Spray Drying and Atomisation of Formulations
- Start date: 10 June 2025
- End date: 12 June 2025
- Duration: Three days
- Fees: TBC
- Venue: Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Leeds
enquire course leaflet
About the course
What will I learn?
A practical course involving demonstrations, theory and real industrial case studies.
Day one: Spray Drying and Atomisation Basics: Industry and academic experts provide the essential scientific background as well as a mix of pre-recorded and practical hands-on laboratory demonstrations.
Day two: Industrial Formulation Case Studies: Experienced specialists will show how the science of spray drying has been applied to influence the properties of real, formulated products across a wide range of business sectors. Including more laboratory demonstrations.
Day three: Powder finishing, modelling and future developments of spray drying.
During the course you will have an opportunity to highlight problems/individual challenges for discussion with experts in the field.
How will I benefit?
On completion of this course you will:
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gain an appreciation of how the choice of formulation composition can impact processing and produce quality
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understand how fluid properties, rheology and atomisation performance can have an influence on spray drying through watching pre-recorded practical lab demonstrations
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learn how to manipulate drying parameters to influence product microstructure, materials properties and quality parameters
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gain an appreciation of the hazards involved in spray drying and how to ensure safe operation
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learn how spray drying processes can be scaled up and appreciate the possible pitfalls on scaling up
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understand how spray drying principles can be applied to the manufacture of real industrial formulated products for economic and better preforming processes as well as improved product performance and quality
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find out how spray drying can be used as an alternative to freeze drying
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get an insight into how challenges are tackled across different industries
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learn how to choose and design appropriate equipment such as atomisers and towers for laboratory, pilot and production-scale spray-drying
Who should attend?
This course is suitable for you if you’re:
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a R&D scientist working in industries such as pharmaceuticals, detergents, foods, agrochemicals or pigments and you’re working in product formulation and need a broad overview of the subject of spray drying and atomisation
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a scientist or chemical engineer who would value a deeper understanding of how science can be applied to real spray-drying problems
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a process technologist, plant manager, involved in R&D or a process technician who needs a thorough practical grounding in the subject of spray drying and how it can influence the properties of formulated products
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a plant or process engineer from contract manufacturer who is seeking process improvements and efficiencies
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a university researcher who requires a deeper insight into real industrial problems, unmet needs and potential new research themes
Programme
Throughout the course the theory will be supported by some live and/or pre-recorded practical lab demonstrations as well as an expert led trouble shooting forum*.
Day One: Spray Drying and Atomisation Basics
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Welcome and Introduction to Spray Drying and Atomisation of Formulations
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Fluid properties and rheology
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Atomisation – an introduction
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Drying the particle
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Fire & explosion hazards of spray drying
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Hands-on laboratory demonstration sessions
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Spray drying: basic models, energy balance
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Scale up of spray drying processes
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Water in our World, Water in our Materials
There will be the opportunity to attend a course dinner on Tuesday evening at a city centre restaurant which provides an excellent opportunity to network with other delegates and course speakers, this is offered free of charge to course delegates and we would be delighted for you to attend.
Day Two: Industrial Formulation Case Studies
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Spray drying with two-fluid nozzles; atomisation, scale-up and modelling
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Engineering particle structure
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Spray drying as an alternative to freeze drying
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Characterisation of spray dried pharma powders
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Modelling of the spray drying process using empirical inputs
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Hands-on laboratory demonstration sessions
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Processing science in an infant milk formulae factory
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Trouble shooting forum/expert consultation session*
Day Three: Powder finishing, modelling and future developments
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Particle separation; cyclones, filters etc
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Agglomeration and build-up in the spray drying tower
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Managing moisture in practice
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Spray granulation – how to spray dry on particles
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Engineering solutions to dryer operational challenges
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The impact of dehumidified air on spray drying – Case Study
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Modelling and scale-up of spray drying
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Online digital modelling, monitoring & control
*About the Trouble Shooting Forum
This session is one of the most popular and interactive parts of the course. Participants are invited to bring their challenges, questions and problems to a panel of experts. As well as enabling constructive answers to specific queries we also find that the questions are usually interesting enough to lead to a wider discussion of general interest. Some things to remember about the troubleshooting session:
1. No question is too small (or too big) for the trouble shooting question and questions can be about any topic related to spray drying.
