Achieving Target Emulsion Drop Size Distributions using Population Balance Equation Models of High Pressure Homogenization

摘要

A population balance equation (PBE) model that accounts for drop breakage and coalescence in high pressure homogenization was used for emulsion product design. Six adjustable parameters were estimated by nonlinear optimization from measured drop volume distributions at a specified operating condition. The values of two parameters were estimated at four different homogenization pressures and interpolated to allow improved prediction over a range of pressures. Using two alternative objective functions, the parameterized model was used to determine the pressure of each homogenization pass needed to achieve the target drop size distribution at the final pass. Homogenization experiments performed to validate the model predictions produced measured distributions in very good agreement with two target distributions.