Double-cavity type continuous freeze dryer capable of being switched alternately

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of freeze drying equipment, in particular to a double-cavity continuous freeze dryer capable of being switched alternately, which comprises a working box, the working box is of a rectangular box structure, two cavities are arranged in the working box, an air-tight door is arranged at each of openings of the two cavities of the working box, and a vacuum pump is mounted at the upper end of the working box. According to the double-cavity continuous freeze dryer capable of being alternately switched, the two cavities are formed in the working box, alternate switching work can be achieved, when one cavity is in drying work, the other cavity can conduct preparation work such as material loading and unloading, the situation that equipment is shut down when materials are loaded and unloaded in a traditional single-cavity dryer is avoided, and the drying efficiency is improved. The equipment idle time is shortened, continuous drying treatment of the materials is achieved, the overall production efficiency is remarkably improved, the compressor and the evaporator of the cavity form a main refrigeration structure, the main refrigeration structure is matched with the heating plate, and accurate control over the temperature in the drying process can be achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of freeze-drying equipment technology, specifically a dual-chamber continuous freeze dryer with interchangeable compartments. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional freeze dryers are typically single-chamber structures. During the operation of a single-chamber freeze dryer, the parameters of the equipment need to be readjusted each time it is switched. In modern industrial production, especially in the food and pharmaceutical industries, the demand for continuous drying is increasing. In the pharmaceutical industry, many biopharmaceutical production processes require a large amount of raw materials to be dried. It is difficult to meet the needs of large-scale production using traditional intermittent drying methods.

[0003] Traditional single-chamber freeze dryers operate intermittently, requiring the machine to be stopped, materials removed, and new materials loaded after each batch of materials has been dried. This results in low overall efficiency. Furthermore, when drying materials of different properties, parameters such as temperature and vacuum need to be readjusted, and each adjustment of a single-chamber drying device requires a considerable amount of preparation time. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a dual-chamber continuous freeze dryer that can be switched alternately, in order to solve the problems mentioned in the background art, that traditional single-chamber freeze dryers require waiting for each batch of materials to be dried before stopping the machine to remove the materials and loading new materials, and that when drying materials of different properties, parameters such as temperature and vacuum degree need to be readjusted, and that each adjustment of single-chamber drying equipment requires a long preparation time.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a dual-chamber continuous freeze dryer with interchangeable switching, including a working chamber, which is configured as a rectangular box structure, and the working chamber is provided with two chambers. Each of the two chambers of the working chamber is provided with a sealed door, and a vacuum pump is installed at the upper end of the working chamber. The vacuum pump works to create a vacuum environment in the two chambers of the working chamber.

[0006] The two chambers of the working box are separated by an internally installed partition plate, and an exchange pipe is installed inside the partition plate. The exchange pipe is configured as a T-shaped pipe structure, and the two pipe openings of the exchange pipe are respectively connected to the two chambers of the working box. A sealing element is provided at the connection between the two chambers of the working box and the airtight door, and a control panel is provided on the outer wall of the working box.

[0007] The working chamber has guide rails on its two chamber surfaces, and a heat transfer frame is slidably connected inside the guide rails. The heat transfer frame has vertically spaced strip openings, and a drying frame is slidably connected inside the strip openings. The bottom end of the heat transfer frame is connected to a heating plate, and the heating plate is installed inside the working chamber. There are two heating plates. A compressor is installed at the top of the working chamber, and evaporators are installed on both sides of the working chamber. The evaporators and the compressor constitute the main structure of the freeze-drying process.

[0008] The above technical solution adopts a dual-chamber structure to achieve alternating operation, avoiding the equipment shutdown during material loading and unloading of traditional single-chamber dryers.

[0009] Preferably, a controller is installed at the bottom of the working box, and the controller is connected to the evaporator, heating plate and compressor respectively via cables, and the controller is connected to the control panel.

[0010] By adopting the above technical solution, the panel is connected to the controller, which facilitates the rapid identification and processing of the conditions in both chambers.

[0011] Preferably, the evaporator is located on both sides of the heat transfer frame, and the heat transfer frame is made of metal.

