Fluidized bed dryers (FBD) or Fluid Bed Processor

(FBP) (22)
4 Comments / Equipments / By Flair Pharma
Fluidized Bed Dryer (FBD) or Fluid Bed Processor (FBP)

Fluidized bed dryers (FBD) are widely used equipment in pharmaceutical industries. granulation area of
pharmaceutical manufacturing. FBDs are used for drying granulated or powdery wet products by means of
heating with Fluidization.

Fluidized Bed Dryer

(FBD)
Nowadays in pharmaceutical plants, fluidization is carried out with solution coating of granules that’s why
FBD is also modified & called FBP (Fluid Bed Processor, FBE (Fluid Bed Equipment), or Wurster coatings
or Fluid bed Multifunctional Processor. fluid bed processor is also integrated with top spray, bottom spray
tangent spray for granulation, drying, coating, and pelletizing.

FBD Machines used in Industries basis on safety design are of two types:

 Vented Fluid Bed machines (2 bar Pressure Shock Resistant machine).

 Non – Vented Fluid Bed machines (12 bar Pressure Resistant machine).
1. Main Structure: Every FBD has below parts as per requirements:

 Movable product container.

 Expansion chamber
     
   FBD Main Body
 Filter chamber or Finger bag
 Food-grade silicon gaskets.
 Top spray
 Bottom spray
 Screen mesh
 Temperature Sensor
 Inlet damper opening & closing
 CIP/WIP system
 Differential pressure transmitter
 Product Contact parts are of (metallic) SS 316L
 Solid flow Monitor (SFM)/ Broken Bag Detector BBD
2. Processes:

 Gentle drying: Drying of solids through fluidization is the most effective way in pharmaceutical
industries, the moisture is carried away by the drying air by exchanging heat through the air to the
product in a specific ideal tie.
 Granulating: Granulating is the method of creating granules by spraying aqueous or organic
solvents on the mixed powder.
 Coating or Layering on Drug for pellets: This process needs very high precision to laying active
substance on the starter core granule this called powder layering technology.
 Direct pelletizing: This process is also very critical, in this API is in powder form other materials are
directly transferred to the pellet without the addition of a starter core. API can be formulated into the
matrix of pellets using different excipients, with a targeted release of the API.
3. Air Handling Unit (AHU) of FBP: The Air Handling Unit Consists of：

 Pre-filter G4

           
Air Processing Unit (APU)
  Intermediate Filter F8
 Dehumidification (Dehumidifier)
 Chilled water coil
 Steam Coil
 Blower & Motor (Flameproof)
 Final filtration with EU 13 HEPA filter (99.97% efficiency down to 0.3 microns)
 Differential gauges
4. Exhaust Air Handling Unit Consists

 Police filter
 Stainless Steel 304 Impulse Back Blow Dust Collection.
 Differential pressure meter
 Exhaust Air Recycling
 Wet Scrubber
5. Critical Parameters

 Product temperature
 Exhaust air temperature
 Air flow rate
 The humidity of inlet air
 Utility controls
 Alarm set points
 Temperature Variation against the set point. (Temp overshooting (±1 °C))
6. Safety Features or requirements.

 The motor and blower shall be flameproof

 NEMA Rating of enclosures
 Emergency switch and safety interlocks/features, for safe operation and maintenance.
 Earthing relay with interlocks.
 Bursting disc/ Below details
Non-Vented FBD Vented FBD

12 bar Pressure Resistant 2 bar pressure shock resistant

Higher thickness material having MOC –

Stainless steel Duplex Grade SS 318 or SS MOC – Stainless Steel SS316L
316L)

Explosion relief vent/duct not required An explosion relief vent/duct is required

In case of an explosion, the pressure is relieved to the

In case of an explosion, all the dust and gases
atmosphere, and all gases, smoke, and product dust are also
are contained within the equipment.
released into the atmosphere.
7. Control & Operating systems:

 Industrial PC.
 21 CFR compliance Software.
 Different levels of users with individual IDs and Passwords.
8. Utility Requirements:

 Electrical Supply
 Compressed Air
 Raw Steam for Heating
  Pure Steam for humidification
 Purified Water
9. WIP System:                       

 High-pressure Pump
 Valve Group / Manifold
 Process Piping & Spray Nozzles.
 Compressed Air System
 Electrical Control.
10. Certification & Documentations:

 GA Drawing & P&ID for FBD, AHU, Exhaust unit, Wet scrubber, Complete set of Top, Side &
Elevation view.
 Ladder logic drawings.
 Motor certificates along with a flameproof certificate.
 MOC certificates of all contact & major non-contact parts including gaskets.
 Certificate of filter bag, pressure test certificate, or each component certificate.
 Document for WIP/CIP system for In FBD chamber and duct cleaning document.
 Complete set of DQ, and IQ   Documents.
 All documents are as per URS
For more technical details, best equipment vendor comparison, or any type of documentation.
(SOP,DQ,IQ,OQ,PQ etc.) Please contact: admin@flairpharma.com