Simulating the wet granulation of TiO2 photocatalyst in fluidized bed: Population balance modelling and prediction of coalescence rate

Abstract The major focus of this study, the second part of a series, is to simulate the net granulation process of TiO2 powder using 1-D discretized population balance modelling (PBM) and Size-Independent Kernel (SIK) coalescence model. In this, sequential and non-sequential modelling procedures have been used. Tested one-dimensional population balance model and coalescence-only, size-independent kernel provide a good prediction of real TiO2 particle size distributions (PSDs). The coalescence rate is quantified for both modelling procedures and formulation system used. Reduced-order population balance equation (PBE) and quite simple, fully empirical coalescence-only kernel successfully describe and predict real TiO2 PSDs. This paper reveals the meso-scale study of the wet granulation process for the not previously granulated powder system.