A freeze-drying system

Abstract

This utility model discloses a freeze-drying system, including a freeze-drying tank and a cold trap. The freeze-drying tank is equipped with an annular heat-conducting jacket and a material sleeve. Multiple heat-conducting baffles are arranged between the annular heat-conducting jacket and the material sleeve, spaced apart along the circumference of the annular heat-conducting jacket. A material drying chamber is formed between two adjacent heat-conducting baffles. The cold trap is connected to the material drying chamber. A material guiding and equalizing component is provided between the material drying chamber and the inlet of the freeze-drying tank to evenly distribute the material into each material drying chamber. A material blocking component is provided between the material drying chamber and the outlet of the freeze-drying tank. This utility model has the advantages of avoiding material accumulation and improving the drying effect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of food and pharmaceutical packaging equipment technology, and specifically to a freeze-drying system. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, freeze-drying methods on the market are mainly divided into horizontal and vertical types. Horizontal freeze dryers are made by placing the freeze-drying plates flat on the plates for drying. However, placing the materials flat makes it difficult to put them in and take them out. Freeze dryers of this type generally need to be equipped with feeding and discharging mechanisms to help put the products in. This not only increases the feeding and discharging time, but also requires environmental conditions for the product entry and exit points in order to protect the products. Therefore, the small door of the freeze dryer is usually located in a clean area. Aseptic products generally use the B+A method, and non-sterile products generally need to be placed in a Class C environment to ensure that the products are not contaminated. Vertical methods, such as the bulk freeze-drying system and method disclosed in application number 201080068427.5, which utilizes spray freezing and agitation drying, involve freezing the product by mixing the atomized product jet with disinfectant nitrogen. The resulting powder is then freeze-dried in a container, and the contents of the container are agitated to maintain contact between the product and the heated container wall to prevent agglomeration. In this freeze-drying system, the contents are completely piled up inside the container, making it difficult to guarantee the drying effect and the contact effect with the container wall. A stirring device is required to disperse the contents, resulting in a complex structure and high cost. Utility Model Content

[0003] The technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a freeze-drying system that can avoid material accumulation and has a good drying effect.

[0004] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0005] A freeze-drying system includes a freeze-drying tank and a cold trap. The freeze-drying tank is provided with an annular heat-conducting jacket and a material jacket. Multiple heat-conducting baffles are provided between the annular heat-conducting jacket and the material jacket. The multiple heat-conducting baffles are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the annular heat-conducting jacket. A material drying chamber is formed between two adjacent heat-conducting baffles. The cold trap is connected to the material drying chamber. A material guiding and equalizing component is provided between the material drying chamber and the inlet of the freeze-drying tank. The material guiding and equalizing component is used to evenly distribute the material into each material drying chamber. A material blocking component is provided between the material drying chamber and the outlet of the freeze-drying tank.

[0006] As a further improvement to the above technical solution:

[0007] The material sleeve is fitted on the outside of the annular heat-conducting jacket. The material sleeve is provided with multiple drying holes for ventilation and material blocking. The ventilation pipe of the cold trap passes through the side wall of the freeze-drying tank and extends to the space between the freeze-drying tank and the material sleeve.

[0008] The material guiding and equalizing assembly includes a material guiding cone, an equalizing plate, and a material guiding hopper. The material guiding cone is disposed on an annular heat-conducting jacket and located below the inlet. Multiple equalizing plates are provided and are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the material guiding cone. The material guiding hopper is disposed on the top of the jacket and located below the equalizing plate. The top of the material guiding hopper extends beyond the equalizing plate.

[0009] The material blocking assembly includes a mounting base located at the bottom of the freeze-drying tank. A lifting rod is slidably mounted on the mounting base and passes through the freeze-drying tank. The lifting rod has a plug at its top for blocking the material outlet of the drying chamber. A flexible sealing element is provided between the plug and the mounting base, and the flexible sealing element is sleeved on the outside of the lifting rod.

[0010] The discharge port is arranged at an angle and is offset from the mounting base.

[0011] The cold traps are provided in multiple ways, and the multiple cold traps are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the freeze-drying tank. Each cold trap is provided with a first isolation valve.

[0012] The freeze-drying tanks are provided in multiple locations. The inlet of each freeze-drying tank is connected to a feeding pipe, and the outlet of each freeze-drying tank is connected to a discharge pipe. Each feeding pipe is connected to a material distribution component, which is used to connect to an upstream feeding device. Each discharge pipe is connected to a collection component, which is used to connect to a downstream receiving device.

