Process Design of an Industrial Crystallization Based on Degree of Agglomeration

This study proposes a model-based approach utilizing a hybrid population balance model (PBM) to optimize temperature profiles for minimizing agglomeration and enhancing crystal growth. The PBM incorporates key mechanisms�nucleation, growth, dissolution, agglomeration, and deagglomeration�and is applied to the crystallization of an industrial active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), Compound K. Parameters were estimated through prior design of experiments (DoE) and refined via additional thermocycle experiments. In-silico DoE simulations demonstrate that the hybrid PBM outperforms traditional methods in assessing process performance under agglomeration-prone conditions. Results confirm that thermocycles effectively reduce agglomeration and promote bulk crystal formation, though their efficiency plateaus beyond a certain cycle number. This model-based approach provides a more robust strategy for agglomeration control compared to conventional methods, offering valuable insights for industrial crystallization optimization.