FREEZE DRYERS

Freeze dryers are designed to preserve products for a long time. Products are quickly frozen and exposed to vacuum pressures to evaporate ice crystals and thus remove any water from the material. The smaller laboratory freeze dryers are designed for research and recipe testing and require prior freezing. Medium-sized pilot freeze dryers can be used to produce small batches by doing the freezing in the same equipment. A laboratory-sized freeze dryer consists of a basic unit containing a condenser and a methacrylate chamber that can tolerate vacuum conditions. Several variables, such as the type of product being treated, the container used during freeze drying (vials, tubes, in bulk, etc.), the sample's moisture content and the composition of the solvent, will determine the equipment configuration and characteristics, e.g., the temperature of the condenser (-55 °C or -85 °C), the type of chamber (circular, cubic, with manifolds, etc.) and the power of the vacuum pump. Heated trays are optional and can be used to speed up the freeze-drying process. See More