Freeze-drying automatic conveying system

Abstract

The invention discloses a freeze-drying automatic conveying system, which relates to the technical field of freeze-drying equipment, and comprises a conveying track which penetrates through a freeze dryer, and the surface of the conveying track is covered with an anti-frosting nano coating. According to the invention, a conveying track covered with an anti-frosting nano coating, an intelligent tray embedded with an RFID chip and a temperature sensor, a transport vehicle carrying visual monitoring, and a bipolar transition cavity module equipped with an electric translation air-tight door and having environment control and sterilization functions are integrated and coordinated by a central controller; full-process automatic and intelligent conveying of materials among freeze-drying pre-treatment, core freeze-drying and post-treatment areas is achieved, then accurate real-time monitoring and full-process tracking of core process parameters are guaranteed, a sterile, low-oxygen and low-humidity environment is rapidly established through an efficient two-stage transition cavity, the pollution risk is reduced, the sterility and stability of products are guaranteed, and the product quality is improved. Therefore, the product quality consistency, the production efficiency and the equipment utilization rate are improved, and the labor cost and the operation risk are reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of freeze-drying equipment technology, specifically to an automatic freeze-drying conveying system. Background Technology

[0002] Freezing equipment is a drying technology that utilizes the principle of sublimation. It involves rapidly freezing the substance to be dried at low temperatures, and then, in a suitable vacuum environment, causing the frozen water molecules to sublimate directly into water vapor and escape. The product obtained by freeze-drying is called lyophilized material, and the process is called freeze-drying. The substance remains at a low temperature throughout the drying process, and ice crystals are evenly distributed throughout the substance. The sublimation process does not cause concentration due to dehydration, thus avoiding foaming and oxidation side effects caused by water vapor.

[0003] The shortcomings of existing freeze-drying automated conveyor systems are:

[0004] 1. Patent document CN116812474A discloses an automatic freeze-drying conveying system. "This invention discloses an automatic freeze-drying conveying system, comprising: a freeze-drying chamber, the interior of which is provided with an internal track extending along its length; a mother AGV, the mother AGV comprising a mother AGV body, wheels, and a material cart track, the wheels and the material cart track being mounted on the mother AGV body, the material cart track being able to connect with the internal track; and a freeze-drying material cart for placing materials, the freeze-drying material cart being able to move on the internal track and the material cart track. This invention makes it faster and more convenient for materials to enter and exit the freeze-drying chamber." However, the automatic freeze-drying conveying system in the above document suffers from technical problems due to its high reliance on manual operation and insufficient isolation measures. This makes key process steps in the freeze-drying production process susceptible to human intervention and external environmental interference, thereby increasing the risk of product contamination and affecting the consistency and traceability of process parameters. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an automated freeze-drying conveying system to solve the technical problems mentioned in the background section.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: an automatic freeze-drying conveying system, comprising:

[0007] Conveyor track: runs through the freeze dryer and its surface is covered with an anti-frost nano-coating;

[0008] Smart tray: The bottom is equipped with a metal heat-conducting plate containing an RFID chip and an embedded temperature sensor;

[0009] Transport vehicle: It is equipped with wheels at the bottom, a support plate on one side of the top, a camera on the top of the support plate, and a support component for supporting the smart pallet in the middle of the top of the transport vehicle.

[0010] Bipolar transition chamber module: Located in the pre-processing area and post-processing area respectively, including an electric sliding airtight door, a humidity sensor, a negative pressure air extraction unit, a UV sterilization lamp group and an inert gas replacement unit;

[0011] Central controller: Connects to RFID chip, temperature sensor, camera and humidity sensor, negative pressure vacuum unit and inert gas replacement unit.

[0012] Preferably, the support assembly includes two sets of hydraulic cylinders disposed on the top of the transport vehicle. A moving chamber is installed on the top of the hydraulic cylinders. A first servo motor is installed on the top of the moving chamber. A bidirectional lead screw is installed at the output end of the first servo motor. The bidirectional lead screw is disposed inside the moving chamber. A set of moving blocks is threadedly connected to the outer wall of the bidirectional lead screw. A bracket is fixedly connected to one end of the moving blocks.

