Freeze Dry Machine
Pilot — FD18: Freeze Dryer
This Cuddon freeze dry machine was designed after consideration of the factors necessary for food freeze-drying techniques. The Model 18 General Purpose Freeze Dryer is a freeze dry machine capable of drying a variety of biologicals, blood, plasma and pharmaceutical products.
Description:
- Chamber: This freeze dry machine has a chamber 0.6m in diameter by 1.3m in length and is made from type 304 stainless steel.
- Heating Plates/Shelves: This freeze dry machine has plates fabricated from type 304 stainless steel to allow an even internal distribution of the heating or cooling medium. The shelf spacing can be factory set at manufacture to suit individual loading as per the clients' product needs if necessary. Two sets of type 316 stainless steel product trays are supplied.
- Vapour Condenser: The vapour condenser is manufactured from type 304 stainless steel tube in three separate circuits. The assembly is bolted as a permanent fixture. Refrigeration of the coil is by direct expansion via a thermostatic valve and distributor.
- Defrosting: Defrosting the ice after a product cycle is by water. Hot water is recommended to assist in rapid defrosting.
- Refrigeration: The refrigeration compressor in this freeze dry machine is a Maneurop hermetic, matched to a system fitted with oil separator, suction accumulator, filters, and all necessary safety devices for correct operation. The system will allow refrigeration of the product plates prior to drying. The FD18 is fitted with an air-cooled refrigerant condenser. The ice vapour coil design temperature is -40 deg. Celsius.
- Vacuum System: The vacuum pump on this freeze dry machine has a rated capacity of 15 cubic metres per hour. It features vacuum isolation in the event of power failure and a gas ballast facility. The pumping line has a separate isolation valve.
- Heating System: The heating fluid is glycol based and is pumped by a centrifugal pump through a circuit which allows heated or cooled fluid to be circulated through the plates on demand of the electronic load controller.
