EP3926277A1 - Congélateur à plaques - Google Patents

Congélateur à plaques Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3926277A1
EP3926277A1 EP20181117.1A EP20181117A EP3926277A1 EP 3926277 A1 EP3926277 A1 EP 3926277A1 EP 20181117 A EP20181117 A EP 20181117A EP 3926277 A1 EP3926277 A1 EP 3926277A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
cooling plates
axis
linear drive
pulling member
relative positions
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP20181117.1A
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German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Johannes KIRCHMAIR
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Single Use Support GmbH
Original Assignee
Single Use Support GmbH
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Single Use Support GmbH filed Critical Single Use Support GmbH
Priority to EP20181117.1A priority Critical patent/EP3926277A1/fr
Publication of EP3926277A1 publication Critical patent/EP3926277A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D31/00—Other cooling or freezing apparatus
    • F25D31/001—Plate freezers

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to plate freezer, in particular for freezing biopharmaceutical liquids, according to the classifying portion of claim 1.
  • plate freezers according to the invention include
  • the cooling plates are moved closer to the containers before the freezing process is started in order to improve heat transfer between the containers and the cooling plates.
  • the plate freezer according to the invention is adapted to establish contact between the containers and every neighbouring cooling plate in order to optimize the heat transfer.
  • a freezing device specially adapted for freezing biopharmaceutical liquids is disclosed in WO 2012/135216 A2 .
  • this device does not offer mechanized movement of the cooling elements, such that the operation of this device is more complicated - and therefore prone to operator error - than desirable, because there is less space for putting the containers in the corresponding cooling areas in the device.
  • a first solution which could be contemplated by persons skilled in the art would be to use spindle drives (e.g. at four corners of the cooling plates) instead of hydraulic cylinders as disclosed in EP 2902736 A1 , EP 2083234 A2 , or US 4907421 .
  • spindle drives e.g. at four corners of the cooling plates
  • such solutions require a large space at least in one position of the cooling plates as the spindle of the spindle drive has to be allowed to extend in at least one direction.
  • the object of the invention is to provide a plate freezer which is easier to use, smaller and/or offers lower risk of contaminating the products to be frozen.
  • a flexible pulling member such as a chain, belt, or cable makes it possible to change the direction of the motion, which the linear drive device generates along the second axis into the direction of the first axis, along which the cooling plates have to be moved. Therefore, the linear drive device can be arranged in a space saving manner, while retaining the easy to operate and high heat transfer properties of the known basic principle of moving cooling plates.
  • Protected is also the usage of a plate freezer according to the invention for cooling, freezing, heating and/or thawing a biopharmaceutical fluid.
  • Biopharmaceutical liquids can be understood as any kind of fluid that is generated and/or used before, during and/or after the production of a biopharmaceutical medicine.
  • the invention can be applied to any plate freezer, in particular if effective heat transfer, ease of use, and a low risk of contamination is important.
  • Cooling plates can preferably be of rectangular basic shape.
  • other basic shapes such as disk-like shapes or general polygonal shapes, are in principle conceivable.
  • cooling plates include medium channels for a cooling medium supplied by a cooling device. By pumping the cooling medium through the cooling channels the heat from the containers for to be frozen goods can transfer to the cooling medium and thus be taken away from the containers to freeze the goods.
  • this principle can also be used to merely cool the goods to a desired temperature or to heat and/or thaw the goods.
  • thermoelectric coolers in general also other ways for cooling can be used according to the invention, such as for example using thermoelectric coolers.
  • a cooling medium used together with the cooling device may be for the main part oil.
  • Plate freezers can be produced and distributed together with the cooling device for the cooling medium or separately therefrom.
  • the cooling plates generally extend in directions substantially perpendicular to a third axis and are arranged successively along this third axis.
  • the third axis and the first axis are parallel.
  • an angle between the first axis and the third axis can be present. This angle can be less than 15°, preferably less than 10° and particularly preferably less than 5°. The same applies for angles between the third axis and directions in which the cooling plates extend.
  • the cooling plates can have a thickness between 0.5 cm and 10 cm, and preferably a thickness between 1 cm and 4 cm.
  • the cooling plates can preferably overlap viewed along the third axis, in particular they can overlap exactly (i.e. no cooling plate "stands out”).
  • the cooling plates can be of, in particular exactly, the same size.
  • the linear movement of the linear drive device along the second axis and/or the movement of the cooling plates along the first axis can be only linear in preferred embodiments.
  • Embodiments of the invention are however also conceivable, where the first axis and/or the second axis can be (preferably only slightly) curved. Additionally or alternatively, rotations can be superimposed on the movements along the first axis and/or the second axis.