[0013] Preferably, the bracket has a transmission chamber, inside which are installed an active roller, a driven roller and a transmission belt covering the two, all driven by a second servo motor, and the second servo motor is fitted into the transmission chamber.

[0014] Preferably, the smart pallet has grooves on both sides, and the inner walls of the grooves can be movably connected to the outer walls of the conveyor track and the transmission belt, respectively, so as to realize the smooth transfer of the pallet.

[0015] Preferably, the anti-frost nano-coating is a titanium dioxide-polytetrafluoroethylene composite coating with a thickness of 50-200 μm and a surface contact angle >150°.

[0016] Preferably, the metal heat-conducting plate is made of copper-aluminum alloy with a thermal conductivity of ≥200W / (m·K). Its surface conformally fits the bottom surface of the smart tray, and the detection end of the temperature sensor directly contacts the internal heat-conducting layer of the metal heat-conducting plate to monitor the temperature change of the material in real time during the freeze-drying process and feed it back to the central controller to adjust the freeze-drying curve.

[0017] Preferably, the camera is an infrared-visible dual-mode lens, whose field of view covers the loading area of ​​the smart pallet, used to identify pallet position deviation and material freeze-drying status, and transmit the data to the central controller in real time.

[0018] Preferably, the central controller is equipped with a dynamic path planning module, which acquires material type priority, real-time data from temperature sensors, and the empty space status of the freeze-drying chamber based on the RFID chip.

[0019] Preferably, the dynamic path planning module is equipped with temperature threshold determination logic, which automatically increases the scheduling priority of the transport vehicle when the material temperature exceeds a preset threshold.

[0020] Preferably, the replacement medium of the inert gas replacement unit is nitrogen, which is controlled in a closed loop by a central controller in the negative pressure pumping unit to ensure that the oxygen concentration in the transition chamber is ≤0.5%.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0022] 1. This invention integrates a conveyor track covered with an anti-frost nano-coating, an intelligent tray embedded with an RFID chip and a temperature sensor, a transport vehicle equipped with visual monitoring, and a bipolar transition chamber module equipped with an electric sliding airtight door, environmental control, and sterilization functions. All of these are coordinated by a central controller, enabling fully automated and intelligent material transport between the freeze-drying pretreatment, core freeze-drying, and post-treatment areas. This ensures accurate real-time monitoring and full-process tracking of core process parameters. Furthermore, the efficient bipolar transition chamber rapidly establishes a sterile, low-oxygen, and low-humidity environment, reducing the risk of contamination, ensuring product sterility and stability, thereby improving product quality consistency, production efficiency, and equipment utilization, while reducing labor costs and operational risks.

[0023] 2. This invention uses two sets of hydraulic cylinders to drive the vertical lifting of the moving chamber, flexibly adapting to interfaces of different heights and solving the docking deviations caused by differences in equipment installation and thermal expansion and contraction. A first servo motor drives a bidirectional lead screw to finely adjust the horizontal position of the bracket, ensuring precise alignment with the track. Then, a transmission belt driven by a second servo motor inside the bracket dynamically engages with the groove on the side of the smart pallet, actively and smoothly pushing or receiving the pallet through friction transmission, effectively avoiding the risks of vibration, tilting or collision. Combined with real-time visual feedback from the camera and pallet identification by RFID, the precise timing of lifting, translation and transmission is automatically calculated, ultimately realizing a fully automatic, high-precision and seamless reliable transfer of the smart pallet between the transport vehicle, the conveyor track and the freeze dryer.

[0024] 3. This invention achieves a superhydrophobic state through a contact angle >150°, preventing condensation droplets from spreading on the track surface and significantly delaying ice nucleation. The titanium dioxide-polytetrafluoroethylene composite coating used not only provides a low surface energy substrate to enhance hydrophobicity but also increases surface roughness through nanostructures to strengthen the superhydrophobic effect, thereby effectively preventing water vapor from condensing into frost and avoiding slippage and jamming of transport vehicles caused by track frost. At the same time, the optimized coating thickness of 50-200μm resists mechanical wear and impact while avoiding decreased adhesion or cracking due to excessive thickness. It also adapts to the thermal expansion and contraction deformation of the track, extends service life, and reduces system maintenance frequency.

