BFD-20 Pilot Freeze Dryer

The BFD-20 pilot freeze dryer available in shelf area from 1.2m2 to 2.8m2, vapor collect condenser capacity up to 30kgs in 24hrs period, which is ideal for industrial small production.

The BFD-20 freeze dryer machine offers an almost unlimited amount of application possibilities to meet any of your production needs, allows products to be dried in material trays or in containers (PCR plates, vials, pre-packed boxes etc.), and it fits various product forms (liquid, solid, paste, granular, irregular shape and bulk type etc.).

The drying chamber, condenser, shelves, trays and accessories that possibly contact with products is fabricated from high quality stainless steel, which will not react with and degrade products.

Although the pilot units typically are smaller capacity, but they connect product development and commercial production. So, they have to be as efficient as the commercial ones to support the upcoming scale-up. The BFD-20 freeze drying equipment is designed with similar technical performance as the commercial ones, so that you can simulate the production environment and prepare for technology transfer.

The BFD-20 is entirely stainless steel fabricated, chamber and condenser engineered and produced strictly follow pressure vessel directives, airtight and leakage <5Pa L/S. All the key components are from world top brands to guarantee it is long lifespan and at least 3 years maintenance free. Moreover, the BFD-20 freeze dryer supports industry heavy use of 7*24.

User also care about the retainability because some products drying time is quite long (up to several days). The BFD-20 system is capable of such purpose: in our LYO-PILOT recipe management section, user can program up to 36 steps in a freeze drying recipe, and for each step, the temperature and lasting hrs can be individually set (temperature value settable range: -55 to +100, hours value settable range: 0 to 999, minutes value settable range: 0 to 60). System will automatically execute the drying steps (parameters) you set, one finish, the next one automatic start, until drying end. Which means no matter how long your freeze drying recipe takes, the BFD-20 system can handle it. And the LYO-PILOT can store up to 32 recipes.

The heat transfer fluid based shelf system is always temperature controlled: heat transfer fluid circulates inside sandwich type heat-plates for product pre-freeze and later heating for sublimation, (heating and cooling rate >1C/Min). An additional heat-plate is installed on top of shelf module to provide extra energy for thermal balance. Temperature sensors have been installed in both the fluid inlet and return pipe, as well as the fluid heating bar point, to control and monitor shelves temperature. Temperature variance between heat-plates and plate points are less than +/-1C.

Vekuma’s BFD-20 freeze dry system is designed fit clean room install. The touch screen HMI enables operator control all the machine functions, parts working and valves open/close. Whatever for auto freeze drying, semi-auto freeze drying, condenser defrost or defrosted water drain, user can finish the task in clean room, no need goes to technical room to do manual works.

• All-in-one structure. Plug and play deliver.
• Stainless steel exterior with casters and height adjustable feet.
• All sides panels can be opened for maintenance.
• Stainless steel, rectangular drying chamber, inner wall Ra<0.6um.
• Transparent drying chamber door, lubricate free door gasket.
• Sandwich type shelves, silicone oil based system, shelves temperature controllable from -55C to +70C.
• Individual ice condenser, vapor collect capacity 15kgs in 24hrs, 30kgs max.
• Condenser final temperature -85C.
• Condenser auto defrosting.
• 2-stage oil sealed rotary vane vacuum pump.
• Vacuum adjustable.
• Cascade compressor system, air cooling method.
• PLC and user-friendly touch screen based control system:
  • Alive display main components working status.
  • Freeze drying recipes management.
  • Real-time freeze drying curve.
  • Drying data download via USB.
  • Automatic and semi-automatic working.
  • Alarms information.
  • Users, authorization and password protection.
  • Probes and gauge calibration.
• Side mounted vacuum break valve.
• Side mounted water drain valve.
• Meet cGMP, cGLP and FDA.
• Qualification and validation documents.

• Chamber inner wall roughness Ra<0.6um
• Shelves flatness <0.5mm/m
• Shelves roughness Ra<0.4um
• Shelf cooling: +20C ~ -40C <60min
• Cooling final: -55C (+/-2C)
• Shelf heating: -40C ~ +20C <60min
• Heating final: +70C (+/-1.5C)
• Condenser inner wall roughness Ra<0.6um
• Condenser coils roughness Ra<0.4um
• Condenser cooling: RT ~ -40C <30min
• Condenser final: -85C
• Defrosting: <60Min
• Vacuum final: <1Pa

• Stoppering system for vials closing under vacuum.
• Condenser & chamber isolation valve.
• Vacuum control system.
• Capacitive vacuum gauge.
• PC control and software.
• Eutectic point detector.
• Lateral manifold rack for flasks.
• S/S316L material.
• -65C shelves.
• -110C condenser.
• Product trays: standard trays, bottom removable trays or coated trays.
• Scroll vacuum pump.
• Water cooled compressor.
• Reciprocating compressor.
• H2O2 sterilization package.