  • a relative movement between the cooling plates can only be present when the containers of to be cooled and/or heated goods are arranged between the cooling plates (for an embodiment according to this feature it is referred to the figures and the description of the figures).
  • particularly preferred embodiments of the invention are adapted to establish contact between the containers and every neighbouring cooling plate (in the second relative positions) in order to optimize the heat transfer.
  • the first axis and the second axis may or may not intersect.
  • the term “transversal” can be understood as the first axis and the second axis being substantially perpendicular in a view along a viewing axis substantially perpendicular to both the first axis and the second axis.
  • the term “substantially perpendicular” can be understood to differ from an exact right angle by less than 45°, preferably less than 20° and particularly preferably less than 5°.
  • the first distances are present when the cooling plates are in the first relative positions and the second distances are present when the cooling plates are in the second relative positions.
  • the cooling plates are spaced equidistant from each other in the first positions and/or the second positions (i.e. the distances from the first set of distances are equal and the distances from the second set of distances are equal).
  • the first axis can be substantially vertical
  • the flexible pulling member can be arranged to pull the cooling plates substantially upwards
  • the second axis can be substantially horizontal.
  • the effect of gravity can be used to return the cooling plates into the first positions when they have been pulled into the second position or vice versa, i.e. the drive train only has to pull with substantial force in one of the directions and in the other direction potentially only friction has to be overcome (as gravity pulls the cooling plates down).
  • the space saving effect of the invention through a horizontal orientation of the linear drive device can be utilized.
  • the linear drive device can be arranged above and/or below the cooling plates in such embodiments, the arrangement above the cooling plates being particularly preferred as the cooling plates have to be pulled upwards.
  • Two or more linear drive devices for creating the linear drive motion substantially along a second axis can be provided. Such multiple drive devices can each have substantially the same function as a single drive device.
  • drive device and “drive devices” may be used interchangeably depending on context.
  • the output side of the linear drive device preferably of the two or more linear drive devices, is connected to a bar, to which the flexible pulling member is attached.
  • the bar can have different forms, in particular cross sections.
  • the bar can be of straight configuration.
  • also embodiments can be conceived, where the bar has curves, for example to accommodate other constructive elements of the plate freezer according to the inventions.
  • a plurality of flexible pulling members preferably four flexible pulling members, can be provided, all of which are preferably connected to the bar.
  • the flexible pulling members can e.g. be attached near the corners of polygon-shaped cooling plates.
  • pulseling member and “pulling members” may be used interchangeably depending on context.
  • Embodiments of the invention with rectangular-shaped cooling plates, and a bar actuated by the linear drive device, to which four flexible pulling members are attached near the corners of the cooling plates can be particularly preferred, as they may be particularly simple and space saving constructions.
  • a motor can be present, preferably an electric motor, for driving the drive train.
  • Embodiments comprising an electric motor and a spindle drive as linear drive device can be particularly preferred.
  • Other embodiments with hydraulic cylinders as drive device and a pump (with pump motor) are in principle also conceivable according to the invention.
  • the motor can be coupled to the linear drive device, preferably coupled to the two or more linear drive devices, via a jaw coupling comprising an elastomeric coupling element (German: "Elastomerkupplung”).
  • Jaw couplings with an elastomeric coupling element have the advantage that the motion of the motor can be transmitted to the linear drive device(s) smoothly and without jerks.
  • the first end of the pulling member can preferably be attached to the cooling plates through a common plate support frame,
  • the device frame and/or the plate support frame can include elongated holes, preferably for each cooling plate separately, in which pins on the cooling plates protrude for guiding the cooling plates along the first axis for facilitating the movability relative to the plate support frame.
  • Stops on the device frame can be used to keep the cooling plates in the first positions or the second positions (depending on which ones are lower) if the first axis is oriented vertically.
  • Lower positions in the elongated holes can in certain examples embody the stops.
  • the mounting device according to the invention can be embodied by the plate support frame and/or other component parts for fixing the pulling member to the cooling plates.
  • the guide can be a (rotatable) sprocket.
  • each guide can be a separate sprocket.
  • Each guide itself can include separate guide elements.
  • two guide elements such as sprockets, can be used to redirect the flexible pulling member more than once in order to position and orient the pulling member as desired.
  • the flexible pulling member can comprise a chain, a belt, a cable and/or a rope (or of course several copies if there is more than one pulling member).