[0025] 4. This invention effectively eliminates the temperature gradient between the shelf and the material by using a copper-aluminum alloy heat-conducting plate with a thermal conductivity ≥200W / (m·K), ensuring uniform heat penetration during freeze-drying and avoiding material structure damage caused by local overcooling or overheating, thus reducing temperature measurement errors. Simultaneously, the temperature sensor directly contacts the interior of the heat-conducting layer, capturing the actual material temperature in real time and dynamically feeding it back to the central controller. This allows for immediate adjustment of the freeze-drying curve, avoiding material collapse or melting accidents caused by temperature lag, significantly improving the freeze-drying process qualification rate and the survival rate of bioactive products. Furthermore, through an infrared-visible dual-mode camera, its infrared thermal imaging mode can penetrate packaging materials, visualize the internal temperature field of the material, accurately locate cold or hot spots, and, combined with freeze-drying chamber pressure data, accurately predict the key node of the transition from sublimation drying to desorption drying, achieving intelligent and high-precision control and assurance of the entire freeze-drying process. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the overall structure of the freeze dryer of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the transport vehicle structure of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the support component structure of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the electric sliding airtight door structure of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the front structure of the freeze dryer of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 6 For the present invention Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the structure at point A in the middle;

[0032] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the transmission chamber structure of the present invention.

[0033] In the diagram: 1. Conveyor track; 2. Smart pallet; 3. Transport vehicle; 5. Central controller; 6. Pre-processing area; 7. Freeze-drying chamber; 8. Post-processing area; 9. Anti-frost nano-coating; 10. RFID chip; 11. Temperature sensor; 12. Metal heat-conducting plate; 13. Wheels; 14. Support plate; 15. Camera; 16. Electric sliding airtight door; 17. Humidity sensor; 18. Negative pressure extraction unit; 19. UV sterilization lamp assembly; 20. Inert gas replacement unit; 21. Hydraulic cylinder; 22. Moving chamber; 23. First servo motor; 24. Bidirectional lead screw; 25. Moving block; 26. Bracket; 27. Transmission chamber; 28. Second servo motor; 29. ​​Driving roller; 30. Driven roller; 31. Transmission belt; 32. Groove. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0035] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "upper," "lower," "inner," "outer," "front end," "rear end," "both ends," "one end," and "the other end," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0036] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installed," "equipped with," "connected," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can be a connection within two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0037] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 One embodiment of the present invention provides: an automatic freeze-drying conveying system, comprising:

[0038] Conveyor track 1: runs through the pre-treatment zone 6, freeze-drying chamber 7 and post-treatment zone 8 of the freeze dryer, and its surface is covered with an anti-frost nano-coating 9;

[0039] Smart tray 2: A metal heat-conducting plate 12 with an RFID chip 10 and an embedded temperature sensor 11 embedded in the bottom;

[0040] Transport vehicle 3: The bottom is equipped with a walking wheel 13, the top side is equipped with a support plate 14, the top of the support plate 14 is equipped with a camera 15, and the middle of the top of the transport vehicle 3 is equipped with a support component for supporting the smart pallet 2.

[0041] Bipolar transition chamber module: Located in the pre-processing zone 6 and the post-processing zone 8 respectively, including an electric sliding airtight door 16, a humidity sensor 17, a negative pressure air extraction unit 18, a UV sterilization lamp group 19 and an inert gas replacement unit 20.

[0042] Central controller 5: connected to RFID chip 10, temperature sensor 11, camera 15, humidity sensor 17, negative pressure vacuum unit 18, and inert gas replacement unit 20.

[0043] Furthermore, the central controller 5 collects data in real time through the RFID chip 10, temperature sensor 11, camera 15, humidity sensor 17, negative pressure vacuum unit 18 and inert gas replacement unit 20, and controls the movement of the transport vehicle 3 and the operation of the bipolar transition chamber module, so as to realize the fully automated operation of the pre-processing area 6 → freeze-drying chamber 7 → post-processing area 8, reduce manual intervention, improve efficiency, and reduce the risk of human error.

