Overview

The webinar will begin with the annual meeting, which includes the chair's report, treasurer's report and confirmation of elected positions. This will be followed by presentations by winners of the Early Career Researcher of the Year Award, which were awarded at the 11^th International Conference on Conveying and Handling of Particulate Solids.

Nominations for the role of Chair and Secretary are now open and can be accessed here. 

Speakers

Pablo Garcia-Trinanes, Professor, University of Cadiz

Pablo is the chair of the Particle Technology Special Interest Group and serves as an associate professor in chemical engineering at the University of Surrey (UK). His academic journey commenced as a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Surrey's Department of Chemical and Process Engineering from 2012 to 2016. During this period, he made significant contributions to prominent projects such as CSP2 (EU-FP7) and collaborated closely with Unilever Research & Development Plc. Additionally, Pablo led the Particle Technology Knowledge Cluster at Surrey, showcasing his leadership across the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences.

Owen Jones-Salkey, AstraZeneca

Continuous manufacturing of Oral Solid Dosage (OSD) medicines can enhance efficiency, reduce waste, and improve environmental sustainability, but implementing this approach requires significant process optimization. Drawing on my research focus and working closely with a dedicated team, we applied Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) to streamline one particularly challenging step: blending powder formulations in Continuous Direct Compression. By developing and evaluating multiple models, we identified an Artificial Neural Network with exceptional predictive accuracy (r²=0.97). Now deployed via our intranet, this model enables real-time prediction of optimal blending conditions through an intuitive, interactive interface.

Robert Krauter, Hamburg University of Technology

Despite more than 100 years of industrial applications, plant operators continue to face new challenges in monitoring and controlling fluidized bed processes, particularly with regard to optimizing product quality, energy efficiency, and operational lifetimes. A promising strategy to address these challenges is the implementation of digital twins, which, however, require complex data processing structures to effectively analyze and model ongoing processes. This work contributes to that field by introducing various hybrid structures for real-time analysis and dynamic modelling of fluidized bed spray granulation. These structures are based on serial or parallel combinations of machine learning methods with classical mechanistic models. They are employed to determine, in real time, key parameters such as particle moisture, particle size distribution, and temperature levels within the system, as well as to predict their future temporal evolution.

Yashodh Karunanayake, University of Sheffield

This project aimed to enhance sustainability in the granulation of amorphous food powders by addressing both granule design and process efficiency. The material, energy, and time efficiency of leading granulation technologies were systematically compared to identify the most sustainable options. To support decision-making, visual and analytical tools were then proposed to guide the selection of optimal production pathways, balancing process sustainability with granule performance. Caking during granulation emerged as a major challenge for the granulation of amorphous powders, leading to significant material losses and even process failure in significant cases. To address this, a High Shear Granulation Regime Map was developed, outlining conditions that enable controlled agglomeration without caking occuring. Beyond processing, storage-related caking also contributed to waste, as amorphous granules often degrade without protective—and resource-intensive—packaging. 

The material presented in this webinar has not been peer-reviewed. Any opinions are the presenters' own and do not necessarily represent those of IChemE or the Particle Technology Special Interest Group. The information is given in good faith but without any liability on the part of IChemE.

Time

16:00–18:00 BST.

Software

The presentation will be delivered via Microsoft Teams. We recommend downloading the app from the Microsoft website, rather than using the web portal.