[0013] The freeze-drying tanks are arranged circumferentially along the dispensing and collecting components, and the cold traps are arranged on the outside of the circumference formed by each freeze-drying tank.

[0014] The feed pipe includes an inclined section and a vertical section connected to each other. The inclined section is connected to the material distribution component, and the vertical section is connected to the freeze-drying tank. A second isolation valve is provided on the vertical section.

[0015] The material distribution component is a material distribution valve, and the material collection component is a material collection valve.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of this utility model are:

[0017] The freeze-drying system disclosed in this utility model has multiple heat-conducting baffles between the annular heat-conducting jacket and the material jacket, forming multiple material drying chambers. The arrangement of the heat-conducting baffles can not only separate the products, but also conduct heat, increasing the contact area between the material and the heat-conducting structure. This facilitates the heat-conducting structure to transfer energy to the material for sublimation, promoting the sublimation of water in the freeze-dried material into water vapor which is absorbed by the cold trap, thus improving the drying effect. In addition, a material guiding and equalizing component is provided between the material drying chamber and the inlet to evenly distribute the material to each material drying chamber, avoiding material accumulation and further improving the drying effect. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the freeze-drying tank in the freeze-drying system of this utility model.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a top view of the freeze-drying tank in the freeze-drying system of this utility model (with the top cover hidden).

[0020] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the freeze-drying system of this utility model.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of the freeze-drying system of this utility model.

[0022] The labels in the diagram represent: 1. Freeze-drying tank; 11. Inlet; 12. Outlet; 2. Annular heat-conducting jacket; 3. Cold trap; 31. Vent pipe; 32. First isolation valve; 4. Material sleeve; 5. Heat-conducting baffle; 6. Material drying chamber; 7. Material guiding and equalizing assembly; 71. Material guiding cone; 72. Equalizing plate; 73. Material guiding hopper; 8. Blocking assembly; 81. Mounting base; 82. Lifting rod; 83. Plug; 84. Flexible seal; 91. Feed pipe; 911. Inclined section; 912. Vertical section; 92. Discharge pipe; 93. Material distribution assembly; 94. Upstream feeding equipment; 95. Summarizing assembly; 96. Downstream receiving equipment. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0024] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and 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 utility model.

[0025] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this utility model, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0026] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "assembly," "connection," "joining," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.

[0027] Figures 1 to 4 This illustration shows an embodiment of the freeze-drying system of the present invention. The freeze-drying system of this embodiment includes a freeze-drying tank 1 and a cold trap 3. The freeze-drying tank 1 is provided with an annular heat-conducting jacket 2 and a material sleeve 4. Multiple heat-conducting baffles 5 are provided between the annular heat-conducting jacket 2 and the material sleeve 4. The multiple heat-conducting baffles 5 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the annular heat-conducting jacket 2. A material drying chamber 6 is formed between two adjacent heat-conducting baffles 5. The cold trap 3 is connected to the material drying chamber 6. A material guiding and equalizing component 7 is provided between the material drying chamber 6 and the inlet 11 of the freeze-drying tank 1. The material guiding and equalizing component 7 is used to evenly distribute the material to each material drying chamber 6. A material blocking component 8 is provided between the material drying chamber 6 and the outlet 12 of the freeze-drying tank 1.

[0028] The drying process of this freeze-drying system is as follows: the pre-frozen material enters from the inlet 11 of the freeze-drying tank 1, and then the material is evenly distributed to the material drying chamber 6 by the material guiding and equalizing component 7 for drying. The cold trap 3 is connected to the material drying chamber 6 to absorb water vapor. After drying is completed, the material blocking component 8 is opened and the material is output through the outlet 12, which realizes the rapid entry and exit of sealed materials, facilitates internal cleaning and sterilization, and reduces the environmental control requirements during the material entry and exit process.

[0029] In this freeze-drying system, multiple heat-conducting baffles 5 are arranged between the annular heat-conducting jacket 2 and the material jacket 4, forming multiple material drying chambers 6. The arrangement of the heat-conducting baffles 5 can not only separate the products, but also conduct heat, increasing the contact area between the material and the heat-conducting structure. This facilitates the transfer of energy from the heat-conducting structure to the material for sublimation, promoting the sublimation of moisture in the freeze-dried material into water vapor which is absorbed by the cold trap 3, thus improving the drying effect. Furthermore, a material guiding and equalizing component 7 is provided between the material drying chamber 6 and the inlet 11 to evenly distribute the material to each material drying chamber 6, avoiding material accumulation and further improving the drying effect.