[0044] By directly contacting the sample with the embedded temperature sensor 11 or sensing the sample temperature through the metal heat-conducting plate 12, the most direct and accurate core temperature data of the freeze-drying process is provided. Then, the RFID chip 10 realizes the unique identification and full tracking of each tray, which can be linked to its temperature history, location information and processing status. The central controller 5 receives and analyzes the temperature and location data in real time, and can simultaneously trigger alarms or adjust the process, thereby ensuring that the freeze-drying process is carried out under strict temperature control, providing key data support for product quality consistency and compliance with regulatory requirements, and realizing accurate traceability.

[0045] The negative pressure extraction unit 18 and the inert gas replacement unit 20 can efficiently remove the air in the chamber and replace it with inert gas, significantly reducing the risk of oxidation and residual moisture. Then, the UV sterilization lamp group 19 is used to sterilize the inner surface and space of the chamber, effectively killing microorganisms. The humidity sensor 17 monitors the humidity of the chamber and helps to judge the replacement effect and potential leakage. Thus, at the key nodes of material entering and leaving the freeze-drying chamber 7, a sterile, low-oxygen, and low-humidity transition environment can be quickly and reliably established, which can prevent external contamination from entering the core area of ​​the freeze-drying chamber 7 to the greatest extent, protect the sterility and stability of the product, and avoid interference with the internal environment of the freeze-drying chamber 7.

[0046] The anti-frost nano-coating 9 on the surface of the conveyor track 1 can effectively reduce surface energy, reduce or prevent water vapor from condensing into frost in low-temperature environments, thereby ensuring the smooth operation of the transport vehicle 3 on the track, avoiding slippage, jamming or track deformation caused by frost, improving system reliability and reducing maintenance requirements.

[0047] The camera 15 of the transport vehicle 3 provides real-time visual information on the pallet loading status and its relative position to the track or obstacles, thereby enhancing the system's remote monitoring capabilities, assisting in automatic positioning, obstacle avoidance or manual inspection, and improving operational transparency and safety.

[0048] This will help improve equipment utilization, shorten overall batch production time, reduce labor costs and product scrap rate, and increase production capacity and economic benefits.

[0049] Please see Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 7 An embodiment of the present invention provides: an automatic freeze-drying conveying system: the support component includes two sets of hydraulic cylinders 21 disposed on the top of the transport vehicle 3, a moving chamber 22 is installed on the top of the hydraulic cylinders 21, a first servo motor 23 is installed on the top of the moving chamber 22, a bidirectional lead screw 24 is installed at the output end of the first servo motor 23, and the bidirectional lead screw 24 is disposed inside the moving chamber 22, a set of moving blocks 25 is threadedly connected to the outer wall of the bidirectional lead screw 24, and a bracket 26 is fixedly connected to one end of the moving block 25;

[0050] The bracket 26 has a transmission chamber 27. Inside the transmission chamber 27 are a drive roller 29, a driven roller 30 and a transmission belt 31 that are driven by a second servo motor 28, and the second servo motor 28 is fitted inside the transmission chamber 27.

[0051] The intelligent pallet 2 has grooves 32 on both sides, and the inner walls of the grooves 32 can be movably connected to the outer walls of the conveyor track 1 and the transmission belt 31, respectively, so as to realize the smooth transfer of the pallet.

[0052] Furthermore, the moving chamber 22 is driven to rise and fall vertically by two sets of hydraulic cylinders 21, which can flexibly adapt to conveying tracks or equipment interfaces of different heights, and solve the docking deviation problem caused by equipment installation differences or thermal expansion and contraction. The first servo motor 23 drives the bidirectional lead screw 24, which drives the moving block 25 and the bracket 26 to move synchronously in opposite directions, thereby adjusting the position of the bracket 26.

[0053] The transmission belt 31 driven by the second servo motor 28 built into the bracket 26 dynamically engages with the groove 32 on the side of the smart tray 2. It actively pushes or receives the tray through friction transmission, replacing the traditional gravity sliding or robotic arm gripping, avoiding the risks of vibration, tilting or collision. The transmission belt 31 runs synchronously on both sides to ensure that the tray translation process is smooth and without deviation.

