Granulation Equipment MCQs With Answer

Granulation Equipment MCQs With Answer

This quiz collection is designed specifically for M.Pharm students studying MIP 203T – Pharmaceutical Production Technology. It focuses on granulation equipment — covering principles, operation, process parameters, scale-up considerations, and common manufacturing challenges. Questions probe understanding of high-shear granulators, fluidized bed systems, roller compactors, twin‑screw granulators, atomizers, and downstream handling. Each item emphasizes practical and mechanistic aspects such as binder spray, impeller/chopper function, residence time, atomization, granule properties, and equipment design for cleaning and containment. Use these MCQs to assess and reinforce advanced conceptual and application-level knowledge needed for pharmaceutical granulation processes and equipment selection.

Q1. What is the primary purpose of granulation in solid dosage manufacturing?

• To improve powder flow and compressibility
• To chemically stabilize the active ingredient
• To sterilize the powder blend
• To reduce API potency

Correct Answer: To improve powder flow and compressibility

Q2. Which granulation equipment typically contains an impeller and a chopper working inside a mixing bowl?

• Fluidized bed granulator
• High-shear granulator (planetary mixer/rapid mixer granulator)
• Rotary tablet granulator
• Twin-screw extruder

Correct Answer: High-shear granulator (planetary mixer/rapid mixer granulator)

Q3. Which type of fluidized bed granulator is most commonly used for top-spray wet granulation?

• Wurster (bottom-spray) insert
• Top-spray fluidized bed granulator
• Rotary drum granulator
• V-cone granulator

Correct Answer: Top-spray fluidized bed granulator

Q4. In a high-shear granulator, the chopper is primarily used to:

• Atomize binder into fine droplets
• Provide heat for drying
• Break oversized agglomerates and control granule size
• Increase residence time by slowing the mix

Correct Answer: Break oversized agglomerates and control granule size

Q5. What is a major advantage of twin-screw wet granulation over batch high-shear processes?

• It requires no binder
• Continuous processing with better process control and narrow residence time distribution
• Always produces larger granules with poor flow
• Eliminates the need for downstream drying

Correct Answer: Continuous processing with better process control and narrow residence time distribution

Q6. Roller compaction is categorized as which type of granulation process?

• Wet granulation producing spherical pellets
• Dry granulation producing compacted ribbons or flakes for milling
• Spray granulation in a fluidized bed
• Extrusion-spheronization

Correct Answer: Dry granulation producing compacted ribbons or flakes for milling

Q7. Which atomizer type is typically used to produce very fine spray droplets in binder spraying?

• Rotary atomizer
• Two-fluid (pneumatic) nozzle
• Pressure (hydraulic) nozzle
• Spray bar with large orifices

Correct Answer: Two-fluid (pneumatic) nozzle

Q8. Which process parameter most directly controls granule growth rate during wet granulation?

• Binder spray rate
• Drying oven color
• Tablet press turret speed
• API particle density only

Correct Answer: Binder spray rate

Q9. Which configuration is best suited when intent is to perform layering/coating and granulation in a single fluidized bed step (e.g., pellet coating)?

• Top-spray fluidized bed without insert
• Fluidized bed with Wurster (bottom-spray) insert
• High-shear granulator with open bowl
• Rotary tablet press

Correct Answer: Fluidized bed with Wurster (bottom-spray) insert

Q10. Over-wetting during wet granulation commonly results in:

• Formation of dense, non-porous granules and sticking to equipment surfaces
• Excessively fine powder and reduced particle size
• Instant drying with no need for dryer
• Complete elimination of fines without agglomeration

Correct Answer: Formation of dense, non-porous granules and sticking to equipment surfaces

Q11. Which test directly measures granule friability used to assess mechanical robustness?

• Loss on drying
• Friability test (percentage weight loss on tumbling)
• Disintegration test
• Viscosity of binder solution

Correct Answer: Friability test (percentage weight loss on tumbling)

Q12. The impeller design commonly used in high-shear granulators is referred to as:

• Axial-flow propeller
• Turbine-type impeller
• Paddle extruder
• Wurster rotor

Correct Answer: Turbine-type impeller

Q13. Which material is most commonly specified for product-contact parts of granulation equipment to meet pharmaceutical hygiene requirements?

• Carbon steel with paint
• 316L stainless steel (pharmaceutical grade)
• Aluminum alloy
• Brass with passivation

Correct Answer: 316L stainless steel (pharmaceutical grade)

Q14. Why is mean residence time important in continuous twin‑screw granulation?

• It determines the color of the final granules only
• It determines the extent of wetting, granule growth and size distribution
• It controls the electrical conductivity of the blend
• It is irrelevant for granule size control

Correct Answer: It determines the extent of wetting, granule growth and size distribution

Q15. During scale-up of a fluidized bed granulator, which hydrodynamic parameter must be maintained to ensure similar fluidization behavior?

• Minimum fluidization velocity (Umf) and similar gas velocity ratios
• Impeller tip speed only
• Exact bed mass regardless of geometry
• Binder concentration only

Correct Answer: Minimum fluidization velocity (Umf) and similar gas velocity ratios

Q16. Compared to direct compression and dry powder handling, wet granulation typically:

• Generates more airborne dust and higher inhalation risk
• Reduces airborne dust and improves operator safety for dusty APIs
• Eliminates the need for downstream compression
• Always increases tablet disintegration time

Correct Answer: Reduces airborne dust and improves operator safety for dusty APIs

Q17. Extrusion-spheronization as a granulation/pelletization route requires which sequence of equipment?

• High-shear granulator followed by fluid bed dryer
• Extruder followed by spheronizer
• Roller compactor followed by tablet press
• Pin mill followed by direct compression

Correct Answer: Extruder followed by spheronizer

Q18. Granule porosity most directly influences which product attributes?

• Dissolution rate and compaction behavior
• Color and taste only
• API chemical structure
• None of the physical properties

Correct Answer: Dissolution rate and compaction behavior

Q19. To minimize droplet size and improve atomization efficiency in a fluid bed spray, which nozzle is preferred?

• Plain spray bar
• Two-fluid (atomizing) nozzle
• Large-orifice manual spray gun
• Rotary pan spray bar

Correct Answer: Two-fluid (atomizing) nozzle

Q20. Which equipment design feature is most important to enable effective clean-in-place (CIP) for granulation vessels?

• Multiple internal dead legs for process sampling
• Smooth welds, sloped surfaces and full drainability
• Porous coatings on contact parts
• Complex internal baffles that are not removable

Correct Answer: Smooth welds, sloped surfaces and full drainability

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