[0012] By adopting the above technical solution, the material is dried by passing it close to the evaporator and heating plate via the heat transfer rack.

[0013] Preferably, the heat transfer rack and the drying rack have a tower-like structure, and the drying rack is configured as a U-shaped structure.

[0014] By adopting the above technical solution, the heat transfer rack and the drying rack are stacked and installed, which facilitates the freeze-drying of internal materials.

[0015] Preferably, the partition plate has a T-shaped opening for installing the exchange pipe, and the top of the exchange pipe passes through the partition plate and the top of the work box, and a mounting bracket is installed on the top of the work box.

[0016] Using the above technical solution, the exchange pipe is connected to the working box via a through-partition plate.

[0017] Preferably, the top end of the exchange tube is connected to the connecting tube, and a control valve is installed in the port where the exchange tube connects to the chamber, and a protective sleeve is installed in the port where the exchange tube connects to the chamber.

[0018] The control valve installed at the port of the exchange pipe, using the above technical solution, facilitates the control of the dual-chamber alternation.

[0019] Preferably, a vacuum pump is installed on the upper end of the mounting bracket, and the vacuum pump is connected to the connecting pipe, and a groove is provided on the bottom end of the mounting bracket for engaging and connecting with the compressor.

[0020] By adopting the above technical solution, the vacuum pump is supported by the mounting bracket, which facilitates the mounting bracket to provide support for the compressor.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are: the interchangeable dual-chamber continuous freeze dryer:

[0022] 1. By having two chambers inside the working chamber, alternating operation can be achieved. When one chamber is in drying operation, the other chamber can be used for material loading and unloading preparation, avoiding the equipment downtime of traditional single-chamber dryers during material loading and unloading, reducing equipment downtime, achieving continuous material drying, and significantly improving overall production efficiency. In addition, a compressor is installed at the top of the chamber and evaporators are set on both sides. The two constitute the main refrigeration structure of freeze drying. With the help of heating plates, precise temperature control can be achieved during the drying process. The controller is connected to the evaporator, heating plates and compressor through cables. It can automatically adjust the working status of each component according to the preset program and the data feedback from the sensors to ensure that the material is dried under stable and suitable temperature conditions and avoid damage to the material quality due to temperature fluctuations.

[0023] 2. The drying rack and heat transfer rack for holding the material are installed to form a stable tower-like structure. The heat transfer rack is made of metal, which has good thermal conductivity and can quickly transfer the heat generated by the heating plate to the material on the drying rack. The drying rack is designed with a U-shape, which increases the contact area between the material and the heat transfer rack, which is conducive to uniform heat distribution and makes the material more evenly heated, thus improving heat transfer efficiency and optimizing the drying effect. This ensures that the material is fully dried and improves product quality. Furthermore, the two chambers are relatively independent, and the heat transfer rack, drying rack, and other components are designed to be easy to disassemble and install. When a chamber or component fails, it can be maintained and repaired separately without affecting the normal operation of the other chamber. This reduces equipment downtime for maintenance, lowers maintenance costs, and improves the overall availability and reliability of the equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall external three-dimensional structure of this utility model;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the installation structure of the working box, heat transfer rack, and drying rack of this utility model;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the alternating operation of the two cavities inside the working box of this utility model;

[0027] Figure 4 This is a side-view three-dimensional structural diagram of the entire disassembled part of this utility model;

[0028] Figure 5This is a schematic diagram of the installation structure of the heat transfer rack and drying rack of this utility model;

[0029] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the disassembled structure of the exchange tube and protective cylinder of this utility model.

