Terahertz radar sensing for real-time monitoring of powder streams

In pharmaceutical manufacturing processes, the flow properties of powder streams moving in the manufacturing pipes directly impact the properties of the final drug product, and there is a need for real-time non-invasive monitoring of the powder flow properties with process analytical tools. In this study, we propose a frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) Doppler radar system with a center frequency of 340 GHz to measure the flow properties of falling powder streams in a vertical transparent tube. We successfully measured the velocity profile and powder flow density variation along the height of the tube with a spatial resolution of about 5 mm. In conclusion, the terahertz FMCW Doppler radar system was shown to be highly promising for real-time sensing of flow properties of powder streams in the pharmaceutical manufacturing processes.