Development and implementation of a hybrid scale up model for a batch high shear wet granulation operation

The high shear wet granulation (HSWG) operation consists of several rate processes influenced by the raw material properties, process operational parameters, and equipment design. Their combined effect determines the granule attributes. In literature, these rate processes have been modeled using different dimensionless numbers and their correlations. Each of these dimensionless numbers represent only certain rate processes. Since many of these rate processes occur at the same time, it is necessary to simultaneously model them to account for all the important degrees of freedom. Most of the HSWG scale up approaches in literature calculate scale up conditions based on a single rate process or operating parameter of interest that can lead to sub-optimal process design. We present the development of a hybrid HSWG scale up model accounting simultaneously for all the rate processes. The approach was successfully implemented to scale up the HSWG operation across laboratory, pilot, and commercial scales.