Atomizing Air and Pattern Air in Tablet Coating

 Firstly, atomizing air:

It is the air responsible for pumping the solution and controlling the size of the solution spray (droplets of coating solution).

Controlling the spray is by increasing or decreasing the force of the air coming out of the gun to pump the solution. Thus, we say that if the air increases, the size of the droplets decreases, and the more air there is, the greater the chances of the spray being dried, especially if the temperature is high.

The opposite is true, as the atomizing air decreases, the size of the droplets increases.

 

There are several factors based on which we determine the value of atomizing air.

1: Depending on the type of guns..

2: Depending on the size and capacity of the machine..

3: According to the viscosity of the solution, because naturally a higher viscosity solution requires greater pumping power.

4: Depending on the type of solution, is it aqueous or non-aqueous.

5: Depending on the size of the tablets and the bearing capacity of the tablets surface

6: By doing a test before operating and determining the appropriate distance between the guns and the tablets , which usually in the aqueous solution is 18 & 25 cm and for non-aqueous it is 15 & 25 cm..

 

The biggest problem we can encounter if the atomizing air increases is that the solution is exposed to drying before it reaches the tablet (spray drying). In this problem, we lose weight and we also lose color if the tablet is colored. Also, drying the solution leaves a lot of dust inside the machine, and it is possible that It causes roughness on the tablets surface.

If the atomizing air is too little, it makes the droplets large in size, and we may be exposed to problems such as overwetting and also sticking or twining if the disk is oplong shaped.

 

Secondly, pattern air:

It is the air responsible for distributing the solution.

We determine its value based on the following:

1: Machine size, capacity, and number of guns..

2: The distance between the tablets and the guns..

3: Viscosity of the solution..

4: Do a pattern test before operating.

 

If we talk about the problems that can occur if the pattern air is not set correctly.

If the value of the pattern air is increased excessively, it will lead to the spraying of the guns interfering with each other, and this can cause us problems such as over wetting and also sticking & peeling & Twinning.

In the case of a lack of pattern air, it leads to the movement of the tablets between spraying the guns without obtaining a solution, and this causes us problems such as color variation & weight variation shipping & brokendg.

 

Read also:

• Scuffing in Tablet Coating
• Cratering in Tablet Coating
• Pharmaceutical Coating Process Scale-up Techniques