The Customer
The Company provides contract development and manufacturing of oral, topical, sterile and inhaled drug delivery products to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies all around the world.
The Process
The application is pharmaceutical drug coating using a solvent spraying process in a fluid bed dryer. The process sprays a combination of solvents including Isopropyl Alcohol, Acetone, Ethanol and Methanol on to the drug. The solvent laden air is then exhausted from the fluid bed dryer, collected and directed to a catalytic thermal oxidizer for destruction.
The Challenge
The Company wanted to monitor the flammability of the fluid bed dryer exhaust stream going into the catalytic thermal oxidizer. Danger is present when the inlet stream to the oxidizer suddenly gets rich enough to ignite or explode. To prevent this from happening they wanted the analyzer to alarm if the %LFL rose above 25. They also wanted the analyzer to be FM approved for Class 1 Div 2 hazardous environments.
The Solution
The Company chose to install Control Instruments’ PrevEx Flammability Analyzers to meet their LFL monitoring needs. The analyzers are FM approved for Class 1, Div 2 Groups A, B, C, D hazardous environments. They give consistent and reliable readings and accurately measure mixtures of solvents. They are not susceptible to fouling, coating or poisoning by resins, plasticizers or silicones. The analyzers feature fast response, failsafe operation, low maintenance and easy servicing.
With the analyzers in place the Customer was able to confirm that their exhaust stream was below 25% LFL.
SIC Code
- 2834000: Pharmaceutical Preparations
NAICS Code
- 325412: Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing