A lyophilizer is a laboratory instrument used to carry out the process of lyophilization, since this equipment is designed to remove moisture from a product by drying it cold, thus generating a completely dehydrated product that can be rehydrated when needed to use, without losing its common properties.
At the laboratory level the use of a lyophilizer has as main objective to reduce the losses of volatile or thermosensitive components. Freeze-drying is considered a much needed process to preserve cells, enzymes, bacteria, yeasts, viruses, vaccines, sera, blood products, algae, among others, because it provides a more efficient conservation, hence its importance in laboratories.
What is lyophilization?
Freeze-drying is a drying process (dehydration) that is carried out by the technique of progressive sublimation of the solvent or water present in a sample. This process occurs at low temperatures which prevents some volatile elements from being lost, unlike in conventional drying processes. Progressive sublimation allows the direct passage of ice (solid) to gas (vapor) without passing through its liquid phase.
The procedure for freeze-drying a sample consists of several steps: freezing the sample at low temperatures, drying the frozen product by sublimation and storage of the product. This process is characterized by: preserve the characteristics of the original substances, in freeze-drying the physical-chemical structure of the sample is not altered, preserve the original form, with freeze-drying the material suffers only a slight shrinkage, condition the material and prepare the samples for chemical or biochemical analysis.
When is a lyophilizer needed in a laboratory?
A lyophilizer is a very useful equipment in the laboratories of the pharmaceutical and food industry, is a very necessary equipment when it comes to preserving products, because it allows removing moisture through cold drying. The material to be lyophilized is introduced into the instrument, where there are very low temperatures, usually below – 40°C. With a vacuum pump, the pressure in the equipment is reduced. Having lowered the temperature the organic water or solvent freezes. Subsequently, when the pressure is lowered, the water that is in solid state is steamed into the process known as sublimation.
Its great usefulness at laboratory level is that this instrument allows carrying out in vacuum and at low temperatures the dehydration of compounds of clinical and scientific importance, avoiding the denaturation of proteins. Biological materials such as cells, bacteria and vaccines become dry products preventing the passage through its liquid phase, and in this way preventing chemical, enzymatic and biological changes, which can deteriorate the product. Therefore, freeze-drying is considered a key process to conserve pharmaceuticals and products of biological origin that should not be heated even at moderate temperatures.
How does a lyophilizer work?
First, the material to be lyophilized freezes at sub-zero temperatures to maintain its molecular structure. The frozen material is subsequently inserted into the freeze-drier, where there is a vacuum pressure, due to the action of a vacuum pump which allows it to function properly. This pump allows 95% of the water present in the sample to be sublimated, and in this way, the product dries without using temperatures higher than room temperature.
The heat present in the freeze-drier provides the necessary energy to the water to go into a gaseous state, accelerating the process. And the gas that’s left loose, it’s condensed to low temperatures, going back to solid state. For small amounts of sample, round-bottomed vials, tubes or flasks are used (higher strength, with possibility of closure inside the freeze-drier).
What does Kalstein offer you?
Kalstein is a manufacturer of medical and laboratory equipment of the highest quality and the best technology at the best PRICES in the market, so you can make your PURCHASE confidently with us, knowing that you have the service and advice of a company specialized in the field and committed to provide you with safe, economical and effective options to perform your functions in the right way.
This time we present you our T Type Desktop Lab Freeze Dryer YR05189-1 // YR05189-3. This innovative equipment with cutting edge technology has the following features:
- CFC-free cooling.
- LCD screen drying curves, English interface.
- Large capacitor opening, capacitor with pre-freeze function.
- Low noise compressor, good efficiency, long service life.
- The capacitor and the operating panel are all stainless steel.
- Organic glass drying chamber is safe and visible.
- Shelf and tray are stainless steel, space between trays can be customized.
- Small volume, easy and convenient operation.
- Nitrogen valve is optional.
- Eutectic point testing device is optional.
- Communication interface is optional.
- Cascading cooling is optional, applied for -80℃ devices.
For more information we invite you to take a look at: HERE
