GB1352950A - Lyophilisation apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

1352950 Mixing apparatus L'AIR LIQUIDE SOC ANON POUR L'ETUDE ET L'EXPLOITATION DES PROCEDES GEORGES CLAUDE 16 Dec 1971 [16 Dec 1970] 58535/71 Heading B1C Apparatus for heating and agitating (or lyophilising) a mass of frozen or congealed particles comprises a drum placed with its axis horizontal or inclined thereto, at least one stirrer within the drum, the stirrer(s) being rotatable about the axis, a downwardly inclined discharge conduit at one end of the drum, a closure member for the discharge conduit, and means for heating the particles contained in the drum. The or each stirrer(s) is such that together with the drum, it lifts particles from the bottom of the drum and forms a channel along which particles can pass to the discharge conduit when it reaches the top of the drum. As illustrated the stirrers 16 are secured to the conical wall 5 of the drum and the latter is rotatable about axis 3 by an electric motor 13. The larger diameter end of the drum is closed by a part spherical wall 4 and the smaller end is received in a journal 12 carried by a fixed closure plate 10 which includes a feed conduit 19 and the discharge conduit 20. The closure member comprises a manually rotatable plate 25 including an aperture 26 and a funnel 29. The heating of the drum is effected by a bath 32 containing liquid and an electrical heating element 34. A vacuum is induced in the drum by a pump (not shown) connected to conduit 7, the inlet receives particles from a rotary congealing or freezing apparatus 23 and the discharge conduit communicates with a vessel which receives the lyophilised particles. In operation, filling the drum, lyophilising the particles, and discharging are effected by retaining the plate 25 in the illustrated position, by rotating the plate through 90‹ from he illustrated position, and by rotating the plate through 180‹ from the illustrated position, respectively. When the plate is in the discharge position the stirrers will each, when they rise to the top of the drum, cause particles to pass into the funnel 29. In alternative arrangements, the heating means may be an infra red radiating source placed inside or outside the drum; and the drum may be stationary with the stirrers being rotatable about the axis of the drum.