[0030] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the material sleeve 4 is fitted onto the outside of the annular heat-conducting jacket 2. The material sleeve 4 is provided with multiple drying holes for ventilation and material blocking. The ventilation pipe 31 of the cold trap 3 passes through the side wall of the freeze-drying tank 1 and extends between the freeze-drying tank 1 and the material sleeve 4. The cold trap 3 absorbs water vapor through the drying holes (not shown in the figure) on the material sleeve 4. Placing the material sleeve 4 on the outside facilitates the installation of the cold trap 3 and reduces the interference of the annular heat-conducting jacket 2 on the cold trap 3.

[0031] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the material guiding and equalizing assembly 7 includes a material guiding cone 71, an equalizing plate 72, and a material guiding hopper 73. The material guiding cone 71 is disposed on the annular heat-conducting jacket 2 and located below the inlet 11. Multiple equalizing plates 72 are provided and are spaced apart along the circumference of the material guiding cone 71. The material guiding hopper 73 is disposed on the top of the material sleeve 4 and located below the equalizing plate 72, with the top of the material guiding hopper 73 extending beyond the equalizing plate 72. The material entering from the inlet 11 falls onto the material guiding cone 71. The equalizing plate 72 on the material guiding cone 71 separates the material guiding cone 71, preventing material accumulation and achieving the function of equalizing the material. Then, the material guiding hopper 73 below blocks the inclined falling material and guides it to each material drying chamber 6, realizing the guiding and equalizing of the material.

[0032] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the material blocking assembly 8 includes a mounting base 81, which is located at the bottom of the freeze-drying tank 1. A lifting rod 82 is slidably mounted on the mounting base 81, passing through the freeze-drying tank 1. The top of the lifting rod 82 is provided with a plug 83 for blocking the material outlet of the drying chamber 6. A flexible sealing element 84 is provided between the plug 83 and the mounting base 81, and the flexible sealing element 84 is sleeved on the lifting rod 82. The lifting rod 82 drives the lifting of the mounting base 81 and the plug 83 on the mounting base 81 to realize the opening and closing of the material discharge. The flexible sealing element 84 can seal the lifting rod 82, reducing the impact of the transmission components on cleanliness.

[0033] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the discharge port 12 is arranged at an angle and offset from the mounting base 81. This avoids interference with the material blocking component 8 and facilitates material discharge.

[0034] Furthermore, in this embodiment, multiple cold traps 3 are provided, and the multiple cold traps 3 are arranged at intervals around the circumference of the freeze-drying tank 1. Each cold trap 3 is provided with a first isolation valve 32. When one cold trap 3 enters the defrosting cycle, the other cold traps 3 can quickly switch to the freeze-drying cycle, saving waiting time.

[0035] Furthermore, in this embodiment, multiple freeze-drying tanks 1 are provided. The inlet 11 of each freeze-drying tank 1 is connected to the feed pipe 91, and the outlet 12 of each freeze-drying tank 1 is connected to the discharge pipe 92. Each feed pipe 91 is connected to the distribution component 93, which is used to connect to the upstream feeding device 94. Each discharge pipe 92 is connected to the collection component 95, which is used to connect to the downstream receiving device 96. After the distribution component 93 distributes the material to each freeze-drying tank 1 for drying, it is then collected by the collection component 95 and sent to the downstream receiving device 96, thereby improving the drying efficiency.

[0036] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the freeze-drying tanks 1 are arranged circumferentially at intervals along the dispensing assembly 93 and the collecting assembly 95, and the cold traps 3 are arranged on the outer side of the circumference formed by each freeze-drying tank 1. The structure is compact.

[0037] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the feed pipe 91 includes an inclined section 911 and a vertical section 912 connected to each other. The inclined section 911 is connected to the material distribution component 93, and the vertical section 912 is connected to the freeze-drying tank 1. A second isolation valve is provided on the vertical section 912. The inclined section 911 facilitates communication with the material distribution component 93, increasing the feeding speed. The vertical section 912 eliminates the oblique acceleration of the material on the inclined section 911, allowing the material to enter the feed inlet 11 vertically, avoiding the accumulation and drying of the material due to oblique acceleration. The second isolation valve can eliminate the influence of oblique acceleration on the feeding direction of the material to the greatest extent, allowing the material to gradually come to rest in the vertical section 912 before the second isolation valve is opened to discharge the material.

