METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING A FREEZE DRYING PROCESS

摘要

A method for monitoring and/or controlling a freeze drying process in a freeze dryer apparatus (100) provided with a drying chamber (101) having temperature-controlled shelf means (104) supporting containers (50) of a product (30) to be dried, comprises during a primary drying phase of said freeze drying process the steps of: - isolating said drying chamber (101) closing an isolating valve (111) thereof and sensing and collecting pressure values (p_c,mes) inside said drying chamber (101) for a defined pressure collecting time (t_f) and a shelf temperature (T_shelf) of said temperature-controlled shelf means (104) (Step 1); - calculating a product temperature (T) of product (30) and a plurality of process/product related parameters (T_i0, R_p, K_v, L_frozen, T_B) (Step 2); - calculating a new shelf temperature (T'_shelf) and a sequence of shelf temperatures up to the end of the primary drying phase, that maximises a sublimation rate of said product (30) maintaining the product temperature below a maximum allowable product temperature (T_max).