Extrusion-spheronization pelletization processing equipment

A commercial manufacturing of pellets using the extrusion/spheronization process can be accomplished by discharging the formed pellets from the spheronizer in a continuous fluid bed unit. This provides the semiautomatic commercial setup. Figure 17 illustrates a typical setup in such an equipment configuration. 

The product formed in an extrusion process are cylindricalshaped pellets. Very few fines result, because the dies forming the pellets are at the exit of the extruder. Equipment is also available, called a spheronizer, that can produce spherical products. 

Li Shun P, Kowarski CR, Feld KW, Grim WM. Recent advances in microencapsulation technology and equipment. Drug Dev Ind Pharm 1988 14(2,3) 353-376. Robinson RL, Hollenbeck G. Manufacture of spherical acetaminophen pellets comparison of rotary processing with multiple-step extrusion and spheronization. Pharm Tech-nol 1991 15(5) 48-56. 

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