Thesis

Modelling the properties of packed bed structures formed during filtration

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Awarding institution
  • University of Strathclyde
Date of award
  • 2024
Thesis identifier
  • T16909
Person Identifier (Local)
  • 201975799
Qualification Level
Qualification Name
Department, School or Faculty
Abstract
  • Agglomeration is an issue that causes many problems during secondary processing for pharmaceutical companies, causing material to need further processing, and costing additional time and resources to ensure a satisfactory outcome. A potential source of agglomeration arises from the particle contacts established during filtration that lead to robust agglomerates forming during drying, so that a necessary first step towards understanding agglomeration is to study the packing properties of filtration beds. Here I present two and three-dimensional models simulating the formation of packed bed structures during filtration. These models were coded from the ground up using the ForTran programming language, starting with the 2D algorithm as it was a simpler algorithm compared to jumping straight to 3D systems. Once an algorithm was formed that could create realistic 2D systems of packed circular particles, it was extended so that it could also create systems of spherical particles in 3D. A variety of improvements and modifications were made to the algorithm as part of this change, including adding a stochastic optimisation function for determining particle locations, which was found to be a much more efficient method than the equations used in the 2D algorithm, so the stochastic optimisation method was used in all algorithms going forwards. The final modification made to the algorithm was the option to create systems formed of chain structures, made up of circular particles attached together; this enabled the investigation of more realistic systems. These models use circular and spherical particles of different sizes, mimicking the bimodal particle size distributions sometimes encountered in industrial practice. The systems containing chain particles made up of these circular particles were varied by both particle size and chain length to observe the effect of these parameters on systems with more realistic particles. The statistics of packing and void formation, the distribution of inter-particle contacts and percolation structures, and the breakage of these systems under shear forces, are presented and discussed in the context of filtration, drying and agglomeration. The 3D model was also compared to current industry standard software, Ansys Rocky DEM, as part of a placement with AstraZeneca, where it was found my model produces very similar packing fraction outputs to those produced by Rocky DEM. The model paves the way for predictive capabilities that can lead to the rational design of processes to minimise the impact of agglomeration.
Advisor / supervisor
  • Price, Chris, J.
  • Mulheran Paul A.
Resource Type
DOI
Date Created
  • 2023

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