[0030] In the diagram: 1. Working box; 2. Control panel; 3. Controller; 4. Sealed door; 5. Evaporator; 6. Heating plate; 7. Compressor; 8. Guide rail; 9. Heat transfer rack; 10. Drying rack; 11. Divider plate; 12. Exchange pipe; 13. Protective cylinder; 14. Control valve; 15. Connecting pipe; 16. Vacuum pump; 17. Mounting bracket. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0032] Please see Figure 1-6 This utility model provides a technical solution: a dual-chamber continuous freeze dryer with interchangeable switching, including a working chamber 1, a control panel 2, a controller 3, a sealed door 4, an evaporator 5, a heating plate 6, a compressor 7, a guide rail 8, a heat transfer rack 9, a drying rack 10, a partition plate 11, an exchange pipe 12, a protective cylinder 13, a control valve 14, a connecting pipe 15, a vacuum pump 16, and a mounting bracket 17;

[0033] The working chamber 1 is configured as a rectangular box structure, and the working chamber 1 has two chambers inside. Each of the two chambers of the working chamber 1 has a sealed door 4 at its opening. A vacuum pump 16 is installed at the top of the working chamber 1. The vacuum pump 16 works to create a vacuum environment for the two chambers of the working chamber 1.

[0034] The two chambers of the working chamber 1 are separated by an internal partition plate 11, and an exchange pipe 12 is installed inside the partition plate 11. The exchange pipe 12 is configured as a T-shaped pipe structure, and the two pipe openings of the exchange pipe 12 are respectively connected to the two chambers of the working chamber 1. A sealing element is provided at the connection between the two chambers of the working chamber 1 and the airtight door 4. A control panel 2 is provided on the outer wall of the working chamber 1. A controller 3 is installed at the bottom of the working chamber 1. The controller 3 is connected to the evaporator 5, the heating plate 6 and the compressor 7 respectively via cables. The controller 3 is connected to the control panel 2. The evaporator 5 is on both sides of the heat transfer rack 9, and the heat transfer rack 9 is made of metal. The heat transfer rack 9 and the drying rack 10 are in a tower-like structure, and the drying rack 10 is configured as a U-shaped structure.

[0035] Referring to the attached diagrams in the instruction manual Figure 1-6 As shown, during use, the partition plate 11 is installed inside the working box 1, so that the working box 1 has two chambers. During use, the operator opens the airtight door 4 of one of the chambers of the working box 1 and places the material to be dried evenly on the drying rack 10. The drying rack 10 has a U-shaped structure, which facilitates the placement of materials and increases the contact area between the materials and the environment. The drying rack 10 is inserted into the heat transfer rack 9 through the strip openings that are equidistantly arranged vertically. The heat transfer rack 9 and the drying rack 10 have a tower-like structure, which is conducive to the uniform transfer of heat and the orderly placement of materials. The heat transfer rack 9 is made of metal and has good thermal conductivity, which can quickly conduct heat. After placing the materials, the airtight door 4 is closed to ensure the airtightness of the chamber. The sealing element set at the connection between the two chambers of the working box 1 and the airtight door 4 plays a good sealing role.

[0036] After the material in the current chamber is dried, the controller 3 closes the control valve 14 at the connection port between the chamber and the heat exchange pipe 12, stopping the drying-related operations within the chamber. Simultaneously, the chamber's airtight door 4 is opened, and the operator removes the dried material from the chamber and places new material to be dried onto the drying rack 10. The drying rack 10 is then reinserted into the heat transfer rack 9, and the airtight door 4 is closed again. Meanwhile, the other chamber continues its drying process, unaffected by the material loading and unloading in the current chamber. By controlling the control valves 14 at the two ports within the heat exchange pipe 12, the two chambers are alternated, enabling material transfer and continuous alternation.

[0037] When the device is started via control panel 2, controller 3 at the bottom of working chamber 1 receives the command and starts the compressor 7 at the top of the chamber and the evaporators 5 on both sides of the chamber. Evaporator 5 works in conjunction with condenser and expansion valve. The condenser is installed outside working chamber 1, and the expansion valve is installed at the pipe connecting evaporator 5 and condenser. Gas enters the condenser and is cooled into liquid. After being throttled and depressurized by expansion valve, the low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant enters evaporator 5. Evaporator 5 absorbs heat from the chamber, causing the temperature inside the chamber to drop rapidly. Heat transfer rack 9 transfers the cold energy to the material on drying rack 10, and the material temperature drops below freezing point, achieving pre-freezing of the material. During the pre-freezing process, controller 3 will automatically adjust the working status of compressor 7 and evaporator 5 according to the preset program and the data fed back by temperature sensor installed inside working chamber 1. The temperature sensor inside working chamber 1 is further installed according to work needs. This ensures that the pre-freezing temperature of the material is uniform and meets the set requirements.