  • Particularly preferred embodiments make use of one or more chains, in particular roller chains. Chains can be operated over long operation times with very little to no lubrication necessary which is beneficial if the presence of potential contaminants has to be limited, such as for example in biopharmaceutical production processes.
  • the flexible pulling member is spring loaded and there is a sensor for sensing, if the pulling member is under tension by the spring load. In this way a failure of the pulling member or some other element can be detected when the tension of the pulling member drops away.
  • the pulling member is under tension at all times, such that the sensing of the tension on the pulling member is particularly reliable.
  • a limit switch can be arranged at the linear drive device (or several limit switches if there is more than one linear drive device) in order to detect a position of the linear drive device in which the cooling plates are in the first positions.
  • the limit switch can preferably be of a type with a lever, on the distal end of which a roller is attached (German: “Rollenhebelschalter”).
  • rods attached on the cooling plates can be used in conjunction with sensors on the device frame in order to ascertain the correct positioning of the cooling plates.
  • the embodiment of the plate freezer 1 according to the invention shown in Fig. 1 comprises a device frame 2 which is only partly shown for an unobstructed depiction.
  • Cooling plates 3 are arranged horizontally along a first, vertical axis X1. In the figure the cooling plates 3 are in the first position, where containers (not depicted) of to be frozen goods can be arranged between the cooling plates. For a clear view of the drive train 4 the top most cooling plate 3 is not depicted.
  • the containers which can be used with the plate freezer 1 according to the invention can be specially adapted for storing and transporting biopharmaceutical liquids, for example as described in WO 2018129576 A1 . They can contain a hard outer shell, made from metal or the like, a flexible inner bag for holding the liquid and optionally one or more foam bodies for protecting the liquid and for compensating the volume expansion of the liquid during freezing.
  • the drive train 4 is configured to lift the cooling plates 3 into positions where each of the containers is in contact with both neighbouring cooling plates 3.
  • the drive train 4 comprises an electric motor 14, which is coupled to two linear drive devices 5 (here: spindle drives) via a jaw coupling 14, which are both mounted on the device frame 2.
  • the output sides 9 of the spindle drives are connected to a bar 12 which is movable along the second axis X2 and in this case embodied as a straight bar 12 with rectangular cross section.
  • a bar 12 which is movable along the second axis X2 and in this case embodied as a straight bar 12 with rectangular cross section.
  • the second ends 8 of four flexible pulling members 6, which are roller chains in this example are attached to this bar 12.
  • the other, first ends 7 of the pulling member 6 are connected to plate support frame 14 for pulling the support frame upwards along the first axis X1.
  • the pulling members 6 are lead over guides 10, in this case rotatable sprockets, for redirecting the pulling members 6 from the pulling motion along the second axis X2 of the output sides 9 of the linear drive devices 5, which is imparted to the bar 12 and the second ends 8 of the pulling members 6, to the upwards pulling motion along the axis X1 for lifting the plate support frame 14.
  • the plate support frame 14 comprises a plate at the bottom of the apparatus depicted in Fig. 1 . By lifting this plate, the cooling plates 3 are also lifted, either with the containers in between the cooling plates or not.
  • the device frame 2 furthermore comprises a plate with elongated holes 15 which act as guiding devices for the cooling plates 3.
  • a plate with elongated holes 15 which act as guiding devices for the cooling plates 3.
  • these lower ends of the elongated holes 15 act as stops to keep the cooling plates 3 in the first positions.
  • the cooling plates 3 By lifting the cooling plates 3 as described above the cooling plates 3 can be moved into the second positions with smaller relative distances compared to the first positions. Moving the cooling plates 3 upwards in this way successively creates contact between each cooling plate 3 and both adjacent containers (or other cooling plates 3 if a container is not present). I.e. the lower cooling plates 3 "pick up" the cooling plates 3 and the containers above. In this configuration the heat transfer between the containers and the cooling plates 3 is improved drastically.
  • the top-most cooling plate 3 is mounted to the device frame 2 and/or just remains in position by virtue of its weight.
  • Rods 16 together with sensors can be used to ascertain the correct desired positioning of the cooling plates.
  • Fig. 2 schematically shows the plate freezer 1 together with a cooling device 19 which provides cooled or heated thermo oil to the cooling plates 3 of the plate freezer 1, i.e. the plate freezer can also be used to thaw the goods after freezing.
  • the plate freezer 1 can preferably be inside a thermally insulated housing.
  • cooling medium distributor 17 and a cooling medium collector 18 for distributing and collecting cooling medium to and from the different cooling plates 3.
  • the cooling medium distributor 17 and the cooling medium collector 18 are in fluid communication with the cooling device 16 via a central supply line and a central return line.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Devices That Are Associated With Refrigeration Equipment (AREA)
EP20181117.1A 2020-06-19 2020-06-19 Congélateur à plaques Withdrawn EP3926277A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP20181117.1A EP3926277A1 (fr) 2020-06-19 2020-06-19 Congélateur à plaques

