General stability analysis of the steady states in the continuous mixed-suspension crystallizer


Date

2024-03-01

Publication Type

Journal Article

ETH Bibliography

yes

Citations

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Data

Abstract

We report new mathematical tools to analyze the continuous mixed suspension crystallizer, which is widely used across industries, as it enables the manufacture of crystalline materials under well-controlled conditions. In particular, we develop a general framework to assess the stability of its steady states based on the birth rate v, which denotes how many secondary nuclei a crystal forms throughout its lifetime in the crystallizer. A stable steady state is defined as follows: (i) v(cₛₛ) = 1, the birth rate at the steady state concentration must equal one. (ii) dv/dc > 0, the derivative of the birth rate must be positive. (iii) c₀ > cₛₛ, the steady state must maintain a positive suspension density. These conditions enable the steady state analysis under general conditions, i.e., for arbitrary rate expressions of crystal growth and secondary nucleation, for size-dependent crystal growth and withdrawal, and for growth rate dispersion. The application of this theory to compounds with multiple solid forms, i.e., polymorphic and chiral compounds, is of particular interest. The analysis of the polymorphic steady states agrees with and generalizes the existing approaches. Concerning chiral compounds, enantiopure steady states are found to be unstable with respect to the racemic steady state, hence explaining the experimental challenges in the enantiopure crystallization of chiral compounds.

Publication status

published

Editor

Book title

Volume

483

Pages / Article No.

148721

Publisher

Elsevier

Event

Edition / version

Methods

Software

Geographic location

Date collected

Date created

Subject

Crystallization; Continuous manufacturing; Pharmaceutical manufacturing; Mechanistic modeling

Organisational unit

03484 - Mazzotti, Marco (emeritus) / Mazzotti, Marco (emeritus) check_circle

Notes

Funding

788607 - Studying Secondary Nucleation for the Intensification of Continuous Crystallization (EC)

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