Fluidized bed agglomeration: A technology for powder optimization

Fluidized bed agglomeration is an advanced processing technology widely acclaimed across various industries for enhancing powder characteristics and optimizing their use. Innov’ia, expert in functional ingredient formulation, offers this process to meet the specific needs of the pharmaceutical, food, chemical, and other sectors. With our expertise in this method, we help you optimize your products to improve their stability, handling, and performance.

Fluidized bed agglomeration is a cyclic process based on key steps that transform powder particles into homogeneous and stable agglomerates. This comprehensive process ensures precise control over the size and structure of the resulting agglomerates.

• Fluidization: Particles are suspended in an upward air current, forming a fluidized air bed. This step promotes consistent particle circulation and separation.
• Wetting: A binder-containing solution is sprayed onto the suspended particles. The droplets adhere to the surface, initiating the agglomeration process.
• Collisions and liquid bridge formation: Driven by the air, wetted particles collide, forming liquid bridges that connect them.
• Drying and consolidation: Hot air evaporates the water from the liquid bridges, transforming them into solid structures and ensuring the cohesion of the agglomerates.
• Growth by coalescence: Repetition of these steps allows progressive particle growth, resulting in increasingly larger agglomerates.

This transformation cycle produces particles with a “raspberry-like” morphology, characterized by advantageous porosity and uniformity for numerous applications.

Agglomerates created through this method have a distinctive structure, offering several significant benefits:

• Enhanced homogeneity: Precise particle size distribution ensures perfect uniformity, essential for applications requiring consistent quality.
• Density control: Adjustable porosity of agglomerates allows the final product density to be tailored to client needs, a significant advantage for the pharmaceutical and food sectors.
• Improved flow properties: Enhanced flowability facilitates handling and dosing, reducing risks of blockage or dust in production lines.
• Increased compressibility: The agglomerate structure promotes better compression, a highly sought-after feature in the production of pharmaceutical tablets.
• Fast and complete dissolution: The porous structure of agglomerates accelerates dissolution in liquids, a critical advantage for instant powders in the food and pharmaceutical industries.
• Reduced fines: The process decreases the proportion of fine particles, minimizing dust-related risks and associated issues.

Improved stability: Reduced hygroscopicity of agglomerates limits caking, enhancing product shelf life and stability.

Fluidized bed agglomeration is used across multiple industries, benefiting from its unique properties:

• Pharmaceutical industry: Improves powder compressibility for manufacturing stable and solid tablets.
• Food industry: Produces instant powders for beverages and other products requiring rapid dissolution.
• Chemical industry: Enhances the handling and safety of fine powders, contributing to operational safety and efficiency.

With years of experience in agglomeration and functional ingredient formulation, Innov’ia is the preferred partner for companies looking to optimize their powders with precision and efficiency. Here’s why industry leaders trust us:

• Technical expertise and continuous innovation: Innov’ia stays at the forefront of fluidized bed agglomeration techniques, offering proven expertise to transform your powders into functional products with enhanced properties.
• Customized solutions: We work closely with each client to tailor the density, size, and structure of their agglomerates to meet specific project requirements.
• Environmental commitment: At Innov’ia, we adopt environmentally friendly processes, incorporating eco-responsible solutions that comply with sustainability standards.
• Confidentiality and intellectual property protection: Every project is handled with utmost care to ensure information confidentiality and the security of our clients’ formulations.

With robust expertise in fluidized bed agglomeration, Innov’ia is the preferred partner for the food, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries to transform their powders into optimized and reliable products. Our clients value our technical mastery and ability to precisely adapt each process step to ensure results that meet the highest standards.