Agglomeration of powders

Pharma solids particulates processes

Mechanisms of agglomeration

Agglomeration processes are ubiquitous in the process industry, be it wanted agglomeration through a process, or unwanted agglomeration like for example caking. This page is aiming at explaining what are the physical phenomena that cause agglomeration of powder particles, as such an understanding is critical to ensure that a factory is operating properly such processes as fluidized beds agglomerators, roller compactors, tablet presses, extrusion or sintering.

Tabetting - Tablet presses

Tablet presses, and more generally rotary punch and die presses, are used in various industries to compact powder and granulates and then produce a tablet that can be easily handle, sold, and absorbed by the customer. Those machines are of course widespread in pharma industry and also now in the growing food supplement industries.

Compaction - Roller compactors

Roller presses are used to process bulk solids (powder, granules) in order to perform a dry granulation by compaction. This page is focusing on the design of roller presses, the mechanisms behind the agglomeration of the material which goes through a roller compactor, and the different applications of this technology.