[0038] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the dispensing component 93 is a dispensing valve, and the collecting component 95 is a collecting valve. The structure is simple and the cost is low.

[0039] Although the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make many possible variations and modifications to the present invention, or modify it into equivalent embodiments, without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, any simple modifications, equivalent changes, and modifications made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention, without departing from the content of the present invention, should fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A freeze-drying system, characterized by: The device includes a freeze-drying tank (1) and a cold trap (3). The freeze-drying tank (1) is provided with an annular heat-conducting jacket (2) and a material sleeve (4). Multiple heat-conducting baffles (5) are provided between the annular heat-conducting jacket (2) and the material sleeve (4). The multiple heat-conducting baffles (5) are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the annular heat-conducting jacket (2). A material drying chamber (6) is formed between two adjacent heat-conducting baffles (5). The cold trap (3) is connected to the material drying chamber (6). A material guiding and equalizing component (7) is provided between the material drying chamber (6) and the inlet (11) of the freeze-drying tank (1). The material guiding and equalizing component (7) is used to evenly distribute the material to each material drying chamber (6). A material blocking component (8) is provided between the material drying chamber (6) and the outlet (12) of the freeze-drying tank (1).

2. The freeze-drying system of claim 1, wherein: The material sleeve (4) is fitted on the outside of the annular heat-conducting jacket (2). The material sleeve (4) is provided with a plurality of air-venting and material-blocking drying holes. The air vent (31) of the cold trap (3) passes through the side wall of the freeze-drying tank (1) and extends to the space between the freeze-drying tank (1) and the material sleeve (4).

3. The lyophilization system of claim 2, wherein: The material guiding and equalizing assembly (7) includes a material guiding cone (71), an equalizing plate (72), and a material guiding hopper (73). The material guiding cone (71) is located on the annular heat-conducting jacket (2) and below the inlet (11). There are multiple equalizing plates (72), which are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the material guiding cone (71). The material guiding hopper (73) is located on the top of the material sleeve (4) and below the equalizing plate (72). The top of the material guiding hopper (73) extends beyond the equalizing plate (72).

4. The freeze-drying system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The blocking assembly (8) includes a mounting base (81) located at the bottom of the freeze-drying tank (1). A lifting rod (82) is slidably mounted on the mounting base (81). The lifting rod (82) passes through the freeze-drying tank (1) and has a plug (83) at the top for blocking the material outlet of the drying chamber (6). A flexible sealing element (84) is provided between the plug (83) and the mounting base (81). The flexible sealing element (84) is sleeved on the outside of the lifting rod (82).

5. The lyophilization system of claim 4, wherein: The discharge port (12) is arranged at an angle and is offset from the mounting base (81).

6. The freeze-drying system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The cold trap (3) is provided in multiple ways, and the multiple cold traps (3) are arranged at intervals around the circumference of the freeze-drying tank (1). Each cold trap (3) is provided with a first isolation valve (32).

7. The freeze-drying system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The freeze-drying tank (1) is provided in multiple ways. The inlet (11) of each freeze-drying tank (1) is connected to the feed pipe (91), and the outlet (12) is connected to the discharge pipe (92). Each feed pipe (91) is connected to the distribution component (93). The distribution component (93) is used to connect to the upstream feeding device (94). Each discharge pipe (92) is connected to the collection component (95). The collection component (95) is used to connect to the downstream receiving device (96).

8. The lyophilization system of claim 7, wherein: The freeze-drying tanks (1) are arranged circumferentially along the dispensing assembly (93) and the collection assembly (95), and the cold traps (3) are arranged on the outside of the circumference formed by each freeze-drying tank (1).

9. The lyophilization system of claim 7, wherein: The feed pipe (91) includes an inclined section (911) and a vertical section (912) connected to each other. The inclined section (911) is connected to the material distribution component (93), and the vertical section (912) is connected to the freeze-drying tank (1). A second isolation valve is provided on the vertical section (912).

10. The lyophilization system of claim 7, wherein: The material distribution component (93) is a material distribution valve, and the material collection component (95) is a material collection valve.

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