Automated Powder Analyzer, PTG S3 and the NIR option
The automated PTG S3 powder testing system is used to measure the flow behaviour of granules and powders in compliance with the current EP <2.9.36/17> pharmacopoeia and the international ISO 4324 standards. This instrument is suitable for testing powder Flow Time, the measurement of the Cone Angle of the collected powder mound, printing a Powder Flow Chart, while measuring the weight it is calculating the powder Cone Density and the powder Cone Volume as well as the EP "Flowability" results which is measuring the flow time of 100 g of sample through a specified pouring nozzle. It is equipped with a built-in Mettler Balance Cell, range 1 - 350 mg, accuracy 1.0 mg, and a built-in printer.
Operation Principle
The design is compliant to the current EP monograph <2.9.36/17>, USP <1174> and the ISO 4324 (12/83) standard. A conical stainless steel funnel which can be equipped with different pouring nozzles ranging from 4 - 25 mm takes the sample to be tested. The built-in analytical balance cell is placed inside the instrument housing and holds the product collecting dish. The PTG ER electrical stirrer attached to the main instrument may be used for those powders which do not flow due to the high percentage of fine particles.
Enter product information using the alpha-numerical keyboard of the instrument. Select the test program you want to use, Flow Time - Cone Angle - Volume - Flow-Chart - Density - Flowabilit and start the test. Depending on the powder possibly a stirrer, PTG ER, is needed as most of the pharmaceutical material has such a high amount of fine particles that it won't start and flow without any assistance. When the test is started the funnel is opened and the powder flow is detected by 2 IR sensors, this will start the timer to measure Flow Time and to record the Flow Chart is this program is selected. The product itself is collected at a 100 mm diameter dish and forms a cone. If there is no more powder flow the funnel is closed and the movable measuring arm which holds the 2 IR sensors starts to measure the height of the cone up to its tip. As the surface of the collecting dish is completely filled the cone angle can be calculated and displayed.
The test should be repeated (in accordance to the ISO 4324 five times) and the deviation of results should not exceed 5%. The test results are displayed at the LCD display of the PTG S3. All results can be printed using the built-in Thermo Printer including descriptive information of the product.
To measure the FLOWABILITY test as per EP/USP pharmacopoeia the test is automatically stopped as soon as 100 mg of sample have been collected inside a suitable plastic beaker. In addition to the flowability factor (100 mg/t) and the product flow chart can be printed.
The standard instrument comes with all attachments to measure flow-time, cone angle and flowability in compliance to the EP/USP Pharmacopoeia. For Flow-time and Cone-Angle measurement different pouring nozzles from 4 - 12 mm can be used to test the product. A specially designed stirrer is used to force non-flowing product through the selected pouring nozzle. The PTG S3 powder testing system includes a built-in Mettler analytical balance cell which extends the instrument use to test powder flowability, density and volume. Additionally, a graph can be plotted on the built-in thermo printer showing the flow behaviour of the sample under test. Using the conical stainless steel funnel as described in the EP/USP monograph and the changeable nozzles of 10, 15 and 25 mm, flowability can also be tested. Up to 10 tests can be done and used to calculate statistics including mean values of all selected test parameters. The data and results are displayed at the LCD display, presented as hard copy on the existing printer or they may be transmitted via RS232 interface to any external data collection system.
This instrument is widely used to compare batches of powders perhaps supplied by the same manufacturer over a period of time or for similar materials provides by different suppliers. The flow characteristics can be easily and quickly determined as a QC tool for inter batch reproducibility, as this may have a distinct bearing on the ease of production especially if powders are capable of agglomeration and cohesion over time.
Now available: small POM product funnel and dish for just 10g of sample and a Plexiglas protection hood for the entire testing system.
NIR Accessory for Powder Characterisation Instrument PTGS3. The PTGS-3 Powder Flow Analyser with NIR detection is used for the qualitative analysis of powders.