Particle-level insights into the powder flow behavior of the Fette 1200i tablet press feed frame using the discrete element method (DEM)

Abstract

This study employs the DEM to simulate powder flow in the Fette-1200i tablet press three-chambered feed-frame system under varying operating conditions. It examines the influence of operational speeds on parameters like residence time, particle travel distance, shear work, paddle torque, tablet weight, and API concentration. Utilizing continuous spatial surface maps, the research comprehensively analyzes powder flow behavior. Results indicate that particle residence time increases with paddle speed but decreases with turret speed. Similar trends are observed for particle travel distance and shear work. Larger particle residence time can lead to overlubrication. The torque of the paddles is related to the volume of material in each chamber, with the distributing chamber having the largest volume. Tablet weight rises with paddle speed but drops with turret speed. The smallest particle (API) tends to collect near the paddle hub due to limited centrifugal force and on the chamber floor due to percolation. However, the tablet's API content eventually stabilizes at the target concentration.