What is Freeze Drying?
Freeze Drying is a process whereby a product is dried, i.e., water is removed, under low temperature
and pressure. The water in the sample is first frozen to ice and then removed directly to vapor without
passing through the liquid phase. This is carried out under vacuum.
Why Dry?
- To increase stability of the sample
- To improve shelf life of pharmaceutical products
- To prepare sample of microscopic studies
- To prepare sample of future analysis
- To remove product from dissolved sample
- To reduce volume / weight
Freeze drying is essentially a 3-step process :
- Prefreezing: During the Prefreeze step the sample is frozen so that all the solvent (normally water) turns to solid (ice).
- Primary Drying (Sublimation): In Primary Drying, the ice sublimates or turns directly to vapour under low pressure (vacuum).
- Secondary Drying (Desorption): In secondary Drying, the remaining water, not frozen but bound by molecular bonding to the solute, is removed from the sample.
FREEZE-DRY APPLICATIONS
Freeze Dryer have applications in a wide variety of industries, some of our reference applications are as below:
- FRUITS & DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS : All kinds of Thai fruits such as Durian, mango, mangosteen, jack fruit, pineapple, strawberry etc., all kinds of vegetable such as onion, garlic, pepper, etc.
- FOOD: For processing food such as shrimp, meat, finish food, steaks, fish, etc.
- PHARMACEUTICAL: Proteins, enzymes, hormones
- FLORAL: Preserved petals and whole flowers for decoration. Preserving wedding bouquets and memorial flowers.
- RESEARCH: For new product development or researcher from university or private laboratory sector.
Technical Specifications of Food Freeze- Drying Plant Model : 1 T FFD-P
- Freeze – Drying Capacity: Input 1000 Kg/day based on boiled shrimps of 20% dry matter, 900 Kg / day based on vegetables of approximately 15% dry matter. For voluminous products like spinach, coriander etc., the loading capacity can go down to even 50% of the rated capacity.
- Residual Moisture: Final moisture content on the product shall be less than 4% w/w.
- Electrical Connections: 415 V, 3 phase, 50 Hz. Total connected load : 110 KW. Average power consumption: 76 KW.
- Make up water : 1.4 cubic meter/hr. 5 kg/sq.cm
- Steam requirement: 200 kg/hr. max. 140 kg/hr. average.
- Compressed air pressure : 6 kg/sq.cm Flow rate : Appro. 5 cubic meter/hr.
- Space Requirement : Plant can be accommodated in 10 mts x 10 mts space. Overall plot size of around 50meters X 50 meters.