Crystal Size and Shape Measurement for Insitu Monitoring

描述（由申请人提供）：计划开发用于实时测量晶体尺寸、形状和体积分数的仪器，以提高晶体产品的质量。这将有助于减少损失、返工和停机时间，并最终缩短晶体产品的开发周期。由上述仪器产生的数据将有助于实时预测结晶过程中的过饱和度。由于结晶是最广泛使用的药物分离和纯化技术，该项目将提高质量控制，并有助于降低药品生产中的能源和物质消耗。晶体尺寸和形状的现场原型仪器将基于第一阶段中证实的概念。此外，它将提供实时温度和体积分数测量。为了实现上述目标，我们召集了一组在数字电子学、光学机械学和软件方面具有适当技能的工程师。他们将与大学研究人员、制药工程师和计算专家合作。该项目计划包括定期审查，旨在促进研发团队内部的互动。如果在现场测试中证明成功，原型将很容易变成一种产品，由制药行业的主要仪器供应商销售。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Instrumentation development is planned for the real-time measurement of crystal size, shape and volume fraction to improve the quality of crystalline products. This would help reduce losses, rework and downtime and eventually, shorten the development cycle of crystalline products. The data generated by the above instrument would help predict supersaturation in the crystallization processes in real-time. Since crystallization is the most widely used separation and purification technique for drugs, this project would improve quality control and help reduce energy and material consumption in pharmaceutical manufacturing. The field-prototype instrument for crystal size and shape will be based on the concepts proven in Phase I. Additionally, it will provide real-time temperature and volume fraction measurements. This prototype will be tested in industrial crystallizers.To accomplish the above, a team of engineers with appropriate skills in digital electronics, opto-mechanics and software has been brought together. They will collaborate with the university researchers, pharmaceutical engineers and the computational experts. The project plan includes periodic reviews that are structured to stimulate interactions within the R&D team.If proven successful in field tests, the prototype will be readily turned into a product that would be marketed by a major instrument supplier to the pharmaceutical industry.