Improvement of pea protein isolate powder properties by agglomeration in a fluidized bed: comparison between binder solutions

This study aimed to compare the agglomeration process of pea protein isolate (PPI) using water and aqueous gum Arabic solution as binder liquids. Drying air temperature and binder flow rate were set at 75 °C and 3.1 mL/min, respectively. Moisture content, mean particle size, wetting time and flowability were analyzed. Using water as binder liquid, the responses were (4.0 ± 0.4)%, 316.13 ± 16.73 μm, 10 s and free flow, respectively. Aqueous gum Arabic solution provided (2.9 ± 0.5)%, 462.67 ± 51.23 μm, 3 s and free flow as responses. Gum Arabic solution showed to be a more promising binder.Keywords: Agglomeration; Pulsed fluidized bed; Pea protein isolate; Wetting time; Flowability

Model Development and Validation of Fluid Bed Wet Granulation with Dry Binder Addition Using a Population Balance Model Methodology

An experimental study in industry was previously carried out on a batch fluid bed granulation system by varying the inlet fluidizing air temperature, binder liquid spray atomization pressure, the binder liquid spray rate and the disintegrant composition in the formulation. A population balance model framework integrated with heat transfer and moisture balance due to liquid addition and evaporation was developed to simulate the fluid bed granulation system. The model predictions were compared with the industry data, namely, the particle size distributions (PSDs) and geometric mean diameters (GMDs) at various time-points in the granulation process. The model also predicted the trends for binder particle dissolution in the wetting liquid and the temperatures of the bed particles in the fluid bed granulator. Lastly, various process parameters were varied and extended beyond the region studied in the aforementioned experimental study to identify optimal regimes for granulation.