Convection current freeze drying apparatus and method of operating the same
First Claim
1. A convection current vacuum freeze drying apparatus, comprising:
- a dryer chamber unit comprising a plurality of trays for depositing products to be freeze dried;
a convection current condenser unit, mechanically connected to said dryer chamber unit, comprising a plurality of first elongate heat exchange tubes, each of said plurality of first elongate heat exchange tubes having fins arranged around an outer circumference of each of said plurality of first elongate heat exchange tubes, wherein said plurality of first elongate heat exchange tubes substantially fill the internal volume of said convection current condenser unit;
a refrigerator unit mechanically connected to said convection current condenser unit, operable to provide a cold refrigerant gas to said plurality of elongate heat exchange tubes;
a cooling tower unit mechanically connected to said convection current condenser unit;
a primary vacuum pump unit, mechanically connected to said convection current condenser unit and said cooling tower unit, operable to provide a vacuum pressure to said convection current condenser unit; and
a heater unit mechanically connected to provide a heat energy to both said dryer chamber unit and said convection current condenser unit.
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Abstract
A convection current vacuum freeze drying apparatus is disclosed which includes a dryer chamber unit comprising a plurality of trays for depositing products to be freeze dried; a convection current condenser unit, mechanically connected to the dryer chamber unit, comprising a plurality of first elongate heat exchange tubes each having fins arranged around an outer circumference of the first elongate heat exchange tube; a refrigerator unit mechanically connected to the convection current condenser unit, operable to provide cold temperature to the plurality of elongate heat exchange tubes; a cooling tower unit mechanically connected to the convection current condenser unit; a primary vacuum pump unit, mechanically connected to the convection current condenser unit and the cooling tower unit, operable to provide a vacuum pressure to said convection current condenser unit; and a heater unit mechanically connected to provide a heat energy to both the dryer chamber unit and the convection current condenser unit.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A convection current vacuum freeze drying apparatus, comprising:
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a dryer chamber unit comprising a plurality of trays for depositing products to be freeze dried; a convection current condenser unit, mechanically connected to said dryer chamber unit, comprising a plurality of first elongate heat exchange tubes, each of said plurality of first elongate heat exchange tubes having fins arranged around an outer circumference of each of said plurality of first elongate heat exchange tubes, wherein said plurality of first elongate heat exchange tubes substantially fill the internal volume of said convection current condenser unit; a refrigerator unit mechanically connected to said convection current condenser unit, operable to provide a cold refrigerant gas to said plurality of elongate heat exchange tubes; a cooling tower unit mechanically connected to said convection current condenser unit; a primary vacuum pump unit, mechanically connected to said convection current condenser unit and said cooling tower unit, operable to provide a vacuum pressure to said convection current condenser unit; and a heater unit mechanically connected to provide a heat energy to both said dryer chamber unit and said convection current condenser unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of operating a convection current vacuum freeze drying apparatus including a controller unit, a database storing specific freeze drying settings for different products, a drying chamber unit, an ice condenser unit having a plurality of elongate heat exchange tubes with fins that substantially occupies an internal volume of said ice condenser unit, a refrigerator unit, a cooling tower unit, a main vacuum pump unit, an auxiliary vacuum pump unit, a heater unit, said method comprising:
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loading said specific freeze drying settings for a specific product from said database into said controller unit, whereupon said controller unit is operable to cause said convection current vacuum freeze drying apparatus to perform the following operational steps; performing a preliminary convection current vacuum freeze drying step which includes turning on said cooling tower unit, turning on said refrigerator unit by a rate of 5°
C./minute, loading said products, avoid overloading of said vacuum pump unit, and turning on said vacuum pump unit at a rate of 5%/minute;performing a primary convection current vacuum freeze drying step by lowering the temperature and pressure to a sublimation triple point temperature; performing a secondary convection current vacuum freeze drying step by increasing the temperature to further dry said product; and performing a post convection current vacuum freeze drying step by increasing said pressure and lowering said temperature to an ambient condition. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. sensing real-time freeze drying settings for each of said preliminary convection current vacuum freeze drying step, said primary convection current vacuum freeze drying step, said secondary convection current vacuum freeze drying step, and said post convection current vacuum freeze drying step, wherein said specific freeze drying settings further comprise temperatures, pressures, predetermined time durations, flow rates, pump rates, open or close states of valves, and freezing rates;
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comparing said real-time freeze drying settings with said specific freeze drying settings stored in said database, if said real-time vacuum freeze drying settings are different from said specific vacuum freeze drying settings than predetermined levels, adjusting said real-time vacuum freeze drying settings;
otherwise, continuing said operational steps.
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Specification