Closed-Loop Refrigeration System for Energy-Efficient Lyophilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lyophilization plants have high energy consumption due to heat extraction in the cold trap and heat supply for drying phases, making the process costly and limiting its application to a limited group of products.
Innovation Solution
A lyophilization plant with a closed-loop refrigeration system using a carrier fluid, which includes a carrier fluid expansion unit, a first heat exchanger for cooling, a compression unit for increasing pressure, and a main flow regulating member to manage the carrier fluid flow between two branches, allowing the system to provide both cooling and heating without external heat sources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If a conventional refrigeration system with external heat sources is used, then the lyophilization process can be completed, but the energy consumption is extremely high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the refrigeration system and heating circuit into a single integrated system. The refrigeration system's compressor and condenser serve dual functions: removing heat from the cold trap and providing heated fluid to the heating circuit for drying phases. This eliminates the need for separate external heat sources and reduces overall energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigeration system is designed to perform multiple functions: it cools the cold trap during sublimation and simultaneously provides heating during primary and secondary drying phases. The same compressor, condenser, and circulation pump serve both cooling and heating purposes, making the system universally applicable to all lyophilization stages.
2Ease of manufacture
If external heat sources are used for drying phases, then the drying process can be performed, but the production costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system recovers heat that would otherwise be wasted during the refrigeration cycle. The condenser releases heat from the refrigerant, and this heat is captured and redirected to the heating circuit for drying. By recovering and reusing this thermal energy, the system reduces external energy requirements and production costs while maintaining process reliability.
3Device complexity
If a simple refrigeration system is used, then the structure is compact and simplified, but the system cannot provide both cooling and heating functions
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses dynamic flow control valves to redirect the refrigerant fluid between different circuits based on operational requirements. During cooling phases, fluid flows to the cold trap; during heating phases, the same fluid is redirected through the heating circuit. This dynamic reconfiguration allows a single compact system to provide both cooling and heating functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigerant fluid acts as an intermediary carrier that transfers thermal energy between different system components. The same fluid that absorbs heat from the cold trap during evaporation later releases heat in the condenser and heating circuit, serving as a versatile thermal mediator that enables both cooling and heating functions within a compact structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves reduced energy consumption, maintaining a compact and simplified structure while ensuring high efficiency, thereby lowering production costs and broadening the application of lyophilization processes.
Implementation Method 1
The refrigeration system comprises a carrier fluid expansion unit configured to conduct a lamination on the carrier fluid so as to promote a decrease in pressure of the carrier fluid and to promote a decrease in temperature of the carrier fluid
Implementation Method 2
The refrigeration system comprises a first heat exchanger configured to promote a thermal exchange between the carrier fluid and the containment volume so as to determine at least one cooling of the containment volume
Implementation Method 3
The refrigeration system comprises a compression unit of the carrier fluid arranged downstream of the first heat exchanger
Implementation Method 4
The second branch comprises a second heat exchanger connected to the one or more shelves and configured such that the carrier fluid yields heat to the one or more shelves
Implementation Method 5
The lyophilization tank comprises a vacuum pump configured to maintain the containment volume in a vacuum condition
Implementation Method 6
the process of lyophilization, also called cryo-drying, consists of the removal of a substance to be sublimated from a product by freezing and sublimation
Data Source
AI summary
Lyophilization plant configured to remove a substance from a product to be lyophilized, comprising a lyophilization tank and a closed-loop refrigeration system, coupled to the lyophilization tank and operated by a carrier fluid. The refrigeration system includes a carrier fluid expansion unit, a first heat exchanger, a carrier fluid compression unit, and a main flow regulating member of the carrier fluid. The main flow regulating member has an inlet opening in fluid communication with the compression unit, a first discharge opening connected to a first branch and a second discharge opening connected to a second branch, parallel to the first branch. The main flow regulating member is configured to regulate and determine respective amounts of carrier fluid conveyed in the first branch and in the second branch so as to obtain a plurality of operating configurations of the lyophilization plant.