Spheronization is a key step in Granulation/Palletization after extrusion that uses a compact, high-speed machine to produce spherical pellets. In this process, extruded vermicelli is dropped into a bowl with a rotating chequered plate. The tangential and centrifugal forces cause the vermicelli to break into pieces, which then collide with the machine’s cylindrical walls. The rolling action at the outer edge of the spheronizer forms these fragments into spheres. The final pellet size and surface quality depend on factors such as batch size, machine speed, processing time, the properties of the extrudate, and the pitch of the chequered plates.
A Spheronizer is a specialized pharmaceutical machine used primarily for the production of spherical pellets or beads from extruded or granulated materials. Spheronization is the necessary step of Granulation by extrusion.
It's a self-contained compact machine designed to deliver Spherical Pellets at fast production rates.
It is a process where the preformed Vermicelli once dropped in the bowl & exposed to a rotating Chequered Plate, are fragmented into pieces - equal length of diameter of Extruders, because of the tangential & centrifugal force, they collide with the cylindrical walls of the spheronizer.
Finally the rope-type movement of the extrudes at the outer border give a rolling action on the fragmented extrudes & converts them into spheres.
Function: The spheronizer converts extrudes into spheroids, a crucial step in the extrusion-spheronization process, turning pharmaceutical products into small, uniform spheres.
Structure: It features a rotating chequered plate with cross-hatched grooves inside a cylindrical bowl.
Design: The radial clearance between the plate and the bowl is minimal (<0.3 mm) to prevent powder leakage. Purging air is used to avoid powder falling through and to help evaporate excess moisture.
Process: As the plate rotates, the extrudes are fragmented into pieces. These fragments are rolled into spheres by colliding with the bowl's wall and the rotating action.
Discharge: Once the particles are spheroidized, they are centrifugally discharged through a door into a hopper.
100-500gm
250-1000gm
1-5kg
5-10kg
10-20kg
20-30kg
All machines
Minimizes dust and fines during processing.
Produces granules with a smooth, uniform surface.
Densifies granules for better stability.
Requires less coating material.
Enhances flowability of granules.
Boosts the bulk density of the final product.
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