[0038] The working chamber 1 has guide rails 8 on its two chamber surfaces, and a heat transfer rack 9 is slidably connected inside the guide rails 8. The heat transfer rack 9 has vertically spaced, equally spaced strip-shaped openings, and a drying rack 10 is slidably connected inside these openings. The bottom end of the heat transfer rack 9 is connected to a heating plate 6, which is installed inside the working chamber 1. Two heating plates 6 are installed. A compressor 7 is installed at the top of the chamber of the working chamber 1, and evaporators 5 are located on both sides of the chamber. The evaporators 5 and the compressor 7 constitute the main structure for freeze drying. A partition plate 11 is also present. The interior is provided with a T-shaped opening for the installation of the exchange pipe 12, and the top of the exchange pipe 12 passes through the partition plate 11 and the top of the working box 1. The top of the working box 1 is equipped with a mounting bracket 17. The top of the exchange pipe 12 is connected to the connecting pipe 15. A control valve 14 is installed in the port where the exchange pipe 12 connects to the chamber. A protective cylinder 13 is installed in the port where the exchange pipe 12 connects to the chamber. A vacuum pump 16 is installed on the upper end of the mounting bracket 17 and is connected to the connecting pipe 15. The bottom end of the mounting bracket 17 is provided with a groove for engaging and connecting with the compressor 7.

[0039] Referring to the attached diagrams in the instruction manual Figure 1-6 As shown, after pre-freezing, the controller 3 starts the vacuum pump 16 installed on the upper end of the working box 1. The vacuum pump 16 evacuates the chamber through the mounting bracket 17, connecting pipe 15, exchange pipe 12 and the control valve 14 installed in the connection port between the exchange pipe 12 and the chamber. The exchange pipe 12 installed in the partition plate 11 is set as a T-shaped pipe structure, and its two pipe openings are respectively connected to the two chambers of the working box 1. When the control valve 14 is opened, the vacuum pump 16 can evacuate the two chambers at the same time or evacuate a single chamber separately.

[0040] As the vacuum pump 16 operates, the pressure inside the chamber gradually decreases. When the vacuum level required for material sublimation is reached, the controller 3 controls the control valve 14 to maintain the vacuum state. The protective sleeve 13 installed at the port where the exchange pipe 12 connects to the chamber can protect the control valve 14 and other components, preventing materials or other impurities from entering and affecting their normal operation.

[0041] While maintaining the vacuum level, the controller 3 controls the heating plate 6 to be powered on and heated. The heating plate 6 is installed inside the working chamber 1, and the bottom end of the heat transfer rack 9 is connected to the heating plate 6. The heat is transferred to the material on the drying rack 10 through the heat transfer rack 9. At this time, the control valve 14 is opened, and the ice in the material directly sublimates into water vapor in the vacuum low temperature environment. The water vapor is pumped away by the vacuum pump 16 through the exchange pipe 12 and discharged from the equipment. During the entire drying process, the controller 3 receives the data fed back by the equipment and precisely adjusts some parameters such as the power of the heating plate 6, the working status of the compressor 7 and the evaporator 5, and the pumping rate of the vacuum pump 16 to ensure that the drying process is stable and efficient.

[0042] When the material temperature rises too quickly, the controller 3 will reduce the power of the heating plate 6;

[0043] When the chamber pressure increases, the pumping speed of vacuum pump 16 will be increased to ensure that the material is sublimated and dried under the best drying conditions, and to avoid uneven drying or quality damage caused by fluctuations in parameters such as temperature and pressure.

[0044] Working principle: When using this interchangeable dual-chamber continuous freeze dryer, open the airtight door 4, place the material on the drying rack 10 and insert the heat transfer rack 9, close the airtight door 4, and the controller 3 starts the compressor 7 and evaporator 5. The refrigerant enters the evaporator 5 after compression, condensation and throttling. The evaporator 5 absorbs heat from the chamber, and the heat transfer rack 9 transfers the cold energy to the material, so that the material is pre-frozen to below the freezing point. The controller 3 adjusts the working status of the refrigeration components according to the preset program and sensor data.

