Use of Computational Fluid Dynamics for Development and Scale-Up of a Helical Coil Heat Exchanger for Dissolution of a Thermally Labile API

Abstract

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is well established as a tool of choice for solving complex problems that involve interplay of the various transport phenomena (fluid flow, heat transfer, mass transfer) and/or chemical reaction. CFD modelling in such applications can be an effective tool for understanding the process and thereby identifying optimal operating conditions. In this paper, we discuss the use of CFD as a tool for modelling the fluid flow and heat transfer in a helical flow reactor. The reactor is part of a crystallization process for a thermally labile Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) and is being used to heat the incoming feed material to dissolution and then later to cool the solution with a minimum possible total residence time. The time scale to carry out dissolution process by heating followed by cooling of the product solution has been shown to have a significant impact on product yield and quality. Further, CFD results were used to guide scale-up of the reactor from lab scale (15...