Lubricants are important for both preserving the tooling of high-speed tablet presses and attaining quality tablets. Magnesium stearate (MgSt) is most commonly used due to its superior lubrication efficiency; however, it can lead to negative effects on tabletability and dissolution. In this study, we have systematically evaluated two poloxamers, P188 and P407, for their suitability as alternative tablet lubricants. For two excipients with different mechanical properties, i.e., microcrystalline cellulose and lactose, both poloxamers exhibit acceptable lubrication efficiency without negatively impacting tabletability. Compared to 1% MgSt, the performance of both poloxamers at 2% in an experimental tablet formulation of ritonavir led to better lubrication, higher tabletability, and enhanced in vitro drug release. Thus, the use of P188 and P407 as alternative tablet lubricants deserves further evaluations.

Lubricants are important for both preserving the tooling of high-speed tablet presses and attaining quality tablets. Magnesium stearate (MgSt) is most commonly used due to its superior lubrication efficiency; however, it can lead to negative effects on tabletability and dissolution. In this study, we have systematically evaluated two poloxamers, P188 and P407, for their suitability as alternative tablet lubricants. For two excipients with different mechanical properties, i.e., microcrystalline cellulose and lactose, both poloxamers exhibit acceptable lubrication efficiency without negatively impacting tabletability. Compared to 1% MgSt, the performance of both poloxamers at 2% in an experimental tablet formulation of ritonavir led to better lubrication, higher tabletability, and enhanced in vitro drug release. Thus, the use of P188 and P407 as alternative tablet lubricants deserves further evaluations.

This paper presents a new fault diagnostic technique applied to switched reluctance motor drives, based on the analysis of the power converter supply current. A fault is detected when the measured amplitude of the dc bus current differs from its expected amplitude, assuming normal operating conditions. The information about phase currents amplitudes and the control commands of all power switches permit to easily estimate the amplitude of the power converter supply current, since an asymmetric bridge converter is used. Simulation and experimental results are presented. Open- and short-circuit fault occurrences in the converter power switches are considered and analyzed. The proposed technique can early detect these fault occurrences and can also identify the affected motor phase. In almost all situations, the faulty element is also identified. An early fault diagnosis, with an accurate fault identification, is of a paramount importance since it permits the early adoption of fault-tolerant procedures that minimize the fault impact on the machine operation.

Accurate fault identification allows the adoption of procedures that minimize the fault impact on the machine operation. Switched reluctance motors (SRMs) have been recognized for their fault-tolerant capabilities, and they present a very robust configuration, particularly due to the absence of windings or magnets in the rotor. All these attributes make the SRM a competitive solution for aircraft and automotive applications, where system reliability is a crucial feature. Therefore, in this paper, a new algorithm for real-time diagnosis of power converter faults in SRM drives is proposed. In contrast to other methods that use additional sensors or devices, the presented technique uses the measured phase currents only, which are already available for the drive control. The proposed algorithm effectively detects the inverter faulty phase and is capable of localizing the faulty power switch. Power switch open-and short-circuit fault occurrences in an asymmetric full-bridge converter are considered and analyzed.