CFD-DEM Simulation of the Fluidized-bed Granulation of Food Powders

In this study, the granulation behavior of food powders was simulated by taking into account the changes in the rheological properties and water content of the powders. Several food powders were studied and classified into self-agglomerating or non-agglomerating powders depending on the presence of a glass transition temperature. Cricket powder, which is incapable of self-agglomeration, was mixed with dextrin powder to enable the granulation process. Cricket + dextrin powder was used as a simulation model, and the glass transition temperature of dextrin and a newly derived evaporation model were adopted in our simulation studies. Similar tendencies were observed in both the experimental and simulation results. Our granulation model can describe all of the following: nucleation, granulation based on the powder properties and changes in particle water content due to evaporation; these behaviors have not been modeled in this way previously.