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP20181117.1A EP3926277A1 (fr) 2020-06-19 2020-06-19 Congélateur à plaques

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP3926277A1 true EP3926277A1 (fr) 2021-12-22

Family

ID=71111357

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP20181117.1A Withdrawn EP3926277A1 (fr) 2020-06-19 2020-06-19 Congélateur à plaques

Country Status (1)

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EP (1) EP3926277A1 (fr)

Citations (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR940178A (fr) * 1946-02-20 1948-12-06 Escher Wyss & Cie Const Mec Appareil de congélation rapide de produits
US2697920A (en) * 1951-05-10 1954-12-28 Gen Foods Corp Food freezing apparatus
US4907421A (en) 1987-07-31 1990-03-13 Stal Samifi S.P.A. Automatic platefreezer, with horizontal freezing plates, suitable to apply pressure on the product during normal freezing operations
US5035120A (en) * 1989-05-22 1991-07-30 Pierre Guerin S.A. Freezer
WO1997018424A1 (fr) * 1995-11-13 1997-05-22 Kvaerner Fodema A.S Procede de congelation de produits
NZ331004A (en) * 1997-07-16 2000-02-28 Gordon Brothers Ind Pty Ltd Automatic plate freezer with horizontally stacked plates having latching arrangement so that only one station is opened during loading and unloading
EP2083234A2 (fr) 2008-01-24 2009-07-29 Carnitech A/S Congélateur comprenant un robot
WO2012135216A2 (fr) 2011-03-28 2012-10-04 Praxair Technology, Inc. Congélation en vrac de produits biopharmaceutiques
EP2902736A1 (fr) 2014-01-30 2015-08-05 A/S Dybvad Stalindustri Plaque de congélation et procédé pour faire fonctionner une telle plaque
CN205257884U (zh) * 2015-12-24 2016-05-25 大连中海渔业机械有限公司 一种蒸发平板同步控位升降机构
WO2017183993A2 (fr) * 2016-04-20 2017-10-26 Optimar As Appareil pour vider et remplir des congélateurs horizontaux, et système de congélation comprenant un appareil pour remplir et vider des congélateurs horizontaux
WO2018129576A1 (fr) 2017-01-16 2018-07-19 Single Use Support Gmbh Logement pour contenant flexible
CN209783118U (zh) * 2018-12-26 2019-12-13 深圳市瑞雪制冷设备有限公司 多层挤压平板式速冻机

Patent Citations (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR940178A (fr) * 1946-02-20 1948-12-06 Escher Wyss & Cie Const Mec Appareil de congélation rapide de produits
US2697920A (en) * 1951-05-10 1954-12-28 Gen Foods Corp Food freezing apparatus
US4907421A (en) 1987-07-31 1990-03-13 Stal Samifi S.P.A. Automatic platefreezer, with horizontal freezing plates, suitable to apply pressure on the product during normal freezing operations
US5035120A (en) * 1989-05-22 1991-07-30 Pierre Guerin S.A. Freezer
WO1997018424A1 (fr) * 1995-11-13 1997-05-22 Kvaerner Fodema A.S Procede de congelation de produits
NZ331004A (en) * 1997-07-16 2000-02-28 Gordon Brothers Ind Pty Ltd Automatic plate freezer with horizontally stacked plates having latching arrangement so that only one station is opened during loading and unloading
EP2083234A2 (fr) 2008-01-24 2009-07-29 Carnitech A/S Congélateur comprenant un robot
WO2012135216A2 (fr) 2011-03-28 2012-10-04 Praxair Technology, Inc. Congélation en vrac de produits biopharmaceutiques
EP2902736A1 (fr) 2014-01-30 2015-08-05 A/S Dybvad Stalindustri Plaque de congélation et procédé pour faire fonctionner une telle plaque
CN205257884U (zh) * 2015-12-24 2016-05-25 大连中海渔业机械有限公司 一种蒸发平板同步控位升降机构
WO2017183993A2 (fr) * 2016-04-20 2017-10-26 Optimar As Appareil pour vider et remplir des congélateurs horizontaux, et système de congélation comprenant un appareil pour remplir et vider des congélateurs horizontaux
WO2018129576A1 (fr) 2017-01-16 2018-07-19 Single Use Support Gmbh Logement pour contenant flexible
CN209783118U (zh) * 2018-12-26 2019-12-13 深圳市瑞雪制冷设备有限公司 多层挤压平板式速冻机

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