Terahertz radar observes powder dynamics for pharmaceutical manufacturing

• The optical opaqueness of powders has precluded the observation of powder flow dynamics in processing tubes, with important implications, for example, in the pharmaceutical industry, where non-destructive monitoring during the manufacturing process is essential to ensure the quality of the final product and the effectiveness of the process. Taking advantage of the high penetration of terahertz electromagnetic waves in powders and its wavelength-to-particle size ratio, we demonstrate that a submillimeter-wave pulse-Doppler radar can overcome the present challenges and characterize powder flow dynamics in pharmaceutical manufacturing processes. Mimicking typical vessel shapes in pharmaceutical operations, we were able to characterize falling powder streams in a tube with a sample volume resolution of a few cubic centimeters and a range resolution of about 5 mm. We successfully monitored particle velocity, particle distribution within the tube, and mass flow rate in real-time. This remote sensing method, based on advanced terahertz electronics, opens up the possibility to study and monitor powder dynamics in a wide range of applications.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Elektroteknik och elektronik -- Annan elektroteknik och elektronik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Information Engineering -- Other Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Information Engineering (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Pharmaceuticals

Sensors

Radar

Remote sensing

Radars

Doppler radar

Frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW)

Radar cross-sections

Doppler radar

Streams

Powders

THz sensors

Terahertz systems

Electron tubes

Submillimeter waves

Publication and Content Type

art (subject category)

ref (subject category)