2. You can send your question or challenge to the panel in advance of the course or ask it on the day.
3. This year we are trialling an online system to allow participants to ask questions anonymously.
4. Try to provide some background context with your question. It is a public forum so you should not provide commercially confidential information but we normally find that sensitive details can be anonymised to get around this problem.
Speakers
Course Director
Professor Andrew Bayly, University of Leeds (formerly of Procter & Gamble)
Course co-Director
Dr Jim Bullock, Director, iFormulate Ltd
Speakers
Graham Ackroyd, Syngenta
Dr Sune Klint Andersen, Jannsen Pharmaceuticals
Stefan Egan, Procter & Gamble
Gesine Harms, Kerry
Ian Kemp, Consultant, previously GSK
Tobias Kockel, Nestlé Switzerland
Mozhdeh Mehrabi, University of Leeds
Andrew Parker, Senior Drug Development Consultant, Quotient Sciences
Deon Pistorius, Dedert International (UK)
Stephen Puttick, Syngenta
Henrik Schwartzbach, GEA Process Engineering A/S
Dr David Slade, Applied Materials
Ricardo Sousa, Senior formulation development scientist, Hovione
Tushar Srivastava, University of Leeds
George Svonja, Dedert International (UK)
Professor Phil Threlfall-Holmes, TH Collaborative Innovation & Visiting Professor at the University of Leeds (formerly of AkzoNobel)
Filip Van der Gucht, ProCept
Koen van Dijke, Danone
Dr Daryl Williams, Imperial College London
Tom Wytrwat, Amandus Kahl
Fee information
Course fee: TBC
Fees are VAT exempt
Fees include:
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cost of tuition
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course materials
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lunches
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light refreshments
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course dinner (Tuesday evening)
View our terms and conditions
Venue details
Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences
University of Leeds
Leeds
LS2 9JT
Detailed directions (including the exact location for the course registration and presentation room) will be sent out with the delegate joining instructions.
The nearest public car park is Woodhouse Lane (multi storey) at LS1 3HQ. The car park is open 24 hours. Charges apply, please click here for information and location details. Please note this car park is a fifteen minute walk to/ from our building and delegates should allow ample time to park and register for the course.
There is also limited on-street parking in the vicinity of the University.
Travel
International delegates travelling to the UK may need to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). Be sure to apply in advance of your travel date. For further details, visit the UK government website.
Accommodation
Delegates are responsible for organising your own evening meals and accommodation (if required). A list of hotels close to the University is available and will be provided with your course joining instructions.
What our delegates say
“This coursed covered academic topics on the fundamentals and math based explanations, while also including industrial case studies and equipment vendor presentations. It was well worth the time for both learning and networking.”
Tracy Sanborn, Kraft Heinz
"A great course for spray drying audience to learn the basic principles and beyond, nicely prepared and provided materials and a good venue and learning climate."
Willi Hüsler, Büchi Labortechnik
"This course is a great value for money event, loaded in knowledge, filled with experienced speakers, and networking opportunities."
Karina Wojdat, Sygnature Discovery
"The Spray drying and atomisation of formulations is a fantastic opportunity to see how spray drying is developing, to gain an insight into how other industries overcome problems and to engage/exchange with a massive diversity of amazing people."
Noah Groombarke, Plasma Biotal
Contact us
Harriet Wills – Course Coordinator
CPD Conference and Events Unit
Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences
University of Leeds,
Leeds
LS2 9JT
T: +44 (0)113 343 2494
E: cpd@engineering.leeds.ac.uk
Stay up to date with the latest course news and developments by following the CPD, Conference and Events unit on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Accreditation
This course is supported by iFormulate.