SBIR Phase I: Mass Flux Sensor for Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project addresses an immediate need for a real-time means for measuring vapor phase water mass flux in pharmaceutical and biotechnology manufacturing. The specific innovation is the combination of low-pressure vapor phase water concentration and gas velocity measurements to provide a determination of vapor phase mass flux rates. During the Phase I effort critical sensor hardware will be designed, fabricated and tested on commercially available manufacturing equipment. The sensor development targets a new initiative by the Food and Drug Administration and the pharmaceutical industry to use process analytical technology for on-line process control to improve drug manufacturing quality, drug availability, industry competitiveness, and prescription drug costs. The Phase I program will verify the technical and commercial feasibility of the mass flux monitor. The commercial application of this project is to improve quality control in the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry. The vapor phase mass flux monitor will provide the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries with a sensor for real-time mass flux measurements, enabling improved drug manufacturing process efficiency and quality. The project advances research and education via collaborations with pharmaceutical scientists at the University of Connecticut and Purdue University.