Discrete Element Method (DEM) Simulation of Powder Mixing Process

The review of capability of discrete element method (DEM) for simulating pharmaceutical powder mixing suggests that the technique is useful for the process design and optimization in terms of minimizing tradition trial and error and lowering the cost of process development. Recent advances in the computational capabilities in terms of hardware and software developments have enabled simulation ofvessels with complex geometry; however, the technique is still incapable of simulating full population of powders in an industrial scale. Use of larger particles could be an option to reduce the number of elements in the simulation; however, a sensitivity analysis should be carried for the specific application. Validation of DEM predictions is often carried out qualitatively or quantitatively by comparing results with identical experiments. One of the common approaches for quantitative validation is the comparison of internal solids motion in mixers with the data from Positron Emission Particle Tracking (PEPT) experiments.