A Laboratory Bench Top Spheronizer for Spheronizing Pharmaceutical Compounds

The Caleva Multi-Bowl Spheronizer has four different interchangeable spheronizer bowls which can be used on the same base to spheronize a wide range of batch sizes with a single apparatus. By using the appropriate bowls, it may be possible to process batches ranging in size from 1g to 1kg.

Spheronization is a batch process, and proper loading of the spheronizer drum is essential. Too little material, or too much material, can cause undesired agglomeration, excessive fines and will likely result in poor quality spheroids. The availability of different sized drums assures the formulator that she will have the proper sized drum to successfully process a given batch of material.

With a small diameter bowl the scientist can work with small samples when product is scarce or costly. Then, by simply switching to a larger bowl, the formulator will have the ability to spheronize larger samples when when they become available, or when clinical trial quantities are required. The Multi-Bowl Spheronizer gives pharmaceutical R&D departments considerable flexibility when it comes to purchasing components: Have what you need when you need it; Upgrade in stages according to need.

Disks and inserts made of 316 stainless steel or FDA approved plastic are inserted into the 120mm bowl to acheive effective spheronization diameters of 60mm and 85mm.

The Multi-Bowl Spheronizer is designed for bench top use and is suitable for laboratory research and small batch production. It is a compact machine using limited amount of valuable bench space while at the same time is a powerful tool for both R&D and small scale production.

It has a simple operating structure. The front panel has "Start", "Stop" and "Emergency stop" buttons along with indicators for "Power on"and "Motor on." An electronic disc speed control is used for changing disc speed during spheronization. A digital readout gives the disc speed in RPM. The operator is protected from all moving parts by magnetic safety interlocks.

A drum heating/cooling jacket is included as standard on the 250mm bowl (optional for 120mm bowl) to allow processes to run at controlled temperatures. An optional water heating/cooling recirculating system can be suppled for more precise temperature control.

The 250mm bowl is constructed of 316 stainless steel. The 60 and 85mm inserts are available in 316 stainless steel or FDA approved plastic.

Use the appropriate Bowl Kit or Bowl Insert depending on your batch size:

Batch Size: Use:
1g to 5g 60 mm ⌀ insert
5g to 15g 85 mm ⌀ insert
10g to 150g 120 mm ⌀ Bowl Kit
150g to 1 Kg 250 mm ⌀ Bowl Kit
Above batch sizes are approximate and can vary depending upon properties of material being spheronized.

The Multi-Bowl Spheronizer has the the ideal capacity for scale up studies. It is robust in construction and will give you many years of trouble free use.

An optional data acquisition package is availablw which can be used to monitor and record operating parameters such as product temperature, disk speed and power consumption.

Features

  • Bench-top spheronizer for laboratory use designed for experimental work using small quantities of product, or small scale production using a larger bowl.
  • Select the most appropriate sized bowl for the batch you are spheronizing.
  • It will easily fit on your bench-top
  • Spheronize batches as large as 1kg down to 1g.
  • Great for experimental work when only small amounts of material is available.
  • Can be used for small-scale clinical trial production with 250mm bowl.
  • Buy components as you need them.
  • Easy clean features
  • Contact parts in 316 stainless steel and FDA approved plastics.
  • Heating/Cooling water jackets for 120 and 250 mm ⌀ Bowl Kits as standard.
  • Automatic run timer is included as standard (that also allows for manual operation).
  • Fines air included as standard.
  • Cabinet in 304 stainless steel.
  • Designed for the pharmaceutical industry.
  • 60mm and 85mm diameter inserts made of 316 stainless steel and FDA approved plastics are available.
  • Other types of disks, such as discs with a "radial" pattern (for a gentler spheronizing action) and disks with special coatings are available.
  • Applications in the pharmaceutical, chemical, and agricultural industries, with a wide variety of other applications.
  • The Multi-Bowl Spheronizer is designed to work in conjunction with the Caleva Screen Extruder 20, the Caleva Mini-Screw Extruder and the Variable Density Extruder.

Options

There are a number of options available to suit your application. Feel free to call us so we can determine which options are suitable for you.

The options available are:

  • 60 mm ⌀ and 85 mm ⌀ Bowl Inserts, and 120 and 250 mm ⌀ Bowl Kits available.
  • Different disc patterns and radial groove discs.
  • 60 and 85 mm ⌀ Bowl Inserts in stainless steel or in plastic.
  • Installation and start-up training.
  • Material certificates for product contact surfaces.
  • IQ OQ document package.
  • Explosion-Proof design.
  • Data acquisition system to display and record product parameters during Spheronization.

Specs

Loading: Manual
Overall Dimensions (mm): 489W x 353D x 496H
Weight: 25-45 kg
Cabinet: Grained 304 SS
Contact Parts: 316 SS, food-grade plastic, and Acrylic
Controls: Front Mounted including: Electronic speed control by means of ten (10) turn potentiometer with LED digital RPM display, Power/Motor ON indicator lights, START/STOP push button, and emergency E-STOP push button.
Manual and Automatic Operation: Electronic timer and pushbutton controls for spheronization time and product discharge. Automatic mode permits the operator-defined process times. Auto/Manual selector for timer control when required.
Cycle Time: Approx. 4 min./batch
Processing Capacity: 1-5 g (60mm ⌀ Bowl Insert), 5-15 g (85mm ⌀ Bowl Insert), 10-130 g (120mm ⌀ Bowl Kit), 100g-1 Kg (250mm ⌀ Bowl Kit)
Disc Speed: 600-3000 RPM
Motor: 180 W
Utilities: Electric: 115 VAC; 5-6 Bar compressed air
Documentation: Installation/Operation Manual
Specifications may be subject to change without notice.

Videos

If you have trouble viewing the video clip in your browser, you can view or download (right click and “Save Link As” or “Save Target As”) the MP4 versions of the Caleva Benchtop Screen Extruder and Spheronizer video clip.

Pictures

Caleva Multi Bowl Spheronizer with 120mm Bowl Kit fitted
Caleva Multi Bowl Spheronizer with 120mm Bowl Kit fitted
Caleva Multi Bowl Spheronizer with 250mm Bowl Kit fitted
Caleva Multi Bowl Spheronizer with 250mm Bowl Kit fitted
Multi Bowl Spheronizer with components labelled
Multi Bowl Spheronizer with components labelled
Multi Bowl Spheronizer with data acquisition package
Multi Bowl Spheronizer with data acquisition package
Alternate disc styles for Multi Bowl Spheronizer
Alternate disc styles for Multi Bowl Spheronizer
General arrangement, Multi Bowl Spheronizer with 120mm Bowl Kit fitted
General arrangement, Multi Bowl Spheronizer with 120mm Bowl Kit fitted
General arrangement, Multi Bowl Spheronizer with 250mm Bowl Kit fitted
General arrangement, Multi Bowl Spheronizer with 250mm Bowl Kit fitted
120mm Bowl
120mm Bowl
Bowl Inserts and discs for Multi Bowl Spheronizer
Bowl Inserts and discs for Multi Bowl Spheronizer
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The Caleva Multi Bowl Spheronizer

The Caleva Model Multi Bowl Spheronizer

The Caleva Multi Bowl Spheronizer for the production of phamraceutical spheroids.