Introduction to Industrial Freeze Dryers
Today’s customers need food that is convenient to use, well preserved, without rotting or spoiling, and that also maintains the characteristics of fresh food. The industrial freeze dryer makes it possible for food processing manufacturers to meet these customer requirements.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the ins and outs of industrial freeze dryers, including how they work, their benefits, the different types available, and more.
How Do Industrial Freeze Dryers Work?
Industrial freeze dryers are designed to remove moisture from materials by sublimation. Sublimation is the process by which a solid substance transitions directly to a gas without going through the liquid state. The process involves freezing the material, then placing it in a vacuum chamber where the pressure is lowered to a point where the frozen water molecules sublimate into water vapor. The water vapor is then collected on a cold surface and removed from the chamber.
Freeze-drying is a time-consuming process. For home freeze-drying machines, it may take tens of hours to several days to complete, while for industrial freeze dryers, it only takes a dozen hours. This is because industrial freeze dryers are equipped with faster quick-freezing machines, high-efficiency heating systems and powerful water vapor absorption devices.
Benefits of Using Industrial Freeze Dryers
Preservation of Quality
Freeze-drying is a gentle process that preserves the quality of the material being dried. Unlike other drying methods, freeze-drying does not use heat, which can damage sensitive materials. This process preserves the color, taste, and aroma of the material, making it an ideal method for preserving food, pharmaceuticals, and other sensitive materials.
Increased Shelf Life
Freeze-drying extends the shelf life of materials by removing moisture, which can cause spoilage. The process makes it possible to store materials for longer periods without compromising their quality, making it an ideal method for storing food, pharmaceuticals, and other sensitive materials.
Cost-Effective
Although the initial cost of industrial freeze dryers may be somewhat high, they can maintain the original appearance and texture of the product, retain all its flavor, protein and vitamins, while reducing energy consumption costs. For medium-sized industrial freeze dryers, freeze-drying one kilogram of raw material only requires 1.8 kWh of electricity. This will allow you to get higher quality products at lower costs and help you stay ahead of your competitors.
Types of Industrial Freeze Dryers
During the freeze-drying process, the moisture in the raw material will leave the raw material in the form of water vapor, and then attach to the surface of the water vapor absorber as ice. As the ice layer becomes thicker, the absorption efficiency of the water vapor absorber begins to decline. In order to restore the efficiency of the water vapor absorber, the freeze-drying equipment needs to perform de-icing.
Based on different de-icing methods，there are two main types of industrial freeze dryers: Non-continuous de-icing style and Continuous de-icing style.
Non-continuous de-icing Style Freeze Dryers
Smaller industrial freeze dryers use a water-flushing de-icing system. At the end of each drying cycle, the surface of the water vapor absorber is flushed with hot water, and the ice formed on the surface of the water vapor absorber melts within 20 minutes and the water is discharged. This de-icing method is suitable for small and medium-sized industrial freeze dryers. Its advantages are low investment cost and simple operation.
Continuous de-icing style Freeze Dryers
Larger industrial freeze dryers usually have multiple water vapor absorption devices working alternately. When the efficiency of one water vapor absorption device begins to decline, it will be isolated from the drying chamber and start de-icing until the de-icing is completed and the specified vacuum degree is reached before reconnecting to the drying chamber. In the meantime, its work will be taken over by other water vapor absorption devices. The whole process is fully automatic.
The advantage of this system is that the water vapor absorption device can always maintain a high efficiency working state, speeding up the freeze-drying process while saving energy consumption, and reducing the de-icing waiting time after each drying is completed.
Factors to Consider When Choosing an Industrial Freeze Dryer
When choosing an industrial freeze dryer, there are several factors to consider, including:
Capacity
The capacity of the freeze dryer is an essential factor to consider when making your selection. You need to first clarify how many kilograms of fresh raw materials you need to process every 24 hours and choose the appropriate freeze-drying equipment based on your actual needs.
Processing Time
Processing time also plays a significant role in your decision-making process. If you need to quickly process more than three tons of raw materials per day, you may need to consider Continuous de-icing style freeze dryers. For industrial freeze dryers, the common material freeze-drying time is usually around 8-15 hours.
Temperature Range
Different raw materials have different temperature requirements. Within the temperature range allowed by the material, higher temperatures can bring you higher drying efficiency. Therefore, when choosing industrial freeze-drying machines, you should choose those with a wider range of temperature adjustment. This temperature range is recommended to be adjustable within the range of room temperature to 120 degrees Celsius.
Workshop requirements
Since the products of different manufacturers are not quite the same, here we take our industrial freeze dryer as an example. The first is the height requirement of the workshop. If you need to freeze-dry fresh raw materials within 1.8 tons per day, then your workshop height must be higher than 3.5 meters. If you need to process more than 1.8 tons of raw materials per day, then your workshop height must be higher than 5 meters.
For the area requirement of the workshop, I have made a table below.
| Model | SDG350 | SDG700 | SDG1100 | SDG1450 | SDG2000 |
| Typiacl input solids 15% (kg/24hours) | 340-450 | 680-900 | 1020-1360 | 1360-1800 | 2030-2700 |
| Workshop area suggestion (m^2) | 200-300 | 400-600 | 450-600 | 500-800 | 600-900 |
| Equipment floor area (m^2) | 20-30 | 60-100 | 60-100 | 60-100 | 80-120 |
Model | SDG3000 | SDG4500 | SDG6000 |
| Typiacl input solids 15% (kg/24hours) | 3000-4000 | 4500-6000 | 6000-8000 |
| Workshop area suggestion (m^2) | 1500-2000 | 1800-2100 | 2000-2300 |
| Equipment floor area (m^2) | 150-200 | 180-250 | 180-250 |
Maintenance Requirements
Finally, you need to consider the maintenance requirements of the freeze dryer. Regular maintenance is essential for keeping the industrial freeze dryer running at its highest efficiency.
Therefore, when choosing an industrial freeze dryer, you need to consider whether its spare parts and consumables are easy to buy in your nearby area, and whether these accessories and consumables are easy to install and remove, even if you are a novice.
But don’t forget that when repairing the freeze dryer, you should always use manufacturer-approved replacement parts. Using non-approved parts can compromise the performance and efficiency of your freeze dryer.
Frequently Asked Questions About Industrial Freeze Dryers
How long does it take to freeze dry materials?
The length of time required for freeze-drying materials depends on the type and thickness of the material. It is generally recommended that the thickness of the raw material should be less than 2 cm. For industrial freeze dryers, the common material freeze-drying time is usually around 8-15 hours.
Can freeze-dried materials be rehydrated?
Yes, freeze-dried materials can be rehydrated by adding water.
Conclusion
Industrial freeze dryers provide you with excellent product quality to lead your competitors. In this comprehensive guide, we’ve explored the basics of industrial freeze dryers, how they work, their benefits, the different types available, and more. By understanding the factors to consider, you can more easily choose the industrial freeze dryer that really suits you from among the many freeze-dryer suppliers.
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