Chemical Engineering September 2023 - 25

Specialised in
trol
setup by
FIGURE 5. By leveraging process analytical technologies, moisture could be
monitored in real time using near infrared spectroscopy
companies in identifying the most
effective strategies to improve the
performance of this equipment,
maximizing the end results.
Moreover, a knowledgeable professional
that is up to date with the
latest advances in technology and
has expertise in interacting with
multi-vendor devices is an asset.
Such a specialist can identify the
components that are best suited to
address the specific needs and requirements
of the existing setup, as
well as program them. Reverse-engineering,
establishing compatibility
and interoperability are also supported
through such a partnership.
Finally, by establishing a long-lasting
cooperation with a full-service
provider of automation solutions,
end users can take advantage of reliable
after-sales assistance. This can
drive the continuous improvement
of their fluidized-bed dryers, as well
as deliver a quick turnaround when
maintenance or repairs are needed.
Case study examples
The following are real-world examples
showing the impact of controlsystem
improvements on fluidizedbed
drying operations.
Case study 1: Productivity boost
through customized upgrade of
control system. A major blue-chip
pharmaceutical manufacturer wanted
to upgrade the control setup of its
fluidized-bed dryer. This was a legacy
system that, through traditional pushbutton
controls, only encompassed
basic automated control.
A leading industrial automation
specialist
and
system
integrator
helped the pharmaceutical company
enhance the capabilities of the conimplementing
a
PLC-driven
system (Figure
4). Incorporating
human-machine
interfaces
(HMIs), control
systems and
supervisory
control and
data acquisition
(SCADA)
software, the
upgrade also
opened the door to material tracking.
The manufacturer is now able to
monitor feedstock throughout the
entire manufacturing process, from
raw material to end product. This
enhanced level of traceability was
complemented with the real-time
generation of batch reports, offering
key documentation for quality audits.
The batching of resources and
dispensary control systems was also
set up to create a fully integrated,
autonomous solution. As a result of
these improvements, the pharmaceutical
major could increase the
productivity of its fluidized-bed dryer
by 50%, supporting a short payback
time and considerable return on investment
(ROI).
Case study 2: " Future-proofing "
fluidized-bed drying operations.
Another leading pharmaceutical
manufacturer wanted to enhance
its process understanding in order
to investigate to what extent its fluidized-bed
drying operations could
be improved, in terms of product
consistency and processing time. To
support this goal, the incorporation
of an advanced process-control system
within the existing unit was suggested.
This would leverage a PAT
framework, whereby moisture could
be monitored in real time using inline
near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy.
Data from this additional analyzer,
combined with those from existing
sensors, would be fed to a multivariate
analysis (MVA) model. The results
would then be presented within
a modern PAT knowledge platform,
to visualize and facilitate effective
decision making for operators and
subject matter experts.
More precisely, operators could
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Chemical Engineering September 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Chemical Engineering September 2023