[0054] The first servo motor 23, the second servo motor 28, and the hydraulic cylinder 21 are all controlled by the central controller 5. Combined with the real-time position feedback from the camera 15 and the pallet identification from the RFID chip 10, the lifting, translation, and transmission sequence are automatically calculated to achieve seamless transfer of "transport vehicle 3 → track → freeze dryer" without any manual intervention.

[0055] Please see Figure 5 and Figure 6 An embodiment of the present invention provides: an automatic freeze-drying conveying system: the anti-frost nano-coating 9 is a titanium dioxide-polytetrafluoroethylene composite coating with a thickness of 50-200μm and a surface contact angle >150°;

[0056] Furthermore, by achieving a contact angle >150°, a superhydrophobic state can be achieved, preventing condensed water droplets from spreading on the track surface and significantly delaying ice nucleation. The titanium dioxide-PTFE composite coating provides a low surface energy substrate, enhancing hydrophobicity. At the same time, the nanostructure increases surface roughness, strengthening the superhydrophobic effect. This effectively prevents water vapor from condensing into frost in the pretreatment zone 6 or posttreatment zone 8 of the freeze dryer and in the low-temperature zone of the freeze drying chamber 7 under extreme temperature differences, thus avoiding slippage and jamming of the transport vehicle 3 caused by track frost.

[0057] The coating, with a thickness of 50-200μm, can resist mechanical wear and impact, while avoiding the risk of reduced adhesion or cracking due to excessive thickness, and adapting to the thermal expansion and contraction deformation of the track.

[0058] Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) has low-temperature resistance, maintaining its toughness and chemical corrosion resistance even at -200℃. Titanium dioxide can enhance the coating hardness and reduce scratch damage, thereby increasing the coating's service life and reducing maintenance frequency under conditions of frequent disinfection, low-temperature vibration, and sudden temperature changes.

[0059] Please see Figure 3 and Figure 5 An embodiment of the present invention provides: an automatic freeze-drying conveying system: the metal heat-conducting plate 12 is made of copper-aluminum alloy with a thermal conductivity of ≥200W / m·K, its surface conformally fits the bottom surface of the intelligent tray 2, and the detection end of the temperature sensor 11 directly contacts the internal heat-conducting layer of the metal heat-conducting plate 12 to monitor the temperature change of the material in real time during the freeze-drying process and feed it back to the central controller 5 to adjust the freeze-drying curve.

[0060] Camera 15 is an infrared-visible dual-mode lens, whose field of view covers the loading area of ​​the smart pallet 2, used to identify pallet position deviation and material freeze-drying status, and transmit the data to the central controller 5 in real time;

[0061] The dynamic path planning module is equipped with temperature threshold judgment logic. When the material temperature exceeds the preset threshold, the scheduling priority of the transport vehicle 3 is automatically increased.

[0062] Furthermore, by using a copper-aluminum alloy with a thermal conductivity of ≥200W / m·K, the temperature gradient between the shelf and the material can be eliminated, ensuring uniform heat penetration during the freeze-drying process and avoiding material structure damage caused by local overcooling or overheating. Furthermore, through conformal bonding, the heat-conducting plate is in full contact with the bottom surface of the tray, reducing the air insulation layer and helping to reduce temperature measurement errors.

[0063] By directly contacting the heat-conducting layer with the temperature sensor 11, it is beneficial to capture the real temperature of the material in real time and dynamically feed it back to the central controller 5. This allows for immediate adjustment of the freeze-drying curve, avoiding collapse or crystallization accidents caused by temperature lag, and improving the pass rate of the freeze-drying process and the survival rate of bioactive products.

[0064] Through the multi-dimensional monitoring upgrade of the infrared-visible dual-mode camera 15, the system can identify the meshing deviation between the tray groove 32 and the transmission belt 31 to prevent jamming and monitor the real-time alignment status between the transport vehicle 3 and the track 1. The infrared thermal imaging mode camera 15 can penetrate the packaging material to visualize the internal temperature field of the material, locate cold or hot spots, and predict the transition node from sublimation drying to analytical drying by combining the pressure data of the freeze-drying chamber 7.

