluid processes only and cannot be effectively used for processes which involve solids. In this contribution we want to present the conceptual design of a new system applicable for the dynamic flowsheet simulation of complex solids processes. This system is developed as an enhancement to the existing simulation program. The novel software is able to simulate the unsteady behaviour of complex circuits of granulation processes. The transient behaviour during the start-up and changing of the process or material parameters can also be examined. As flowsheet examples, a typical spray granulation process with different schemes consisting of fluidized bed granulators, screens, mill and splitters was used. The mathematical model of the fluidized bed granulator is described by a one-dimensional population balance equation and coupled with heat and mass transfer and simple fluid dynamics. Received simulation results have shown that the proposed concept of the dynamic flowsheet simulation of granulation processes can be used effectively and has the potential to be generalized for other types of solids processes. In this contribution the conceptual design of a new system applicable for the dynamic flowsheet simulation of complex solids processes is presented. As flowsheet examples, typical spray granulation processes with different schemes consisting of fluidized bed granulators, screens, mill and splitters were used. [Display omitted]