Why Measure Powder Flowability?
Accurate measurement of powder flowability is indispensable in industries such as pharmaceuticals, food processing, and materials science. Poor flowability can lead to challenges like uneven mixing, difficulties in tablet compression, and inconsistent filling of capsules. By assessing flow characteristics, manufacturers can identify and address potential issues early in the production process, ensuring product quality and process efficiency.
Flowability is influenced by many factors, such as particle size distribution, particle shape, density, and electrostatic state,… It can be simply evaluated using only one parameter, such as the angle of repose, the compressibility, or the angle of spatula. However, flowability is a property related to various indices, which can be expressed more rigorously as the weighted sum of many parameters associated with powder characterization. It can be measured using various techniques and instruments. The choice of method depends on factors such as the nature of the powder, the specific properties to be assessed, and the intended application.
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Here are some common methods for measuring powder flowability:
• Flow Function Measurement
• Wall Friction Measurement
• Shear Cell Testing
• Cohesion Measurement
• Angle of Repose Measurement
• Angle of Spatula Measurement
• Bulk Density
Measurement devices like the Brookfield Powder Flow Tester (PFT), Erweka Granule and Powder Flow Tester (GTB), and PowderPro from Bettersize are employed to assess and quantify powder flow characteristics.
Explore our suite of advanced instruments designed to empower you in the realm of powder flowability!
Powder Flow Tester (PFT)
Brookfield
Discover the trusted Brookfield Powder Flow Tester, a cornerstone in the industry for evaluating flow function and wall friction of powders. This instrument plays a vital role in quality control and process optimization, offering valuable data on the relationship between consolidation stress and powder flow.
The PFT delivers quick and easy analysis of the powder flow behaviour.
PowderPro A1
Bettersize
The PowderPro A1 is a smart powder characteristics analyser that measures and calculates in total 14 physical properties of powders in accordance with various international standards in an accurate, intelligent, and scientific way (e.g. Angle of repose, Bulk and Tapped Density,…). It is an essential tool to understand, and research powdered materials.
GTB
Erweka
The Erweka GTB (Granule and Powder Flow Tester) is a specialized instrument designed to evaluate the flow properties of granules and powders according to USP/EP-compliant methods. This versatile tester offers valuable insights into key parameters such as flowability (measurement by volume or weight and the angle of repose.
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The new Brookfield Powder Flow Tester is the simple answer to industry needs:
- A competent lab technician can run tests and collect data within minutes, eliminating the need for a powder specialist.
- The automated analysis provided by the Powder Flow Pro software calculates various properties of the powder, including the critical dimensions for reliable powder flow out of the hoppers, feeders, bins and silos.
- The Wolfson Center for Bulk Solids Handling Technology at the University of Greenwich, England, has worked closely with Brookfield to design the Powder Flow Tester, thereby ensuring its suitability for practical industrial use.
- The competitive purchase price is a small fraction of comparable devices available in the powder flow market.
Analysis of the “Flow Function” leads to calculation of the critical outlet dimensions of feeders, hoppers, etc., through which the powder will flow.
Comparing the “Flow Function”, or these critical dimensions, allows powders to be benchmarked, ranked and compared against one another for flowability.
The dimensions can also be used to determine whether a particular powder will flow through an existing plant or process, or to determine what the geometry should be if purchasing new solids handling equipment.
Applications include but are not limited to R&D, Incoming Materials Inspection, New Product Formulation, Quality Control, Process Plant Design
The manual ERWEKA SMG 697 and SMG 53466 are the units for the reproducible determination of apparent bulk density, which can be used with all free flowing powders or granulates.
According to DIN ISO 697 and DIN 53 466, the apparent bulk density is determined by measuring the mass of powder in a receiver of known dimension after filling from a funnel of a specified shape under specified conditions.
Included in the delivery are the apparatus SMG 697 or SMG 53466, operating instructions and a calibration certificate.