[0065] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 An embodiment of the present invention provides: an automatic freeze-drying conveying system: the replacement medium of the inert gas replacement unit 20 is nitrogen, which is controlled in a closed loop by the central controller 5 through the negative pressure extraction unit 18, so that the oxygen concentration in the transition chamber is ≤0.5%;

[0066] Furthermore, by ensuring that the oxygen concentration in the transition chamber is ≤0.5%, the oxidation rate of liposome drugs can be reduced. At the same time, the oxygen concentration in the chamber after replacement is far below the combustion threshold of combustibles, meeting the requirements of the explosion-proof directive and ensuring the safety of ethanol solvent freeze-drying. In addition, in an oxygen-deficient environment, the survival rate of aerobic bacteria can be reduced, and in conjunction with the UV sterilization lamp group 19, a sterile effect can be achieved.

[0067] The working principle involves integrating a conveyor track 1 with an anti-frost nano-coating 9, an intelligent tray 2 embedded with an RFID chip 10 and a temperature sensor 11, a transport vehicle 3 equipped with visual monitoring, and a bipolar transition chamber module with an electric sliding airtight door 16, environmental control, and sterilization functions. All components are coordinated by a central controller 5, enabling fully automated and intelligent material transport between the freeze-drying pretreatment, core freeze-drying, and post-treatment zones 8. This ensures accurate real-time monitoring and full-process tracking of core process parameters. Furthermore, the efficient bipolar transition chamber establishes a sterile, low-oxygen, and low-humidity environment, reducing contamination risks and ensuring product sterility and stability. This ultimately improves product quality consistency, production efficiency, and equipment utilization, while reducing labor costs and operational risks. Two sets of hydraulic cylinders 21 drive the moving chamber 22 to vertically lift and lower, flexibly adapting to interfaces of different heights and resolving docking deviations caused by differences in equipment installation and thermal expansion and contraction. A first servo motor 23 drives a bidirectional lead screw 24, which in turn drives the bracket 26 to make fine adjustments to its horizontal position, ensuring precise alignment with the track. Then, a transmission belt 31 driven by a second servo motor 28 within the bracket 26 dynamically engages with the groove 32 on the side of the intelligent pallet 2, actively and smoothly pushing or receiving the pallet via friction transmission, effectively avoiding the risks of vibration, tilting, or collision. Combined with real-time visual feedback from the camera 15 and RFID pallet identification, the precise timing of lifting, translation, and transmission is automatically calculated, ultimately enabling the intelligent pallet 2 to move smoothly between the transport vehicle 3, the conveyor track 1, and the transport vehicle 3. The fully automatic, high-precision, and seamless transfer between freeze dryers achieves a superhydrophobic state through a contact angle >150°, preventing condensation droplets from spreading on the track surface and significantly delaying ice nucleation. The employed titanium dioxide-PTFE composite coating provides a low surface energy substrate to enhance hydrophobicity and increases surface roughness through a nanostructure, further strengthening the superhydrophobic effect. This effectively prevents water vapor condensation and frost formation, avoiding slippage and jamming of the transport vehicle due to track frost. Simultaneously, the optimized coating thickness of 50-200μm resists mechanical wear and impact, preventing adhesion degradation or cracking caused by excessive thickness. It also adapts to the thermal expansion and contraction of the track, extending service life and reducing system maintenance frequency. This is achieved by using a coating with a thermal conductivity ≥2... The copper-aluminum alloy heat-conducting plate 12 with a heat output of 00W / (m·K) effectively eliminates the temperature gradient between the shelf and the material, ensuring uniform heat penetration during freeze-drying and avoiding material structure damage caused by localized overcooling or overheating, thus reducing temperature measurement errors. Simultaneously, the temperature sensor 11 directly contacts the interior of the heat-conducting layer, capturing the actual temperature of the material in real time and dynamically feeding it back to the central controller 5. This allows for immediate adjustment of the freeze-drying curve, avoiding material collapse or melting accidents caused by temperature lag, significantly improving the freeze-drying process qualification rate and the survival rate of bioactive products. Furthermore, the infrared-visible dual-mode camera 15, with its infrared thermal imaging mode, can penetrate the packaging material, visualize the internal temperature field of the material, accurately locate cold or hot spots, and combine this with the pressure data from the freeze-drying chamber 7.By accurately predicting the key points of the transition from sublimation drying to desorption drying, intelligent and high-precision control and assurance of the entire freeze-drying process were achieved.

