CONFIDENTIAL

TAAC

Presented by

Steve Tayler
Senior Project Manager

Thomas Engineering, Inc.
Hoffman Estates, IL



CONFIDENTIAL
Thermodynamic Analysis
of Aqueous Film Coating

(TAAC)
Aqueous Film Coating
Process
Aqueous Film Coating is a
Steady State Process
It Takes Place in a Closed
Environment
Outside Air is Heated and/
or Dehumidified
Water is Introduced via
Spray Guns
Cooler, More Humid Air is
Extracted From the Coater
The TAAC Model
TAAC is a Computer Model That Uses
the 1
st
Law of Thermodynamics to
Characterize a Film Coating Process
Based On:
Inlet Air Temperature, Flow Rate, and
Humidity
Spray Rate and % Solids Content
The TAAC Model
TAAC Uses Heat and Mass Transfer
Equations to Determine the Coating
Environment
Is it Relatively Dry or is it Wet?
Defines a Number- the Environmental Equivalency
Factor (EE Factor)- that is Related to Coating
Conditions
It is the Ratio of Heat Transfer- Mass Transfer
Surface Areas
Higher EE is Dryer, Lower EE is Wetter
The Premise of TAAC
Environmental Conditions Which Are
Thermodynamically Equivalent Result in
Coatings Which Are Equivalent
Therefore, process parameters may be varied
and as long as the EE Factor remains
constant, coating quality will be the same!
Uses For TAAC
TAAC Can be Used to:
Determine a Starting Point For Process
Development (An EE Value of 3- 3.5 is
Typical)
Optimize an Existing Process
Transfer a Process To A Different Site and/ or
Different Equipment (Scale Up)
Air Handling Systems Cost/ Benefits Analysis
What TAAC Doesnt Do
Cannot Be Used for Non-Steady State
Processes Such As Sugar Coating
TAAC Does Not Apply to Solvent Coating
Droplet Size, Spray Patterns, Gun
Spacing, Gun-to-Bed Distance Are Not
Considered

The Environmental
Equivalency Factor
The Ideal EE Factor for a Given Product/
Coating Material Combination Must Be
Established Empirically
Knowing the Allowable Range for an EE
Factor is a Good Thing
Using TAAC
Using TAAC
Enter Type of Air
Measurement Device
(Pressure Based or Mass
Flow)
Enter Inlet Air Conditions
Enter Spray Rate, % Solids,
and Atomizing Air Usage
TAAC Calculates Exhaust/
Bed Conditions and EE
Factor
A Word About Exhaust Air
Temperature...
The Exhaust Air Temperature Predicted is
Actually Bed Temperature
Measured Exhaust Air Temperature Will
Be Lower Due to the Pressure Drop
Across the Tablet Bed
Exhaust Air Temperature
Correction...
Use the Ideal Gas Law to Calculate the
Actual Exhaust Air Temperature Based on
a Known Pressure Drop Across the Tablet
Bed (P Load)
T
exhaust
= (P
exhaust
/ P
pan
) x T
bed


T
exhaust
and T
bed
= K (Celsius Absolute)
P
exhaust
and P
pan
= Absolute Pressure, in. H
2
O

Exhaust Air Temperature
Correction Example
Inlet & Exhaust Conditions:
T
bed
= 45 C
= 318 K
P
pan
= -.5 in. H
2
O
= 406.3 in. H
2
O Absolute
P
exhaust
= -6 in. H
2
O
= 400.8 in. H
2
O Absolute

T
exhaust
= (400.8/ 406.3 ) x 318
= 313.7 K
= 40.7 C

Coating Variation- Summer
vs. Winter
Winter Conditions:
Inlet Air Temp. = 60 C
Inlet Air Humidity = -5 C
Inlet Air Flow Rate = 2000 cfm
Spray Rate = 400 gm/ min
% Solids in Solution = 12
Bed Temp. = 46.5 C
Environmental Equivalency Factor = 3.0
Coating Variation- Summer
vs. Winter
Summer Conditions:
Inlet Air Temp. = 60 C
Inlet Air Humidity = 20 C
Inlet Air Flow Rate = 2000 cfm
Spray Rate = 400 gm/ min
% Solids in Solution = 12
Bed Temp. = 46.5 C
Environmental Equivalency Factor = 2.6
Coating Variation- Summer
vs. Winter
Summer Conditions:
Inlet Air Temp. = 60 C
Inlet Air Humidity = 20 C
Inlet Air Flow Rate = 2325 cfm
Spray Rate = 400 gm/ min
% Solids in Solution = 12
Bed Temp. = 48.4 C
Environmental Equivalency Factor = 3.0
Coating Variation- Summer
vs. Winter
Summer Conditions:
Inlet Air Temp. = 66 C
Inlet Air Humidity = 20 C
Inlet Air Flow Rate = 2000 cfm
Spray Rate = 400 gm/ min
% Solids in Solution = 12
Bed Temp. = 52.4 C
Environmental Equivalency Factor = 3.0
Coating Variation- Summer
vs. Winter
Summer Conditions:
Inlet Air Temp. = 60 C
Inlet Air Humidity = 20 C
Inlet Air Flow Rate = 2000 cfm
Spray Rate = 345 gm/ min
% Solids in Solution = 12
Bed Temp. = 48.4
Environmental Equivalency Factor = 3.0
Coating Variation- Summer
vs. Winter
Summer Conditions:
Inlet Air Temp. = 62 C
Inlet Air Humidity = 20 C
Inlet Air Flow Rate = 2200 cfm
Spray Rate = 400 gm/ min
% Solids in Solution = 12
Bed Temp. = 48.4
Environmental Equivalency Factor = 3.0