Freeze-Drying Cold Trap Injection Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
In injection-type freeze-drying apparatuses, the pressure difference between the vacuum freeze-drying column and the cold trap leads to increased flow velocity of vapor, causing raw material particles to be discharged into the vacuum exhaust tube, resulting in a decreased collection rate of the raw material.
Innovation Solution
The freeze-drying apparatus includes a vacuum chamber with an injection mechanism that injects a raw material fluid into the chamber and a collection mechanism that collects the solvent, eliminating the need for a baffle plate by using a cooling portion with a larger collection area and arranging the cold trap and shelf to prevent raw material discharge with the vapor, thereby increasing the collection rate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a cold trap is connected to the vacuum freeze-drying column through a vacuum exhaust tube, then the vapor can be collected to the cold trap, but the flow velocity of the vapor increases and causes raw material particles to be discharged into the vacuum exhaust tube
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the harmful effect by removing the vacuum exhaust tube connection between the freeze-drying column and cold trap. Instead of connecting them through a tube that creates high flow velocity, the cold trap is positioned to directly face the exhaust port, allowing vapor collection without the intermediate tube that causes particle discharge.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a baffle plate as an intermediary element between the freeze-drying column and vacuum pump. This baffle plate serves as a mediator that allows vapor to pass through to the cold trap while blocking raw material particles from being discharged into the vacuum exhaust tube.
2Loss of substance
If a baffle plate is arranged in vicinity of the exhaust port to prevent raw material discharge, then the collection rate increases, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cold trap is designed to serve multiple functions: it collects vapor from the freeze-drying column and simultaneously acts as a barrier to prevent raw material particles from reaching the vacuum pump. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate protective structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the vapor collection function and particle protection function into a single integrated structure. The cold trap is positioned and configured to perform both functions simultaneously, reducing the number of separate components needed.
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
This configuration enhances the collection rate of the raw material without the need for additional members like baffle plates, preventing raw material discharge and ensuring efficient solvent collection within the vacuum chamber.
Implementation Method 1
the solvent takes heat from the raw material due to latent heat of vaporization thereof, and thus the raw material is frozen
Implementation Method 2
A temperature of a surface (deposition surface) of the cold trap (22) is set to be lower than a temperature of the frozen particles within the vacuum freeze-drying column (11). Thus, due to the above-mentioned difference in temperature, a pressure difference between an inside of the vacuum freeze-drying column (11) and a circumference of the cold trap (22) is generated, and hence the vapor is collected to the cold trap (22)
Implementation Method 3
the raw material is heated by a resistive-heating-type heater provided to the collector
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3(A)~3(B)
AI summary
[Object] To provide a freeze-drying apparatus and a freeze-drying method, which are capable of increasing a collection rate of a raw material without a need for providing a member such as a baffle plate or the like. [Solving Means] The freeze-drying apparatus 100 includes: a container 4 to store a raw material fluid F; a freezing chamber 10 being a vacuum chamber; a vacuum pump 1 to exhaust the freezing chamber 10; and an injection mechanism 25 to inject the raw material fluid F stored in the container 4 into the freezing chamber 10. The cold trap 20 is arranged within the freezing chamber 10, and hence a phenomenon that the raw material is discharged to the outside of the vacuum chamber together with a vapor as in the past can be prevented. With this, the collection rate of the raw material can be increased. Further, it becomes unnecessary to provide the baffle plate or the like for preventing the phenomenon in vicinity of an exhaust port of the vacuum chamber.