Ulvac, Inc.

Katsuhiko Itou

Kyuzo Nakamura

Takashi Hanamoto

Masaki Itou

Takeo Kato

Seiji Ogata

[Object] To provide a freeze-drying apparatus and a freeze-drying method, which are capable of increasing a drying efficiency of frozen particles. [Solving Means] The freeze-drying apparatusincludes a freezing chamberinto which a raw material fluid F is injected. During the injection of the raw material fluid F, after the injection of the raw material fluid F, or for a time period covering the start to the termination of the injection of the raw material fluid F, a shelfis vibrated in a horizontal direction due to an actuation of vibration generators. With this, the frozen particles deposited on the shelfare evenly diffused on the shelfin such a manner that a deposition thickness thereof becomes smaller or a single layer thereof is formed. With this, a freezing efficiency and the drying efficiency of individual particles are promoted.

Freeze-drying apparatus and freeze-drying method

A vacuum freeze-drying apparatus capable of rapid drying is provided. A cold trap for drying, which is arranged inside a drying chamber, is set to a low temperature of &#x2212;70 degrees Celsius or below, and heat is supplied to frozen particles on a conveyor belt to a degree such that the frozen particles do not melt. The amount of the liquid component evaporating from the frozen particles increases, and the amount of the liquid component entering the frozen particles decreases so that the time for drying the frozen particles is shortened.

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Kanagawa, Japan

Katsuhiko Itou