What's a Freeze Dryer or Lyophilizer?
Freeze dryers and lyophilizers are man-made machines that have the capabilities to satisfy the vacuum freeze drying requirements. In another words, freeze dryers or lyophilizers are the equipment to execute freeze drying process.
As known, freeze drying and lyophilization is the only method to deliver stable, biologically active products with a long shelf life. This because of the unique working process: Freezing the material first, and then reduce the surrounding pressure, to allow the frozen water in the material to sublime directly from solid phase to gas. During the process, most time, raw material temp. is minus. So it has less impact to raws.
Which means, freeze drying machines, should have at least 2 functions: Create vacuum environment and Trap the sublimated vapors.
Freeze Dryer/Lyophilizer Consists Of:
Drying Chamber
- Is the largest part of a freeze dryer or a lyophilizer. Inside has shelf modules to place raw material, as well as condensing coils to collect sublimated vapors.
Vacuum Pump
- To create and maitain drying chamber vacuum environment.
Compressors
- Continue chilling condensing coils and provide energy.
A Modern Freeze Dryer/Lyophilizer also has the systems of:
Shelves Heating System
- Offer extra energy to speed up the sublimation.
Control System
- Enable the freeze drying plant automatic working.