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Testing Center

Running live tests is a critical part of process design and system performance verification.

 

The Rheo Testing Center is a full service pharmaceutical room where we can run a wide variety of processes for our clients to evaluate process feasibility and verify performance of process design. At Rheo Engineering we understand the challenges that our clients face and we have built our company around reducing the risks associated with the overall material handling process. Our Testing Center plays a key part in reducing this risk by giving us the tools to run a wide variety of processes for our clients to evaluate process feasibility and verify performance of process design.

 

Proof of Concepting | Powder Flow Testing | Process Validation | System Mock-Ups
Containment Performance Testing | CIP Testing | PAT Instrumentation Calibration

Drum Conditioner

  • Process Testing
  • Powder Flow Testing

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Tank Field

  • CIP Solutions
  • Mixing
  • Waste
  • Hot Water
  • Cold Water

Material Transfer Station

  • Process Testing
  • Powder Flow Testing
  • Transfer Rate Testing
  • Concentration Testing
  • Dosing Accuracy Testing
  • Containment Performance Testing

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Bulk Bag Conditioner

  • Process testing
  • Powder Flow Testing

Vacuum Conveyance System

  • Process Testing
  • Powder Flow Testing
  • Transfer Rate Testing
  • Dosing Accuracy Testing
  • CIP Testing

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Bin Blender

  • Process Testing

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Bin

  • Process Testing
  • Powder Flow Testing
  • Transfer Rate Testing
  • Dosing Accuracy Testing
  • CIP Testing

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HEPA Filters

HEPA Filters

Utilities

  • Compressed Air
  • Nitrogen
  • Exhaust
  • Cold Water
  • Hot Water
  • CIP Solutions

Control Panel

  • Touchscreen HMI (Controls Bulk Bag Unloading Station and Bin Blender)
  • Track and Store Performance Data

Jib Crane

  • Process Testing

Bulk Bag Unloading Station

  • Process Testing
  • Powder Flow Testing
  • Transfer Rate Testing
  • Concentration Testing
  • Dosing Accuracy Testing
  • CIP Testing

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Drum Tipper

  • Process Testing
  • Powder Flow Testing
  • Transfer Rate Testing

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Ventilation Sleeve

  • Process Testing
  • Containment Performance Testing

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Rheo Testing Center

Testing Center Capabilities

  • Size: 31′ x 42′
  • Utilities
    • Electrical
    • Compressed Air
    • Ambient & Hot Water
    • Vacuum
    • Extraction
    • Nitrogen
    • CIP Solutions

Product Testing

Rheo has several products available for demonstration purposes and for testing with the integration into larger systems. These can also be tested at your facility. Ask your Regional Sales Manager what equipment we have available.


Process Testing

Rheo excels at proving the performance of a proposed system using demo equipment and prototypes before the final design is approved. Our in-house manufacturing allows us to quickly produce prototype equipment as well as make any modifications right away without having to transport equipment or wait for an opening in production schedules. By verifying the system’s process performance before building the final design, we are able to provide confidence to our clients that the end product will meet the specifications and that we will deliver on time without any additional problems or costs.

Typical items to verify during process testing include:

  • Powder Flow Testing (Dry and Wet)
  • Transfer Rate Testing
  • Concentration Testing (for powder to liquid dispersion)
  • Dosing Accuracy Testing
  • CIP Testing

Performance Verification

Rheo’s Testing Center is equipped with the ability to test the entire system’s performance in a way that replicates your actual application. Our Testing Center provides the required utilities and even process tanks that may be required for cleaning or mixing and the room can also be environmentally controlled to match your application’s humidity and temperature. By simulating the full system environment during testing, we are able to reduce the risk of things going wrong at your facility during validation and startup. If modifications are needed during performance testing, our in-house manufacturing allows us to quickly make modifications right away so that delivery is not delayed.

Typical items to verify during performance testing include:

  • Powder Flow Verification (Dry and Wet)
  • Transfer Rate Verification
  • Concentration Verification (for powder to liquid dispersion)
  • Dosing Accuracy Verification
  • CIP Verification
  • Containment Verification

Powder Flow Testing (Dry & Wet)

Rheo has extensive experience with handling bulk powders and can test powders to evaluate the best handling methods. Rheo conducts flow testing for optimizing vacuum conveying performance or for ensuring proper induction into a liquid for dispersion.


Transfer Rate Testing

Rheo can conduct performance testing on a product or system to calculate the relevant product transfer rates. This is especially important if the product/system has an impact on the overall TAKT time of your process. Testing the transfer rates can allow us to make modifications such as adding flow aids or adjusting other equipment parameters if the transfer rates do not meet your process’ requirements.


Bulk Bag Unloading Station - Powder Induction System

Concentration Testing

Rheo has experience using solid-liquid mixers from several major process equipment manufacturers and can integrate the best choice for your application. When the solid-to-liquid concentration is important for your application and recirculation of the solution is not desired, Rheo can conduct concentration testing to verify if the concentration can be met with a single-pass through the disperser. We will use your specific materials with the optimal solid-liquid mixer in order to verify the performance.


Dosing Accuracy Testing

Dosing accuracy is a critical metric for many integrated systems that we build. There can be many aspects that affect the dosing accuracy of a system other than just the load cells and weighing system itself, so it is important to verify dosing accuracy when the whole system is working together. If the dosing accuracy requirements are outside the project specifications, we can make modifications to either increase the control of the dosing components or further isolate the weighing system from outside disturbances.


SoliValve 250

CIP Testing

Rheo can do riboflavin testing with water to verify that all product contact surfaces are covered by the clean in place (CIP) system. Rheo can also use CIP solutions to clean the product contact surfaces and do swab testing to verify clean surfaces.

When using a CIP system, cleaning and drying time can often be a critical factor that needs to be considered as well. This is often the case if the system impacts the overall TAKT time of your process and requires a high uptime. Rheo conduct testing for the cleaning and drying times of the system and can make modifications to reduce those times if necessary.


Containment Performance Testing

Rheo can conduct industrial hygiene (IH) testing according to ISPE’s SMEPAC guidelines or your own industrial hygienist can complete the testing at the Rheo facilities. Lactose is the most common surrogate used for SMEPAC testing, however we can also test with other surrogates if another material is a better imitation of the product you will be handling. Rheo has a HEPA-filtered pressurized cleanroom that is used for containment testing to ensure accurate test results. Ask your Regional Sales Manager for examples of past containment performance testing reports.


Testing with Hazardous Materials

Rheo can handle most client materials for testing, even if they have a low operator exposure limit (OEL). We can conduct most powder flow testing and transfer rate testing from within our cleanroom and will use the necessary containment equipment and operator PPE to handle the material safely.