Crystal Size and Shape Measurement for Insitu Monitoring

描述（由申请人提供）：仪器开发计划用于实时测量晶体尺寸，形状和体积分数，以提高晶体产品的质量。这将有助于减少损耗、返工和停机时间，并最终缩短结晶产品的开发周期。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。结晶是目前应用最广泛的药物分离纯化技术，本项目将提高药品质量控制水平，降低药品生产过程中的能耗和物料消耗。现场原型仪器的晶体尺寸和形状将基于第一阶段验证的概念，此外，它将提供实时温度和体积分数测量。这个原型将在工业结晶器中进行测试。为了实现上述目标，一个在数字电子，光学力学和软件方面具有适当技能的工程师团队已经聚集在一起。他们将与大学研究人员、制药工程师和计算机专家合作。项目计划包括定期审查，旨在刺激研发团队内部的互动。如果在现场测试中证明是成功的，原型将很容易变成一种产品，由主要仪器供应商向制药工业销售。

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.