A benchtop lyophilizer is a compact machine used to preserve materials in a lab. It can preserve the material by removing the water, which extends its shelf life. And by executing the process of removing the water it makes the material easy to transport. It also freezes the material, decreases the pressure, and adds some heat to make the water sublimate.
The Types of Benchtop Lyophilizer
Ordinary Benchtop Lyophilizer Model
The ordinary benchtop lyophilizer model is a simple, compact, and economical machine that you can use to preserve the material. It is fitted with all components that will enable a lab technician to preserve certain research materials. This model is suitable for small labs that have small scale freeze-drying requirements.
It is a portable device that one can easily move from one working station to another. Despite the compactness, it is equipped with the necessary components for freeze-drying. Most ordinary benchtop lyophilizers can freeze dry between 1 liter and 2 liters of any material in 24 hours.
The ordinary model benchtop lyophilizers have their components made of stainless steel to ensure it can last longer. They are fitted with a display LCD screen that you can always view whatever is going on from it. The condenser temperature for most of them is between -50c and -87c.
Since most customers want high-performance machines that are affordable, the ordinary benchtop lyophilizers offer them the best choice.
Top Press Model
This bigger model to the ordinary model. It is an economical, compact, and simple machine that can be used in small material preservation. They are designed to meet the required standards and are environmentally friendly.
Most top press model has a capacity of producing 1.2l to 1.6 l in every 24 hours. They are designed to be more effective compared to the ordinary ones. They are easy to operate. Most of the have a display LCD screen that enables you to see all that is happening in the freeze-drying process.
Moreover, you get a sizeable refrigerating capacity on most of these models that means better production.
Multi-pipeline Model
The multi-pipeline model is a simple, economical machine that you can use in your lab. It is perfect for the preservation of fragile materials and living material. It is bigger compared to the top press model and can achieve more productivity.
This model is a perfect tool for your small scale freeze-drying needs. Most models have a display LCD screen that will show you all that is going on while you are freeze-drying. Most of them have customizable tray spacing that means you can preserve large materials. The preserved materials using this machine will have a long shelf life compared to other models stated above.
Top Press Multi-manifold Model
It is a compact, economic model that you can use to preserve fragile material and living ones. This is a more sophisticated model but it can give you a preserved material with more shelf life than others. The large tray spacing, which is customizable, offers one an opportunity to refrigerate more materials.
These models are faster in preserving any material. For small scale freeze-drying, this model of the machine works very well. Most models here have a capacity of 1.6L to 2.2 L.
T Model
This is an advanced model of benchtop lyophilizer. The model is economical and can work on a small scale freeze drying station well. Most models have a smart switch that ensures stale pressure anytime it is on. It has a condensation temperature of between -105 degrees and -120 degrees.
The control panel on this model is easy to use and user friendly. The improved technology on these models means they are always ready for work. You can get the flexible drying chamber in most models that can be important when dealing with many materials.
These are some of the benchtop lyophilizers’ models that one can get to use depending on the quantity of material you want to freeze dry.
WKIE LAB Benchtop Lyophilizer Price
WKIE LAB is a professional lab equipment manufacturer and supplier from China. And we are committed to providing you and your team with the high-end apparatus in the world.
So how much does a WKIE LAB benchtop lyophilized cost? Well, you may think that would be a high price with such high quality. However, actually, as WKIE LAB is a strong lab equipment manufacturer from China, we have constructed our own modernalized factories and professionals team. So, we cut down a lot of costs in production and technical support. Thus, in WKIE LAB, you can get these apparatus at a low and reasonable price! By the way, our company also offers you a customized service, and we can help you make your own scheme to cut down more budget.
The Principle of WKIE LAB Benchtop Lyophilizer
A benchtop lyophilizer uses a process known as lyophilization that involves extracting water from a material that is to be stored. This process is used by this machine to preserve materials that may be needed for research in the future.
This machine has adopted a simple physics principle that is known as sublimation. Sublimation involves changing a solid substance into vapor without it first going through the liquid phase. The process ensures that the physical structure of the material to be stored remains intact while removing water molecules.
The lyophilization process using the sublimation principle involves:
- The freezing of the material to preserve that converts the water molecules into ice
- Sublimation of the ice formed into water vapor in a vacuum
- Extraction of the water vapor.
- Once the extraction of the water vapor is complete, the material is freeze-dried and covered for storage.
Additionally, some of the principles one can observe include:
- Avoid overheating the material to be preserved as this may cause melt back or damage of the material you were to store
- You should consider the condenser’s size to avoid overload that might be caused by too much vapor.
- Always ensure the vapour generated gets off to the condenser easily to avoid increased pressure in the chamber
The Steps of Preserving A Material By Using A Benchtop Lyophilizer
It works in preserving a material by using the following steps.
Freezing
A benchtop lyophilizer is fitted with a freezer that will cool the material to be preserved. Most of them will cool a product triple its point to achieve perfect sublimation and preserve material in physical form.
It freezes ice crystals that are produced by slow freezing and the ice is used to store the material. If you are preserving biological materials, the ice crystals need not be too large. When the crystals are large, it may break the cell wall of the material making it defective. In this case, fast freezing is used and then you raise the material temperature.