[0068] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered in all respects as exemplary and non-limiting, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included within the present invention. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An automatic freeze-drying conveying system, characterized in that: include: Conveyor track (1): runs through the freeze dryer and its surface is covered with an anti-frost nano-coating (9); Smart tray (2): A metal heat-conducting plate (12) with an RFID chip (10) and an embedded temperature sensor (11) embedded in the bottom; Transport vehicle (3): The bottom is equipped with a walking wheel (13), the top side is equipped with a support plate (14), the top of the support plate (14) is equipped with a camera (15), and the middle of the top of the transport vehicle (3) is equipped with a support component for carrying the smart pallet (2). Bipolar transition chamber module: located in the pre-processing area (6) and post-processing area (8) respectively, including an electric sliding airtight door (16), a humidity sensor (17), a negative pressure air extraction unit (18), a UV sterilization lamp group (19) and an inert gas replacement unit (20). Central controller (5): connected to the RFID chip (10), temperature sensor (11), camera (15), humidity sensor (17), negative pressure vacuum unit (18), and inert gas replacement unit (20).

2. The freeze-drying automatic conveying system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The support assembly includes two sets of hydraulic cylinders (21) mounted on the top of the transport vehicle (3). A moving chamber (22) is installed on the top of the hydraulic cylinders (21). A first servo motor (23) is installed on the top of the moving chamber (22). A bidirectional lead screw (24) is installed at the output end of the first servo motor (23). The bidirectional lead screw (24) is located inside the moving chamber (22). A set of moving blocks (25) is threadedly connected to the outer wall of the bidirectional lead screw (24). A bracket (26) is fixedly connected to one end of the moving block (25).

3. The freeze-drying automatic conveying system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The bracket (26) has a transmission chamber (27), inside which are installed an active roller (29), a driven roller (30) and a transmission belt (31) covering the two, driven by a second servo motor (28), and the second servo motor (28) is fitted inside the transmission chamber (27).

4. The freeze-drying automatic conveying system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The intelligent pallet (2) has grooves (32) on both sides, and the inner walls of the grooves (32) can be movably connected to the outer walls of the conveying track (1) and the transmission belt (31) respectively, so as to realize the smooth transfer of the pallet.

5. The freeze-drying automatic conveying system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The anti-frost nano-coating (9) is a titanium dioxide-polytetrafluoroethylene composite coating with a thickness of 50-200μm and a surface contact angle of >150°.

6. The freeze-drying automatic conveying system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The metal heat-conducting plate (12) is made of copper-aluminum alloy with a thermal conductivity of ≥200W / (m·K). Its surface conformally fits the bottom surface of the smart tray (2), and the detection end of the temperature sensor (11) directly contacts the internal heat-conducting layer of the metal heat-conducting plate (12) to monitor the temperature change of the material during the freeze-drying process in real time and feed it back to the central controller (5) to adjust the freeze-drying curve.

7. The freeze-drying automatic conveying system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The camera (15) is an infrared-visible dual-mode lens, whose field of view covers the loading area of ​​the smart tray (2), and is used to identify the tray position deviation and the freeze-drying status of the material, and transmit the data to the central controller (5) in real time.

8. The freeze-drying automatic conveying system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The central controller (5) is equipped with a dynamic path planning module, which obtains material type priority, real-time data from temperature sensor (11), and empty space status of freeze-drying chamber (3) based on RFID chip (10).

9. The freeze-drying automatic conveying system according to claim 8, characterized in that: The dynamic path planning module is equipped with a temperature threshold determination logic. When the material temperature exceeds the preset threshold, the scheduling priority of the transport vehicle (3) is automatically increased.

10. The freeze-drying automatic conveying system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inert gas replacement unit (20) uses nitrogen as the replacement medium. It is controlled in a closed loop by the central controller (5) through the negative pressure extraction unit (18) to ensure that the oxygen concentration in the transition chamber is ≤0.5%.

Images