PMA™ Standard and Advanced
Using proven standard components, Aeromatic-Fielder can supply both simplicity and flexibility in plant design. User-selected process options, cleaning equipment, control systems and PAT technologies combine in a system to meet process requirements exactly. This approach ensures that qualification and validation procedures are kept to a minimum.
PMA™ Advanced High Shear Granulator
Through-the-wall offers the best option in terms of cleanliness, maintenance and ATEX. By keeping the motors out of the process room, you are preventing risk of contamination coming from these difficult to clean items. Maintenance is carried out from the technical area, minimising the need for the maintenance engineer to work in a GMP area. This makes the job easier and again reduces the risk of contamination. For ATEX, the design allows us to classify the technical area as safe. This avoids the need for costly flameproof motors, making the upgrade for working with solvents much easier. The frame mounting provides a standard format for the machine, allowing it to be constructed and installed using the same structure. This structure may be raised using standard modules to achieve the customer’s desired height. For some installations it is also possible to mount control panels on the structure, allowing qualification of the complete system prior to shipping, significantly reducing the installation time on site.
Impeller & Chopper options
Standard PMA impeller:
Standard impeller designed for use with the conical bowl of the PMA high shear granulator.
U-Shaped chopper:
Standard chopper for use with the conical bowl of the PMA high shear granulator.
M8 impeller:
Innovative swept-back design; for improved mixing characteristics, faster processing and a more clearly defined end-point.
Multi-bladed chopper:
Flush mounted, multi-blade design improves binder solution dispersion and product movement at slow speeds.
Filtration
Material filter & shroud
Production filtration is achieved using an easily removable material filter that can be cleaned and re-used. For vacuum and CIP applications stainless steel may be utilised.
Discharging
Through-the-wall mill
Product can be discharged from the high shear granulator directly into a receiving container, or via a sizing mill. This breaks down the granules to produce more even sizing for subsequent processing.
The PMA-Advanced™ features a through-the-wall hinge-mounted sizing mill, directly connected to the discharge port, using inflatable seals. For maintenance, cleaning and product changeovers, the seals are deflated and the mill hinged away from the port, allowing full access. The TTW mounting ensures the motor and controls are kept away from the clean process area.
In addition to the standard mill, CIP and Pressure Shock Resistant options are available, matching the containment and safety credentials of the main machine.
Concealed hinge mechanism
The cover is mounted on a concealed hinge mechanism allowing the cover to be lifted with the minimum effort, but keeping the counterweight in the technical area. This leads to a more GMP
design, reducing surfaces, making cleaning easier. On equipment supplied with the Pressure Shock Resistant design option the hinge interlocking system is power assisted to provide safe and comfortable opening to the bowl cover.
Loading
Gravity loading
Simple open / close ports may be mounted on the cover and used to dispense product into the mixing bowl. For potent powders, split-valve technology provides full containment
during loading. The PMA-Advanced™ can also be delivered with a cone loading port, allowing for the removal of the powder loading ports from the cover, but giving permanent connection to a Gravity Loading Station, but also continuous access to open the cover.
Vacuum loading
Rapid loading can be achieved using vacuum technology. Aeromatic-Fielder’s innovative killed-vacuum technique makes for easy operation and maintenance, and only requires a standard-sized filter.
Binder solution addition
Nozzle
A range of nozzles are available to give the optimum binder liquid droplet size for an even distribution throughout the powder mass.
Pump
The binding solution required for granulation may be pumped into the mixing bowl using a mechanical or peristaltic pump to deliver the binder liquid to the spray nozzle. Special pumps are available for the dosing of high viscosity binders.
Pressure pot
Alternatively a pressure pot offers fast, high-pressure delivery of the binder solution, for excellent dispersion of liquid via the binder nozzle spray system. These systems are chosen typically for
small scale, R&D-sized granulators.
Standard Platform Designs (optional)
Two standard platforms are available to integrate with the PMA-Advanced™. The "Medium" platform provides room adjacent to the bowl for the operator to carry out all filling and cleaning operations. The “XL” platform additionally provides space for other items / operators on the platform and also provides sufficient space to allow the operator interface to be mounted at the platform level. Due to the clean lines of this design the bowl / cover area can be easily accessed using mobile steps. Additionally we can offer bespoke platform design and construction services to provide the optimum integration within the available plant area.