436__ Industrial Pharmacy: A Comprehensive Approach 10.6 ka/sa.cm. The delivery tube is fitted with a filling head. The aerosol container filled with required amount of product concentrate; the valve of the container is crimped, attached to a vacuum pump to remove air from the container. Then the filling head is introduced into the valve, the valve is pressed to open. The gas starts filling the container. When the container pressure becomes equal to the delivery pressure, the gas stops flowing, then the delivery tube is taken out, and the container valve is closed. In some aerosols the gas is partially solubilized in product concentrate. In such cases shaking of the container should be done during and after filling, Cold Filling This process is used to fill liquefied gas propellant only. There are two methods for this purpose. ‘Inthe first method, both product concentrate and propellant are chilled to -30° to-40°F. The chilled product concentrate is first filled into the chilled container. Then the chilled propellant is filled in the container through valve attached to the aerosol container. + In the second method, both product concentrate and propellant are chilled to =1° to ~4 °C, Both the components are then mixed as per the formula, Then the mixture is filled into the chilled container. The filling can be done by using metered as well as non-metered valve. However, hydrocarbon aerosols should not be filled in this method. Because the propellant escapes and vaporizes during the process, and can form explosive mixture. ‘The equipment used for cold filling process consists of an insulated box fitted with coiled copper tubing to increase cooling area. This method is not suitable for emulsion and suspension products that are not stable at very low temperature. Pressure Filling Pressure filling equipment consists of a metered burette. The burette can measure even small amount of propellant to be filled into the aerosol container. Either at the top or bottom of the burette an inlet valve is attached. Through this valve the propellant enters into the burette. There Is a valve at the upper side. Through this valve entrapped alr can escape. Before filling the aerosol container with propellant, required amount of product concentrate is filled into the container. Then, required amount of propellant is allowed to enter into the container through the aerosol valve. The vapor pressure of propellant is sufficient for its flow. When the pressures of the burette and of the container become ‘equal, the propellant does not flow further. This is true for propellants having low vapor pressure. For additional filling of propellant excess pressure is created over the Ul O <