A technology for protecting a valve seat inside a collection tank from the adherence of frozen particles in a vacuum freeze-drying apparatus and a frozen particle manufacturing method. The inside of a vacuum tank and a collection tank are vacuum evacuated; a raw material liquid is injected into the vacuum tank to produce frozen particles; and the frozen particles are piled up on a surface of a heating/cooling shelf. When the frozen particles on the heating/cooling shelf are transferred into the collection tank through the inside of an auxiliary pipe, the frozen particles do not adhere to a valve seat which surrounds an opening of a main pipe inside the collection tank.

Polymer pellets are formed using laminar gas flow within a downstream gas conduit, as may be implemented consistent with one or more embodiments herein. A gas channel directs gas to an outlet of a polymer extrusion mandrel via which a polymer melt is extruded. A downstream gas conduit extends away from the outlet of the polymer extrusion mandrel, and provides laminar gas flow along the polymer melt extending from the extrusion mandrel, and within the downstream gas conduit. Using this approach, laminar flow can be maintained along an initial portion of the polymer melt, and used to control the subsequent formation of pellets therefrom.

The present application is directed towards systems and methods for adding components to materials being fluidized in a vibratory mixer by use of atomizers or sprayers. A mechanical system can fluidizes, mix, coat, dry, combine, or segregate materials. The system may comprise a vibratory mixer, mixing vessel containing a first material and a sprayer to introduce a second material. The vibratory mixer may generate a fluidized bed of a first material and the sprayer, coupled to the mixing vessel, may introduce a second material onto the fluidized bed to mix the materials in a uniform and even fashion.

The present application is directed towards systems and methods for adding components to materials being fluidized in a vibratory mixer by use of atomizers or sprayers. A mechanical system can fluidizes, mix, coat, dry, combine, or segregate materials. The system may comprise a vibratory mixer, mixing vessel containing a first material and a sprayer to introduce a second material. The vibratory mixer may generate a fluidized bed of a first material and the sprayer, coupled to the mixing vessel, may introduce a second material onto the fluidized bed to mix the materials in a uniform and even fashion.

Compositions are provided that include having at least 95% by weight of a taxane, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, where the particles have a mean bulk density between about 0.050 g/cm.sup.3 and about 0.15 g/cm.sup.3, and/or a specific surface area (SSA) of at least 18 m.sup.2/g, 20 m.sup.2/g, 25 m.sup.2/g, 30 m.sup.2/g, 32 m.sup.2/g, 34 m.sup.2/g, or 35 m.sup.2/g. Methods for making and using such compositions are also provided.

Compositions are provided that include having at least 95% by weight of a taxane, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, where the particles have a mean bulk density between about 0.050 g/cm.sup.3 and about 0.15 g/cm.sup.3, and/or a specific surface area (SSA) of at least 18 m.sup.2/g, 20 m.sup.2/g, 25 m.sup.2/g, 30 m.sup.2/g, 32 m.sup.2/g, 34 m.sup.2/g, or 35 m.sup.2/g. Methods for making and using such compositions are also provided.

An apparatus for production of pulverulent polymers having a reactor for droplet polymerization with an apparatus for dropletization of a monomer solution for the preparation of the polymer. The apparatus for dropletization has holes through which the monomer solution is introduced, an addition point for a gas above the apparatus for dropletization, at least one gas withdrawal point at the periphery of the reactor and a fluidized bed, wherein at least one of the following is fulfilled: an apparatus for increasing turbulence in the gas flow is disposed in the region of the apparatus for dropletization of the monomer solution, an apparatus for increasing turbulence in the gas flow is disposed in the region of the addition point for the gas, the addition point for gas is configured such that elevated turbulence is generated.
A process for producing pulverulent polymers, in which an increase in flow turbulence in the gas flow in the region of the apparatus for dropletization also is disclosed.

A process of granulation of a urea melt, comprising: adding a first additive containing carboxymethyl starch to one or more first stage(s) of the granulation process, to form a carcarboxymethyl starch containing inner layer of urea granules, and adding a second additive containing calcium lignosulfonate to one or more second stage(s) of the granulation process, downstream said first stages, to form granules with a coating containing calcium lignosulfonate.

A process of granulation of a urea melt, comprising: adding a first additive containing carboxymethyl starch to one or more first stage(s) of the granulation process, to form a carcarboxymethyl starch containing inner layer of urea granules, and adding a second additive containing calcium lignosulfonate to one or more second stage(s) of the granulation process, downstream said first stages, to form granules with a coating containing calcium lignosulfonate.

A liquid droplet-forming device is provided, including: a liquid chamber; a discharge hole configured to discharge a raw material liquid in the liquid chamber in a form of liquid droplets; sealed space-forming means; and at least two flow paths, in which the sealed space-forming means is capable of forming a sealed space communicating with the liquid chamber through the discharge hole on a side opposite to the liquid chamber of the discharge hole, and the at least two flow paths communicate with each other through the sealed space.