APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTINUOUS LYOPHILIZATION
First Claim
1. A method for the continuous sublimation of a substance, the method comprising:
- cascading a material containing a substance capable of sublimation between a plurality of trays vertically stacked within a processing zone provided within a processing chamber;
maintaining a substantially atmospheric environment within the processing zone and at a temperature whereby the substance sublimes forming a sublimate within the environment;
recovering the sublimate from the environment; and
contacting the environment after recovering the sublimate therefrom with a drying agent to maintain the environment whereby the substance sublimes at substantially atmospheric pressure at the temperature.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for the continuous sublimation of a substance includes cascading a material containing a substance capable of sublimation, such as water, between a plurality of trays vertically stacked within a processing zone provided within a processing chamber. A substantially atmospheric environment is maintained within the processing zone at a temperature whereby the substance sublimes forming a sublimate within the environment. The environment containing the sublimate is contacted with a drying agent such as a desiccant to maintain the environment whereby the substance sublimes at substantially atmospheric pressure and at the controlled temperature.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A method for the continuous sublimation of a substance, the method comprising:
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cascading a material containing a substance capable of sublimation between a plurality of trays vertically stacked within a processing zone provided within a processing chamber; maintaining a substantially atmospheric environment within the processing zone and at a temperature whereby the substance sublimes forming a sublimate within the environment; recovering the sublimate from the environment; and contacting the environment after recovering the sublimate therefrom with a drying agent to maintain the environment whereby the substance sublimes at substantially atmospheric pressure at the temperature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for the continuous sublimation of a substance, the method comprising:
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transferring material containing a substance capable of sublimation through a plurality of processing zones each having a material support arranged in a vertical stack within a processing chamber; controlling an environment within the processing chamber at substantially atmospheric pressure and at a temperature whereby the substance sublimes to form a sublimate within the environment; and contacting the environment containing the sublimate with a drying agent to control the partial pressure of the substance within the environment whereby the substance sublimes at the substantially atmospheric pressure at the temperature. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for the continuous sublimation of a substance, the method comprising:
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supplying material in particulate form containing a substance in a frozen state, the substance capable of sublimation; cascading the material downwardly between a plurality of trays vertically stacked within a processing chamber maintained under substantially atmospheric pressure; controlling the temperature of the environment within the processing chamber below 32°
F. whereby the substance sublimes; andcontrolling the partial pressure of the substance within the environment within the process chamber less than the vapor pressure of the substance in the material at least by contacting the environment with a desiccant or a gas having a low dew point, whereby the substance continuously sublimes within the processing chamber. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for continuous lyophilization by sublimation of a substance, the method comprising:
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freezing a material containing a substance capable of sublimation; providing the frozen material in particulate form to a processing chamber; cascading the frozen material downwardly within the processing chamber between a plurality of rotating trays vertically stacked within the processing chamber, each of the trays forming a processing zone; maintaining a substantially atmospheric environment within each of the processing zones and at a temperature less than 32°
F., whereby the substance sublimes forming a sublimate within the environment; andcontrolling the partial pressure of the substance within the environment at each of the processing zones less than the vapor pressure of the substance in the frozen material. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method for continuous lyophilization by sublimation of water in a solid phase within a material, the method comprising:
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freezing a material containing water to a temperature below 32°
F., whereby the water is present in a solid phase;providing the frozen material in particulate form in the range of about 8-200 mesh to a processing chamber; cascading the frozen material in particulate form downwardly within the processing chamber between a plurality of rotating trays vertically stacked within the processing chamber, each of the trays forming a processing zone; maintaining a substantially atmospheric environment in the range of about +0.10 inches water within each of the processing zones and at a temperature in the range of about 20-30°
F., whereby the water in a solid phase sublimes forming a sublimate within the environment;controlling the partial pressure of the water within the environment at each of the processing zones less than the vapor pressure of the water in solid phase in the frozen material by at least contacting the environment with a desiccant; heating the environment after contacting the environment with the desiccant; and recycling the heated environment to the processing chamber. - View Dependent Claims (36, 38, 40)
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37. An apparatus for continuous sublimation of a substance, the apparatus comprising:
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a processing chamber containing a substantially atmospheric environment, the processing chamber having a plurality of trays vertically stacked therein for cascading therethrough a material containing a substance capable of sublimation to form a sublimate at a predetermined temperature; and a desiccant in fluid communication with the processing chamber for maintaining the partial pressure of the substance within the environment within the processing chamber less than the vapor pressure of the substance. - View Dependent Claims (39)
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Specification