Optimization of nucleation and crystallization for lyophilization using gap freezing
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- loading containers comprising a liquid solution onto a plurality of tray surfaces in a lyophilization chamber;
the liquid solution comprising a solute and a solvent and characterized by a top surface and a bottom surface, and the tray surfaces being disposed between parallel upper and lower heat sinks, with a conductive thermal insulator being disposed between the tray surfaces and each respective lower heat sink; and
lowering the temperature of the heat sinks and thereby the ambient temperature in the lyophilization chamber comprising the containers, tray surfaces, and thermal insulators to a temperature sufficient to freeze the liquid solution from the top and the bottom surfaces at approximately the same rate in each container and form a frozen solution.
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Abstract
This application discloses devices, articles, and methods useful for producing lyophilized cakes of solutes. The devices and articles provide for a method of freezing liquid solutions of the solute by the top and the bottom of the solution simultaneously. The as frozen solution then provides a lyophilized cake of the solutes with large and uniform pores.
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Citations
7 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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loading containers comprising a liquid solution onto a plurality of tray surfaces in a lyophilization chamber;
the liquid solution comprising a solute and a solvent and characterized by a top surface and a bottom surface, and the tray surfaces being disposed between parallel upper and lower heat sinks, with a conductive thermal insulator being disposed between the tray surfaces and each respective lower heat sink; andlowering the temperature of the heat sinks and thereby the ambient temperature in the lyophilization chamber comprising the containers, tray surfaces, and thermal insulators to a temperature sufficient to freeze the liquid solution from the top and the bottom surfaces at approximately the same rate in each container and form a frozen solution. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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Specification