Sublimation
It is the second process of preserving a material. The sublimation phase involves lowering the pressure and the heat raised on the material to achieve perfect sublimation. A vacuum is fitted on the lyophilizer that will speed up the sublimation process.
A condenser fitted in the lyophilizer is the surface where the water vapor will condense. It also protects the lyophilizer’s vacuum pump from the water vapors. In this phase of material preservation, 95% of water is removed, but one must be careful as too much heat can alter the material’s structure.
Absorption
This is the last phase of preserving a material that involves removing ionically bound water molecules. The temperature is raised further which breaks the bond between the material and the water molecules. Most material in this phase retains a porous structure.
After completion of the process, the vacuum can be broken with an inert gas before sealing the material.
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Benchtop Lyophilizer
The advantages of using a benchtop lyophilizer include:
- The material is stored in a dry state, which ensures it is always stable.
- The pressed material is dried without the need of using high temperatures.
- Preservation of materials in the dry state is less costly compared to those in liquid form.
- The preserved material can be reconstituted easily.
- The flavors and smell remain constant, which makes the use of benchtop lyophilizer in food preservation good.
- The process of using a benchtop lyophilizer does not cause toughening of the material.
The disadvantages are:
- While preserving some material highly volatile compounds can be lost making the material unstable.
- It is costly to do this process as units for high scale production are expensive.
- Some materials are highly fragile making it a challenge in trying to dry freeze them
- Large materials might take time to freeze dry.
- If you are going to use too much heat on material, it may alter its structure.
The Maintenance of Benchtop Lyophilizer
A lyophilizer system consists of a computer, vacuum, instrumentation, refrigeration, and condenser system. All these systems usually need constant maintenance to ensure they perform effectively.
Computer system
Most people mostly overlook it, but it is essential to have it functioning effectively. Always store your information so that you can always have everything in case the computer system malfunctions. If you are using a stand-alone computer with a lyophilizer, it is essential to use it for the intended purpose only to avoid overworking it.
Instruments system
These instruments include temperature, vacuum, and pressure sensors. For you to always achieve better preservation with any material, these sensors should be functioning effectively. A technician should check the device often to ensure the sensors are working as expected.
A manufacturer may always provide calibration for the vacuum gauges or the temperature device or develop its own. However, it is very important always to check the sensors thoroughly and regularly to have them performing effectively.
Vacuum system
The vacuum system consists of the pump and the condensing chamber. In some models, you need to change the oil in the pump more frequently than in others. The oil color will usually tell you when it needs to be changed as it becomes darker. It is important to change the oil while it is still warm since it can be removed easily.
For the oil-less pumps it may give you more problems if it is not checked frequently. Friction is a significant problem and you need to consult with the manufacturer to get recommendations on when to do maintenance. Doing this routine maintenance will be beneficial in ensuring your lyophilizer is functioning as required.
Refrigeration system
This is an integral part that one should always do routine checks to ensure it is functioning effectively. The function test can be done routinely as recommended by the manufacturer. The function test functioning effectively will ensure that the preservation of materials runs smoothly.
It there is a defect in the refrigeration system, it may affect the quality of the preserved material. A check will ensure the valves, heat transfer system, and other components are functioning as required. The routine maintenance will ensure there are no leaks and the electrical valves are performing as needed.
Condenser chamber
This unit should always be kept clean. This includes ensuring that you clean it always after every run. The cleaning process will ensure you remove all spilled materials. While doing the cleaning, special care should be given to the wires and jacks to avoid damages. This cleaning will ensure every material processed for storage is not contaminated.
You should always take good care of your lyophilizer to avoid any issue that can cause total breakdown.
The Applications of Benchtop Lyophilizer
In Pharmaceuticals
Pharmaceutical companies are always involved in major research projects that will always need them to store some materials. The benchtop lyophilizers are used in pharmaceuticals to research materials, develop other materials, manufacturing, and transportation.
The freeze-drying process helps a pharmaceutical company in the development, research, manufacturing, and transportation of drugs, antibodies, and vaccines. The research material is converted from solid-state to a gaseous state using this procedure to enable them to preserve a material better.
The machines will enable a company to avoid the problems involved in moving unstable materials. The products that go through will have a long shelf life, ensuring any research can be done for a long time to find suitable drugs for manufacture.
In Labs
Laboratories usually carry out a lot of research on different materials. Some materials may sometime need to be moved from one laboratory to another. Moving such products in liquid form or solid-state may be troublesome.
A benchtop lyophilizer will help a lab technician convert any material to a freeze-dried material that can be moved easily. It helps a lot in facilitating research and manufacturing of other materials. If a lab technician in a zoo wants to make a tranquilizer stronger for bigger animals having this device will help a lot. It can also be used to convert the tranquilizer into powder form for storage.
Conclusion
Benchtop lyophilizers are a simple machine that can prepare any material that needs to be preserved. There are different kinds of lyophilizers on can use but they all give the same result. The process of preserving material is complex that needs a specialized instrument. These machines help a lot in the preservation of materials in a lab or a pharmaceutical company.
