Granulation - Zouryu

Generally, it refers to the process of turning raw materials such as powders, molten liquids, and solution slurries into granules of uniform shape and size. If granulation is taken in the broad sense of simply creating granules, it also includes spray drying and continuous crystallization. The purpose of granulation varies depending on the field, such as food, steelmaking, pharmaceuticals, or chemical fertilizers, but granular materials are generally superior in maintaining solubility, breathability, and uniformity compared to powdered solids. In steelmaking, the particle size of the raw iron ore powder is increased in a rotating drum, and the resulting agglomerated granules are used as a raw material for steelmaking. In pharmaceuticals, etc., a coating granulation method is used in which the surfaces of the particles are covered with another substance. Generally, particles are agglomerated by using a wet powder as the raw material, or by spraying a liquid onto a dry powder.

Source: Morikita Publishing "Chemical Dictionary (2nd Edition)" Information about the Chemical Dictionary 2nd Edition

一般に，粉末，溶融液，溶液スラリーなどの原料を，均一な形状と大きさの粒状物にする操作をいう．また，造粒を単に粒をつくるという広義な意味にとれば，噴霧乾燥，連続晶析などもこれに含まれる．造粒の目的は，たとえば食品，製鉄，医薬あるいは化学肥料などの分野によってそれぞれ異なるが，粒状物は粉状の固体と比較して，溶解性，通気性，均一性の保持に一般的にすぐれている．製鉄では，原料鉄鉱石の粉末を回転ドラムによって粒径を増大させ，凝集造粒物として製鉄原料にする．医薬品などでは，粒子の表面をほかの物質で覆う被覆造粒法が行われる．一般に，粒子を凝集させるには，湿潤粉末を原料として用いるか，あるいは乾燥粉末に液体を噴霧して行う．

出典　森北出版「化学辞典（第2版）」化学辞典 第2版について　情報