HMKFlow 6393 Intelligent Powder Comprehensive Characteristics Tester is an equipment to test the flow properties of a powder. The system can measure a full range of Carr indices, including the angles of repose, fall, spatula, difference, as well as loose and packed bulk density, compressibility, cohesion, uniformity, dispersibility, and porosity.
The equipment has a sieving device, a host, sieves, a series of angle testing funnels and platforms, a vibration device, a series of density testing funnels and measuring density cups, software, and a dispersibility testing chamber.
It has the ability to assess 15 physical properties. It is made up of 304 stainless steel and has intelligent analysis and computation software, which is compatible with Android systems and PC Windows. Using the correct, basic measurement data entered, the software automatically analyzes, judges, calculates, stores, and prints the results. It also adheres to USP 616, ASTM D6393, and European Pharmacopoeia.
- Measurement Range: Powder compressibility (loose bulk density, tapped density), powder flowability indices (angle of repose, compressibility, spatula angle, uniformity, cohesion), powder jet flow indices (flowability, angle of fall, difference, dispersibility), porosity.
- Angle Measurement Method: Protractor method combined with restricted base method
- Tapped Density Amplitude: 3 and 14 mm
- Density Cup Volume: 100 mL
- Tapped Density Frequency: 250 rpm
- Power Supply: 220 V 50 Hz 1 A 100 W
- Weight: 28 kg
- Intelligent Software Compatibility: Compatible with both WINDOWS and Android operating systems
- Dimensions: Length 38 cm × Width 36 cm × Height 69 cm
The powder is loaded into the screening device, and the vibrator is turned on. The powder flows through the discharge hopper onto the sample platform, forming a cone. The angle of repose, which is the angle between the powder cone and the platform, is measured, and the data is entered into the software.
Now, the powder is subjected to vibration by dropping a heavy hammer from a set height. This causes the powder cone to collapse. The angle of the collapsed powder is measured at different positions three times, and the data is entered into the software. The angle of difference is automatically calculated. A similar procedure is followed to calculate the angle of the spatula before and after vibration.
Loose bulk density is calculated by passing the powder through a loose bulk density funnel into a density measuring cup of known volume, overflowing the cup. The excess powder is removed, and the cup is measured to calculate the loose bulk density.
The powder in the cup is then subjected to vertical vibration to allow settling, with additional powder added as required. Once the settling ceases, the powder is leveled off, and the cup is measured to calculate the tapped density. Both sets of data are entered into the software to calculate the compressibility of the powder.
Before these measurements, the powder is sieved using a set of three sieves with varying mesh sizes, selected as per the loose bulk density range and the powder’s screening behavior. The powder is sieved for a specified duration. The different particle size fractions are then weighed, and the results are entered into the software to measure the powder’s cohesion.
For powders where the measurement of cohesion is challenging, uniformity is assessed using the ratio of two characteristic values obtained from a particle size distribution tester (e.g., AS-2011).
The dispersibility of the powder is calculated by dispersing the powder in a test chamber, and the weight of powder collected in a tray is measured.
The flowability index of the powder is calculated by adding the data related to angle of repose, spatula, compressibility, cohesion, and uniformity in the software. The software also provides details on flowability characteristics.
The jet index of the powder is calculated from the flowability index, the angle of difference, the angle of spatula, and dispersibility. Based on the results, the software also provides suitable recommendations for powder encapsulation.
By using the powder’s specific gravity, the software also automatically calculates the powder’s porosity.