Measured Growth Rates of Ibuprofen: Comparing Single Crystal and Bulk Suspensions Data

Abstract

The design of industrial crystallization processes usually employs laboratory-scale experimental data which must be correlated with the full-scale process for effective technology transfer. In this context, the measured growth rates of single crystals of ibuprofen in stagnant ethanolic solutions are compared with data recorded for a population of crystals crystallized in an agitated 7-mL reactor. The single crystal growth rates are found to be rather close to those determined in the agitated reactor, with both being also in good agreement with previously published data at the 750-mL scale, suggesting that studies on single crystals can have utility for the purpose of crystallization process design and optimization.