[0045] The controller 3 starts the vacuum pump 16, which evacuates the chamber to the required vacuum level for material sublimation through the exchange pipe 12 and control valve 14, and maintains it. At the same time, the controller 3 controls the heating plate 6 to be energized and heats up. The heat is transferred to the material through the heat transfer rack 9. The ice in the material sublimates into water vapor at low vacuum temperature, which is then pumped away by the vacuum pump 16 through the exchange pipe 12. When the material in one chamber is dried, the controller 3 closes the relevant control valve 14 of that chamber to stop the drying operation, opens the sealed door 4 of that chamber, takes out the dried material and puts in new material, and closes the sealed door 4 of that chamber. At this time, the other chamber continues to dry. After the drying of the other chamber is completed, the above operation is repeated to realize the alternating switching of the two chambers, ensuring continuous material drying, improving production efficiency, and increasing overall practicality.

[0046] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A dual-chamber continuous freeze dryer with interchangeable compartments, comprising: The working box (1) is configured as a rectangular box structure, and the working box (1) has two chambers inside. Each of the two chambers of the working box (1) has a sealed door (4) at its opening. A vacuum pump (16) is installed on the upper end of the working box (1). The vacuum pump (16) works to create a vacuum environment for the two chambers of the working box (1). The feature is that: the two chambers of the working box (1) are separated by an internally installed partition plate (11), and an exchange pipe (12) is installed inside the partition plate (11). The exchange pipe (12) is configured as a T-shaped pipe structure, and the two pipe openings of the exchange pipe (12) are respectively connected to the two chambers of the working box (1). A sealing element is provided at the connection between the two chambers of the working box (1) and the airtight door (4), and a control panel (2) is provided on the outer wall of the working box (1). The working chamber (1) has two chambers with guide rails (8) on their surfaces, and a heat transfer rack (9) is slidably connected inside the guide rails (8). The heat transfer rack (9) has strip openings equidistantly arranged in a vertical direction, and a drying rack (10) is slidably connected inside the strip openings of the heat transfer rack (9). The bottom end of the heat transfer rack (9) is connected to a heating plate (6), and the heating plate (6) is installed inside the working chamber (1). There are two heating plates (6). A compressor (7) is installed at the top of the chamber of the working chamber (1), and evaporators (5) are arranged on both sides of the chamber of the working chamber (1). The evaporators (5) and the compressor (7) constitute the main structure of freeze drying.

2. The dual-chamber continuous freeze dryer with interchangeable compartments according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom of the working box (1) is equipped with a controller (3), which is connected to the evaporator (5), the heating plate (6) and the compressor (7) via cables, and is also connected to the control panel (2).

3. The dual-chamber continuous freeze dryer with interchangeable compartments according to claim 1, characterized in that: The evaporator (5) is located on both sides of the heat transfer frame (9), and the heat transfer frame (9) is made of metal.

4. The dual-chamber continuous freeze dryer with interchangeable compartments according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heat transfer rack (9) and the drying rack (10) are in a tower-like structure, and the drying rack (10) is set in a U-shaped structure.

5. A dual-chamber continuous freeze dryer with interchangeable compartments according to claim 1, characterized in that: The partition plate (11) is provided with a T-shaped opening for the installation of the exchange pipe (12), and the top end of the exchange pipe (12) passes through the partition plate (11) and the top end of the work box (1), and the top end of the work box (1) is equipped with a mounting bracket (17).

6. A dual-chamber continuous freeze dryer with interchangeable compartments according to claim 5, characterized in that: The top end of the exchange pipe (12) is connected to the connecting pipe (15), and a control valve (14) is installed in the port where the exchange pipe (12) connects to the chamber, and a protective sleeve (13) is installed in the port where the exchange pipe (12) connects to the chamber.

7. A dual-chamber continuous freeze dryer with interchangeable compartments according to claim 5, characterized in that: The mounting bracket (17) is equipped with a vacuum pump (16) at its upper end, and the vacuum pump (16) is connected to the connecting pipe (15). The mounting bracket (17) is provided with a groove at its bottom end for engaging and connecting with the compressor (7).

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